Has anyone ever removed a PSA barrel nut? Specifically on an AR-V? I purchased a 4” barreled AR-V with a PSA handguard (Link) and I’m trying to replace it with a MI suppressor-friendly handguard, but the barrel nut won’t budge.
Any suggestions? For clarity, I’m NOT a gunsmith by trade, and rather meticulous and cautious with any project so I may be limp-arming it out of caution.
Thanks in advance.
They use a gorilla to put on their barrel nuts. You will probably need a breaker bar for your wrench, or something that allows you more torque.
Are barrel nuts aluminum or steel?
Or both depending on manufacturer?
Every time I’ve had a hand guard off I’ve never thought of taking a magnet to it.
What does the magnet do?
I have a breaker bar. I also have the upper in a black top and bottom 2-piece block, with the ends you slide on to reduce twisting, I’m assuming. Am I in any danger of deforming the upper? (I mean I know with enough torque anything is possible)
Should I consider grinding out my sandwich from the sides upper vise block, like another user did in the other posts?
Thanks you guys. I really appreciate your time. Seriously.
With barrel nuts i prefer barrel blocks or a reaction rod type setup. Usually barrel nuts are steel. As long as it is clamped evenly you should be ok. Go slow and make sure you are unscrewing it and not torquing it on further.
The magnet just tells you if the nut is ferrous or nonferrous
That was really just me thinking out load, it really doesn’t apply to helping you out
Deleted post….oops
https://palmettostatearmory.com/magpul-bev-block-ar15-m4-mag536.html
This works fairly well to avoid putting excessive torque on the upper when tightening or loosening the barrel nut, or muzzle device.
Split the firearm, pull out BCG and CH, field-strip BCG then insert this in upper - putting the cogs into the barrel-adapter lugs.
There are a couple of small plastic pins that come with the BEV - insert one in the pivot hole ears, through the front of the BEV.
Put a drop of oil on the bolt-hole of your disassembled Bolt-Carrier, and slide it back into the Upper, sans Bolt or Charge Handle - seating it firmly over the stud and O-ring on the back of the BEV.
Insert BEV lower-half into a Sturdy Vise, then proceed to work on your Upper.
The explanation seems long, but the operation really is fairly easy and straight forward.
If you have a lot of Uppers (either AR-15 or AR-308) I would recommend purchasing the appropriate Midwest Industries Action Rod - they cost between 2-4 times a BEV block (depending upon what you pay for the BEV and/or Action Rod), and those have a few more uses than just this.
But the Magpul BEV is a perfectly-serviceable tool, that does exactly what it advertises.
Botach has inexpensive action rods in both steel and aluminum
I have never heard of their brand - but in any case I would not buy one in aluminium.
Also - I don’t know if it’s the only way they do payment, but that site implies that PayPal is their preferred method. We all know what view PayPal takes towards firearms and parts in particular, and weapons in general.
How do THEY manage to skirt PayPal’s Outright Ban on those transactions?
I’ve bought magazine stuff from them
Never used PayPal
Thanks for all the help guys. Keep in mind that the ARV doesn’t utilize a standard bolt seat, so the reaction rods won’t work.
I’m not a gunsmith though. So I might be full of it. If it his is the case I’ll pick up one of those rods anyway as I’d like to have one for my 5.56/.223 builds/maint
So, I’ve been a machinist and welder for 28 years. I’d absolutely buy one in aluminum and never think twice.
Didn’t you recommend the MagPul polymer equivalent?
Look at the torque required to deform 6061-T6 or 7075. That FAR exceeds barrel nut torque.
If you were a manufacturer assembling hundreds of uppers a day, steel all day every day.
For us? Aluminum fits the bill just fine.
Be careful with botach. Their online reputation is horrible.
It’s not polymer - it’s Steel, with a poly Overmold.
Everything I’ve bought has been as described and on time
If I had reservations, I wouldn’t recommend them
My apologies, I’ve never handled one
Even so, what’s the torque value on a barrel nut?
Far below the torsional limits of 6061 or 7075.
I’m not trying to argue or put people down, I’m trying to show that there’s other options that work for us, that will save you money
■■■■, if you want to buy steel, buy steel
D’oh! I’m the one with the Brainfart here - you’re absolutely right about the AR-V: the 9mm blowback bolt doesn’t have the locking lugs! (IIRC the CMMG 9mm uses one in their Radial-delay design)
In my defense, I saw “AR” and one-track-minded to what I have been using.
The Wheeler Clamshell would be better-suited to the AR-V upper.
https://palmettostatearmory.com/battenfeld-delta-series-ar-15-upper-vise-block-clamp-156444.html
Midway has it in stock.
Chances are, you may have to do a little bit of whittling or sanding to get it to fit - I had to in order for it to fit the one slickside upper I used it on. I don’t think they were made to fit anything but Milspec uppers.
It works better than nothing, and protects the upper from the vise, and the plug helps keep it from distortion.
(Full Disclosure: I bought one of these for starters, graduated to the BEV for my next 6, then bought a Brownells Action Rod for an AR-10/308 - THEN got the Midway Industries Action Rod for all my subsequent AR-15 builds - it’s a sturdy CNC chunk O’ High Carbon Steel - the “Flag” adds an extra bit of support and alignment to an Upper - If I had to do it all over again…. I’d probably stupid-through it exactly the same way.)
(Because TOOLS)
No apologies necessary, brother - at a glance, I thought it was poly first time I saw one. I’m not trying to step on you: I apologize if that’s what it seemed, it was purely unintentional.
33-80lb-ft is the torque spec: I usually aim for 40 and closest alignment with the least amount of shimming.
It’s not the torsional force - it’s the Wear and Malleability of aluminium. I prefer steel, it’s an alignment check tool as well.
I didn’t see anyone with an answer to this question. I can not remove the barrel nut on my AR-V either. The reaction rods will not work on these. Clam shells don’t fit right and mine is so tight I don’t think it will work. I’ve tired putting in the fridge, Kroil and using heat. I need to get it off. Also the bolt hold open barely work. Closes very easy, is there a spring that fixes it?
