How does this castle nut staking look?

[tehpwnag3]

I use a spring-loaded punch and they come out real pretty every time.

[26 Inf]

I use a spring-loaded punch and they come out real pretty every time.

OP: This is the easiest IMO. A couple of compressions straight down, then angle out. You don't need to move as much metal as you did, just intrude a little into the notch.

Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black works well, as does their black paint touch up pen. I've never used their cold bluing on aluminum (as suggested in a previous post) so I can't comment on how well it might work.

If you are as much a fumble fingers as I am you quickly learn how to cover boo boos.

[Flankenstein]

Ugly but functional. No need to redo.

[tehpwnag3]

Thanks for the nod

I've only used steel end plates and have no experience with aluminum ones. Who makes them? With steel, I find that cold bluing works the best (blends-in better), but the paint pen works fine too.

OP: This is the easiest IMO. A couple of compressions straight down, then angle out. You don't need to move as much metal as you did, just intrude a little into the notch.

Birchwood Casey Aluminum Black works well, as does their black paint touch up pen. I've never used their cold bluing on aluminum (as suggested in a previous post) so I can't comment on how well it might work.

If you are as much a fumble fingers as I am you quickly learn how to cover boo boos.

[Glock9mm1990]

Thanks for the replies everyone, for me as long as the staking does it's job and prevents the castle nut from coming loose then I'm happy. I just wanted to make sure I displaced enough metal for it to work.

[26 Inf]

Thanks for the nod

I've only used steel end plates and have no experience with aluminum ones. Who makes them? With steel, I find that cold bluing works the best (blends-in better), but the paint pen works fine too.

You know, that makes sense. I've just always used the aluma-black, never considering the end plate wasn't aluminum.

[tehpwnag3]

Well, I do know for sure that BC Super Blue does not work on Aluminum, much to my chagrin. I've found it to be the blackest blue available. I'll have to pick up some of the Aluminum Black to see if it can pull double duty.

You know, that makes sense. I've just always used the aluma-black, never considering the end plate wasn't aluminum.

[Randall]

I use a spring-loaded punch and they come out real pretty every time.

Yup, thats what I do, much easier and less nerve racking than a hammer and chisel.

OP: This is the easiest IMO. A couple of compressions straight down, then angle out.

This is a very good point. The compressions straight down ensure you don't slip when you start to angle to push the metal outwards. Prevents boogered metal and ugly scratches.

If I did booger it up, I'll file down the sharp edges so they don't rip your fingers open down the road.

Never have used any of the BC aluma-black or their other offerings.

[3 AE]

At least you got the castle nut oriented correctly and displaced metal where needed. Was at the range last week and the guy in the next lane was showing me his first build/first AR. Looked OK until I saw he had installed the castle nut backwards.

Me: "Any trouble getting the castle nut snugged up?"
Him: "Nope, just ran it up hand tight and used a round punch to drive it home."
Me: "Well you sure displaced enough metal into the cutout to keep it from backing off."
Him: "Yeah, I'm thinking about using a diamond point chisel to push some more metal in the next slot over. What do you think?"
Me:

Sometimes you just gotta let nature take it's course.

[Glock9mm1990]

At least you got the castle nut oriented correctly and displaced metal where needed. Was at the range last week and the guy in the next lane was showing me his first build/first AR. Looked OK until I saw he had installed the castle nut backwards.

Me: "Any trouble getting the castle nut snugged up?"
Him: "Nope, just ran it up hand tight and used a round punch to drive it home."
Me: "Well you sure displaced enough metal into the cutout to keep it from backing off."
Him: "Yeah, I'm thinking about using a diamond point chisel to push some more metal in the next slot over. What do you think?"
Me:

Sometimes you just gotta let nature take it's course.

LOL some people....