AR bolt Key installation?

[Bradster]

Is there any trick to installing a bolt carrier key on an AR-15? I have read things that said stuff about properly staking it or something.

[Xringshooter]

After installing the bolt carrier key you don't want the screws to work loose during operating so you want to "stake" them. Staking them means to take either a staking tool or a good center punch and striking the key beside the screw to put two dimples, one on each side of the screw, so the the metal is displaced and will not allow the screws to back out of the key.

Here's a picture of a good staking job:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...king/Colt2.jpg

Hope this explains it.

[Bradster]

So basically a hammer and punch, indent the sides of the key so the bolts dont turn out. I can dig that.

How hard is that metal? Can i just lay the carrier on the bench and hit it with a hammer and punch?

[synergy]

The gas key is a critical part of the firing mechanism...for the small fee they charge...I'd send it out and have it degreased, loctited, torqued and staked properly.

On the gas key, I personally like the belt and suspenders approach.

[larry0071]

On the gas key, I personally like the belt and suspenders approach.

OK... I'll bite... what is this? Your saying the laymans approach is OK, or are you being facetious?

[Bradster]

I was really hoping to be able to do this myself. I guess i could look around for a local shop or something but what would they do that would be different from what i would do other than maybe having a special tool?

[Xringshooter]

If you have a staking tool used when replacing the front sights of a GI 45acp you can use it. Otherwise a good center punch will do the job. You are just displacing enough metal so that the screw doesn't back out. As said in another post , you could degrease everything, put a drop of loctite on the screw (a bit of insurance), tighten and then stake. One reason you don't want the screws to back out is that it could (probably would) jam the BCG in the upper and then you would have a heck of a time getting everything apart to fix it. It could also score the inside of the upper (before jamming in it) which could cause other problems down the road.

[synergy]

OK... I'll bite... what is this? Your saying the laymans approach is OK, or are you being facetious?

Just saying I like doing more than the minimum to secure it, that's all.

For the $20ish, I'd take some piece of mind knowing that the fasteners were torqued correctly, and that the stakes were sufficient and were formed properly so they didn't bind/ gouge the area of the upper receiver where it travels.

The gas key is one of the most critical parts in the mechanism, and short of carrying a second carrier, it isn't field repairable like a FCG part.

It's cheap piece of mind....that's all.

[Kaos]

I prefer rocksett to loctite as reccommended by a few folks.

As long as you have a torque wrench that is in in"/lbs you can do it at home to spec.

Center punch is OK as long as it's done right, otherwise the pocket moacks is a good investment.

[larry0071]

This is a Bushmaster staked key. It is not the prefered way. It actually looks like a real shitty way of doing this.


Below is a picture with Stag on the left and Charles Daly Defense on the right.

All three of these are mine, so I am being truthfull and honest and speaking of machines that I personally own. I'm not talking out my ass without having actually touched the parts......

Stag is staked similar to the Bushmaster, but each bolt is double staked compared to the Bushmaster...or twice as well.

Stag and Bushmaster are sucking real bad in staking quality compared to the Charles Daly Defense. Hands down.. CDD is staked as per mil-spec (Colt) recomendation in such a fashion that the bolt absolutely CAN NOT back out. No way.



So now you can see for yourself what the staking process is from 3 companies. I will reiterate... I place stag over bushmaster. This is just one indicator that Stag is at least trying to do a better job. Bushmaster seems like they are trying to do the minimal required to get the machine sold.

Larry