Free Float tube issues/little help please

[DHDeal]

I finally got my new Satern barrel and was ready to put it on an AA Overwatch. Well, I cannot get the free float tube off of the thing. It is a carbon fiber (it appears to be anyway) FF tube FWIW.

I have the receiver attached to a PRI receiver vise, in a vice, and am using a pretty heavy duty strap wrench. Won't budge! I am sure they put it on with lock tite (red or blue is the question), and I don't want to put a heat wrench on it

.

What's the trick? I don't want to ruin the tube or barrel nut as I would like to use it until I decide if I want to buy a JP tube or not.

Thanks,
Dale

 

[Hellbender]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

Don't heat it over 200 degrees or it will crack. I had a DPMS one I hit with a heat gun and it cracked.

You might try a heat gun with a nozzle and blow it into the upper by the chamber, but don't hit the tube itself.

Good luck!

 

[ORD]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

Cheater bar on the strap wrench? Might get you a little more leverage to torque it off there than the short handle on the strap wrench.

As for the heat...I would just go with a basic hairdryer for 5-10min if you want to apply heat. Using a torch or other heat source can quickly get you into troubles like what Hellbender suggested.

The only other thing you can try is soaking it in Kroil or some other penetrating oil overnight and see if that breaks it up any.

 

[DHDeal]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

The old Kroil trick has been/is being done. I have access to a heat gun and that will be next. I don't mind trashing the strap wrench, so I also will do the cheater bar trick.

If that don't get it, my shooting buddy is a helluva reverse engineer and should be licensed as a certified destruction device, so something <span style="font-weight: bold">WILL</span> happen! Was wanting to see how the Satern barrel shot before I dropped another $150+ in it on a JP forearm.

<span style="font-weight: bold">What the hell kind of adhesive did they put on that thing?</span> The rifle was sent back to AA and I asked them to replace the barrel on my dime, but that did not happen. Hell, maybe they couldn't get the thing off!?

Thanks for your replies. I was hoping that there was something that I had not thought of that was straing me in the face. That is the stuff I usually miss

.

 

[powderBurnz]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

Did you look for any set screws on the tube?

 

[chongoMT]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

Aluminum foil wrapped around everything but the lock nut helps when using a heat gun around sensitive objects. The Kroil trick should work, sometimes "tapping" the crap out of it with a small rubber mallet helps vibrate the loctite loose too. At least it helps relieve some frustration.

 

[BCP]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

They probably loctited the thing. You will have to find a way to heat it until the loctite burns off and then start oompa-ooompa'ing on it with the biggest wrench you can safely get on there.

I can tell you right now that if they used blue loctite it will be difficult but if they used red HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

edit: you will need a torch or heat gun I've never had luck with a hair dryer...

 

[TRAAV]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

Put it in a deep freeze for an hour then try it. I just had one that wouldn't budge for anything. I even broke one of the pegs of the wrench. An hour in the freezer and it came off with little to no problem

 

[Unknown]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

Mine was loc-tited on. To get it off with no damage, I did the following:

(Of course, remove the gas tube first, mount in receiver blocks)
1. Soaked it with penetrating oil (Kroil works best) for about 36 hours--SOAKED
2 Used a heat gun (hair dryer actually) to heat it all up and loosen the grip of the
loc-tite
3. Used a strap wrench. The strap wrench kept slipping and wouldn't grip properly
because the synthetic material was so slippery. I put some scotch brite pad
between the strap on the strap wrench, and the synthetic tube fore-end, and it
gripped great, and the tube came right off.

The scotch brite pad was the secret.

 

[Captain Moroni]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

Make up your mind to get the JP tube and then use a pipe wrench to get the old one off.

 

[lethal93ta]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

if your satern barrel shoots like my 6.5 grendel satern barrel shoots you will be more than happy, I use to love my JP barrel but after shooting the grendel when im ready to replace my .223 JP barrel im going to be buying another barrel from satern. the JP hand guard works great. I had that on my JP and grendel builds.

 

[DHDeal]

Re: Free Float tube issues/little help please

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Captain Moroni</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Make up your mind to get the JP tube and then use a pipe wrench to get the old one off. </div></div>

It's a done deal now. Lets see: Kroil soak - nothing. Heat gun - nothing (more further on). Strap wrench - nothing. Abrasive cloth wrapped around forearm and a pair of channel locks - nothing. What happened is the barrel nut came loose and then I just pulled the gas block off (it was red loctited too) and unscrewed the whole thing. My shooting buddy had the JP extra long handguard waiting on his build so I just grabbed it. The red loctite on the outer nut will be cured in a bit and I will finish putting the rifle back together today. Yeah, the JP is a nice piece and I like the thought that went into it.

FWIW, the rifle is/was an AA Overwatch that I was never happy with the accuracy. It went back to them with an explaination of all I tried and they shot 3 3 shot groups (not bad either) and sent it back to me telling me my barrel was oily, the thread protector was loose, and to continue the breakin process. I had way over 600 rounds through it by that time. The rifle would shoot some good 3 shot groups but never good 5 shot groups. It was never consistant and I tried 4 powders, 5 primers, 6 bullets, Forster dies, and Lapua brass. I asked them to rebarrel it on my dime, but they never even commented on that issue when I spoke to them on the phone. Maybe they couldn't get it apart either!

I shoot off of a concrete bench, use a Randolph front rest and edgewood rear <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">heavy</span></span> mini gator. The rifle has a JP adjustable trigger, wears a NF 5.5-22x50 scope and I put Robert Whitley's bag rider system on the butt and forearm. If that barrel was gonna be able to shoot, I would know. I wasted a bunch of money begging that thing to make me happy. She was a two bit tramp that was only out to break my tender heart! I kicked her to the curb and found (damn I hope!) a better looking babe!

I scoped the Satern barrel, and am I impressed. Now to see if it shoots.