Lesson learned

[cobra246]

Dont use LocTite RED on anything you want to disassemble later. Three days ago i changed my low profile gas block on my AR in favor of a standard A2 front post site (my rifle has smooth free float tube without rails) so i could use iron sights rather than buy a scope. Fail! I mean it worked but it ended up biting me in the ass later. After installing the post i realized that the barrel was not drilled for taper pins and the post was not tapped for set screws.
Took it to the local gun store/gunsmith (great guy btw) and had him tap each pin hole for set screws. Took it home, shot it, it worked perfect but after two mags or so it started not ejecting...post had slid forward. So i took out the set screws and put in red LocTite and retightened them. Problem solved.
The next day my new handguard came in the mail that i had ordered like two weeks ago. Started to disassemble the front half of the gun to install it and what happens?.. Thats right! The set screws were welded into place.

Long story short i ended up taking a dremel tool and cutting the post off of the barrel. Lesson learned, DONT use red LocTite on ANYthing you may have to work on later.

 

[50 Shooter]

Small propane torch might've solved your problems, red loctite usually needs heat to loosen screws that it was put on.

 

[Reloadron]

Blue is your friend and the red cures in 24 hours and requires heat to loosen up. The Loctite Family. Learning curve at work.

Ron

 

[Welding Rod]

Loctite is essentially plastic upon curing. Heat beats loctite.

 

[doubleh]

As mentioned, heat will beat Loctite, red, blue, or purple. By the way, blue Loctite is for bolts 1/4" and larger diameter. Not many of those on a gun.

 

[rem1858]

I use blue Loktite on anything 1/4" or smaller.
If you have a problem removing the fastener, just use a good soldering iron and heat the screw and it will come loose.

Clarence

 

[mshootnit]

Just sayin way too many guys use loctite on way too many things.

 

[briansmithwins]

Just sayin way too many guys use loctite on way too many things.

And others don't use enough (or the right grade) on enough.

I'd rather have screws be slightly difficult to remove instead of falling off unexpectedly. Although it can be amusing when parts of somebody else's gun fall off while shooting.

BSW

 

[cobra246]

Key words are 'the right grade'

 

[WardenWolf]

Red Loctite should pretty much never be used. You have to heat it up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit to melt it. Blue is your friend. I've used blue for many things, from securing screws to sealing high-pressure air fittings.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I like the blue. It solves alot of gun issues!

One thing that is really odd though is that the blue comes in a red colored tube. The red comes in a blue colored tube! I'll bet a novice really screwed something up from this... they should change that LOL!

 

[gotboostvr]

Cooldill, that color of the tubes gave me pause for sure when I first picked some up.

 

[Tirod]

Nothing in the TM suggests that Loctite is needed or recommended. It's Bubba.

Combat grade weapons use staking. Metal is folded over to prevent inadvertent disassembly in the field, and it remains the standard. Tiny screws glued into place aren't the answer to a hard use weapon.

If you have to use a torch to heat the metal you can damage the finish and in some extreme cases ruin the temper. Case in point a tip off scope mount on a certain 10/22 installed years ago - the recommended method is to boil the aluminum receiver to loosen the red Loctite on the screws. A torch on aluminum would be excessive unless you are a practicing and trained gunsmith or machinist.

Goes to those who red Loctite the barrel as a bedding procedure in an AR upper. I see it as a one way ticket. It's not the method Armalite or the engineers considered for a combat grade weapon. In fact, despite the retorts of some shooters, there's no documentation or proof it even helps.

I would be partial to just buying another upper rather than torching a forged one to get the barrel out. If precision is king and a barrel loses the edge after a few thousand shots, a red loctited barrel in an AR upper is going to be an ugly changeover every year or so.

Don't lead others down the rose garden path and recommend Loctite on weapons. If you do, your choice, it's at least safer for the most part than shooting Tannerite at point blank range.

Not everybody gets the memo on how to use something and assuming they know is dangerous.

Yes, I'm aware of "professional" gun assemblers using it - I read the posts of their customers here who tried to take things apart and stuff gets broken or cut off. It seems to be a recipe for more sales than a method of actual value.

 

[cobra246]

I probably wont do it again thats for sure. I like what you said about being better to possibly jus get a new upper than torch the one you got. I really didnt want to torch mine for that same reason. Im no metalurgist so I don't know how hot or cold the flame can be to ruin the temper..id rather not even try.

 

[danez71]

By the way, blue Loctite is for bolts 1/4" and larger diameter. Not many of those on a gun.

Worth repeating.

Purple is for 1/4" and smaller. It's a lighter grip so you don't damage the head during removal.

You shouldn't need to heat up blue or purple to remove; only red.

It's 222 or 222MS (Mil Spec)

 

[joem1945]

I used the red stuff on some screws that kept getting loose on my super Blackhawk. Worked fine until it took a trip in the sonic cleaner with heat element turned on. Next shooting session, screws got loose again. Maybe the red stuff was too old.

 

[MistWolf]

Open flame bad. Use a heat gun.

There is a chemical that will loosen Locktite, but I don't recall what it is.

If you use Locktite, do so very sparingly. It's just an antivibration agent, not what holds the screw in place

 

[double bogey]

Mostly I use Loctite for scope rings. The purple will do its job and not be hard to remove.