AR57 barrel removal

[BigWaylon]

Merry Christmas. New member, first post.

I have a complete build with a 16" AR57 upper. I've recently gotten my mind set to SBR this rifle (and my S&W 15-22...since they'll share the same suppressor). I eFiled my two Form 1s yesterday, so I have a couple months to get my plan set.

I know 57Center sells both 6" and 12" barrels, but I want mine at about 7.5" to get the look I'm after. Everything I've read says the barrel is simply screwed into the monolithic upper, and tightened to 55lbs with red loc-tite. The only success I had with Google is somebody emailed 57Center to ask about removing the barrel, and the solution was to apply heat and torque away.

Anybody done this? Any suggestions? Hair dryer heat, heat gun, torch? Or just grip it and twist?

Thanks.
Greg

[jgreenberg01]

http://www.fivesevenforum.com/viewtopic ... r57+barrel" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BigWaylon]

http://www.fivesevenforum.com/viewtopic ... r57+barrel

I saw that one. Not a lot of help in there, unless I missed something. Just one single user stating:

"A word of caution though, you better ask them first if there is anything special that you have to do to get the 6" barrel out. Removing my 16" barrel was a MAJOR PITA. I had to bring it to a gunsmith who fought with it for a very long time."

I know getting a 16" out should be easier simply because you can grip it. Then, once it's cut, I can use the fake suppressor I have laying around to reinstall it.

Looking for anybody else that has actually removed the barrel? I did follow the link in the previous thread to see the suppressed test. Neat video, but nothing about the barrel. I scanned through all the other videos he made and didn't see anything, either.

[jgreenberg01]

I could NOT get the 16" barrel out. I spoke with 57Center and they said that a little heat was required. Still could not get it out.

Brought it to my gunsmith because it needed the SBR etching anyway. After 2 days they called to say that the barrel would not come out using normal torque/heat and that they were afraid they'd have to use an acetylene torch to generate enough heat. They were calling to ask if I wanted them to do that because that much heat could potentially damage the receiver.

I said OK, they did it and the barrel finally came out.

The point being that it took a gunsmith and even they had trouble.

YMMV.

[BigWaylon]

Thanks for the additional info.

I have a guy near me with a MAPP gas torch that said he'd at least look at it with me. ADCO is going to do the cut & rethread, and they offer a $50 disassembly/reassembly service if you send them the upper instead of just the barrel. Sounds like it might be worth it, assuming this upper would qualify for that service.

[BigWaylon]

Just a quick update in case anybody searches on removing AR57 barrel, and to give you guys a chuckle.

I'm working on a 9mm AR upper and need a FH threaded 1/2-28. I decided to check my AR57 and 15-22 to see if one of those was opened up large enough to use. Turns out the one on the 15-22 is exactly what I need.

After all my concern about removing the barrel in the AR57...I simply set the upper in the carpet, used my hand as resistance, put a flat blade screwdriver in the FH ports, and twisted a bit. No crush washer, so I figured it would loosen right up. Instead, the first thing to move was the barrel unscrewing from the upper.

The FH was much tighter on the barrel than the barrel was in the upper.

So...it may not be the nightmare the previous poster had, and that I fully expected to have.

[Afterburn]

I have a 16" assembled upper and have the 6" barrel in hand (and a pistol lower for the record). I have been trying to think about how to remove the barrel without much luck. I realize heat must be applied. My first issue is that I think the heat will possibly damage the receiver (anyone with experience here?) because my vice needs to apply pressure to hold it all steady so I can apply torque to the barrel. Once heated the rail metal will be pliable and suspect to bending.

Second issue is I can't figure out a way to sufficiently apply torque to the smooth 16" barrel profile without ruining it. Best I've come up with is a pipe strap wrench (the one with a rubber strap), but I'm not very confident that will be able to apply the proper amount of torque.

I tried to use the flash hider but that was not very tight at all and just backed out with little effort.

Thanks for the help in advance!

[BigWaylon]

There are obviously several different experience here. A barrel that took massive work, and then mine...where the FH was actually tighter than the barrel itself.

One simple thing you could try is wrap a leather strap (I used a belt) around the barrel and grip with some vise grips, and then give it a little twist. I'd try that before I got into using heat.

For the record...mine now looks like this in SBR form with 6" barrel:

[Afterburn]

Rifle looks great - thanks for the advice, too. LOL with the brass catcher. Mine also has the AFG, but I have the Hogue grip and a holo sight (no backup battle sights yet...).

[Afterburn]

Hey - maybe this is a stupid thought, but since the flash hider is already removed (i.e. can't use it to remove the barrel since it was looser than that), what if I applied red loctite to the FH threads and reinstalled the FH. Allow it to cure and voila you have a surface to apply a wrench that will not break loose (since no heat will be applied to the FH).

My only concern is the threads themselves - I don't want to damage them but if I have to, so be it. I can have the barrel turned and threaded at 12" if need be. I'm beginning to think that I should have just had my original barrel turned at this point :wall: .

[BigWaylon]

It would be something free you could try. Or, go with something like Rocksett instead. Silencershop sells the single use tubes for $3 with free shipping. (If you're not familiar with the product, it's what some suppressor manufacturers suggest for mounting the QD brakes. Some even include the small tube with the suppressor. It has a much high heat tolerance than loctite, but is water soluble.)

If you can't get anybody to do it locally, you might contact ADCO. That's who was going to do mine when I was going to cut/thread instead of replace the barrel. They offer a $35 assembly service, or $50 to disassemble/reassemble. Maybe they would just remove the barrel for something less than the $35?