Just wondering the consensus; my first AR build i staked - maybe one other time haven’t done so to recent ones . Noticed no difference. Now my two working rifles are staked but is it necessary for a range /varmint rifle ?
-
Having trouble using the site?
Contact support
Staked castle nut or not ?
- Thread starter nagantguy
- Start date
I had a castle nut come loose once. I died.
No... but I did notice while hunting one winter, that my stock turned ever so slightly. I saw the castle nut had slightly come loose. "Oh wow, it finally happened." I grabbed it, turned it, and went back about my business. That was about 6-7 years ago, don't know that I ever did tighten it any farther.
No... but I did notice while hunting one winter, that my stock turned ever so slightly. I saw the castle nut had slightly come loose. "Oh wow, it finally happened." I grabbed it, turned it, and went back about my business. That was about 6-7 years ago, don't know that I ever did tighten it any farther.
I would stake the castle nut on every AR15 & AR10. Not worth ruining your hunt, or your simple outing to the range.
Undoing the castle nut when it's staked is easy it just takes a little more force. The only downside is if you are picky you'd want to possibly replace the end plate due to the staking marks.
Undoing the castle nut when it's staked is easy it just takes a little more force. The only downside is if you are picky you'd want to possibly replace the end plate due to the staking marks.
My $.02. No, if the castle nut is torqued down enough, then it's not an absolute necessity for a rifle that only sees light use. Staking is just an extra insurance policy. Hard use/duty? Yeah, it should be staked. You don't want a wobbly stock when seconds count and every shot matters. That being said, I stake mine.
Of course you should stake it. Should be standard procedure on your builds.
You know if you tighten it to spec and stake it in two places you can pretty much skip steps 2, 3, and 4 of your process.
Laughs in scar... Wtf is a staked castle nut....
I'll show myself out
I'll show myself out
It's a lot easier to get off than a staked nut. 350 degrees and it comes right off.
I would say not necessary but not a bad idea unless you plan to swap parts around for testing etc
Staking the castle nut
Try a Fortis K-1 tapered castle nut with corresponding receiver end plate:
- Nov 3, 2010
- 9,730
- 20,533
i was just thinking the same but in MCX Spear
on the AR side, i’ve never had one come loose but i have forgot to torque a few down and found out at the range. once they are tight, they seem to stay that way for me.
i’ll go thru and check them once in awhile and never found a loose one and they see plenty of rounds.
all joking aside, i use blue loctite paste on some stuff. its not nearly as aggressive as blue liquid for some reason.
started using on pistol suppressor threads. put a small dab of paste on barrel threads, let it air dry for about 12 hrs then thread the can on. let that sit for about 12 hrs and break it loose amd re-tighten
that leaves residue in the threads that keeps the can from walking off.
Attachments
End plates and castle nuts should be steel.....and get staked.
I always stake them. Why wouldn’t you? Just one less thing to worry about and they aren’t that hard to remove if you need to.
Unless you have little baby hands. Then you may just want to loctite it
Unless you have little baby hands. Then you may just want to loctite it
Last edited:
stake em all.
For the average guy not a big deal.
For 18 year old boys in a large group in a far away land? Stake EVERYTHING!
For the average guy not a big deal.
For 18 year old boys in a large group in a far away land? Stake EVERYTHING!
It's easy to stake. It's cheap insurance. Also considering a lot of companies parts are all over the place on thread class, it's probably smart.
I've seen castle nuts loosen on several occasions. Some of them on pretty low round counts. Why anyone wouldn't do it is beyond me.
I've seen castle nuts loosen on several occasions. Some of them on pretty low round counts. Why anyone wouldn't do it is beyond me.
Do you wear a seatbelt when you get in your car or truck? Do you wear a helmet when you ride a motorcycle? How about eye pro when shooting?
A bit of an extreme example, but same mindset. If none of those things bother you, then don’t sweat staking the castle nut. You’ll be gtg 99% of the time, especially if properly torqued and everything’s built to spec.
Just depends on your risk acceptance level.
I (almost) always stake my builds…. Usually with a couple drops of blue Locktite on the threads as well. Belt and supenders.
The only time I don’t stake is on lightweight builds, with aluminum or carbon finer endplates…then I just Locktite (blue, not red, LoL), and torque to spec.
A bit of an extreme example, but same mindset. If none of those things bother you, then don’t sweat staking the castle nut. You’ll be gtg 99% of the time, especially if properly torqued and everything’s built to spec.
Just depends on your risk acceptance level.
I (almost) always stake my builds…. Usually with a couple drops of blue Locktite on the threads as well. Belt and supenders.
The only time I don’t stake is on lightweight builds, with aluminum or carbon finer endplates…then I just Locktite (blue, not red, LoL), and torque to spec.
I would stake that mother lover too.
If you’re just taking it to the range and plinking then no worries, just do whatever you want.
If you plan to use it hard and put it up wet then stake it all, loctite it all and torque it all!!
For my money, I expect a factory rifle to be staked, but I don’t stake “builds.” Maybe unstaking is easy, but not as easy as spinning off a non-staked castle nut. “Geutinteit” has been sufficient for me. Nether my life nor my hunt is depending on a castle nut. And, if I do find one has loosened up, snugging it up is a quick and easy field remedy.
Edit to add. Belt and suspenders is the equivalent of wearing a condom while jerking off.
Edit to add. Belt and suspenders is the equivalent of wearing a condom while jerking off.
Holding strength of red and comes apart without heat like the blue.
Drill a hole through your castle nut and tube so you can safety wire it.
It’s the only right way.
It’s the only right way.
I’ve had a couple come loose, but I tear my shit down probably more than I should and the rifles get some fairly hard use at run and gun. That said, I may not be torquing to spec. Blue loctite worked fine to stop this but I have started staking. Takes 5 minutes and it can’t be any harder than taking off the nut with blue and no heat.
This picture is from their website, today.In recent years they’ve not used those and had stake-able nuts.
Just remember, kids- ratcheting castle nuts are meant to be for one-time use/disposable.
Last edited:
He puts A1 on steak. His opinions are invalid…
