Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Allentown, Pennsylvania
    (Lehigh County)
    Posts
    16
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Need to stake AR gas key

    I have replaced the original gas key with an adjustable gas key from Rubber City Armory. I have torqued the new mounting bolts to 57 inch pounds. Now all I need to do is take 10 minutes or less to stake the bolts in place. I do not want to use a chisel to do this. I want to use a purpose made tool like the ones offered by Brownells or Michiguns. The thing is I think this will be a one time use tool and I don't want to spend the money to buy one.

    I'm hoping there's some kind person in the Lehigh Valley region who has one of these tools that wouldn't mind letting me come over and spend 10 minutes using his tool.

    Here are some pics showing the removal of the original gas key and images of the two tools I mentioned above.








  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
    (Carbon County)
    Posts
    675
    Rep Power
    2079673

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    What is wrong with a chisel that has a small flat ground on it? We replaced hundreds of gas keys(Maybe thousands) when I was in the military and unbelievably some smart company did not sucker Uncle Sam into buying tools like that.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Allentown, Pennsylvania
    (Lehigh County)
    Posts
    16
    Rep Power
    0

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunplummer View Post
    What is wrong with a chisel that has a small flat ground on it?
    Probably nothing except I have no experience staking gas keys and these things looked fool proof. Recommend the correct chisel and the size of the flat and I'll do it your way.

    All I did during my time was carry, shoot, and clean the rifle. If an armorer had seen me with a chisel in my hand, he would have either fainted or smacked me upside my head.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    OUT TO LUNCH
    Posts
    4,540
    Rep Power
    21474858

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    Not that it matters, but why did you take off the stock key in the first place?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Levittown, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
    Posts
    1,721
    Rep Power
    9892391

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    Quote Originally Posted by ar15jules View Post
    Not that it matters, but why did you take off the stock key in the first place?
    He put an adjustable gas key on his bcg.

    -Zach

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    East side of the ANF, Pennsylvania
    (Elk County)
    Posts
    7,018
    Rep Power
    21474859

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    Just use a center punch from the side toward the heads of the capscrews, like this:



    A vise with padded jaws may help to hold the bolt carrier. A 6 to 8 oz metal hammer is plenty massive enough, but if all you have is a 16 oz framing hammer, that'll work, too.

    IMO, those special tools are costly solutions to non-problems.

    Noah
    Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Uniontown, Pennsylvania
    (Fayette County)
    Posts
    2,195
    Rep Power
    16699917

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    I never understood this obsession with gas keys lately.
    I've got AR's with easily near 5-10k rounds through it and I never even considering doing anything to the gas key.
    Even my high end BCM or LMT upppers have regular mil spec BCG's in them.
    Maybe I'm missing something..
    "One must be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves” ~ Machiavelli

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Chalfont, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
    Posts
    2,393
    Rep Power
    21474853

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    They get staked in place because the bolt heat cycles.
    Private Snuffy listens to the military folk lore and over lubricates the bolt assembly, then goes to the range and fires a basic load (210 rnds) in about 5 minutes.

    The bolt, carrier and related parts then heat cycle- AR's/M16's basically vomit into their own mouths to operate.
    That's why carrier keys get staked. I use a staking punch. The dedicated tool leaves nice, pretty looking marks but the punch does the same thing if applied by an experienced hand.
    Crusader's local #556 South Central Asia chapter

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Raccoon City, Pennsylvania
    Posts
    3,536
    Rep Power
    21474854

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    spring loaded center punch
    Derrion Albert was my Hero.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Coal Country, Pennsylvania
    (Schuylkill County)
    Posts
    1,675
    Rep Power
    21474849

    Default Re: Need to stake AR gas key

    Quote Originally Posted by Noah_Zark View Post
    Just use a center punch from the side toward the heads of the capscrews, like this:



    A vise with padded jaws may help to hold the bolt carrier. A 6 to 8 oz metal hammer is plenty massive enough, but if all you have is a 16 oz framing hammer, that'll work, too.

    IMO, those special tools are costly solutions to non-problems.

    Noah
    Do as Noah says. It doesn't take much to keep a bolt from backing out.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 17
    Last Post: December 28th, 2017, 08:17 AM
  2. Stake your nuts!
    By solrac7 in forum Rifles
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: October 9th, 2012, 11:37 PM
  3. who can stake my gas key?
    By masakarijoe in forum Rifles
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: October 10th, 2011, 11:28 PM
  4. 'Reasonable gun control' putting a lot at stake
    By 5711-Marine in forum General
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: October 14th, 2008, 02:30 PM
  5. AR Owners...stake your Castle Nuts!
    By synergy in forum General
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: March 15th, 2008, 08:50 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •