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Thread: Another stuck barrel nut thread - tried everything I can think of - help needed.

  1. #11
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    Rocksett may have been used, which is more heat resistant than loctite and if I were the kind of person to put adhesive on a barrel nut, I'd choose rocksett since it gets really hot and will survive better than loctite. And rocksett dissolves with long exposure to water.

    But they would have had to use a LOT of rocksett to cause your problem.
    Last edited by Koshinn; 11-28-13 at 10:15.
    "I never learned from a man who agreed with me." Robert A. Heinlein

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by MistWolf View Post
    Very carefully make relief cuts in the barrel nut that run parallel to the barrel. Cut deep enough that it will weaken the nut but don't go deep enough to damage the threads on the receiver itself. If you don't care about the saving the upper, you can cut all the way through. Start off with one or two cuts. You can add more cuts if the one or two don't work. If you have a barrel nut wrench with the pins on one side and what looks like gear teeth on the other and it's a standard barrel nut, use the gear tooth side of your wrench. The gear tooth side will give you more engagement surface on the nut. If you have not already done so, arrange the work so you are pushing up on the barrel nut wrench, not pushing down or pushing sideways, parallel to the floor. Pushing up lets you push against the floor. When pushing down or sideways, you only have your bodyweight to work with
    Thank you MistWolf, I may actually do that. I just need to buy a replacement barrel nut. The price should be about the same as sending the upper in and I'll probably get a barrel nut in first. I've also been pulling instead of pushing - great advice as I don't carry a lot of extra weight around.

    Quote Originally Posted by WS6 View Post
    Maybe Rocksett was used.
    Quote Originally Posted by Koshinn View Post
    Rocksett may have been used, which is more heat resistant than loctite and if I were the kind of person to put adhesive on a barrel nut, I'd choose rocksett since it gets really hot and will survive better than loctite. And rocksett dissolves with long exposure to water.

    But they would have had to use a LOT of rocksett to cause your problem.
    Rockett is water-soluble? Wow... OK, added to the list of things to try. I've seen steel rust in a matter of hours sitting in water - should I really soak my barrel in it for 24 hours??? Seems like that's asking for trouble...

    Quote Originally Posted by MistWolf View Post

    ETA- Before you push up, make sure your workbench is bolted solidly to the floor or that you can safely stand on the bench

    Because people call tech support to come fix their computer only to discover it wasn't plugged in, double check you're not having a brain fart, trying to turn the nut the wrong way
    My bench would survive intense aerial bombing. I'm turning counter clockwise on the nut (if facing down business end, gun upright).
    Last edited by Shao; 11-28-13 at 10:25.

  3. #13
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    Distilled water is safe. No salts, so no difference in potential and no corrosion.

  4. #14
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    I have had zero success with using water to loosen rocksett.
    With stubborn parts the solution that works for me is penetrating oil, heat, and slow steady increase in torque.

    Using the "pull up" technique only works if your bench is secured to the floor.
    As mine is not, I pull laterally with the wrench and hold the work in place with the other hand on the mid point of the barrel.
    I use a long breaker bar attached to the armorer's wrench.
    If the item is attached with rocksett, I give a few solid taps with a hammer prior to the oil.
    5-10 minutes of heat gun on high also helps.

    Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk
    Jack Leuba
    Director, Military and Government Sales
    Knight's Armament Company
    jleuba@knightarmco.com

  5. #15
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    I know you mentioned it in your op, but put the upper in the freezer for 8-12hrs. Then use a torch on the nut or a good heat gun. Increase torque as needed. Good luck and happy Thanksgiving

  6. #16
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    Thanks again, but all of this has been done (besides the water and Failure2Stop has me convinced it won't work). I just tried the pushing technique straight from its third trip to the freezer and it was a no go. I'm going to hit it with Kroil again, stick it in the freezer, tap the wrench with a hammer, apply heat with a heat gun, and then have another go with the reaction rod and some serious leverage. If that doesn't do it, I'm just going to destroy the barrel nut as was earlier suggested and call it a day. Will post updates if I have any success.

    ...and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

    EDIT: Mark - you mentioned something about the reaction rod causing damage to the index pin or something? What's up with that?
    Last edited by Shao; 11-28-13 at 11:37.

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shao View Post
    So I got a wild hair and decided that I wanted to swap the upper receiver on one of my ARs with a MUR-1A that I had lying around. To make a long story short, after removing the rail, muzzle device, gas block and gas tube, I went to work with my reaction rod and that gnarly barrel wrench that Brownells sells (the 5 prong one). After securing the upper in my vise and about 20 minutes of near hernia-inducing counter-clockwise twisting, I decided that help was needed. I tried the freezing trick. I tried the blowtorch trick. I tried the freeze then blowtorch trick. I tried using a breaker bar. I tried rapping it with a hammer. Kroil? Been there... done that... I have NEVER encountered a barrel nut like this. I've only bought 4 pre-assembled uppers and built the rest and this is one that I bought pre-built - I will refrain from using the vendor's name currently, but they are a respected assembler of AR uppers. There is NO WAY that anti-seize compound/grease was used on this barrel nut. In my 37 years on this earth I've never encountered anything like this. I've never resorted to sending a gun/part back to be worked on unless it suffered catastrophic failure. Does anyone have any magic tricks that they would like to share that I haven't mentioned or maybe any advice on how I should proceed (give up and send it in)? It's extremely frustrating since all the threads I've read concerning this subject either end up with a happy resolution or the poor sap having to dremel the barrel nut off (which I really don't want to have to do). Anyone who comes up with a solution that works will get the AR named after them. LOL. Thanks in advance.

    Personally, I recommend sending it to the builder. I always ask my customers to let me look at a problem 1st; anyone can screw up once or twice. If that doesn't work for you I'll be happy to give it a try for you.
    "An opinion solicited does not equal one freely voiced," Al Swearengen, Deadwood 1877.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shao View Post
    Forgive my ignorance, but how would the rod shear my index pin?
    The reaction rod holds the barrel stationary while both the barrel nut and upper receiver can turn on it. I've seen it happen on more than one occasion. If you have a clam shell set, cheater bar and Wilton vise, you aren't leaning on it hard enough....

  9. #19
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    I've been in your position not too long ago. Also a very well respected manufacturer. There is absolutely a risk of damaging either the alignment pin or the notch in the upper receiver. You need to do one of only 2 viable options. Either cut it off carefully or send it back to the mfr.

  10. #20
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    One of the guys in my posse had a problem like this. I have a reaction rod and he has a lathe. We chucked the reaction rod up, slid the upper on and ran a live center in the flash hider at the tailstock. Turned the nut right off. Took five minutes. If you have access to a lathe this will solve your problem.

    Quote Originally Posted by Koshinn View Post
    Random idea, soak it in distilled water for 24 hrs.
    Rockset is not water soluble. Not even close. It is high temperature mortar used to cement firebrick and refractories. I have used it in quantity several times and used water to clean up the tools. Water does dissolve the polymer binder if it has not been fired. Unfired Rockset will fall apart if immersed in water much like any other mortar or cement but once cured it is not going anywhere.
    Last edited by Suwannee Tim; 11-28-13 at 15:44.

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