View Full Version : Do I really need to stake my castle nut - Please read all of the OP before answering
Yes, I know that in most cases, you always want to stake the castle nut. I have 2 ARs with the identical stock setup. Both have RRA Commerical Buffer Tubes with a factory RRA end plate and castle nut. Of course, neither came staked. I have broken the loc-tite and added grease to the threads. I've also cranked down the castle nut fairly tight. The reason I think I don't need to stake is that I have installed an MI MCTAR-13 sling adapter over the castle nut and this too is tightened down very tight. I can't see how the castle nut could possibly back off with the sling adapter in place. I have included a pic to help explain what I am describing. The reason I am hesitant to stake it is that I do not have the proper tools to do it and I have never done it before and don't want to screw up my end plate if it is not needed. If it truly is needed, I'd most likely carry them to a gunsmith, but I just can't see how this could back out. Please tell me what you think.
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q101/frogger42/Forum%20Stuff/castle-nut.jpg
Oh... and no that is not a crack at the back of the receiver. That was a dog hair. :D
Jay Cunningham
11-02-08, 01:45
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=15684&page=4
It's called Murphys' Law. It's your weapon, but personally I would do it correctly. All it takes is a staking punch and a hammer. If you consult those here you can easily stake your end plate and nut. Don't worry about the staking not "looking" great. It's about function, unless you weapon is for display purposes.
Parabellum9x19mm
11-02-08, 01:56
http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=18482
SwatDawg15
11-02-08, 01:43
Well looks like ya got your answer :D Stake it man
Robb Jensen
11-02-08, 07:11
As someone who's fixed at least 40 or more stocks that have come lose because they weren't staked, I highly recommend staking.
OldNavyGuy
11-02-08, 08:25
Do I really need to stake my castle nut
in a word "NO"...., i have built over 20 AR-15s and never staked the castle nut on any of them and none have ever loosened and fell off in the many years of my experience.
Stake it!!! Building a rifle/carbine that won't let you down is all about little details like this. It'll only take a minute, but then you'll know it'll never come loose, period.
in a word "NO"...., i have built over 20 AR-15s and never staked the castle nut on any of them and none have ever loosened and fell off in the many years of my experience.
But how much did you shoot them?
Azrael2004
11-02-08, 09:38
Stake it! It takes only a few minutes to do and it's worth the effort.
Anyone who has shot AR's with unstaked nuts for any period of time has had a loose nut before. (I'm not referring to "safe queen" shooters.)
I have the QD version of the same MI adapter you do, but I still staked my nuts.
Medicine Calf
11-02-08, 11:33
LWRCi is no longer staking the castle nut, apparently due to the corrosive environment at their new facility. To avoid rust, they "choose to properly torque and apply a proper thread-locking compound" instead.
You took off the thread locker, and applied grease, and are wondering if you need to stake it?
If its a range gun, it really doesn't matter. The worst that happens is that your weapon locks up, which means you come back here and post about it, we make fun of you, then tell you how to start pulling everything apart to fix your inop weapon. I've seen it happen multiple times while running the line.
If you look at your carbine as a weapon, staking should be considered mandatory.
Dude... Stake it. Really. If you can hammer a nail without beating yourself to death you can stake that end plate. All you need is a center punch and a hammer. There are tons of pictures and links around here showing what a proper stake looks like. It takes like 4 maybe 5 seconds to do. And if you're worried about the end plate, that's kind of what it's there for, and you can replace it for like $2 or $3 bucks if needed. Stake it.
-RD62
IroquoisSnakePlissken
11-02-08, 13:14
What about Red Loctite?
What about Red Loctite?
never.
yup, stake it and apply cold blue if it bothers you, finish with a dab of oil as instructed with cold blue and you're good.
Damn, thought I'd get in before ARin and take bets on how long it would take.
-B
IroquoisSnakePlissken
11-02-08, 14:01
I'm up shit's creek on this one. I put a M.I. single point mount over my castle nut, and...Red Loctite'd it.
I think I've managed to get carried away on the Loctite kick. I've Red Loctite'd my Bobro QD Mount, my MIAD, my sling mount, my flashlight mount.
Anyone have any tips on removing Red Loctite? I tried the hair dryer trick, and it ain't cuttin' the mustard. I also can't install the Flash Suppressor I wanted to, because you'll never guess what I used to hold on the Vortex currently sitting pretty on my blaster...
****!
I'm up shit's creek on this one. I put a M.I. single point mount over my castle nut, and...Red Loctite'd it.
I think I've managed to get carried away on the Loctite kick. I've Red Loctite'd my Bobro QD Mount, my MIAD, my sling mount, my flashlight mount.
Anyone have any tips on removing Red Loctite? I tried the hair dryer trick, and it ain't cuttin' the mustard. I also can't install the Flash Suppressor I wanted to, because you'll never guess what I used to hold on the Vortex currently sitting pretty on my blaster...
