While attempting to get my gas tube aligned before installing the pin my gas tube has become stuck in my gas block. I am using a Superlative Arms adjustable gas block and the supplied gas tube that came with the barrel from Craddock Precision. I don't want to use plyers and risk damaging the gas tube. I have looked online for a gas tube wrench like this one https://www.brownells.com/tools-cle...ols/wrenches/ar-15m16-308-ar-gas-tube-wrench/ but they are all listed as either sold out or discontinued everywhere I look. Does anyone have another tool they can suggest to remove a stuck gas tube without damaging it?
AR Gas Tube Wrench
- Thread starter Maelstrom
- Start date
Just use a pair of spark plug boot pliers.
The jaws are rubber coated and if you need a little more grip with them wrap the tube with tape or piece of rubber like bicycle intertube or something similar.
The jaws are rubber coated and if you need a little more grip with them wrap the tube with tape or piece of rubber like bicycle intertube or something similar.
If the gas tube is already installed in the block and the block is on the barrel, why do you need to remove it? Just pin it and yolo.
A couple of small pieces of lath. Lay them together and drill a slightly smaller than gas tube size hole where they meet, about 3/8" from the end so it doesn't run into the barrel.
A tiny Harbor Freight C clamp and maybe some rosin if it's in tight.
Tap on the C clamp with a plastic hammer or whatever you have.
A tiny Harbor Freight C clamp and maybe some rosin if it's in tight.
Tap on the C clamp with a plastic hammer or whatever you have.
Grab it with vise grips and try to spin it in the block while pulling out on it. As long as you don't smash it who gives a shit if it gets marred up a little...
Weird that it got stuck. I can't come up with an explanation for that. I'd probably try wood jaws in a bench vise. Distribute the clamping force over a long section of the tube.
Yup. I've had some get stuck, after use and carbon lock, and vise grips and twisting did the trick. Gas tubes are pretty thick, you'd have to really try to damage it in any way beyond some marring.
It's really odd that the fit is so tight that you can't line up the hole.
It any case, gas tubes are a lot tougher than they look and they don't collapse nearly as easily as you think they will. Hit it with some lube and put some pliers on it. Not vice grips, just pliers.
Did you have a hard time getting the tube into the block? I'm wondering if some got lodged in the roll pin hole and is preventing it from turning.
It any case, gas tubes are a lot tougher than they look and they don't collapse nearly as easily as you think they will. Hit it with some lube and put some pliers on it. Not vice grips, just pliers.
Did you have a hard time getting the tube into the block? I'm wondering if some got lodged in the roll pin hole and is preventing it from turning.
At the end of the day this is also one of the cheapest parts on a rifle, hit it hammer grab it with pillars, soak it in gas. Fuck it if it gets trashed at the end you at least learned what not to do...Like others have stated they are pretty sturdy and some marks on the outside wont harm a thing.
I beat the dog shit out of one trying g to get my tube back because I didn't have another of that length on hand. Finally it let go and it broke where the gas enters the tube and left the nub in there. That's when I found out the gas adjustment scree had it captured in there.
It is all brand new unfired so it shouldn't be carbon locked. I have never had this happen before.
Last edited:
So a quick update. I called Superlative Arms to see what they would recommend and they said to put the gas block and tube in the freezer for a few hours then try to tap the gas block against a wooden table to knock the gas block off. After 5 hours in a freezer and 30 minutes of hitting it against the table I still could not get it off. I put it back in the freezer over night and tried again with the same results. Eventually I just gave up and put the gas tube in the vise with rubber jaws and used a plastic hammer to knock the gas block off. When it finally came off a black flake came out of the gas block with the tube. The gas tube was not coated so I know it didn't come off the tube. After getting the gas block off I ran a pipe cleaner through the gas block to see if anything else came out. I had a couple more black flakes come out. I then called Superlative Arms back and told them about the black flakes coming out of the gas block. They said it was probably an issue with the finish on the gas block. When I asked them if I should be concerned about the gas block they said no. When I asked about sending it in and having it looked at theyvsaid I could send it in and they would install a gas tube in the block for $10.00. I told them no thanks.
I called and spoke with Craddock Precision and toldnthem about what happened. I asked them if they had heard of this before. They said they had not. When I asked ordering a new gas tube they said they needed to check my original order and call me back. I couldn't remember if I ordered a rifle length or rifle length +1. After about 15 minutes they called me back to verify my email and said a new gas tube and gas block would ship out that afternoon. About 30 minutes later I got a UPS tracking number emailed to me. I told them I had no problem paying for the new gas tube as it was not their fault. They would not let me pay for it. They said a return shipping table would be in the box for the gas block. The new gas block and gas tube arrived Monday and went on with no issues. I sent the old tube and gas block back to Craddock Precision. After this I will not hesitate to use Craddock Precision again. They went above and beyond to fix a problem that was not their fault or caused by a product they made.
I called and spoke with Craddock Precision and toldnthem about what happened. I asked them if they had heard of this before. They said they had not. When I asked ordering a new gas tube they said they needed to check my original order and call me back. I couldn't remember if I ordered a rifle length or rifle length +1. After about 15 minutes they called me back to verify my email and said a new gas tube and gas block would ship out that afternoon. About 30 minutes later I got a UPS tracking number emailed to me. I told them I had no problem paying for the new gas tube as it was not their fault. They would not let me pay for it. They said a return shipping table would be in the box for the gas block. The new gas block and gas tube arrived Monday and went on with no issues. I sent the old tube and gas block back to Craddock Precision. After this I will not hesitate to use Craddock Precision again. They went above and beyond to fix a problem that was not their fault or caused by a product they made.
Last edited:
