Staking help

[Endur]

Well I hate to start another thread on castle nut staking, but I have an issue. I have gone through two reciever plates because the punch I am using (Starrett No.264E) is chizzling away the metal rather than indenting it into the recess on the castle nut. This punch and an auto punch were the recommended punches for staking (at least what I have read). Both plates are BCM QD's. I do not believe this issue to be from the plates, but on my end. Is there a better punch or method?

This is how I attempted to stake: I locked the lower in my reaction block; torqued the nut to 40 ft lbs; took the punch and placed it straight above, centered it on the plate and tapped it with a hammer just enough to achieve an indention as a pilot so as to not slip off when doing the final stake; after the pilot I angled the punch slightly and whacked it with a hammer.

Pics of both plates:
The second plate I attempted to just angle and hit it to see if my original method was the issue, so that is why it looks more mangled.

Attachment 41469Attachment 41470

[Averageman]

I would say your first strike may be too close and your second might have too much angle. The angle being too steep is too steep causes the chip rather than a indentation that expands the metal.
I will say this though, it would appear you have some material handy to test that theory.

[Endur]

I would say your first strike may be too close and your second might have too much angle. The angle being too steep is too steep causes the chip rather than a indentation that expands the metal.
I will say this though, it would appear you have some material handy to test that theory.

That is what I thought, so on the second plate after the first fail I tried much less angle and got the same outcome. After the pilot the angle I used was roughly 45 degree. I am searching for a squared tip punch but no luck. I might just have to buy one with a smaller neck than the Starrett and grind it.

[P2000]

I really like using an autopunch. When brand new the tip was a little too pointy, so I gave it some strikes on the concrete floor which made the tip more rounded.

I give about 5-8 strikes in the middle of the plate straight in to get a small crater forming. Then slowly angle it towards the castle nut. 45 degrees is way too much angle. I'd say 15-20 degrees is all you need. The material will flow to the path of least resistance.

The autopunch is weak, so depending on how hard the endplate is, it could take as many as 50 strikes.

Here is one I did a while back. The lighting makes it look deeper than it really is. Then I add a little cold blue for aesthetics.
P3130252.jpg

[Slippers]

LMT uses an autopunch. After seeing theirs, I started doing the same, using a Starrett 18A. I took an old end plate and tested on it a few times to figure out the starting location. Do a few strikes straight in to get it started, and then a slight angle until you get the desired displacement.

This is a brand new LMT lower's factory staking:

[26 Inf]

P2000 - that does look nice.

Does anyone use a a screwdriver?

[Endur]

Thanks men. I will get an auto punch and another plate (good thing the plates are cheap and BCM ships fast). I might also get a punch and grind it to a squared end, and use the bad plates for practice (I like the squared staking look).

I am surprised no one has made a staking tool that looks like a castle nut wrench where you can just align it to your points, pop it on, and smack it with a hammer and be gtg.

[blade_68]

I ground the tip of one of mine square on sides for that reason.
If I was home I'd dig it out and send a picture of it and some that I have done.

[Slippers]

Thanks men. I will get an auto punch and another plate (good thing the plates are cheap and BCM ships fast). I might also get a punch and grind it to a squared end, and use the bad plates for practice (I like the squared staking look).

I am surprised no one has made a staking tool that looks like a castle nut wrench where you can just align it to your points, pop it on, and smack it with a hammer and be gtg.

The square Colt look is nice. Just hard to replicate with consistency. Someone should ask Ned to make a tool like his moacks, so you can do it without a hammer or vice.

I used to use a square drive bit that I ground into a rectangle to get the Colt look. Once I noticed LMT using the auto punch and realizing how much easier it is, I got lazy and went that route.

[P2000]

P2000 - that does look nice.

Does anyone use a a screwdriver?

Thank you sir!

Thanks men. I will get an auto punch and another plate (good thing the plates are cheap and BCM ships fast). I might also get a punch and grind it to a squared end, and use the bad plates for practice (I like the squared staking look).

I am surprised no one has made a staking tool that looks like a castle nut wrench where you can just align it to your points, pop it on, and smack it with a hammer and be gtg.

Squared staking like what I've seen on Colts does look cool. I am guessing that you want the punch to be a bit dull. You don't want to cut, but instead dent/push material around. You could probably get it perfect by practicing on the bad end plate. It might be a little harder to make happen than a rounded stake though.