How to tighten Castle nut without Spanner wrench?

[pgatour]

Hi,

How do you tighten the castle nut on a collapsible stock without the special tool (spanner wrench?)? just wondering how some of you managed to do that because my castle nut keeps coming loose, albeit I'm only 'hand' tightening it as much as I can. Thanks for your tips.

[slick_711]

Brass punch and a hammer. Put the punch in one of the 'battlement grooves' (it's a castle nut, not sure what else to call them) and tap it with the hammer a couple of times. If you're not careful it may leave a brass scrape or two on the nut, but it'll tighten it, and your rifle is a tool after all.

[ivanimal]

I am close to you and I have an AR specific wrench.

Also,
There are pipe wrenches that have teeth that fit perfect without marring as well

Mine have a really pronounced point and fit exactly in the slots, go figure.

[Pryde]

Stake your castle nut and you will never have to worry about this again.
A proper AR should always have staked nuts.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=6994

[JagerTroop]

maybe try a strap wrench.. you know, one of those rubber band wrenches. Might work Also, put a small dab of BLUE (not RED) loc-tite on the threads.

[Bucc]

maybe try a strap wrench.. you know, one of those rubber band wrenches. Might work Also, put a small dab of BLUE (not RED) loc-tite on the threads.

What he said.
Loop a leather belt around it like you would if you were going to hang yourself with it and use the belt as a strap wrench if you don't have one.


They call the "teeth" on that nut a crenellation BTW.

[JBird33]

I used the hammer and punch method.

[slick_711]

Right, because marring the "crenellations" on his castle nut will cause the rifle to become inaccurate and not function as reliably.

[SDJim]

I found my motorcycle shock adjusting tool fit the castlenut on my friends stock rather nicely.

[packnrat]

send me $100.00 usd and i will send you the very hard to find and get, proper tool for the job.


.

[jandmtv]

umm, how about you buy the spanner wrench! i only paid $5 for mine, then stake it so it doesnt come loose.

[rorschach]

I found my motorcycle shock adjusting tool fit the castlenut on my friends stock rather nicely.

Thats what I used for my first build with an M4 stock, but I later broke down and bought the wrench at the Costa Mesa show.

[swhatb]

OK!?!? Is it really necessary...

to have the end plates staked to the receiver extension nut

[Pryde]

If they are not staked, the will come loose. It's really that simple.

Its not that difficult to stake the tube, all it takes is a punch and a hammer.

[ar15barrels]

15 posts because you are too cheap to buy a $6 wrench to do it right?
Next there will be the posts where you ask how to touch up the scratches you made on the receiver because you did not have the right tools for the job.

Get the right tools for the job.
Do it right already.