No way the receiver cracked if it was fixtured properly. Shearing the index pin is a 1 in 10 occurrence with new Colt barrels but can be easily repaired. Pictures are worth a thousand words...
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No way the receiver cracked if it was fixtured properly. Shearing the index pin is a 1 in 10 occurrence with new Colt barrels but can be easily repaired. Pictures are worth a thousand words...
Sure thing. I picked up the pri barrel nut wrench and vice block from Brownells. I soaked in Kroil over the course of a few days. The day of the removal I froze the upper in the freezer for 8 hours. Took off the flash hider and fsb with ease. Clamped everything down in the vice made sure it was secure attached the wrench and with a little elbow grease I. Got the nut to come right off. Upon compleation I was getting ready to apply the loc tite to the threaded portion of the upper where the barrel attaches and it was then that I noticed there was a piece of the threaded collar broken off right at the notch that the barrel slides into. Then when I inspected the barrel the stem that slid into said notch in the receiver was bent. So it almost looked like that part of the barrel sheared the threaded chunk off the receiver. The barrel nut came off really easily for me so I'm kinda wondering if this is something that happened when I brought this thing to one of the two gunsmiths I originally had attempt this and they just covered it up. Who knows. I feel like I did my homework though and did my part. Any ideas?
Ill post some pics when I get a chance.
That sounds exactly like what happened. This is why I have said time and time again when you take an AR to some local butcher make sure that he has knowledge of the platform and aks questions.
Also, as a side note. Why were you going to put Loctite on the threads? This is completely unnecessary and creates more problems. Apply some anti-seize, torque or tighten it properly, install the gas tube and the rest of the stuff and that's it.
The only reason I was going to use the loc tight was because it was in the instructions that JP sent with the handguard. As far as the gunsmiths go out here near Chicago its hard to find anyone that does this stuff so who knows if the guy was a hack. I'm reluctant to out right blame the guy because ill never really know. All I do know is this is my duty weapon and its cost me a lot of cash at this point. Is this bent index pin something I can remove or replace to salvage the barrel?
Did JP state to use Loctite on the barrel nut itself, or on the screws? I am not familar wth their particular set up.
It can be fixed (I'll let MK18 chime in) but I have never had to do it. At least you will be able to get a BCM M4 upper to replace the damaged one for less than the cost of a Colt.
Yeah the JP instructions say to add a thin coat of red loc tite to the threaded portion of the barrel collar. I managed get a new stripped Colt upper cheap I'm just hoping I can still use the barrel for a range toy. Meanwhile for my duty weapon I just got a complete Colt LE6940 upper so I'm good there.
JP is probably recommending that you put the loctite in between the free float tube, and the OUTSIDE of the barrel nut, not between the nut, and upper receiver. Didn't think of that until he said the instructions recommended it.