View Full Version : I won't be fooled again!
Well today I took on the job of changing out the carbine buffer tube for the A5 RE-10 short tube. The BCK/KMR wrench worked just like IG said it would, slick as glass. I am holding the buffer detent as I unscrew the tube and watching for the take down detent spring. I missed the buffer detent and spring while looking for the TD detent spring. I am in the garage with slick floors, mostly clear. I found the buffer detent and spring laying in front of the fridge. I am still missing the TD detent spring. I get the tube out and looking in the TD hole I see something and try to extract with tweezers. No Go! I try an allen wrench and it unscrews, out pops the spring.
I had not taken this lower apart and it was a factory built SPIKE's. earlier model, 2010.
I received the IWC QD receiver plate from the AC drawing so I installed it, RE-10 tube and new castle nut. Lubed the spring and popped it and buffer weight in place. The BCM/KMR wrench again was simple to get the castle snugged up before I staked it with a steel punch. Filed off the sharp edges from the staking and touched up with a sharpie for now.
Re-installed the upper and B5 Bravo stock and the sling QD'd into the IWC plate. Function tests just fine.
SO, I will not be fooled again by the sllen screw in the TD detent hole again. Lesson Learned today.
It was a pain getting the allen screw back in place while depressing the spring. The tool is one of those Gator Grip multi wrenches from Brownell's.
Thanks for everyone's help.
Can you ditch that allen thing and just go back to standard?
Can you ditch that allen thing and just go back to standard?
Usually when there is a 4/40 set installed the spring is trimmed to account for the set screw length. So yes, but you should probably replace the takedown pin spring.
I tightened the set screw down flush but the take down pin was soft and mushy back and forth. I tightened the set screw below flush and the TD pin had a tick when it locked open and closed. If I decide to take it apart again, I will have a new TD detent spring handy and forego the set screw.
Thanks for mentioning this information.
So losing both springs is better than having one spring stay where it's supposed to? Removing the set screw & take down pin is only needed if you're pulling the take down pin out
If I had the Castle nut plate off, I'd have taken the oportunity to get rid of the detent spring screw nonsense. But I have a bunch of uncut springs on hand. MistWolf has a point... there was no need to pull it if it was just a RE swap.
If I had the Castle nut plate off, I'd have taken the oportunity to get rid of the detent spring screw nonsense. But I have a bunch of uncut springs on hand. MistWolf has a point... there was no need to pull it if it was just a RE swap.
Never have understood what people find nonsensical about this mod. The front pivot pin spring and detent are captive, why shouldn't the rear one be? I have been doing this mod to every AR I've owned, for at least twenty years. Have never once wished I hadn't done it. It's just one less little thing to never have to worry with. Besides, how often do you ever remove the take-down pin once installed? But then, how many times have you changed the RE on any given lower?
I was just thinking that if the AR originally came with the set screw and some company started making lowers without them, they'd be raked over the coals!
If my lowers had that set screw, it would have saved me more than a spot of trouble when I removed an RE and forgot to watch for the springs! It's a minor thing though. Not enough to get my knickers in a knot over:dirol:
The problem is that it is completely unnecessary. All one has to do is loosen the castle nut, slide the endplate to the rear and then turn the tube slightly to the left. The spring is exposed and can be simply removed.
During the re-install the spring should be the last thing put into place. The endplate is slid forward and then you hand tighten the nut. If people did this everytime the odds of it getting damaged would be minimal.
I was just thinking that if the AR originally came with the set screw and some company started making lowers without them, they'd be raked over the coals!
If my lowers had that set screw, it would have saved me more than a spot of trouble when I removed an RE and forgot to watch for the springs! It's a minor thing though. Not enough to get my knickers in a knot over:dirol:
Berserkr556
03-27-14, 21:20
I've owned ARs since the 80's but I'm an FNG when it comes to assembling them. On that note however I've assembled quite a few and never had a problem installing the rear end parts of the lower. If every company making lowers went to the set screw set-up I'd stop buying them. It's a solution to a problem which doesn't exist.
I can remember when this "mod" was given birth on ARFcom many years back. I guess it might have value if you're perpetually changing your end plate for some reason.
I can remember when this "mod" was given birth on ARFcom many years back. I guess it might have value if you're perpetually changing your end plate for some reason.
This is a very useful mod on the older KAC lowers with the extra QD points. They were designed so that the pistol grip retained the take down pin spring instead of the end plate. There were a lot of issues using grips other than the A2. The setscrew fixed the problem.
Oh... don't get me started on KAC's nonsense. Yeah... I had to fix some of those problemos on Pappabear's KAC. It's gone now.
Oh... don't get me started on KAC's nonsense. Yeah... I had to fix some of those problemos on Pappabear's KAC. It's gone now.
Yeah those QD cups were dumb, and have now been deleted from new production. I do like the other features of the those lowers though. The ambi features are well designed and nice to see on a forged lower.
Unnecessary as it may be, I don't know that I would be compelled to remove it now if the rifle is functioning properly. And if all manufacturers started threading the detent hole, nothing stops you from installing the detent and spring the normal way.
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