how to remove staked castle nut? I have the tool but no vise

[Sir_Ricardo]

.

Greetings - I'm removing my collapsible stock and putting on a M16A2 military surplus fixed stock.

I've got the A2 fixed stock, buffer tube, buffer, spacer, etc.

I just need to get the existing castle nut off.

Any recommendations? I've youtubed it, and some folks put the lower into a vise, or magazine mount, and then unscrew the castle nut, sometimes with a light rap of a mallet, other times it just unscrews.

I don't have a vise, or magazine mount. I've tried grasping the lower and just unscrewing the castle nut, but I can't get any leverage on it, and since I've never done this before, don't want to damage anything.

The castle nut is staked in two places. The photo shows one stake, the other is about the same.

Any thoughts?

thanks!

[Oldmandan]

You could drill or dremel where it's staked, it should come off fairly easily then.

[Barang]

put the lower between your legs if you don't have vise. i did that on my first built and eventually bought a vise at harbor freight to make life simple.

[saudadeii]

I used a few towels for padding and a large clamp to clamp it to my workbench.

You can try using a small pin punch to "flatten" the staked part to make loosening the castle nut easier.

Do you have an armorer's wrench?

[Usmc0844spare]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

.

Greetings - I'm removing my collapsible stock and putting on a M16A2 military surplus fixed stock.

I've got the A2 fixed stock, buffer tube, buffer, spacer, etc.

I just need to get the existing castle nut off.

Any recommendations? I've youtubed it, and some folks put the lower into a vise, or magazine mount, and then unscrew the castle nut, sometimes with a light rap of a mallet, other times it just unscrews.

I don't have a vise, or magazine mount. I've tried grasping the lower and just unscrewing the castle nut, but I can't get any leverage on it, and since I've never done this before, don't want to damage anything.

The castle nut is staked in two places. The photo shows one stake, the other is about the same.

Any thoughts?

thanks!

Invest in a vise. You don't need a big one. $60 4" vice from HomeDepot will be sufficient.

No place to mount it? Mount it to a section of 2x6 and then use clamps to mount that whole thing to a table or stair step or something like that.

All that being said, I would bet that if you laid the receiver on it's left side on a padded flat surface and judiciously put your weight on it, you'd be able to get enough leverage to defeat those stakes.

[WOODY2]

Make a new friend.

[1911su16b870]

Castle nut removal just needs two things:

1. Proper fitting tool that will not move during torque
2. Holding the receiver so it will not move during torque

The stake in the end plate will not matter if you do the above 2 things.

[sigstroker]

I've loosened one even with a crappy wrench.

[RAMCLAP]

The staking breaks pretty easy. Just hold on with one hand and wrench with the other. (commence masterbation inuendo).

[jimmykan]

Originally Posted by RAMCLAP

The staking breaks pretty easy. Just hold on with one hand and wrench with the other. (commence masterbation inuendo).

Yeah OP just grip it and rip it

[223556]

I just used a punch to push the staking back and then power the castle nut off. Shouldn't be too hard at all. Unless someone used Loctite?!

[Notpc]

Dremel.........

[golfish]

Originally Posted by 223556

I just used a punch to push the staking back and then power the castle nut off. Shouldn't be too hard at all. Unless someone used Loctite?!

This is what I have done. And of course heat on the loctite if needed..

If you were local I'd invite you over to use my vise..

Good luck sir

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

.

Greetings - I'm removing my collapsible stock and putting on a M16A2 military surplus fixed stock.

I've got the A2 fixed stock, buffer tube, buffer, spacer, etc.

I just need to get the existing castle nut off.

Any recommendations? I've youtubed it, and some folks put the lower into a vise, or magazine mount, and then unscrew the castle nut, sometimes with a light rap of a mallet, other times it just unscrews.

I don't have a vise, or magazine mount. I've tried grasping the lower and just unscrewing the castle nut, but I can't get any leverage on it, and since I've never done this before, don't want to damage anything.

Wrap the lower in a towel while leaving the buffer tube and castle nut outside of the towel.
Set the towel wrapped lower in a chair so that the buffer tube sticks out to one side.
Sit on the towel wrapped lower and use a castle nut wrench to loosen the castle nut.

