How to destroy a Bushmaster$$$

AR/M4 AR General Discussion
1

After lookin through the thread showing off everyone’s builds, I got the wild hare up my a$$ and decided to start toying some more with my two ARs. I have a RRA I bought from a coworker with a POF industries Predator 9" FF rail on it. I also have a BM M4A3 14.5" with a cheapo UTG rail on it. A few days ago I ordered a YHM gas block and also a Troy Ind 13.8 FF rail with the included gas block.

My plan was to put the troy 13.8" rail on my RRA and swap the POF 9" rail onto my Bushmaster. Cool deal.

A few days later my YHM gas block came in and I decided to try and put it on the Bushmaster. This is where the s*** started to hit the fan.

I knew before I started this endeavor that the ‘Izzy’ flash hider POS was ‘permanently welded’ onto the business end of the barrel. Looking back, my first mistake was trying this mickey mouse operation without a barrel clamp for my vise. I opted for a used bicycle innertube. But I’m a hard headed SOB and pretty determined so I went for it.

I wrapped the barrel with the awesome rubber innertube and clamped it into the bench vise. It seemed to hold up until I put that 3/4" wrench onto the Izzy and really started to crank on it and the barrel started to rotate in the vise. Here comes the cursing like a pirate stage.

So I cranked the hell out of the vise to the point I was positive the barrel was being crushed and started wrenching again on that flash hider. It actually turned a little bit (about 1/7 turn)! :slight_smile:

Thats where the progress stopped. When it turned, it didn’t seem to be happy. It felt just like when you over tighten a bolt and fell it strip. At this point it didn’t want to turn anymore. not to be defeated by a silly rifle, I pulled out the cheater bar (always effective).

After my 4’ cheater bar managed to strip the wrench AND the flat surface of the Izzy FH, the tools began flying. :mad:

To shorten things up, I professionally attached a pair of vise grips to the slotted portion of the FH, and proceeded to turn that with my cheater bar. It was a herculian task, but I managed to strip ALL the threads and had this ultra cool silver colored powder come out which I’m assuming is what makes the FH ‘welded on’. Far out man.

I did manage to get the front site off easily, and see if my YHM gas block fits (which it did nicely). but there’s no point in mounting it on something that looks more messed up than Rosie o’Donnell after a hard night of binge drinking.

So now I’m in the market for a new barrel for my Bushmaster. I’m thinkin a heavy 20" and make this a true coyote rifle.

I’m still waiting for my Troy rail to come in so i can have an epic battle with that rifle. I’ll post pics for this stuff when I get the time.

Riley~~~

2

Am I the only one going WTF? :confused:

3

When technique and logic fail you, brute force and ignorance can really f up your day! Thanks for posting the lesson learned. Permanent means forever too? (Jk!) Good story.

4

I’ll 2nd that!

5

Yeah, I mainly posted this so other curious SOB’s like me don’t have to learn the lesson first hand. But it did render me a reason to start changing parts on this rifle.

Riley~~~

6

No.:rolleyes:

7

forgive me for having lolled due to being able to empathize with your situation. I have also employed persuasion tools in the past, fortunately not a rifle :smiley:

Don’t worry about the haters, clearly they have NEVER made a mistake :stuck_out_tongue:

8

yeah, this was a positive lesson. I’ve ordered the barrel clamp, and upper receiver clamp as well as an armor’s wrench too. I’ve had AR’s for 4 or 5 years now but I’m only now getting around to wrenching on them. usually when brute force breaks something on a vehicle you can fab up another part, these rifles are a tad more delicate as I’m finding out.

Riley~~~

9

You can use your credit card to fab up a new barrel, no problem.

10

I have found that getting the proper tools is worth the wait, but I did find that knowledge the hard way like you did!

Nice story! And by the way, get a Colt.

11

I faced the same quandry with my bushmaster 14.5 izzy flash hider. My goal was to remove the izzy and have a AAC suppressor mount permanently attached and maintain the minimum legnth of 16"

I was told by tornado tech and a local gunsmith that removing the welded on izzy flash hider would in their experience trash the threads and require cutting and rethreading the barrel. The net result being a barrel length and new flash hider with an overall legnth of less than 16"

I went with a Noveske 16" upper with switchblock as a solution.

Your project was doomed to failure before you began.

12

if I can find a good deal on a colt I may do that. I have a BM because I got it back in the day when they were cheap, and I have the RRA because I got a screamin deal I couldn’t turn down. A coworker was hurtin for cash and decided to sell his RRA w/ predator rail, bushnell holo site, vertical grip, folding rear site, 14 mags, and 200 rounds of green tip 5.56 on stripper clips. all for $1000 even. Can’t beat that deal with a stick.

Riley~~~

13

What part of Permanently Welded didn’t you understand? There is ADOC makes a ton of money taking off and putting on those things.

14

LOL!!! Show us the carnage!

15

I’ll be back home in a week and a half. I’ll get some pics of the smooth barrel threads and FH. And also the stripped Craftsman wrench.

Riley~~~

16

Notice how some threads attract forum members with low numbers of posts???:confused:

17

Oh excuse us for not having high post counts. :rolleyes: Just because someone’s new or has a low post count on THIS forum with a particular screen name, doesn’t make them a particular type of member. Your stereotyping sucks.

/threadjack

18

Thanks for the post. At least you’ve learned from your mistake.

The next time I try to muscle something where it needs to go, I will try and take pause and reflect on my past mistakes and this thread!

19

So you do know that Bushmaster pins and welds their muzzle devices on 14.5" barrels and doesn’t use silver solder, right? That “powder” and stuff was you fucking up the threads with the pin as you cranked the fucker out. You’re supposed to remove the pin first, then unscrew it or just cut it in half.

I mean really… you didn’t know this?

20

Congratulations on your post count, a little better than 2 per day. I found your post in the caffine allergy thread inspirational so I have decided to work on my number.

Vermont is a nice state, going to use your suppressor this weekend?