****!
hair dryer wont do it.. MAYBE a heat gun and a lot of torque will.. ....
red loctite has no place around firearms, and especially the AR platform.
blue loctice is OEM recommended for certain manufacturer's mounts (larue, etc) and should only be used where specifically recommended.
IroquoisSnakePlissken
11-02-08, 14:09
I could try borrowing a heat gun, and seeing if that helps...
I originally used blue for mounting optics, but the hold wasn't "wicked enough".
It looks like switching to the red got me "a little too wicked".
Anyone have any tips on removing Red Loctite?
Maybe try M.E.K.? Don't know how that'll affect the "finish" of the surroundings though. . .
and all this time I thought a dictionary was a coaster for really cold beers.
LWRCi is no longer staking the castle nut, apparently due to the corrosive environment at their new facility. To avoid rust, they "choose to properly torque and apply a proper thread-locking compound" instead.
Translation:
"We just do not want to spend the time to stake it". Sounds a lot like "We do not stake our carrier screws because the material is too hard".
:rolleyes:
SW-Shooter
11-02-08, 22:15
I swapped out all of my factory stocks and haven't re-staked them yet. I'll most likely get to it one of these days, once I figure out how to get it right the first time.
Patrick Aherne
11-02-08, 22:44
If you use that MI sling mount plate and run the gun hard, it WILL cause your castle-nut to unscrew. Stake it.
Patrick Aherne
11-02-08, 22:47
I'm up shit's creek on this one. I put a M.I. single point mount over my castle nut, and...Red Loctite'd it.
I think I've managed to get carried away on the Loctite kick. I've Red Loctite'd my Bobro QD Mount, my MIAD, my sling mount, my flashlight mount.
Anyone have any tips on removing Red Loctite? I tried the hair dryer trick, and it ain't cuttin' the mustard. I also can't install the Flash Suppressor I wanted to, because you'll never guess what I used to hold on the Vortex currently sitting pretty on my blaster...
****!
Get an elctric soldering iron and press the tip to the castle-nut for a few minutes, then try taking it off.
If you use that MI sling mount plate and run the gun hard, it WILL cause your castle-nut to unscrew. Stake it.
Please explain your logic. The sling mount plate does not give the castle nut any place to go. First, you'd have to run the gun hard enough to move the sling mount plate... THEN continue running it hard enough to back off the castle nut. I just can't see this happening.
I did try to stake it, but apparently I got some super hard end plate. I bent 2 punches and flattened are hardened nail. The end plate shows no change other than the finish is scratched to hell. I just ordered a replacement end plate from BCM. We'll see if those are easier to stake... when I carry them to a gunsmith.
OldNavyGuy
11-03-08, 06:47
But how much did you shoot them?
i only have 3 of the ones i built, the others were sold or given away and no one ever complained about anything coming loose, falling off or rattling like an old "Tin Lizzie"
the first one was about 20 years ago, i still have it and 16,000 rounds would be a modest estimate. the other two are recent builds, within last three years and maybe 5,000 to 10,000 rnds. in each.
Please explain your logic. The sling mount plate does not give the castle nut any place to go. First, you'd have to run the gun hard enough to move the sling mount plate... THEN continue running it hard enough to back off the castle nut. I just can't see this happening.
I did try to stake it, but apparently I got some super hard end plate. I bent 2 punches and flattened are hardened nail. The end plate shows no change other than the finish is scratched to hell. I just ordered a replacement end plate from BCM. We'll see if those are easier to stake... when I carry them to a gunsmith.
The couple of RRA end plates I've had were hard and wouldn't take a stake well. The one I received with my Magpul CTR Mil-spec kit was considerably easier to stake. I don't know where BCM gets theirs from, but given their reputation for obsesive perfection, I'm sure it will work much better!
-RD62
Patrick Aherne
11-03-08, 09:26
Please explain your logic. The sling mount plate does not give the castle nut any place to go. First, you'd have to run the gun hard enough to move the sling mount plate... THEN continue running it hard enough to back off the castle nut. I just can't see this happening.
I did try to stake it, but apparently I got some super hard end plate. I bent 2 punches and flattened are hardened nail. The end plate shows no change other than the finish is scratched to hell. I just ordered a replacement end plate from BCM. We'll see if those are easier to stake... when I carry them to a gunsmith.
Explain my logic? Sure. I did the same thing you did with 8 bushmaster patrol carbines, with that exact same MI part. They all came loose in duty/patrol/class use. I had to go back and stake them. General tools makes an automatic center punch that I use to make a first punch. Follow up with a prick punch and 4 lb. mallet.
Frogger, You asked a question and received plenty of qualified answers. It should be obvious by now as to what the wise choice should be.
You now make your own decision based upon that.
If you don't think it needs to be staked, then run with it. There's a huge difference in going to the range and that sling adapter getting maybe 20 minutes of "hang time" vs. countless hours on duty, in training, etc. and being subjected to unmeasured torque from the weapons weight and stresses placed upon it otherwise.
Mark
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