[Sir_Ricardo]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

Wrap the lower in a towel while leaving the buffer tube and castle nut outside of the towel.
Set the towel wrapped lower in a chair so that the buffer tube sticks out to one side.
Sit on the towel wrapped lower and use a castle nut wrench to loosen the castle nut.

Great idea! I just tried it, and my initial enthusiasm vanished once I started pulling on the wrench.

The f****** thing is on there tight!

But thank you for the idea.

This morning, I called the manufacturer (Giessele), and they said to get a magazine vise block.

After googling around, I ended up ordering this one > https://www.realavid.com/product/sma...15-vise-block/

My concern is that even after putting this entire assembly in a vise, it will either 1) still be too tight, or 2) I'll damage it somehow.

I don't suppose any of you closet gunsmiths live in the East Bay?

thanks

.

[press press]

Lay lower on floor get castle nut wrench, step or push. Done

P.s. lefty loosey, right tighty

[sigstroker]

Or whack the wrench with a mallet.

[DoNotReply]

Yep, just whack the tool with a mallet. I've wrapped in a towel put on the garage floor on 2x4s with me knee on it and whacked it. Don't forget to restake it afterwards.

[AregularGuy]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

Great idea! I just tried it, and my initial enthusiasm vanished once I started pulling on the wrench.

The f****** thing is on there tight!

But thank you for the idea.

This morning, I called the manufacturer (Giessele), and they said to get a magazine vise block.

After googling around, I ended up ordering this one > https://www.realavid.com/product/sma...15-vise-block/

My concern is that even after putting this entire assembly in a vise, it will either 1) still be too tight, or 2) I'll damage it somehow.

I don't suppose any of you closet gunsmiths live in the East Bay?

thanks

.

If you wait about 7 weeks I'll be there.

[mustangsixtwoseven_five]

Buy a vice... its usage can last urs and ur children's lifetime.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

Great idea! I just tried it, and my initial enthusiasm vanished once I started pulling on the wrench.

The f****** thing is on there tight!

But thank you for the idea.

This morning, I called the manufacturer (Giessele), and they said to get a magazine vise block.

I am not a fan of magazine vise blocks because I have seen pictures of lower receivers that were broken while using the magazine vise block.

I remove and install buffer tubes a few times a week and with carbine buffer tubes, I simply hold the underlug in my smooth jaw Wilton bullet vise.
By holding the tube instead of the receiver, it's almost impossible to damage the lower receiver.

[Sir_Ricardo]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

..... I simply hold the underlug in my smooth jaw Wilton bullet vise.
By holding the tube instead of the receiver, it's almost impossible to damage the lower receiver.

Great idea, I'll try that.

The second part I get; put the buffer tube in a vise. The first part I'm unclear on; what does "hold the underlug...." mean?

In my mind, what I'm visualizing is that a vise (padded in some way) would hold the buffer tube rock-steady while I unscrew the castle nut. Is that it, or is there is trick to this?

thanks a lot -

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

Great idea, I'll try that.

The second part I get; put the buffer tube in a vise. The first part I'm unclear on; what does "hold the underlug...." mean?

In my mind, what I'm visualizing is that a vise (padded in some way) would hold the buffer tube rock-steady while I unscrew the castle nut. Is that it, or is there is trick to this?

thanks a lot -

[Sir_Ricardo]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

Thanks! I'll do it and report.

[LBDamned]

Decent castle nut wrench (i have a few but always use Magpul, the others are crap) and decent vise (I used to use a standard craftsman bench vise, but got this real avid recently: https://www.realavid.com/product/master-gun-vise/) - any sturdy vise...

There are multiple ways to secure your lower in a vise... but this tool is clever (I picked one up, but haven't used it yet)



There are loads of ways to secure and torque... OP seems concerned about the stake itself - just secure the wrench well and crank on it, the nut will break past the stake.


...

[joefrank64k]

OP, just do what AR15BARRELS says to do.

