Midwest Industries upper receiver rod tool for AR

[Gunnerdad80]

I think I had this topic in the wrong category.

Anyone else using the Midwest Industries Upper Receiver Rod for working on AR's? I bought one and tried it on my Radical Firearms upper and it was kind of a tight fit. I got it all the way in, I think, but had to tap on the rear takedown lug to get it off. Is it just tight because the gun is still newish or is something else goin on?

[m1a_scoutguy]

I have a normal reaction rod and saw these after I bought it. When I looked these up there were out of stock but I was interested. What was the receiver you used it on, they all claim Mil-Spec but some are only close,LOL Did you get this @ MW or someplace else ?

[Gunnerdad80]

I have a normal reaction rod and saw these after I bought it. When I looked these up there were out of stock but I was interested. What was the receiver you used it on, they all claim Mil-Spec but some are only close,LOL Did you get this @ MW or someplace else ?

Got it on Gunbroker for under $100. I used it on a Radical Firearms upper.

[m1a_scoutguy]

I have a normal reaction rod and saw these after I bought it. When I looked these up there were out of stock but I was interested. What was the receiver you used it on, they all claim Mil-Spec but some are only close,LOL Did you get this @ MW or someplace else ?

Got it on Gunbroker for under $100. I used it on a Radical Firearms upper.

Got it,thanks ! I had forgot about them and so its your fault that I spent $$$ LOL .I looked I found one @ Optics Planet,$97 shipped ! The dirty dogs always get ya for the tax,LOL !! Thanks for reminding me,I have been on a mission on getting quality tools for AR builds.

[Gunnerdad80]

Yes, when it comes to certain tools, quality matters. I was a mechanic professionally for 13 years and there are some tools you can skimp on but certain tools require investment. 

I’m not a fan of Optics Planet by the way. Several times I placed orders for items that I thought were in stock but when I get an email confirmation it always gives me an “estimated ship date“ of usually 10-15 days out. I think they could be more transparent when it comes to inventory.

Also, anytime I find an item I want on gunbroker I look at the seller and if they have a website I check the price there and a lot of times it’s cheaper to order it direct from them.

[m1a_scoutguy]

Yes, when it comes to certain tools, quality matters. I was a mechanic professionally for 13 years and there are some tools you can skimp on but certain tools require investment. 

I’m not a fan of Optics Planet by the way. Several times I placed orders for items that I thought were in stock but when I get an email confirmation it always gives me an “estimated ship date“ of usually 10-15 days out. I think they could be more transparent when it comes to inventory.

Also, anytime I find an item I want on gunbroker I look at the seller and if they have a website I check the price there and a lot of times it’s cheaper to order it direct from them.

I hear ya on OP,I have bought items and received them in less than a week & others maybe 2 weeks tops. I know they can be terrible, I have a buddy that waited months for CZ mags and then finally just canceled his order and got a refund. Bottom line I'm not desperate for it so if it takes a little bit I'm OK with it, but if it turns into a month then I will let them know about it,LOL.

[bulldozer3]

Out of those two parts, i would default to the radical firearms being out of spec... the upper or chamber

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

[Gunnerdad80]

Out of those two parts, i would default to the radical firearms being out of spec... the upper or chamber

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

I don’t have another upper to compare to the RF but I’d agree with you.

[M1A4ME]

Don't you want a nice tight fit?

If it was a loose fit you wouldn't get the parallel surfaces fully contacting each other when apply torque to the barrel in either direction.  You don't want to have it twist and see the torque transferred to a smaller portion of the contacting surfaces.

Or, twisting enough to allow the guide on top to contact the soft aluminum of the charging handle track/slot in the upper.

I thought about one of those.  Already had a barrel vise tool (different sized cuts in two aluminum blocks with rubber inserts that work with a bench vise to hold a barrel).  I bought it when I was fighting with my DPMS GII and a rock set glued flash suppressor/free float tube/gas block, etc.  I hate that white "stuff."  I just keep using the barrel vise for installing barrel nuts and flash suppressors.

[Gunnerdad80]

Don't you want a nice tight fit?

I prefer a snug fit. When I say this thing is tight I mean it’s tight enough that I have to tap it in with a hammer for the end to properly dog into the barrel lugs and tap on it to remove it.

The majority of torque is applied where the tool dogs into the barrel lugs. The AR’s upper receiver mainly acts as a stabilizer.

[M1A4ME]

I think we are in danger of agreeing.

That's what I think I said - you don't want it to have enough freedom to move that the tool guide contacts the charging handle groove.

How often will you use it on the same barrel?  If it's tap in tight on that barrel you may never use it on that one again.  Wait till you go another one and see how the fit is.

No matter what the internet says about AR15 specs/M16 specs/military specs a spec is a spec - means there is some range there between no good - good - no good.

Have fun building that AR.  And remember, it's called BRD - Black Rifle Disease.

[Gunnerdad80]

If it's tap in tight on that barrel you may never use it on that one again.

As far as I can tell it’s only a tight fit in the upper receiver but looks like a proper fit in the barrel lugs.

And brother I do believe I may have caught a case of BRD. I’ve already started buying some small to medium parts that I like for the next build. I thought pistols were addictive...

[M1A4ME]

A couple years ago I ran across a new bolt in a drawer in the garage.  Forgot I had it.  Then, at the bottom of the drawer I found a quad rail I'd bought for my nephew that he decided he didn't want.  Well, darn.  All I needed was an upper, lower, lower parts kit and barrel, some sights and a sling.

It turned into a whole carbine in a few weeks.

Got a bolt, upper, lower, lower parts kit in the shed right now (was supposed to be a project for a youngster who has decided to be undeserving of a new AR15 carbine and ammo).  Sooner or later, I'll have to finish it up for my own.  Unused parts are just not right.  I had thought of holding on to them in case my youngest son and his new wife gave us a grandchild, but that could be so many years from now (till the kid was old enough) that I might not even be here to build the a carbine.

Oh, back to the tool.  Does that guide rail unbolt from the rod?  If so, could you take it off, sand a little off the side (if you can determine which side is dragging - or is it both sides?) and reinstall it?

It's either too wide and dragging on both sides.  Or the upper is too tight (maybe out of spec?)  Or maybe the barrel is slightly canted one way or the other resulting in the rod being twisted to one side, or the other, as the end of the rod engages the barrel extension lugs as it reaches/mates with them.  Hard to tell from here.

Good luck with it.

[Gunnerdad80]

M1A4ME:

The tool does come with an allen wrench to remove that top piece. You may be on to something. I might see if that’s the source of tension.

[M1A4ME]

I don't have one, haven't read up on them, but it seems to me the tool uses the lugs on the end of it to mate with and lock up in the lugs on the barrel extension to keep the barrel/upper receiver from turning when you install barrel nuts, free float tubes, flash suppressors, etc.

The guide is just to help you get it lined up right as you insert the tool far enough into the upper receiver to mate with the barrel extension.

If you remove the guide and the tool fits into the barrel extension without a lot of force that may indicate the guide is rubbing.

Then again, don't overlook the possibility that there is a slight misalignment between the barrel extension and top dead center of the upper receiver.

Not sure if there is a lot of info on arfcom about these tools or not, might check there.

Good luck with it.