[Redraider]

I just got off the phone with Midwest Ind. for some clarification on how to remove one of their free float hand guards. After talking to them, things became much clearer and much scarier! I have to take this upper apart to get the barrel chamber corrected, and the fellow I bought this rifle from has painted/duracoated everything. The one thing MI stressed was that the locking screw I need to remove first is aluminum and it doesn't take much to round them out. So, my question is how do I go about removing said screw with paint/duracoat sprayed over the top?? Is there something I can apply a small drop on to dissolve the stuff?

Any help you can supply will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

Redraider USN4

 

[Snyper762]

Is it a locking ring yhm like? Or are you talking the barrel nut?

 

[Dougboffl]

Maybe try the next size down in metric, might fit without removing the Dura/Cera since it is aluminum it may not take much to loosen it. First chase the out edge of the screw with a fine point Exacto to control-break the coating so it won't chip off a big chunk.

 

[Willard]

Redraider, I assume you are talking about the 2 clamping bolts that are socket headed. I would suggest using a heat-gun, just the same as if you had of used red Loctite. Focus on the threaded side of the "clamp". Also get a tightly fitting "wrench" I would suggest something other than the cheap L-shaped "wrench". You should be able to get an appropriate sized (3/8 drive) bit, for use with a breaker bar.

 

[Redraider]

Thanks so far........ on the MI handguards, you have the guard, that screws on, then you have a jam nut(screwed on first), that you screw back out into the guard, when all that is just right, you screw in an allen locking screw, perpendicular to the guard in a lug on the bottom of the guard to keep everything from coming apart. So, I am looking at that lug on the bottom of the guard with an aluminum allen head screw screwed into the lug(it is flush), then coated. I have put an allen wrench to it, but it is locked in, don't know if it'e just tight or the coating has something to do with it. The tech at MI said be careful, it is aluminum!

Redraider

 

[Willard]

Redraider, I would still use the heat gun and focus the heat on the guard, and not the screw. Hopefully it will "expand" the guard enough to take some of the tension off of the screw. Again I would use something more substancial than the little "L-shaped" wrench.

 

[Rich D]

Maybe put the tool on/in it and tap a few times first. Heating with a hair dryer/torch may also help if it's paint.

 

[Rich D]

With more thought, you may be able to use the fact that the aluminum has more thermal expansion. Perhaps heat everything, and drip ice water on the screw. Good luck.

 

[Redraider]

Willard, "more substantial" as in what? Sorry for my ignorance, but this is my only, and first AR, and know absolutely nothing about these things. So, I am just trying to NOT screw things up to the point of having to replace expensive pieces for the sake of one ill-fitted screw.

Thanks Redraider

 

[Snyper762]

So it's just a screw you need to remove? Soldering iron right in the socket.

 

[hardheaded]

With more thought, you may be able to use the fact that the aluminum has more thermal expansion. Perhaps heat everything, and drip ice water on the screw. Good luck.

I don't drip water on the screw , I put the Allen socket in the freezer for a bit to aid in contraction instead

 

[Willard]

Redraider, more substantial as meaning better to control such as a socket wrench handle giving you leverage "inline" with the screws threads, and not canting a small "L shaped" wrench possibly wallowing out the hex, since you stated it was an aluminum screw.

As a matter of fact, if you could post a picture of the screw(s) in question, it may be easier to provide assistance.

 

[pupulepeter]

Don't be scared. Any bolt can probably be replaced cheaply and easily enough. Confirm you are using the proper sized allen wrench with MI and give it a go. It should move, unless it is cross threaded or the guy used red loctite on it.

I'm more interested in what is wrong with your barrel and chamber than needs to be corrected.

 

[Snyper762]

I'm curious about the barrel issues as well.

 

[pupulepeter]

Seriously though, stressing is the worst thing you can do. Worst case scenario is you go get a screw extractor set and back it out after it gets stripped. Keep in mind, the reason they used that particular bolt is because they don't strip if you use the correct sized key.

 

[Redraider]

thanks guys,

The barrel thing is the fact that Liberty did their own thing with their barrels as far as chamber design. I wanted a Grendel due to the huge effort the developer put into this design, and the more leeway you get with a "true" Grendel chamber(not to mention the higher pressure that is caused by the Liberty design). Tremendous amount of discussion on this topic on the Grendel Forum.

Now I must get to the hardware store and pick up a good allen-tip socket, scribe around the screw hole, get this upper in the freezer, and cross my fingers it breaks loose before it rounds out the allen head.

Update to come as soon as I can get time to proceed.

Redraider

 

[Redraider]

Okay,

Small update.......5/64ths allen, even though they told me 9/64ths, in the freezer, tapped the allen bit in(firmly)started to apply barely any torque and the bit broke through( the allen pocket was already in bad shape), so out came the speedout bit and out it came!!! The only loss is the set screw. The hand guard unscrewed, including the "jam" nut, but all is well now. I need to get a new screw and spanner wrench from Midwest Industries, and I thonk this part is dismantled for now.

Now, I knocked the roll pin out that, I guess is there to hold the gas tube in place, unscrewed the two set screws that, I guess, holds the gas block in place, and that is where I am now, scratching my head as how to get these pieces off, then come up with the tool that will let me uncrew the ring that holds the barrel in place..................AND THEN I AM THERE!!! Anyone see where I am wrong on this?

Thanks for your help in this so far.

Redraider


and, when I get the barrel back should I invest in the tool to square the receiver face?

 

[Redraider]

YEA!!!!!!!!

It's all apart, and it's a good thing I felt the need to do this. As I got to the end of the process, the barrel nut was NOT torqued down, it unscrewed by hand with no effort, the hand guard and it's jam ring unscrewed by hand, so all-in-all, when I get the correct tools and get the barrel back, I can put this thing together way better than I got it from the original builder.

My education continues

Redraider

 

[Dougboffl]

Good job Redraider - For me it is always a great feeling to figure something out and make repairs to either a poor design or assembly.

 

[hardheaded]

Better make some room redraider once you get the tools they will multiply like rabbits