AR Barrel Nut Wrench

LumberJack

LumberJack

Regular
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Location
NB
Ordered a new quad rail handguard to replace my freefloat tube. Was going to order a wrench to switch out the barrel nuts but noticed they look alot like a 4 1/2" two prong grinder wrench so tryed my grinder wrench and it fit perfectly. If I buy an actual ar wrench will it be any better or are they pretty much the same thing?
 
LumberJack said:
Ordered a new quad rail handguard to replace my freefloat tube. Was going to order a wrench to switch out the barrel nuts but noticed they look alot like a 4 1/2" two prong grinder wrench so tryed my grinder wrench and it fit perfectly. If I buy an actual ar wrench will it be any better or are they pretty much the same thing?
Click to expand...

If the wrench you have only has two prongs, all the leverage you exert on the barrel nut will be focused on the two contact points. Most barrel wrenches have three or more 'prongs' (for lack of a better word) which distribute the leverage on more contact points.

If you are lucky and the barrel nut can be properly aligned with the minimum recommended 35-40 ft-pounds of torque required to tighten the nut & get the gas tube hole in the nut to line up with the hole in the upper receiver then you are good to go.

However, I have worked on some that needed FAR more than minimum torque to get the nut to align correctly. If yours happens to be one of those then I suspect you risk damaging the barrel nut by putting all the leverage on just two contact points.

My suggestion is that you try it with the two prong wrench & see if you luck out. If you do, great. If you find, however, that you are not close to getting the barrel nut properly aligned with minimum torque then you should find a proper barrel wrench with several contact points to avoid damage to the nut.
 
ted_dent said:
If the wrench you have only has two prongs, all the leverage you exert on the barrel nut will be focused on the two contact points. Most barrel wrenches have three or more 'prongs' (for lack of a better word) which distribute the leverage on more contact points.

If you are lucky and the barrel nut can be properly aligned with the minimum recommended 35-40 ft-pounds of torque required to tighten the nut & get the gas tube hole in the nut to line up with the hole in the upper receiver then you are good to go.

However, I have worked on some that needed FAR more than minimum torque to get the nut to align correctly. If yours happens to be one of those then I suspect you risk damaging the barrel nut by putting all the leverage on just two contact points.

My suggestion is that you try it with the two prong wrench & see if you luck out. If you do, great. If you find, however, that you are not close to getting the barrel nut properly aligned with minimum torque then you should find a proper barrel wrench with several contact points to avoid damage to the nut.
Click to expand...



Great thats what I wanted to know. Im not concerned about the gas tube lining up because I dont have one. Handguard is going on my 597 VTR but Im taking my Rpal in a month and an AR15 or two is on my list so Im gonna need a wrench what do you recomend and where is the best place to get it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom