Hey guys. Had a YHM QD muzzle device I had previously rocksetted on that I needed to remove for repair. Placed my upper on a Wheeler action rod and got the flash hider off.

Took a good bit of force but didn't use a breaker bar or anything, just a normal armorer wrench.

After I removed it, I couldn't get the upper out of the Wheeler rod... The rod has a lock/unlock function that twists the lugs like a bolt to lock the rod onto the barrel extension. I couldn't get it to unlock.

With a pair of channel locks I finally got the rod to unlock and got the upper out.

Upon inspection, everything appears OK... Barrel nut tight, gas tube and block seem aligned still, barrel extension lines up with m4 ramps... Bolt carrier group moves in and out smoothly. But this makes me nervous I tweaked something that made the Wheeler rod get stuck like that. Haven't gotten to shoot it yet.

Any advice here? Seen this before? Anything else I can check? Thanks for your advice.

Hold the barrel ~8in from your eye and try to align the circles created by the chamber and Muzzle. How's it look?

Aside from this extra bit, there's nothing I think you could do w/o indicators.

Did you soak the MD on boiling water first?
Did you lube the rod before use?
Are there any burrs on the rod's lugs?

W/O pics its difficult to assess .

Is your gas port still at TDC?

Not sure I understand what you mean by aligning the circles. Looked down the muzzle end and appears normal?
I didn't soak in water first, but have learned my lesson to do that first next time. Rod was lubed. There are some slight burrs so maybe that caused it. But prior to un-toruqing this MD, upper slide on and off the rod just fine. I guess I'm just asking if damage is even possible with a reaction rod like this that has the fin.



Gas port is still in the same spot. I'd take pics but I don't think anything would show. I guess I'm just curious if damage can occur when cranking down on a MD with a Reaction Rod with a wave, and if so, what to look for.

Probably not.

I would suggest a tool failure, and that you buy better tools.   I do not own anything from Wheeler except their plastic Delta Series Clam Shell.

The Midwest MI-URR upper receiver rod is my favorite.



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Yes, if the torque required to remove the MD is greater than the torque value of the barrel to extension damage can occur.

If the barrel spun in the extension then your GP will no longer be at TDC. (Provided that it was properly indexed to begin with.)

Securing the barrel with blocks is the safest way for MD work. Especially with stuck/over torqued MDs.

Competition rifle flash hiders (NRA/CMP) are installed hand tight with 242 Loctite.

No muzzle device should be installed so damn tight you have to fight to get it off.

Wooden blocks in a vise pressing against the front sight tower is a better way to apply torque. It all you have is a gas block, don't apply any pressure against that.

It gets tiresome doesn't it.
If the gorillas had a muzzle gage they'd quit cranking them on.