Yet another Barrel nut torque question(LR 308)

[rdsii64]

While I'm waiting of the funds to buy my vertical mill to machine my 80 percent lower, I got board today and decided to build the upper. I set my torque wrench to 45 foot pounds and torqued the barrel nut down three times.
I did this with the intent to continue to the next hole to line up the gas tube. What happened was that after I torqued the barrel nut down the third time, the alignment was perfect. I checked second time just to make sure. Sure enough, the Bolt carrier and the charging handle both slide over the gas tube with no binding. I never expected to get perfect alignment with my initial torque, my question is have I missed something I'm not aware of.

[IPSICK]

Well if you loosened and re-tightened 3 times, I think you should be fine. I usually target 60 ft-lbs but 45 is well within the desired range. Not sure if you did this but I usually like to build up to my torque spec. So I'll tighten it to 30 ft-lbs to set the barrel in the receiver and then get anal by loosening the barrel nut and re-tightening it in increasing 5 ft-lb increments until I get the barrel nut and gas tube to line up.

[SlickmisterN]

Great method. Thanks ipsick!

[baih777]

you got lucky

[valley82]

Yep lucky.

[missiontrails]

Always set my wrench to 30, then index for gas tube as necessary.

[Nathan Krynn]

Might just be me but I have had the best luck at the bottom end of the torque range on the barrel nut.