Is loctite necessary

JerryVO · 10-11-2012, 08:47

I am in the final stages of building my ar. Everything is assembled and loosely hand tightened to make sure it all fits and I am ready to start torquing everything to spec. I have seen quite a few posts on this and other forums where people use loctite blue in various spots but these are also usually the people who hand tighten the hell out of everything and don't use a torque wrench. If I torque everything to spec is there any reason for loctite on anything or are there places I should use it anyway just to be safe?

Made in Austria · 10-11-2012, 09:12

No loctite on the barrel nut. The buffer tube castle nut should be staked. Some people prefer to not stake the castle nut because it's easier to remove in case someone wants to change the end plate/sling adaptor or something later on. Some use a little blue loctite on the castle nut to secure it, some apply nothing. It either comes loose or it will stay on tight forever, it's a gamble. Are you running an standard A2 front sight tower or an screw clamp on type gas block/sight?

WoodenPlank · 10-11-2012, 10:49

Absolutely no loc-tite on the barrel nut.

As long as parts are in spec, and castle nut is torqued to spec, it's not needed on the castle nut or buffer tube, either. Staking it is a good insurance policy.

Not needed on the pistol grip screw, so long as you used the proper lock washer (should have come with grip/LPK).

Not needed on trigger guard allen screw, either.

Anything else that screws in (ie: rail systems, QD sling adapter on your stock, etc) should come with factory thread locker on any screws that require it. For example, the 6 allen bolts for the Daniel Defense RIS II rails that bolt the rail to the backplate come with blue thread lock on them, but the 4 screws attaching the bottom rail do not.

Big Bird · 10-11-2012, 14:14

The only thing I loctite on my AR's are the scope/red-dot mounting screws and all the screws associated with the rail and accessories. If you have a gas block mounted with screws they should be used with Red loc-tite. I stake my castle nut--its too easy not to do and it doesn't make disassembly as hard as some people make out.

G23Adam · 10-11-2012, 15:19

I blue loctite BUIS screws, any screws on mounting hardware, that kind of thing. Rocksett on the muzzle device, and red loctite on the gas block set screws if equipped.

**Cole125** · 10-11-2012, 20:13

Loc tite is necessary on the buffer tube castle nut if your not going to stake it. It's also necessary on back up iron sight screws.

As said above, NO NOT use it on the barrel nut.

If you have a low profile gas block, send the barrel/gas block to ADCO and get it pinned. Even with set screws it can and will move making your rifle useless.

WoodenPlank · 10-11-2012, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole125

Loc tite is necessary on the buffer tube castle nut if your not going to stake it. It's also necessary on back up iron sight screws.

As said above, NO NOT use it on the barrel nut.

If you have a low profile gas block, send the barrel/gas block to ADCO and get it pinned. Even with set screws it can and will move making your rifle useless.

My current lower setup is the only one I have ever had staked, and none of the previous ones had thread locker on them. They WERE torqued to spec, and not a single one ever came loose, even when they were run hard.