As title states, what do you use to build your upper? Clamshell, Reaction Rod or Magpul BEV Block? Note that the upper will have to be heated up pretty good as I will be using a Bravo Company Lower and they state they are tight to begin with (on purpose) and the one I have is in fact is very tight, as even a upper w/ a standard m4 extension would only go in 1/2 way before heat was applied, so if that is a consideration, please let me know.
What do you use to build your upper?
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I use a clamshell, the delta eng series I think? anyway, with BCM uppers, heat the upper in the oven to 175 for 15 min and place the barrel in freezer, watch out for condensation (I didn't see any but some folks have), then they slip together nicely. Everything else can be done in the clam in the vice. use counter-force to prevent over torqueing. I've built probably 10 uppers in the past few years, no problems at all. For any muzzle devices use jam nuts and locktite so you don't have to clock them.
eta: o and some anti-seize on a few barrel nut threads.Last edited by grayfox; 12-24-2018, 02:28 AM."Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"
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Originally posted by grayfox View PostI use a clamshell, the delta eng series I think? anyway, with BCM uppers, heat the upper in the oven to 175 for 15 min and place the barrel in freezer, watch out for condensation (I didn't see any but some folks have), then they slip together nicely. Everything else can be done in the clam in the vice. use counter-force to prevent over torqueing. I've built probably 10 uppers in the past few years, no problems at all. For any muzzle devices use jam nuts and locktite so you don't have to clock them.
eta: o and some anti-seize on a few barrel nut threads.
Thanks.Last edited by bob4432; 12-30-2018, 06:28 AM.
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I haven't noticed any, 'course we eat of our ovens too.
Remember that teflon (the generic term is ptfe IIRC) used to be the non-stick that coated every pot n pan you could own...
If it is teflon, that won't cause any troubles at 175, and for only 15 minutes. Now heat it up to -- i don't know -- 500 or more, or something then you got gasses coming out!!! (but I forget the actual temp, might even be hotter than 500..... old brain cells lol).
Temperature control is the thing here.
175 is about as warm as you would heat your left over pot roast for eating on day 2..."Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"
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Originally posted by grayfox View PostI haven't noticed any, 'course we eat of our ovens too.
Remember that teflon (the generic term is ptfe IIRC) used to be the non-stick that coated every pot n pan you could own...
If it is teflon, that won't cause any troubles at 175, and for only 15 minutes. Now heat it up to -- i don't know -- 500 or more, or something then you got gasses coming out!!! (but I forget the actual temp, might even be hotter than 500..... old brain cells lol).
Temperature control is the thing here.
175 is about as warm as you would heat your left over pot roast for eating on day 2...
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Can't remember the last time I used a clamshell. They also don't fit some non-MILSPEC uppers.
Working on the premise that we isolate torque as close to the spot we are working on I use a Reaction Rod for barrel nuts and a barrel vise or clamps for muzzle devices. I prefer not to load up the aluminium upper. If the upper is a tight fit then clamp the barrel vertically, grease the mating surfaces and use a rubber hammer to tap the upper on. 'Slow and steady wins the race'.
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I used a reaction rod, forget where I got it from. Used a Lilja barrel and an Aero cerakoted upper. The fit was pretty tight, enough where I couldn't get the barrel in all the way by hand. What I ended up doing was sticking the barrel in the freezer, then after a half hour or so I took a hair dryer to the upper to warm it up. Once it got pretty warm I pulled the barrel out of the freezer and it went into the upper like butter. I held both parts together until the temperatures normalized enough to where the barrel would stay in on it's own. I didn't torque the barrel nut down until the next day, had to use the vise at work for the reaction rod.
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Originally posted by bob4432 View PostNote that the upper will have to be heated up pretty good as I will be using a Bravo Company Lower and they state they are tight to begin with (on purpose) and the one I have is in face very tight, as even a upper w/ a standard m4 extension would only go in 1/2 way before heat was applied, so if that is a consideration, please let me know.
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Originally posted by SDW View PostThe BCM lower is "tight"?? How so?
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I think you might have meant to say Upper. The extension doesn't touch the Lower. That's what confused me. I'm not sure the lower is actually relevant:
Originally posted by bob4432 View PostI will be using a Bravo Company Lower and they state they are tight to begin with (on purpose)
BTW, I used my plastic clam-shell upper holder.Last edited by SDW; 12-28-2018, 03:16 PM.
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