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Mathieu18

Mathieu18

Needs More Yeller
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
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First build complete, wasn’t bad at all, only shot springs a couple times (which is totally avoidable but easy to do.) Fortunately I found them all.

PSA Upper & Lower, CMMG LPK. Left over buffer tube & stock. Nikon P223 3x scope.

Couple last questions, trust this forum more than most of the interwebs. i hope to test it this weekend. Any lube tips? Plant to use Eezox on the bolt, but wondering is I need to break down the bolt and lube the inside or if I need grease anywhere.

Before function testing, anything to verify? Seemed fine on a dry fire. Guess I won’t load a full mag right off the bat. Anyway, appreciate thoughts.

IMG_0167.jpeg
 
Hunter600rr said:
🥩'd castle nut?

If not, get grilling.
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Took me a minute. (Meated? What? Oh, Staked) Not yet, tapped it home with a punch. Will keep and eye on it and ensure all is well before staking.

Also, not sure if it’s adequate or not but gas key didn’t look as well done as some I’ve seen photos of, but screws “probably” shouldn’t back out. Maybe I should get a photo of that…
 
Mathieu18 said:
Took me a minute. (Meated? What? Oh, Staked) Not yet, tapped it home with a punch. Will keep and eye on it and ensure all is well before staking.

Also, not sure if it’s adequate or not but gas key didn’t look as well done as some I’ve seen photos of, but screws “probably” shouldn’t back out. Maybe I should get a photo of that
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Proper torque for the castle is +/- 40ftlb with 2 stakes. It probably won't back out for your application, but it could and that's enough possibility for me and all of mine.

Is it a psa bcg?
 
Hunter600rr said:
Proper torque for the castle is +/- 40ftlb with 2 stakes. It probably won't back out for your application, but it could and that's enough possibility for me and all of mine.

Is it a psa bcg?
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Good to know, thanks. Part of me wants to swap the buffer tube for no good reason but I’ll stake it once I’m sure.

Yea PSA / Toolcraft Nitride BCG. I’m going to break it down and lube inside A) so it works and B) because I like disassembling and seeing how things work.
 
Mathieu18 said:
Good to know, thanks. Part of me wants to swap the buffer tube for no good reason but I’ll stake it once I’m sure.

Yea PSA / Toolcraft Nitride BCG. I’m going to break it down and lube inside A) so it works and B) because I like disassembling and seeing how things work.
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In my experience, psa stakes are known for ain't pretty but it works. I can get a photo of one I have later day for you to reference.
 
I like a little extra lube of choice around the bolt cam pin and BCG rails/contact points, but other than that, they don't ever seem to need much.
 
I would verify the hammer spring is installed correctly. It can be put in that it will function but not have enough power to ignite the primer.
It wouldn’t hurt to clean the barrel although not required.
IF using steel case ammo I would thoroughly scrub the chamber with a bronze chamber brush, follow with a clean patch then the tiniest amount of oil.
 
FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY STAKE THAT NUT


I probably do the same as Tim does. I lube the crap out of it the first range trip. Gets kind of messy if it's running suppressed but ars don't like to be dry especially brand new ones. Enjoy it and start planning your next build. I'm kind of anal but I witness mark screws make sure nothing loosens up. I've broken a bolt on a G rail and had cheap scope mounts work loose just riding around in the truck.

Are those low rings for the scope?
 
keepcalmandcarryon said:
I would verify the hammer spring is installed correctly. It can be put in that it will function but not have enough power to ignite the primer.
It wouldn’t hurt to clean the barrel although not required.
IF using steel case ammo I would thoroughly scrub the chamber with a bronze chamber brush, follow with a clean patch then the tiniest amount of oil.
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I’ll double check. It was a PITA to ride it over the trigger hinge pin and align its own pin. I think it’s in there right but can’t hurt.

Yea I’ll run a patch down the barrel just to make sure there isn’t gunk in there while I lube the BCG. Using brass case for now, need to build up a stock but I’ll probably stick to brass unless a steal on steel comes along.
 
