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11/14/2015 4:50:51 PM EDT
I have an upper I want to change and the barrel is very tight.
So far it wouldn't budge.

Any tips ?

I do not have a upper vise, just using a mag block vise with a lower attached.

Thinking about ordering this

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/210021/wheeler-engineering-delta-series-upper-receiver-vise-block-clamp-ar-15

I think that would help.

Would that allow me to use enough force to loose it without damaging the upper ?

11/14/2015 5:10:13 PM EDT
[#1]
i had a similar problem with my build. VLTOR upper, cmmg barrel. super tight fit as the barrel inched in a little then it would not budge AT ALL. tried to pull it out, nothing, push it in, nothing. let it sit after greasing the hell out of it, nothing. I have a magpul bev block and put my upper into it. the teeth on the bev block locked into the barrel extension, then i was able to wiggle the upper itself side to side (in a revving a motorcycle type motion) until i got the barrel seated properly.
11/14/2015 5:17:04 PM EDT
[#2]
Clamp the upper in a vise block. Take a 1/2" or 3/4" dowell and knock the barrel out.  The dowell won't hurt your barrel and gives you something to beat on to get the two apart.
11/14/2015 5:21:53 PM EDT
[#3]
What exactly are we talking about? The barrel itself in the upper or the barrel nut? I really hope you're not torquing the barrel nut with a lower vise block and no support on the receiver
11/14/2015 6:19:01 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote History
Quoted:
What exactly are we talking about? The barrel itself in the upper or the barrel nut? I really hope you're not torquing the barrel nut with a lower vise block and no support on the receiver
View Quote


Barrel nut

You are correct.

I quit torquing it realizing I might break something

That is the point of this thread to see what I need to do it right.
11/15/2015 9:44:24 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote History
Quoted:


Barrel nut

You are correct.

I quit torquing it realizing I might break something

That is the point of this thread to see what I need to do it right.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
What exactly are we talking about? The barrel itself in the upper or the barrel nut? I really hope you're not torquing the barrel nut with a lower vise block and no support on the receiver


Barrel nut

You are correct.

I quit torquing it realizing I might break something

That is the point of this thread to see what I need to do it right.


Buy the Wheeler and the proper wrench and it should come off fairly easily unless it was cranked on by a Gorilla, then you may need a longer breaker bar.
11/15/2015 11:23:13 AM EDT
[#6]
The Wheeler setup works.
11/15/2015 12:21:02 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote History
Quoted:


Buy the Wheeler and the proper wrench and it should come off fairly easily unless it was cranked on by a Gorilla, then you may need a longer breaker bar.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
What exactly are we talking about? The barrel itself in the upper or the barrel nut? I really hope you're not torquing the barrel nut with a lower vise block and no support on the receiver


Barrel nut

You are correct.

I quit torquing it realizing I might break something

That is the point of this thread to see what I need to do it right.


Buy the Wheeler and the proper wrench and it should come off fairly easily unless it was cranked on by a Gorilla, then you may need a longer breaker bar.


I ordered the wheeler last night.

What do you mean by proper wrench ? I have an AR15 wrench. This is the one I have I assume it would do ?



11/15/2015 12:28:00 PM EDT
[#8]
Some people put barrels on with loc-tite.  Any chance of that?



You may need to apply some heat.
11/15/2015 4:06:32 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote History
Quoted:


I ordered the wheeler last night.

What do you mean by proper wrench ? I have an AR15 wrench. This is the one I have I assume it would do ?

http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa408/Y8ber/100_7935_zps51jnl4e3.jpg

View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
What exactly are we talking about? The barrel itself in the upper or the barrel nut? I really hope you're not torquing the barrel nut with a lower vise block and no support on the receiver


Barrel nut

You are correct.

I quit torquing it realizing I might break something

That is the point of this thread to see what I need to do it right.


Buy the Wheeler and the proper wrench and it should come off fairly easily unless it was cranked on by a Gorilla, then you may need a longer breaker bar.


