RRA 16" middy Vortex FH removal...WTF???

[nickdrak]

Well, a co-worker of mine gave me his 16" RRA LAR-15 lightweight middy complete rifle to do some modifications to: Install Vtac 9" Extreme BattleRail, replace the cheap bolt-on RRA folding front sight assembly that came with his rifle with a Vltor VST-1, and install a MagPul ASAP sling mount receiver end plate & MS2 sling. Sounds simple enough right?....

The 16" lightweight middy barrel came with a Vortex flashhider installed as a factory option. The F'in thing WILL NOT come off:confused: It certainly doesn't look pinned, nor should it be since the barrel is 16". I have already worked on two identical rifles as they were purchased directly from RRA by a few guys I work with on a special LE pricing purchase program. The other Vortex's came off. They were also very tight, but they came off on the first try.

I tried letting some Kroil sit on it over night, I also tried heating it up with a heatgun. Wont budge! I really don't think I can put anymore torque on it without potentially causing some damage to the barrel.

The castle-nut isn't staked, yet it wont budge either. Im gonna let it soak in Kroil until tomorrow and try again. Im wondering if someone at the RRA factory assembly line got a little too happy with some red loc-tite or worse when putting this one together:confused:

I will call RRA tomorrow to see what they recommend, but anyone here have a similar experience or any suggestions???

[Belmont31R]

Well, a co-worker of mine gave me his 16" RRA LAR-15 lightweight middy complete rifle to do some modifications to: Install Vtac 9" Extreme BattleRail, replace the cheap bolt-on RRA folding front sight assembly that came with his rifle with a Vltor VST-1, and install a MagPul ASAP sling mount receiver end plate & MS2 sling. Sounds simple enough right?....

The 16" lightweight middy barrel came with a Vortex flashhider installed as a factory option. The F'in thing WILL NOT come off:confused: It certainly doesn't look pinned, nor should it be since the barrel is 16". I have already worked on two identical rifles as they were purchased directly from RRA by a few guys I work with on a special LE pricing purchase program. The other Vortex's came off. They were also very tight, but they came off on the first try.

I tried letting some Kroil sit on it over night, I also tried heating it up with a heatgun. Wont budge! I really don't think I can put anymore torque on it without potentially causing some damage to the barrel.

The castle-nut isn't staked, yet it wont budge either. Im gonna let it soak in Kroil until tomorrow and try again. Im wondering if someone at the RRA factory assembly line got a little too happy with some red loc-tite or worse when putting this one together:confused:

I will call RRA tomorrow to see what they recommend, but anyone here have a similar experience or any suggestions???




If its loctited try a torch. It will severaly weaken the loctite, and you should be able to remove it with a wrench. If theres loctite you'll see it start smoking, and then it should break loose. Just have to scrub the threads off afterwards. Don't hold the torch in one spot for more than a couple 2nds. I have the torch that uses the yellow bottles.


If it still wont come off.....barrel clamp, 3/4" open ended, and a pipe. That will break loose even pinned MD's unless its like a hardened steel pin. But since its not pinned that should do the trick no matter what.

[Quiet-Matt]

I had the same problem removing the castle nut on a RRA, someone got excited with the loctite. Secure the lower, leave the stock on the RE and have some one hold the stock in a clockwise death hold. Set your wrench and hit it with a couple of mildly sharp blows. It should break free without gouging the threads. If you have a torch throw that step in the mix as Belmont31R suggested. Good luck, get the Aluma-Black ready;)

[ZombieKiller]

I had the same problem with a Vortex flash hider on a RRA upper I bought a while back. I didn't have a proper vise to lock it in so I took the whole upper down to a local gun shop to see if they could help. There wasn't any loctite on it or anything, it was just cranked on way too tight. They had to put the barrel in in a barrel vise block, and they went through five guys before someone could finally get the thing off. They were worried about damaging the barrel from the amount of torque it took to remove the Vortex, but it has proven to shoot consistent, accurate groups ever since.

[nickdrak]

Which type barrel vice was used? This f'n thing is ridiculous. I heated it up with a torch and applied 80ft/lbs of torque to the Vortex without it budging:mad:

Add this to the growing list of reasons why I cannot recommend RRA complete rifles to anyone looking for a new AR platform rifle.

[ZombieKiller]

I'm not sure if it was this particular one, but it looked just like THIS (http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=12799/Product/SCG_AR_15_M16_ACCU_GRIP_BARREL_VISE_JAWS).