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I'm looking to replace the standard birdcage flash hider on my AR15 barrel so I can replace it with a YHM Phantom. I emailed Armalite and asked about the specific upper assembly I had and got this response:

"The EK0446B is a pre ban upper and the flash suppressor shouldn't be pinned and welded. If you see a faint light 3/8" circle at the 6 o'clock position of the FS then it's pinned and welded and we can remove it here for $60 labor. It shouldn't be though. The FS may be Loctited on which means you may have to add some heat before removing it. It has a right hand twist so use a padded wrench to remove it. Turn left to loosen."

It doesn't seem to be pinned and welded, but I can't get it to budge with a wrench! I heated it up with a hair dryer with no luck. I'm sure I can get it off with enough force, but I'm afraid of deforming the rest of the rifle with that much pressure and want it done properly.

Can someone suggest a decent gunsmith who can do this for reasonable $$$?

A hair dryer is not what I would call heat. You need a lot more. I've been able to get them loose with a hand held butane torch. You also need to secure the barrel. You cannot hold onto it and expect to get the leverage you need for the wrench. You need a bench vice with lead/leather jaws and/or an upper receiver block to hold the upper in the vice.
Even with two people, it's unlikely that you'll break it loose without real heat and a vice.

Brownell's website has some videos of different gun repairs, parts removal, and such. You might try them out.

Try this:

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/GunTec ... &t=1&i=961

mdek wrote:I'm looking to replace the standard birdcage flash hider on my AR15 barrel so I can replace it with a YHM Phantom. I emailed Armalite and asked about the specific upper assembly I had and got this response:

"The EK0446B is a pre ban upper and the flash suppressor shouldn't be pinned and welded. If you see a faint light 3/8" circle at the 6 o'clock position of the FS then it's pinned and welded and we can remove it here for $60 labor. It shouldn't be though. The FS may be Loctited on which means you may have to add some heat before removing it. It has a right hand twist so use a padded wrench to remove it. Turn left to loosen."

It doesn't seem to be pinned and welded, but I can't get it to budge with a wrench! I heated it up with a hair dryer with no luck. I'm sure I can get it off with enough force, but I'm afraid of deforming the rest of the rifle with that much pressure and want it done properly.

Can someone suggest a decent gunsmith who can do this for reasonable $$$?

I just removed an A2 style flash hider from a CMMG M4--the process was as follows:

• 1. Make a block to hold barrel in vise:
  • Cut a block of wood to fit vise
    Drill 11/16" hole through block
    Bandsaw block in half through hole
  2. Remove Upper from weapon
  3. Secure Barrel in vice (with blocking)
  4. Using a propane torch heat the flash hider at the barrel threads (Moderate Heat: do not heat to red or white hot)
  5. After heating: Using a 3/4" wrench put slow pressure on the A2 flash hider (anti-clockwise)
  6. Once loose let assembly cool, remove and replace flash hider.