I ordered the wheeler last night.

What do you mean by proper wrench ? I have an AR15 wrench. This is the one I have I assume it would do ?

http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa408/Y8ber/100_7935_zps51jnl4e3.jpg

The upper block will work fine, as long as your vise is up to keeping it in place.  A minimum 4" wide vise that's really solidly attached to your bench will give you the support you need.

Your wrench will work fine for removing the barrel nut.  Use the LEFT hand end on the barrel nut - those multiple notches will lock onto the nut's own notches and give you a great grip on it.  Make sure you push the wrench against the nut while you're at it.  Remember, "lefty loosey" applies FACING the upper, not from the shooter's perspective.  And this is where a nice, long breaker bar will come in handy as well.

The torque applied when installing a barrel nut may have absolutely no relationship to how hard the nut is to remove.  You can help it out a bit by putting the upper in the freezer for about 30 minutes; the different thermal characteristics of aluminum and steel will allow the upper to shrink (a tiny bit) more than the nut, which can help when you start to apply muscle to the wrench.
11/15/2015 10:27:06 PM EDT
[#10]
I had the same issue with a rife kit I recently ordered. I swear it was torqued on by an 800lb gorilla. I ended up using a heat gun set on 1000deg. I would heat it up until a drop of water would sizzle and boil away quickly, and tired to loosen the barrel nut. No go so I placed it in my deep freeze set on -10deg for an hour or so. I immediately put it back in the vice and tried to loosen it. It took a few cycles but the very last time out of the freezer, it came off with just a touch.

Freezing and heat is your friend, just take it slow and be patient.
11/15/2015 10:39:52 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote History
Quoted:


Barrel nut

You are correct.

I quit torquing it realizing I might break something

That is the point of this thread to see what I need to do it right.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
What exactly are we talking about? The barrel itself in the upper or the barrel nut? I really hope you're not torquing the barrel nut with a lower vise block and no support on the receiver


Barrel nut

You are correct.

I quit torquing it realizing I might break something

That is the point of this thread to see what I need to do it right.


Good. The wheeler vise blocks will work great. Use a breaker bar in the 1/2'' square on your armorers tool to get additional leverage and break the nut free. I've had a few stubborn nuts, but they will come off.

You'll probably find that it will take less torque than you think once the receiver is properly supported and you get a breaker bar on there. If you don't have a breaker bar handy, you can also use a metal pipe that fits over the handle of the armorers tool. Anything to get you more leverage.
11/20/2015 9:23:09 PM EDT
[#12]
Got the wheeler...Put it in the freezer first. Still no luck. Tried heat a little no luck, but I will continue.

In the freezer now.

I have a solid workbench and vise and it isn't budging.

11/20/2015 9:43:57 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote History
Quoted:
I had the same issue with a rife kit I recently ordered. I swear it was torqued on by an 800lb gorilla. I ended up using a heat gun set on 1000deg. I would heat it up until a drop of water would sizzle and boil away quickly, and tired to loosen the barrel nut. No go so I placed it in my deep freeze set on -10deg for an hour or so. I immediately put it back in the vice and tried to loosen it. It took a few cycles but the very last time out of the freezer, it came off with just a touch.

Freezing and heat is your friend, just take it slow and be patient.
View Quote


Where exactly do you aim the heat ? I don't want to damage anything.
11/20/2015 9:58:51 PM EDT
[#14]
After another stint in the freezer, it came off. Thanks.
11/21/2015 11:05:36 AM EDT
[#15]
Lately we just put things outside to get cold.
Beer freezes
11/21/2015 11:17:45 AM EDT
[#16]
A vice block is nice to have around and cheap too however, this is a better option and eliminates unwanted force generated on the upper when having to really wrench on a stubborn barrel nut or flash hider. The one in the link is a knock off of the Geissele but works great for a fraction of the cost.
11/21/2015 9:14:14 PM EDT
[#17]
May be a stupid question but is your BCG all the way forward?

Vince
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