Squanchy said:
FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY STAKE THAT NUT


I probably do the same as Tim does. I lube the crap out of it the first range trip. Gets kind of messy if it's running suppressed but ars don't like to be dry especially brand new ones. Enjoy it and start planning your next build. I'm kind of anal but I witness mark screws make sure nothing loosens up. I've broken a bolt on a G rail and had cheap scope mounts work loose just riding around in the truck.

Are those low rings for the scope?
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Yea, I need to re-torque everything, and I get it on the castle nut! But thanks to all for the advice, soon as I settle on replace tube or not I’ll tighten and stake.

I think they were. I was mounting this an a Nikon Rimfire 2-7x at the same time and went through a few sets of rings trying to find what I needed so memory is foggy. From orders, I believe they’re Monstrum 1” ring, 1” height. I have the Nikon offset rings too I might use to move it back a little but I like them low.
 
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Mathieu18 said:
I like them low.
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Okay you have a preference good, I wanted to make sure you didn't buy the cheapest option. That seems to happen sometimes but low rings because they are cheap and the end user finds out they cannot stand low rings on an AR.

My noggin is too large for low rings. It must be nice to be able to wear normal t shirts and buy hats from department stores.

Carry on.
 
Squanchy said:
Okay you have a preference good, I wanted to make sure you didn't buy the cheapest option. That seems to happen sometimes but low rings because they are cheap and the end user finds out they cannot stand low rings on an AR.

My noggin is too large for low rings. It must be nice to be able to wear normal t shirts and buy hats from department stores.

Carry on.
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Yea they’re the part thats most likely to change. Can’t fit a BUS (which isn’t as critical with scope) and wouldn’t mind if it was an inch back for eye relief, but height didn’t bug me too much. My head is larger than normal but I can get into tshirts and hats (3 posts open on adjustable hats.)
 
I never stake them, either.
But luckily, mine always do seem to work their way loose, usually in the middle of a match. I rinse and repeat (tighten but not stake) until I get mad and buy one of those PWS castle nuts.
www.primaryweapons.com

Ratchet Lock Castle Nut and Endplate Set

The Ratchet Lock Castle Nut End Plate set works with mil-spec OR commercial buffer tubes and eliminates the need for staking. A quick upgrade to any rifle build, the Ratchet Lock Castle Nut End Plate features a QD mount and easy installation with any buffer tube.
www.primaryweapons.com www.primaryweapons.com

Why do something right the first time for cheap when you can put if off and then spend money you don't need to? This way in the end all your rifles have matching snazzy castle nuts. Electric bill be damned.

I did notice on my main rifle I have a WMD nb coated extension and a V Seven nut and endplate. That one has never come loose.
 
You can get away with not Staking a castle nut till you don’t. I did until I decided to shoot my suppressor for the first time at night on a 10.5 psa… the next morning I found that I needed a new rear take down pin detent and spring :D

Nice build! Looks good!
 
Could it be if the buffer tube is indexed for the pin (or not?) Don’t know how common it is but mine has one and I’ve seen some without. No index would let the tube shift and release tension on the nut at which point it would back off freely.
 
BigWaylon said:
I’ve never staked a single castle nut…and never had one loosen. 🤔🤫
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Same. I bet I’ve put together at least 50 of those now for myself, family and friends, and I’ve cleaned/swapped parts on for folks and diagnosed and fixed dumb problems from them that others have put together. I’ve never staked a castle nut, and have never had one come back loose. Seems like a problem waiting to happen if you need to remove it. And if for some reason after all these years I have one come loose, I’ll put a little blue loctite on it before I booger up a castle nut on purpose. These folks screaming stake the castle nut probably won’t shoot steel cased ammo in their guns either. 😎


Hint, shoot the hell out of steel cased ammo. If your Gucci AR won’t shoot it, get rid of it and find one that will.

