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Thread: Loose Barrel Nut

  1. #1
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    Loose Barrel Nut

    I was adding a new grip to one of my rifles and I noticed that the FF rail I had on it wiggled. At first I thought that the screws holding the FF rail to the barrel nut had come loose even though I used red lock tite. It was not the rail. The barrel nut was loose!

    I removed the Midwest Industries 10" FF rail completely. Then the flash suppressor and then the gas block and gas tube. The barrel nut was loose enough that I was able to undo it without a tool.

    The odd thing is I have never touched the barrel nut EVER. I cut the delta ring assembly off this rifle to install the FF rail.

    The rifle has less than 500 rounds fired through it during three total range sessions. Not what I would call heavy use.

    My first mistake was taking this rifle in on trade. It was a NIB Stag Model 1. Yes I know. I have made the required upgrades short of replacing the barrel.
    My second mistake was obviously going cheap and installing the MI rail.

    Since the FF rail bolts directly onto the barrel nut I assume this is the cause of the nut working loose. The MI does not have any lugs or anything else that would help reduce or eliminate rotation. The only thing that would be in the way of it rotating is the gas tube! Ok its a shitty design. I agree.

    So I have decided to restore it to its orgininal configuration. I ordered a new delta ring assembly and barrel nut just in case along with some new FSB taper pins since I can't find the OEM pins. No loss. I have a spare F marked front site so no need to buy another.

    Eventually I will just add a DD Omega rail or a VLTOR CASV-EL to it.

    Any idea if replacing the barrel nut with a new one will help? I will torgue it down to spec and rebuild the rifle.

    Pisses me off. I know Stag isn't exactly a tier 1 rifle but holy crap! After less than 500 rounds the barrel nut works loose!

    Well another lesson learned the hard way. On the plus side I caught it before I shot it again.
    "Run fast. Shoot straight. Die proud." -Boba Fett

    Trample the weak. Hurdle the dead.

    "Despite what your mamma told you, violence does solve problems." -Ryan Job

  2. #2
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    the handguard might have helped, but the nut was either loosened up by someone and not tightened down properly again, or it came from the factory loose. might not have been loose enough to wobble- but was loose enough that firing it wore the threads enough for it to wobble. i would doublecheck your threads and make sure they're not chewed/worn to the point that they're unsafe to use- if the anodize is all worn off or you find little sliver-rings of aluminum, call stag- they probably owe you a new receiver.

    this has always been Stag's problem.. they make pretty good parts, for the most part, but QC is basically non-existent. i buy CMT parts all the time, but i'd never, ever, ever trust any assembly from the factory.

  3. #3
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    You realize, that a random front site base off of another barrel, isn't going to just pin right up to your barrel, right? If it does, you should go buy a lottery ticket tomorrow.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo45 View Post
    You realize, that a random front site base off of another barrel, isn't going to just pin right up to your barrel, right? If it does, you should go buy a lottery ticket tomorrow.
    yea.. you only get one FSB on any given barrel. you'll never be able to put a new FSB on a barrel that's already been drilled for one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bkb0000 View Post
    yea.. you only get one FSB on any given barrel. you'll never be able to put a new FSB on a barrel that's already been drilled for one.


    Thats not neccessarily true....you can, but it takes someone really knowing what they are doing, and a non-standard pin size.


    Marvin Pitts pinned a KAC flip up sight base gas block to a Colt 6921 barrel for me, and all he did was drill out the grooves the next size up, and used a little big larger pins.


    Of course you cant just order a new FSB, put it on the barrel, and expect to tap pins in.

  6. #6
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    i suppose so long as you could drill your own holes in the new device, you could get it close enough to ream everything out. would definitely work better with dowel pin holes than reamed.. you could probably even just ream to 2/0 and use a slightly longer pin

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    Quote Originally Posted by bkb0000 View Post
    yea.. you only get one FSB on any given barrel. you'll never be able to put a new FSB on a barrel that's already been drilled for one.
    You need a jig to properly set up and align the FSB with the index pin on the barrel extension, and a jig to reem out holes that are already there, and reem larger holes, and use larger pins, to end up with a properly aligned and set up FSB.

    The point is, it IS possible, but not by most folks, working out of their garage, using a bench vice. And to be done properly, by a shop, new parts are used....that is different than trying to match up a barrel and FSB, that has already been reemed and are mismatched.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo45 View Post
    You need a jig to properly set up and align the FSB with the index pin on the barrel extension, and a jig to reem out holes that are already there, and reem larger holes, and use larger pins, to end up with a properly aligned and set up FSB.

    The point is, it IS possible, but not by most folks, working out of there garage, using a bench vice. And to be done properly, by a shop, new parts are used....that is different than trying to match up a barrel and FSB, that has already been reemed and are mismatched.
    indeed... i happen to own an FSB jig. i did, however, successfully fabricate my own blocks out of softwood before comp1911's jig came out, and successfully install a few FSBs over the years. took about 45 minutes of setup, getting everything mic'd and clamped... and was a brow-dampening ordeal.

    but i've never tried to install a new FSB over an old one. thanks for posting that, belmont- it's actually pretty simple. i think i'd actually start with a 3/32nd drill, to ensure no over-bore. then hand-ream. once the FSB material was cleared, the "pilot hole" of the barrel would guide the reamer through. there'd be a bit of over-bore with the reaming, but if you were careful, you could still use 2/0 pins- just run them through long and cut to fit.

  9. #9
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    ok so restoring it back to its original configuration is out given the FSB issue. It will have to go back to the way it was with the rail installed and a lo-pro gas block intsalled or a new ff rail and a the lo-pro gas block installed.

    Well that sorta sucks. I got all the parts on order already from BCM. Oh well more for the spare parts drawer.

    Thanks for the heads up on the FSB.

    Guess I will start hunting for a DD or a Larue or a Troy ff rail.
    "Run fast. Shoot straight. Die proud." -Boba Fett

    Trample the weak. Hurdle the dead.

    "Despite what your mamma told you, violence does solve problems." -Ryan Job

  10. #10
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    I am almost certain that the barrel nut was not tightened properly to begin with. I have seen it even on the VAUNTED Colt M4.

    I have not used this particular model before. Is there anything that prevents the handguards from rotating? Screws or anything? FWIW- I bought an open package Troy MRF from GandRtactical and it worked pretty damned good. I think it cost around 179.00.



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