Thanks, you guys, for all your help getting tools for the above, also from my friend who owns the rifle.

We purchased the GI castle nut pliers from Brownells, he loosened the allen screw holding the castle nut, but still can't get it loose with the pliers. In fact, we bent the tips and the castle nut still didn't move.

What are we doing wrong? I don't want to take a hammer and punch to it, would mar the nice parkerizing, but eventually he would like to remove the "fake" flashhider and replace it with one with holes in it, need to get the castle nut off.

Any advice? :)

Thanks again, gentlemen, for all the help, it's appreciated,
Chipsndukes

Thank you for the reply. I'm trying to picture how to lay a piece of soft bar steel on the castle nut, I don't have the rifle in front of me.

I think that means to whack the castle nut in the direction of the barrel axis, perpendicular to the threads.

And also you mentioned supporting the castle nut. Should I not hit it unless there is something backing it up and how does that work?

I realize the questions can be a little annoying, I don't have the rifle with me because it doesn't belong to me. At worst, I can take a look at a few more pictures in the links that you all provided for me last time.

Hopefully with this my friend will have his rifle done and I can focus back on other things.

Thanks again,
Chipsndukes

Its probably spot welded in two places. I usually file/grind the welds (sacrificing the chicom flash) without damaging barrel, then go with a Vortex. Must replace sufficient number of chicom parts w/ USGI to use a real flash hider, though.

The repro pliers (hard too differentiate from USGI) are soft.  Penetrating oil + USGI pliers.

Try the hammer and punch, just don't hit it real hard.
Work your way around the castle nut and see if it will break loose.

Good luck

OK, thank you all for the replies. When I get a chance I'll try and look and see if there were welds, otherwise I think penetrating oil and some light taps on the castle nut to knock it loose. Hopefully it will work without damaging it, wish me luck.

Thanks guys!
Chipsndukes

I put my rifle in a vise (in a towel) and went to town with a brass punch and hammer.  Came off no problem.  You don't have to hurt the finish if you're carefull.  I don't know anything about it being welded, mine wasn't.  Good luck!  (and don't hit your thumb )

I had the same problem, the only way I got it off is to have two people with brass punches. Stand on either side of the barrel and place the punches into the castle nut notches then at the same time one hits up the other down. You don't want to do it to hard but the combined pressure got off one of the most difficult castle nuts I've seen in under a minute.

Something to consider if you have a friend you can trust with a mallet