Has anyone else opted out for something else? I cringe everytime I use a $16 torque wrench on a $2500 rifle. I was looking at this thing and even though it has a sticker saying its calibrated at 140 in lbs, the lowest setting on the wrench is 120 and that seems to be were they set it or around. The wrench just looks cheap and it is cheap, for this reason I am buying something else, probably one with a dial.
Any recomendations would be apreciated.
By the way I know this is probably a stupid question, but the correct torque for the barrel bolts is 140 in lbs right? I assume that it is since thats what the sticker on the stock wrench said.
They work fine LMT would not give it to you otherwise. They set them at the correct torque regardless of where the scale reads.That said a quality tool is never a bad thing.
Some MWS owners have reported broken bolts from using the supplied torque wrench. Frankly, it is a lowest-bidder part and not worthy of being included with the MWS.
I left the supplied wrench in the bag for my CQB, picked up the Craftsman 3/8" drive 25-250 inch lb wrench. My plan is to get the pre set Seekonk and be done with it.
They were on sale for $69. two weeks ago, not sure if they still are or not.
I did a lot of searching for a quality torque wrench that wasn’t over priced. I wound up with the Park Tools TW-1 torque wrench. The Park Tools are technically made for bikes, but it’s a very good wrench and it works fine for firearms.
I got a half a dozen of these things kicking around and I’m thinking, gosh I’m glad LMT only wasted $25 of my money on all these wrenches I don’t need. I’ve got a good torque wrench, an Armstrong and I have never used it on an LMT rifle. Fact is, for a good design, torque can vary a lot and not make a difference*. I think that is probably doubly true of the LMT rifles. The “split shaft collar” design is very, very effective in holding a shaft or a barrel. From my considerable machine design and mechanic experience I judge that the 140 inch pounds of torque is but a fraction of that needed to damage the bolts or strip the thread inserts. And I think it likely that the screws could be torqued to a fraction of 140 inch pounds and still hold the barrel just fine. In other words, I think there is a very wide window between too tight and not tight enough. That is a good design objective under the circumstances. I haven’t given the torque issue much more than passing thought until now. My advice is don’t worry about it. I think it is obvious that Messrs. Lewis and company put a lot of thought into this design and they have earned my trust.
As an example of another good design involving torquing of bolts I cite the ASME/ANSI pipe flanges. Lots of research went into that design including having a good many mechanics, both experienced and inexperienced torque a variety of bolts in a variety of sizes. The researchers learned that even highly experienced, highly motivated mechanics have a hard time accurately judging torque. With this in mind the designs were made with bolts much larger than needed which assure good clamping power while still insuring against over-torquing.
I didn’t know Park Tools made a torque wrench. I have a few other Park tools and I have always been impressed by their quality, value and effectiveness.
My good pal Edwin907, a fellow member has had a Seekonk T handle for a several years and runs his rifle length and cqb setups with it and to my knowledge has never re calibrated it.
I understand if you were using this particular wrench for daily multible applications but since this is more than likely a dedicated tool for MRP/MWS’s, my bet is that you should not need to re calibrate these for many years…much more than the suggested 1 yr. inspection suggestion.
These things are so NICE…and I hope to have one someday and I believe my MRP/MWS collection here soon if not now already warrants a nice dedicated t handle torque wrench…now all I need to do is find $200 mesily dollars…
