AR Buffer Tube Rotating Inside Lower Reciever

[Firefox]

While doing some cleaning on my AR I noticed my buffer tube was rotating inside of the lower receiver. The castle nut is properly staked and I replaced the buffer tube hoping it would solve the issue, but it has not. I noticed the threads on the buffer tube were stripped on the left side but I do not know the status of the threads in the lower since I had the work on the weapon done by a gunsmith. Obviously, I think the threads are stripped in the lower and that's causing the rotation. Is there a way to fix this without replacing the lower or is there anything else I'm not thinking of that could be causing the rotation?

[THORN74]

Doesn't the keyway in the tube and the key in the endplate prevent this? Does ur rifle have an endplate?

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[wigbones]

Posting a pic might help in identifying the problem.

[grizzman]

My first recommendation is to fire your gunsmith.

This is likely an easy five minute fix if you're mechanically inclined. If you're not, then take it to a different 'smith.

[Firefox]

It does to an extent but there is still a good deal of play in the tube, and yes my rifle has an endplate. I've been trying to add two videos, but my photobucket does not want to cooperate.

[P2000]

It does to an extent but there is still a good deal of play in the tube, and yes my rifle has an endplate. I've been trying to add two videos, but my photobucket does not want to cooperate.Photobucket has been worthless for a while now. I'd suggest getting an imgur free account.
First get the receiver extension disassembled from the lower receiver. Then inspect the threads. Then make a decision about which parts to replace. If a gunsmith assembled this lower for you, and the staked receiver extension/castle nut/endplate is rotating, then the gunsmith has totally failed and probably had no idea what they were doing. The best staking in the world WILL fail if the castle nut was not torqued properly....for example to 40 inch pounds instead of the proper 40 foot pounds.

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[Iraqgunz]

If the threads were stripped, you would see it. More details would be nice. Make of lower, where did parts come from, etc.. It sounds like the castle nut wasn't torqued correctly when it was staked.

Pretty sure we don't need video. Take some pics and use imgur to post them up.


While doing some cleaning on my AR I noticed my buffer tube was rotating inside of the lower receiver. The castle nut is properly staked and I replaced the buffer tube hoping it would solve the issue, but it has not. I noticed the threads on the buffer tube were stripped on the left side but I do not know the status of the threads in the lower since I had the work on the weapon done by a gunsmith. Obviously, I think the threads are stripped in the lower and that's causing the rotation. Is there a way to fix this without replacing the lower or is there anything else I'm not thinking of that could be causing the rotation?

[MegademiC]

Sounds like it wasnt tourqued properly, unless im missing something.

[Jeepman1320]

I have seen this before with a cheap end plate that had an undersized keyway and an improperly torqued castle nut. This caused the buffer tube to spin and strip the threads on the buffer tube from the undersized end plate keyway.

[munch520]

Shoot me a text with pics if it's still an issue dude