He's loosened a castle nut or two

[sigstroker]

Originally Posted by LBDamned

Decent castle nut wrench (i have a few but always use Magpul, the others are crap) and decent vise (I used to use a standard craftsman bench vise, but got this real avid recently: https://www.realavid.com/product/master-gun-vise/) - any sturdy vise...

There are multiple ways to secure your lower in a vise... but this tool is clever (I picked one up, but haven't used it yet)



There are loads of ways to secure and torque... OP seems concerned about the stake itself - just secure the wrench well and crank on it, the nut will break past the stake.


...

Those things are great, which is why they're always sold out. Someone that's halfway skilled with a saw could easily make one out of wood.

[Sir_Ricardo]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

Thank you very much for the idea......I've tried your approach, and no luck so far. As you can see from the attached photos, I've borrowed a vise, lined the jaws with Gorilla tape to protect the buffer tube, and then have used my wrench....to no avail.

There are 2 stakes; the problem stake is the one in the photo.

I tried hitting the wrench with a hammer, and it did not budge.

I realize there are better wrenches out there, and a better wrench might work. However, this wrench has 3 teeth, and fits ok. And it's not slipping, so all my effort is going into the nut.

thoughts?

[LBDamned]

^^^ maybe a cheater pipe (breaker bar) at that wrench handle... it's kinda short, the added leverage might be enough to break it past the stake?

[tradecraft]

Hit it harder.

[sigstroker]

Seems like there are a lot of places for things to flex. Did you try the earlier suggestions like putting it flat on the floor and setting the wrench just above horizontal and honking on it? Rest it on the receiver's right side down, put the wrench on the grip side, and lean hard on the wrench. You only have to move it about 1/8th inch.

[Sir_Ricardo]

Originally Posted by sigstroker

Seems like there are a lot of places for things to flex.

YES, the buffer tube was flexing significantly.

Did you try the earlier suggestions like putting it flat on the floor and setting the wrench just above horizontal and honking on it? Rest it on the receiver's right side down, put the wrench on the grip side, and lean hard on the wrench. You only have to move it about 1/8th inch.

I can try this again. I wrapped it in a towel and tried to use the wrench.

I did not just put it on the floor as you've suggested.

I've seen the Youtube videos on this, and the nut just comes off with little effort. So I don't get it. Maybe it's my cheap wrench. Although as I say, it seems to fit ok and is not slipping.

Maybe I should get a Magpul wrench.

You would not believe all the tools I've purchased in the last 4 months....torque wrench to install a scope, scope levels, wrenches, various Dewey cleaning rods, etc etc. It would be cheaper to pay for an Uber to go pick up AR15-man and ferry him over here! Just kidding. Anyway, in my desire to be a competent gun user who does not have to rely on a gunsmith, I find that a) I'm learning as I go and b) tools cost a lot.

However, in other non-gun ventures, I've always prevailed, so we shall continue to go forth here.....

[LBDamned]

Originally Posted by tradecraft

Hit it harder.

Rubber handle is probably absorbing some of the impact.

[LBDamned]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

I've seen the Youtube videos on this, and the nut just comes off with little effort. So I don't get it. Maybe it's my cheap wrench. Although as I say, it seems to fit ok and is not slipping.

Maybe I should get a Magpul wrench.

You would not believe all the tools I've purchased in the last 4 months....torque wrench to install a scope, scope levels, wrenches, various Dewey cleaning rods, etc etc. It would be cheaper to pay for an Uber to go pick up AR15-man and ferry him over here! Just kidding. Anyway, in my desire to be a competent gun user who does not have to rely on a gunsmith, I find that a) I'm learning as I go and b) tools cost a lot.

However, in other non-gun ventures, I've always prevailed, so we shall continue to go forth here.....

The tools will get used in future builds/modifications... you'll be glad you got 'em.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

Thank you very much for the idea......I've tried your approach, and no luck so far. As you can see from the attached photos, I've borrowed a vise, lined the jaws with Gorilla tape to protect the buffer tube, and then have used my wrench....to no avail.

There are 2 stakes; the problem stake is the one in the photo.

I tried hitting the wrench with a hammer, and it did not budge.

