I have been looking around for tools that I should have on hand for the AR system to perform maintenance and parts change. Every search that I’ve done thus far is for building an AR from the ground up…and I’m not really interested in doing that.
What tools should I have on hand for things such as changing out a flash hider, lower parts, stocks, ect? I don’t want to have to pay a gunsmith to do something that I could do easily with the right tools…
I was thinking an armorers wrench, buttstock/castle nut wrench, punches…but what else?
Also if you guys could tell me what brand is quality and where to buy them, that would be much appreciated!
Maybe a torque wrench, one in ft lbs for replacing the castle nut, flash hider etc, and one in inch lbs if you run any kind of scope mount. I’ve been using the borka rools one drom brownells and It’s been great. A center punch is cheap in case you need to re- stake a RE.
I have the upper and lower vise block/clamp set from brownells. It will help keep you from buggering up your lower or upper it is also like a second set of hands!
Robb Jensen/GotM4 posted a thread a year or so back, that fit your post to a T. He listed a good set of tools, and I followed his advice. Things like Craftsmen tappet wrenches for removing flash hiders, etc.
Iraqgunz had some really good resources listed as well, particularly on gauges and publications.
I’d start with a search on their posts, I think they will help you a lot.
Thanks for the suggestions guys! I’ll track down that post by Robb as well. Most of the other searches I turned up had a list of tools about 20 deep, and I didn’t know which were necessary and which weren’t for maintenance/parts change.
I’ve heard good things about hammerhead but the 40+ price tag kinda threw me off, from those of you who own the tool is it really worth that premium over one of the cheaper armorers wrench? It is one of those things I should just bite the bullet on and buy?
The Hammerhead fits nice and tight on the Castle Nut with four points of contact, instead of just three (or even two) like some other spanners. It’s a very well-designed and manufactured item. I’ve had no regrets in buying it.
For what it’s worth… in addition to guns, I also work on my truck, dirt bike, RV, and Jeep (and any thing else required). I have a shop full of tools, some rather specialized. Forty bucks really isn’t that much.
It is worth it. You can get a cheap wrench for $5/10 but that is what it is a cheap wrench. I bought one of those first. I do not like it. I was looking at one from Brownells that engaged 3 lugs but it was around $60. The Hammer Head gets all four and you save $20.
If you’ve been bitten bad by the AR bug, then yes it’s worth it. I had several wrenches and bought one and it get more use than all the others. Buy once cry once! I’ve bought many tools that never get used, this isn’t one of them.
I also recommend the hammer head. I had a nice stock extension wrench from brownell but it kept chipping the edges of the castle nut and it would slip. As a bonus the hammerhead also works for flash hiders.
I almost bought one on my recent Armor tool buying frenzy. But I have the S.A.W. wrench that just has 2 points of contact, and it works well enough not to spend the $40.
The S.A.W. wrench muscled right through this COLT 6933 castle nut last weekend that Paul Bunyon staked. If I had no wrench, I’d get the Hammerhead though.
Punches: Get the nice roll pin punches from Brownells. I’ve never needed a roll pin punch starter though… needle nose pliers work fine for that… even on the CH latch roll pin and gas tube roll pin.
