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Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Tue May 28, 2019 9:04 pm
by rug357
I have a AR pistol with AB Tactical SOB brace on it. I've only had it for about 2 years but the buffer tube has gotten loose from use twice now. It's a pain in the a$$ as I have to remove and reinstall the brace each time so it lines up correctly with the lower. Last night I noticed the brace is slightly off the center line which means the buffer tube is coming loose again. This time I think I'm going to clean off the thread with acetone and apply some red Locktite on it so it doesn't move again. Anybody have a better idea on how to stop this buffer from getting loose again?

Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Tue May 28, 2019 9:08 pm
by NorincoKid
Not sure if its helpful but I had a wiggly tube on one AR15 years back, and what I did was kinda peen over the little tab that runs down the tube "channel" (for lack of better term) on the sling plate to make it a little fatter, it helped a bit. Between that and a proper staking of the castle nut, it never wiggled again.

Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Tue May 28, 2019 9:12 pm
by rug357
SB Tactical buffer tube doesn't have a castle nut. The tube is thicker than standard tube and has a "step" at the end of the thread which butts up against the lower receiver.

Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Tue May 28, 2019 10:45 pm
by ss1
I’d use blue loctite even though you may never need to remove the tube, I’ve have to remove them after kabooms were brought into the shop just to get them to open up.

Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Wed May 29, 2019 2:09 am
by Wakko
I wouldn't. Try the blue first. Red would likely be overkill.

Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Wed May 29, 2019 7:06 pm
by Lastrites
Red is overkill on the tube due to all the surface area, use one good droplet of blue as it will come off a lot easier with a little heat. Or install and stake it, staking is easy to muscle past if need be. It could be that the reciever ext. ring on the lower and your tube are on opposite ends of the spec further adding to your problem. Same to could said about the castle nut being out polar ends to the tube as well, try a new nut, add a drop or two of blue.

Rug, you do have a good way to clamp the lower in a vise, yes?

Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Wed May 29, 2019 7:25 pm
by rug357
Lastrites wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 7:06 pm Red is overkill on the tube due to all the surface area, use one good droplet of blue as it will come off a lot easier with a little heat. Or install and stake it, staking is easy to muscle past if need be. It could be that the reciever ext. ring on the lower and your tube are on opposite ends of the spec further adding to your problem.

Rug, you do have a good way to clamp the lower in a vise, yes?
Yes, I have receiver block, table vice, strap wrench, small hammer, medium hammer, big ass hammer and 34" wood baseball bat :D

Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 1:41 pm
by SilentRecon
I would recommend NOT using loctite on your buffer tube and dont know of any reputable gun smith recommending to loctite your buffer tube. I would be highly weary if they do. You should stake your castle nut or another option is a PWS enhanced buffer tube which utilizes a ratcheting system. I just got one and its excellent.



Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:32 pm
by ss1
SilentRecon wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2019 1:41 pm I would recommend NOT using loctite on your buffer tube and dont know of any reputable gun smith recommending to loctite your buffer tube. I would be highly weary if they do. You should stake your castle nut or another option is a PWS enhanced buffer tube which utilizes a ratcheting system. I just got one and its excellent.
Lol before you get all worked up over unqualified smiths out there, if you read the op, it is a pistol build. Most pistol tubes aren’t indexed and don’t have a shoulder tall enough to stake to the end plate, so you have to torque it down if it doesn’t have flats at the end with a strap wrench or leather and a wrench or many use a little loctite.

Re: Should I Red Locktite my buffer tube???

Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2019 11:47 pm
by SilentRecon
ss1 wrote:
SilentRecon wrote: Sun Jun 02, 2019 1:41 pm I would recommend NOT using loctite on your buffer tube and dont know of any reputable gun smith recommending to loctite your buffer tube. I would be highly weary if they do. You should stake your castle nut or another option is a PWS enhanced buffer tube which utilizes a ratcheting system. I just got one and its excellent.
Lol before you get all worked up over unqualified smiths out there, if you read the op, it is a pistol build. Most pistol tubes aren’t indexed and don’t have a shoulder tall enough to stake to the end plate, so you have to torque it down if it doesn’t have flats at the end with a strap wrench or leather and a wrench or many use a little loctite.
I've staked multiple pistol buffer tubes, what kind of pistol buffer tube does not allow staking? Some people have used a very small amount of blue loctite on the castle nut properly torqued but never the threads into the reciever. Maybe im hearing your wrong.

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