I’m trying to remove the original barrel nut in order to put on my TRX-E. I’ve got the upper secured in a vise using the Brownells block. I’m using the tool provided from Troy with the handguard in combo with a breaker bar. The barrel is just really hard to get loose. I’ve tried brute force, heating the barrel nut, freezing the barrel nut but that sucker won’t give in. I’m running out of options and almost started crying in my garage :cray:
Maybe a stupid question but is it somehow possible to cut the barrel nut loose using an angle grinder or manually with a hacksaw? It feels a little risky with the threads just under the barrel nut. Any ideas?
I doubt you would want to cut it, just because of the threads, like you said. Maybe some penetrating oil, like Kroil or something could help, not sure though. If worse comes to worse, a gunsmith may be able to help.
Warm the barrel nut, and soak it with the most aggressive penetrating oil you can lay hands on.
Once it has soaked for a few days/week, then heat the barrel nut and chill the chamber and receiver from the inside before you use the wrench.
I’ve had to cut the barrel nut, but I did it in a mill, and when I finally cut enough away to let the nut come loose, it popped with an audible snap. Audible over the sound of a running Bridgeport.
If you are having to apply lots of torque, would you be better off clamping the barrel instead of using the lower receiver block? Not saying it’s so, just asking because I’d like to know.
Thanks for all the advice guys! I’ll try to get some penetrating oil. In case that doesn’t work how did you all go about with the cutting? Angle grinder?
It would’ve obviously been great if I could take it to a gunsmith for a quick fix but there are maybe 2 - 3 persons in the entire country that can call themselves gunsmith with some knowledge of the AR platform. Most guns here have lots of wood on them and are fired 5 - 6 a year at some animal.
I used a Dremel with the heavy duty cutting wheel and some finesse. The key is to go slow. Once you have most of the nut cut through then you will use a flat tip screwdriver and pry it apart.
The down side is that you will need to replace it which means removing the FSB and flash hider.
No, the threads are on the upper receiver. By clamping the barrel you would put all that torque againat the pin in the barrel extension, resulting in ruined parts.
I’ll have to replace it with Troys nut anyway so it doesn’t matter. FSP and flash hider are already off aswell.
I put the upper in the freezer for 4 hours and used a breakerbar about a yard long but it wouldn’t come off. The vise block just starts to flex in the vise.
The weapon is a 16" middy made by a German AR company called Oberland Arms. Upper and lower are billet made in house. Barrels are Lothar Walther and all internals are made by LMT.
I second this. I’ve had good look doing this before anything else. Especially something as drastic as cutting. And it doesn’t hurt anything to try it anyway
On instruments that have been in the weather for 15+ years, I have had luck Kroil’ing, heating, Kroil’ing, cooling, Kroil’ing, heating, Kroil’ing, cooling, and letting soak with Kroil overnight. I believe heating and cooling causes the two pieces of metal to expand differently, so a gap is opened for the Kroil to enter.
I had one instrument cover where a Tech unsuccessfully tried a pipe wrench with 3’ cheater. I heated it, let it soak with Kroil for 2-hours and loosened it with a pair of Channelocks.
I’ll add one more thing to try. Back when I did this I didn’t have access to this forum. I had to rebarrel a deparment Bushmaster that had been in service for over 10 years and lots of full auto and probably mag dumps aplenty knowing the coperator it was issued to. I tried everything I knew, freezing, lots of penetrating oil, nothing worked. I chucked it up real tight, put the wrench on the barrel nut and hit it, hard, with a 4lb. hammer. It broke free after the third hit. I was afraid of upper receiver dmage but there didn’t appear to be any and after 5 years it’s still running strong.