Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 23

Thread: Staked Carrier Question...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    11
    Feedback Score
    0

    Staked Carrier Question...

    ...sorry guys, I was reading a thread and it mentioned staked carriers - mine certainly seems staked, do you think so?



    Sorry for the bad pic, the sides are nicely dimpled in evenly on both sides.

    Oh, and why is it important? - I'm a newbie to such details.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Cary , NC
    Posts
    59
    Feedback Score
    0
    I am a newbie too.

    What is "staking" and why is it important?

    Please show pics of "staked" vs. "not staked" if possible?

    I have a S&W M&P 15 does anyone know if it is "staked"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    SE FL
    Posts
    14,147
    Feedback Score
    5 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by BetaMO
    ...sorry guys, I was reading a thread and it mentioned staked carriers - mine certainly seems staked, do you think so?



    Sorry for the bad pic, the sides are nicely dimpled in evenly on both sides.

    Oh, and why is it important? - I'm a newbie to such details.
    I'd need to see a closer pic, but on first inspection of the pic you posted I'm not so sure yours is done properly.

    It's important because it is the only thing (locktite doesn't really work) that keeps the screws from backing out and locking up your rifle.

    FWIW the castle nut on the receiver extension should be staked as well, but almost nobody does this anymore.

    Look here for pics of how both should look.
    Notice how your pic and the pic in the link of the carrier key staking don't match. Yours appears to be too shallow. It's not dimples on the key that are important, it's important that the screws are slightly dimpled to hold them in place

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Oklahoma
    Posts
    467
    Feedback Score
    0
    While yours has been staked, it's hard to tell how well, from the pic it looks like it could use a little more but as long as the metal from the key is over (read touching) the screws it should be fine.

    Staking keeps things from coming loose, if your gas key screws come loose and do not seal off, your semi auto becomes a single shot.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Allen, Texas
    Posts
    660
    Feedback Score
    0
    That staking job doesn't look good to go at all. There should be a very noticeable impingement of carrier key metal over the periphry of the fastener heads.

    In addition, if the staking job is that "light" you don't know if the screws are properly degreased and locktited into the carrier body.

    If the gun is a service rifle, it definitely needs to be redone.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    2,506
    Feedback Score
    7 (100%)
    BetaMO, as the guys mentioned, staking is just the moving of a little metal over the edge of the tops of the screw heads to help keep them from coming loose / out. if the carrier key screws come loose, the seal between it and the carrier is lost and gas needed to function the gun blows uselessly (and harmlessy) into the upper receiver. At that point you join the legion of guys whose guns are short-stroking!

    Even screws that are staked can come loose. I've seen a carrier key that looked to be fairly well staked allow the screws to come loose. Because of the stakes, the screws could not actually come free from the carrier key, they just lifted it away from the carrier as they came loose.

    To counter this I like to stake the screws too. Once all is down tight and the key is staked, I stake each screw twice, just on the clockwise side of the key stake. this way there is outwardly displaced screw metal that would stop on the inwardly displaced key metal, should the screw even think about turning.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    11
    Feedback Score
    0
    Thanks for the replies!

    Mine is DEFINITELY NOT staked like the Colt pictures. Now I know to keep my eye on those screws.

    I wish I had found this site before I bought my upper...but it's a range gun not a service rifle, so I guess it will do for now.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    SE FL
    Posts
    14,147
    Feedback Score
    5 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by BetaMO
    Thanks for the replies!

    Mine is DEFINITELY NOT staked like the Colt pictures. Now I know to keep my eye on those screws.

    I wish I had found this site before I bought my upper...but it's a range gun not a service rifle, so I guess it will do for now.
    I would still run it until it breaks, and when it does just pick up a CMT.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Southern Kali...
    Posts
    1,119
    Feedback Score
    45 (100%)
    Why wait for it to break and ruin a perfectly good day of shooting sometime in the future? It's not that hard to fix this yourself...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Allen, Texas
    Posts
    660
    Feedback Score
    0
    So you don't have to put up with that crap of your rifle not running, why don't you send your bolt carrier to Grant or ADCO or one of the others and get it taken care of? Won't cost much and you won't have to be worried about it...

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •