This just sucks!!!

Filip

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So the castle nut pliers and the gas cylinder wrench I ordered from Brownells came in today and I thought I could finally remove that damned flash hider from my M14. I removed the front sight screw, placed the gas cylinder wrench on and started to apply some moderate presure to the castle nut by virtue of the castle nut pliers...and then the piece of Sh*% pliers broke! Now I know I am not the smartest cookie in the jar, but what the hell do they make those things out of if a 140lbs guy can make metal pliers tear??? Needless to say, I am REALLY angry. :bangHead:

Anyway two questions: 1. Did I do something wrong? 2. Can anyone recommend a good gun smith in/near the GTA area?
 
Did you remove the little machine screw that prevents the castle nut from turning? If not that's the problem. If your wrench is stuffed use a punch to tap on the notches of the castle nut and get it loosened once you've removed the screw.

Once you've loosened it as much as you can it's time to pound off the flash hider. It's probably spot welded on so you're going to have to really hammer at it to get it off (use a pice of wood to protect the metal), all the while backing off the castle nut as you go.

It's a bugger getting the FH off but can be done with a big enough hammer.:)
 
guys, i've looked the damned thing over. At the bottom there's the bayonet lug, and on top the front sight. The only screw I see is the one directly under the front sight, and I did completely remove it. When I tried to turn the castle nut it didn't even budge...is there something I'm miss'n here?:confused:
 
Of what manufacture is your rifle? Some of the norinco's that came in had the castle nuts welded to the hider rather than the usual hider welded to the barrel routine!

Scott
 
when looking at it from the muzzle you should see a tiny little hole just under the front sight base. There is a small hex screw there that prevents the castlenut from turning off.
 
ok, ..I removed the wrong damned screw and I don't have the right size hex key at home now and it's too late to go to the store so look's like this project is off until tomorrow. I need a drink;)

scott, it's a norc..got it last year ser # in the 6K
 
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m39a2 said:
Then the hider might be welded to the barrel. Once you get the nut loose you still have to cut the weld.

Scott

I have found the easiest way is to drill out the two spot welds on the underside of the FH and then tap the FH off with a hammer while loosening off the castlenut.

Some of the aftermarket castlenut pliers ( The ones that Brownells sells) are junk.The tips are too soft and will deform or brake off easily.

GG&FB had a line on some decent USGI reproductions, but he is living in Hawaii at this time.He is still on the board from time to time so you night try PMing him.I bought the first set he had and tested them out.They worked fine.

SKBY.
 
I had to file down an allen key to get it to fit the little set screw. Once I loosened the castle nut, I gave the flash hider a light tap with a rubber mallet. That was enough to break the welds and the flash hider came right off. I expected it to be much harder then that...

I did it all without a set of castle nut pliers as well...
 
The set screw that holds the castle nut locked...WHAT THE HECK DID OUR FRIENDS IN CHINA USE ON THAT SUCKER...is it metric, imperial or what??? I tried use'n the 1-16 hex key as per USGI specs, but there's too much play. The other option is the 1.5 metric but that had even more play. :bangHead: :bangHead: :bangHead:
 
I damned near did the same thing. Thankfully I emailed Hitzy who I bought it off and the error of my ways was pointed out. My pliers are barely tweaked from the incident.
 
Filip said:
guys, i've looked the damned thing over. At the bottom there's the bayonet lug, and on top the front sight. The only screw I see is the one directly under the front sight, and I did completely remove it. When I tried to turn the castle nut it didn't even budge...is there something I'm miss'n here?:confused:

if Filip says that there is a bayonet lug, it means only one thing: original FH has been removed and exchanged to the USGI FH....and as a consiquence, it has not to be welded anymore..... just remove the correct screw and loose the castle nut.....
 
brother...just order one from Brownells...it's under $15.00. They sure as sh&$ are not the best, but if you loosen the set screw you probably won't break em like I did.
 
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