Let the Gucci gun owners start the flaming
 
Avery said:
You can get away with not Staking a castle nut till you don’t. I did until I decided to shoot my suppressor for the first time at night on a 10.5 psa… the next morning I found that I needed a new rear take down pin detent and spring :D
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That’s on you…for not using a set screw to hold the spring and detent in place. 😉😎
 
Burt Gummer said:
Same. I bet I’ve put together at least 50 of those now for myself, family and friends, and I’ve cleaned/swapped parts on for folks and diagnosed and fixed dumb problems from them that others have put together. I’ve never staked a castle nut, and have never had one come back loose. Seems like a problem waiting to happen if you need to remove it. And if for some reason after all these years I have one come loose, I’ll put a little blue loctite on it before I booger up a castle nut on purpose. These folks screaming stake the castle nut probably won’t shoot steel cased ammo in their guns either. 😎


Hint, shoot the hell out of steel cased ammo. If your Gucci AR won’t shoot it, get rid of it and find one that will.

Let the Gucci gun owners start the flaming
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What’s a Gucci gun?
 
Apply any ol' lube of your choosing and get to it. It's a relatively simple machine.

I personally have seen plenty of castle nuts come loose so I always recommend staking them. A simple center punch at a light tap or two is usually enough.

Try to watch your ejection pattern, I suspect most PSA uppers are overgassed and you may find that a heavier buffer may smooth out the recoil impulse but not really a mandatory upgrade.

On the issue of steel case ammo, it usually doesn't cycle in certain guns due to lower velocities and other little nuanced mess. At the end of the day it's about gassing not Gucci this or Gucci that. A gun that runs steel case reliably is often overgassed when running normal pressure brass cased ammunition. So if a manufacturer drills a gas port sized for higher pressure ammo... you get the point.
 
I've heard that running steel case is fine as long as you keep running it, but you need to clean the chamber good before switching back to brass because the non-expanding steel cases leave behind carbon fouling that will cause the expanding brass cases to stick. Anyone found this to be true? I don't know because I hardly ever run steel case.
 
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Yea this obviously not a collector Gucci gun. If I can find steel cases I wouldn’t mind but I prefer to build a stash slow. Anyway I’ve seen the graphics or whatever, ideally it’s throwing around 3 o’clock IIRC. To the front is over gassed to the back is under gassed I think. Just a standard Carbine buffer in a carbine tube for now and figured I’d tweak the buffer if needed. Also want to add sand? To keep the weights from knocking unless there’s a better material?
 
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Shooting steel case is fine, just make sure you feed your rifle 2 raspberry rounds after every session, for being a good Gucci gun.

Gotta watch out though, if you're not double staked on the castle nut. raspberry rounds are almost guaranteed to loosen the castle nut.
 
barf said:
Just shoot it.
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Yes, this. Worry about the nuance later.

Learn what you do and don’t like before dropping anymore cash. Take opportunities to try other people’s ARs while you’re out there so you can compare and contrast.

Even if it’s over gassed it isn’t a big deal. My first AR is way over gassed but has many thousands of brass, steel, and ammo I found laying in the dirt through it. It still runs great and shoots straight.
 
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Frack N Cylons said:
Yes, this. Worry about the nuance later.

Learn what you do and don’t like before dropping anymore cash. Take opportunities to try other people’s ARs while you’re out there so you can compare and contrast.

Even if it’s over gassed it isn’t a big deal. My first AR is way over gassed but has many thousands of brass, steel, and ammo I found laying in the dirt through it. It still runs great and shoots straight.
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I’m lucky to have a few acres so won’t be anyone else’s AR out there with me. Unless my one buddy comes but he hates the heat.
 
Flashpoint said:
I've heard that running steel case is fine as long as you keep running it, but you need to clean the chamber good before switching back to brass because the non-expanding steel cases leave behind carbon fouling that will cause the expanding brass cases to stick. Anyone found this to be true? I don't know because I hardly ever run steel case.
Click to expand...

Yes. Found this to be true.
 
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