AR Sponsor
Posted: 12/29/2008 4:01:40 AM EDT
|
Newbie here. Going to have a lot of dumb questions coming real soon.
Just picked up a Colt Hbar II. First question: How do I remove the stock? I can't seem to unscrew the "tube" that houses the buffer and spring. Is it safe to place the lower in some kind of vice? Or is this something best left to a gunsmith? Second question: I'd like to install a compensator. Again, is this a gunsmith task? (I guess if I need to ask, then I've already got my answer!?) Third: Would like to add some type of entry-level red dot sight. Just something for tooling around with in the back yard. Any suggestions, and anything I should be aware of as to best ways to install, operation, etc. Thanks in advance and looking forward to being a member of this community! |
|
Quoted:
If you already have the stock body off, just unscrew the tube by hand. As for the compensator, I'd recommend buying a vise, upper receiver action block, and a good AR armorer's wrench. I don't have any experience with entry level red dots. If you're scared about scratching the lower's finish, use a magazine (like Guns and Ammo) to act as a barrier between gun and vise. PCR-00 showed me that, best use ever for G&A if you ask me. |
|
Entry levey dots- There's allot of them out there. I tried the Bushnell Trophy MP (the one that looks like an ACOG) on my M4 last year. It was good enough to plink with, and held point of impact well.
I basically used it to confirm that I wanted to use a dot type sight vs just iron sites. I do see the benefit of the dot sites, and I bought an Aimpoint C3 which is mounted now. The Bushnell battery life (for me) lasted about 100 hours of use. The Aimpoint battery lasts 50,000 hours. I mounted the Bushnell on a 22 rifle I shoot with my boys and it really works well for that purpose. |
|
Quoted:
Can't unscrew the tube for the life of me. Totally cranked in there... Any risk of damage to the receiver from torque if it's clamped in a vice? Do they usually use lock-tight on threaded parts. I'm going to look into that Bushnell... thanks for the advice. Heat the tube on the receiver side with a hair dryer for a couple of minutes. I had trouble removing a tube but heating with a hair dyer and using a pipe wrench worked for me - no vise needed. |
|
Check the end of the tube to see if it will take a open end wrench or cresent wrench. lay the receiver flat on the ground (padded) hold it in place and place a wrench on the end of the tube. An action block and armours wrench and vice are a good idea if you plan on tweaking or working on your rifle a lot. Never just clamp a receiver into a vice!
Before the tube is loose make sure to cover the top of the receiver with a rag because there is a spring detent that holds the buffer in and it is no fun playing find the spring and detent. |
| Buy an upper reciever vise block, a lower reciever vise block, and a god armorers wrench. The whole mess shouldn't be more than $100. Next, if its an A1 or A2 style stock. Remove the screws in the butt plate. Then unscrew the tube. Mine were all pretty tight. If you can't do it by hand, buy a small strap wrench. Don't use plyers. If it's a collapsible stock then it has a castle nut that you need to remove before the stock tube will come off. A decent armorers wrench should have one. |
| That means it is pinned and welded into place to make the barrel a legal 16" removing it would put you in possession of a class 3 short barrel rifle. But if you want you can take it to a gun smith they would have to drill out the pin and split the compensator to remove it, then put the new one on, pin and weld it back into place. Will usually run $50-$75 for the work plus another $25-$50 for the compensator. |
|
Quoted:
There is no compensator. Barrel is 16" already so adding comp will only make it longer. No flash hiders here in CT. Hair dryer and crescent wrench sounds like it will work... Take it to a decent gunsmith, they can thread it for you. Or at least point you in the direction of someone who can. |
AR Sponsor