Like the title says – my A2 bird cage is stuck on the end of my 16" barrel, and the bitch ain’t coming off. It’s stripped. I have no idea how as I’ve only taken it off once before and I’m 100% sure I didn’t over torque it when putting it back on. I’m just wondering now if there is any way for me to remove it and if so what are the chances of my threads still being intact enough? Would a Dremel be an effective way to do this? I know I’ll likely end up sending it into Adco, but… thought I’d ask…
Have you tried some penetrating oil on it?
How are you clamping the barrel when you’re trying to remove it? Is the issue with the barrel rotating, or worrying that you’re going to break something with the amount of force you’re applying?
What about using the dremel to open up two slots opposing each other and using some type flatbar to twist it off. I wouldn’t cut off the entire crown, don’t want to make it too weak.
The problem isn’t that it’s not being held or so much with the upper or the barrel rotating but the flash hider just will not come off. I know it’s stripped, for sure.
I am considering the Dremel way but I’m not sure what is even left of my threads at this point and if that’s the case I’ll likely have them restored or cut/pinned to a 14.5" …
So its spinning free, but not actually unwinding from the barrel?
That would be stripped.
Or, will it not move at all regardless of how many ways you lock things down and lean on it?
That would be cross threaded not stripped, but as you say you put it on yourself a while back, we’ll presume that you didn’t have any issues spinning it on by hand and tensioning with an appropriate wrench, nor did you reef the dog shit out of it.
If the former, you may get away with pulling outward on the device while turning it.
Sometimes you can catch a thread and the fixture will then spin off properly. Otherwise, cutting will be the only option.
If the latter, then perhaps you forgot that you had actually put some loctite or rockset on the threads last time you worked it?
Because of the carbon buildup, its “welded”.
I like using heat, its the fastest way IMO.
Try putting the barrel in a vice,( handguard removed), then heat it up.
I prefer just the propane with torch, distribut the flame evenly
I would use a vicegrip, it seems like a rod through the birdcaGE would just bend anyway.
Should come right off
Assuming the flash hider is already toast - just use the dremel. Go slow and you won’t dremel the barrel threads by mistake. You know what to do, make some cuts lengthwise, two or three ought to do it. As you cut, from time to time try to pry the flash hider apart, eventually it will pop apart. With luck, maybe the barrel threads are undamaged. Or at most, simply chase the threads with a die.
And all the people on the forums said I was nuts for removing my flash hider and cleaning the carbon off the muzzle…
I think this is probably what I’ll do, albeit very carefully.
Now that it’s been mentioned - I’m thinking it could very well be cross threaded because it has not rotated that much - it’s just way, way harder than I’ve ever experienced before. I’m also thinking the carbon build has contributed to it, a lot. It seems taking your muzzle device off every now and then for a good cleaning isn’t a bad idea.
If the threads cannot be saved then I’ll like send it off to Adco. It’ll cost me about $150 + shipping to get it cut down to a 14.5" and pin a standard A2… or about the same to just fix the whole mess and keep it as 16".
I second the suggestion of using heat. Try putting a propane torch to it for a little while and see if that helps. Did you use any thread lock or rocksett when you put it on?
Worst case…send it out and have it cut to 14.5" and have an A2X pinned on.
If it won’t come off conventionally you can turn it off with a lathe.