I realize there are better wrenches out there, and a better wrench might work. However, this wrench has 3 teeth, and fits ok. And it's not slipping, so all my effort is going into the nut.

thoughts?

I use a magpul wrench which is longer than your wrench and have no problems.
You could stick a 12" to 18" piece of pipe on your wrench to make it longer.
Then what looks like a C-Clamp holding the vise to your desk will be the problem or the weight of your desk will not be sufficient.
My vise is mounted on a tool cart that probably weighs 600+ pounds as it is full of tooling.
I don't put tape on my vise jaws because that's a point of slippage but I have smooth vise jaws don't mark a buffer tube.
I also have a very good vise so I can put a lot of clamping force on it.
As long as the tube is not slipping in the vise jaws and the wrench is not slipping off the castle nut, it will come apart once you put enough force on it.
Ignore all the people telling you to hit it as that's just going to cause stuff to slip off and damage something.
You want smooth pure force to free the nut.

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

Maybe I should get a Magpul wrench.

You would not believe all the tools I've purchased in the last 4 months....torque wrench to install a scope, scope levels, wrenches, various Dewey cleaning rods, etc etc. It would be cheaper to pay for an Uber to go pick up AR15-man and ferry him over here! Just kidding. Anyway, in my desire to be a competent gun user who does not have to rely on a gunsmith, I find that a) I'm learning as I go and b) tools cost a lot.

My magpul wrench was well worth the $55 I paid for it.
I use it daily.

I have $2000+ of AR specific tooling and that's NOT counting any chamber reamers or machinery.
That's just the tooling to hold receivers and turn barrel nuts and castle nuts and gauge an assembled upper.

The specific tools I use to assemble a single AR likely cost 5-10X what I charge to do a job.
I do the job a lot of times though, so the tools pay for themselves.

[sigstroker]

Originally Posted by Sir_Ricardo

I've seen the Youtube videos on this, and the nut just comes off with little effort. So I don't get it. Maybe it's my cheap wrench. Although as I say, it seems to fit ok and is not slipping.

Maybe I should get a Magpul wrench.

You would not believe all the tools I've purchased in the last 4 months....torque wrench to install a scope, scope levels, wrenches, various Dewey cleaning rods, etc etc. It would be cheaper to pay for an Uber to go pick up AR15-man and ferry him over here! Just kidding. Anyway, in my desire to be a competent gun user who does not have to rely on a gunsmith, I find that a) I'm learning as I go and b) tools cost a lot.

However, in other non-gun ventures, I've always prevailed, so we shall continue to go forth here.....

LOL, I know the feeling. I've been historically cheaper than cheap when it comes to tools. The last wrench I used to break a castle nut free of staking was about 6 dollars American that makes yours look like a tool for royalty.

I did finally break down last year (I've had AR's since the 90's) and buy a deluxe Midwest wrench, but haven't taken it out of the plastic yet. The castle nut part of it is open, which is why I like it more than the Magpul. The fact that I got it on sale for 20 bucks less than the Magpul has nothing to do with it. Honest.

[BrokerB]

Less than 30 seconds with the WESOG tool of choice, dremel, and a cutting wheel would remove the stake if you are having so much trouble with a wrench.

[Sir_Ricardo]

Originally Posted by ar15barrels

My magpul wrench was well worth the $55 I paid for it. I use it daily......

Originally Posted by sigstroker

I did finally break down last year (I've had AR's since the 90's) and buy a deluxe Midwest wrench, but haven't taken it out of the plastic yet......

Thanks for all the comments, guys....last night I ordered a Magpul.....will advise when it arrives.....

[ar15barrels]

Originally Posted by sigstroker

I did finally break down last year (I've had AR's since the 90's) and buy a deluxe Midwest wrench, but haven't taken it out of the plastic yet. The castle nut part of it is open, which is why I like it more than the Magpul.

The magpul being closed is what makes it so much better than all the open wrenches.
It simply slips over the buffer tube so it's not a problem that it's closed.
Closed makes it stronger.
Also, if it were to slip off, it does not fall on the ground as it will just hang on the buffer tube.