Hey guys. Add me to the list of owners with a loose barrel nut. Of course I did not even know there was a problem. No symptoms had been noticed. I am the second owner. Thanks to the forum and all that have contributed information about this issue and how to check it! I guess later when the groups got bad I would have been perplexed about what was wrong without the forum. Nice to correct this sooner than later.

I went through all kinds of mental dilemmas trying to work out what was up with mine and why 3 shots would go within mm of each other and one would go an inch away...after i tightened my 'loose' barrel nut....the only fliers i get now are purely down to the operator

GhostMutt when we have a bad day at the range we can always say, "Must be that loose barrel nut again". Thus, our shooting reputation is not harmed. lol

How do you fix the problem?

Check out the Notable Thread Index on DIY barrel nut wrench. You just tighten the barrel nut with a home made wrench or you can purchase a wrench.

Look @: eBay or brownells or taticool and buy one of these tools, all around $28, YMMV

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Todd
M&P15-22 tweaked

Besides cutting costs, I don't what warrants the change to the new barrel design.
Seems like another "answer" to a problem that never existed. Now we've got one more thing to go wrong!

What new barrel design? I'm unaware of any such change to the 15-22. Nothing has been posted on this forum that I have seen.

Tighten the barrel nut.

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M&P's and K Frames Pleeze!

[QUOTE=dullh;138412536]Tighten the barrel nut.[/QUOTE



Thanks! Your reply helps?


To everyone else; Thank you! I have located the part to fix the problem.

Some of the barrel nut wrenches won't fit over the Performance Center model's larger OD barrel, like the Shooboy. Not sure which model you've got, but beware if you've got a P/C 15-22.

The Tacticool barrel nut wrench will fit the PC barrel if you need one.

The H&W Steel one does as well after opening up the two-piece polyurethane bushing with a dremel. Linky --> H & W Steel, Inc. 337-625-6828

Our barrel nut wrench fits over every barrel and the flash hider too.
Don't forget to use barrel vise jaws (or some other thing) to hold the barrel when you loosen or tighten the barrel nut or you can ruin the upper and even the bolt guide rails.
Not too expensive a fix, but not worth breaking something when there is a solution to not do that.

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I have a question on the Tacticool wrench, does it have a guide to protect the barrel finish and keep the tool straight and aligned ?

None of the wrenches need guides. Our wrench is aluminum, so you don't have to worry about dings or scratches unless you do something terribly wrong.
Straight and aligned is taken care of by the 4 fingers that force everything to be centered at that end. Being a little careful and eyeballing the barrel keeps the barrel in the center at the wrench end.
I have never heard of anybody having any difficulty and we have never had a wrench returned.
Too much engineering for a non-issue really.

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Is this something that should be checked on a 15-22 new right out of the box? Just check it with your hand to see if it is snug? Or should you see how it shoots first.

It wouldn't hurt to check it right out of the box, then put a paint mark for a visual reference.

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All the wrenches for the 15-22 differ slightly yet they all do a great job of maintaining your rifle. It's nice to have choices. I do also advise you guys to use barrel vise jaws like the fine set made by tacticool22. Jody's stuff is some of the best out there, thanks, Shoo

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"Get Hammered By a Shooboy!!"

Both are fine wrenches and used by a great many 15-22 owners here.

If manufactures wish to discuss their products with each other they can do it via PM.

You're absolutely correct Phil and I apologize for not contacting Jody directly through a PM. That has been done and all is well, thank you, Randy

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"Get Hammered By a Shooboy!!"

I think I have a lose barrel nut. I dropped mine off at gun smith. It is easier for me to let some one else fix it while my Nikon scope is off for warrantee repairs or re-placement

Make sure your gunsmith knows that you can't clamp a 15-22 receiver in a vice to tighten the barrel nut. You must clamp the barrel. If he clamps the receiver, the odds are that he will strip the barrel seat in it, necessitating a trip to S&W for a new one.

It is only easier if you don't have the tool. I'm of the belief all should have the tools to disassemble the rifle. You can either make your own barrel nut wrench or can purchase one... as I did from Tacticool22.

I have used mine many times, including when I switched around barrels when deciding which barrel length I wanted as well as when I changed handguards. However I find the greatest use for when I clean. There are so many nooks & crannies where the barrel mates to the receiver that are extremely hard to get to. I have found it is much easier to clean with the barrel off. When you take the barrel off you will find all these areas that you missed with normal cleaning. Other advantage is you always know that the nut is on properly... not too loose & not too tight. I doubt if all gunsmiths understand the specs when attaching to a polymer receiver. As the Major said, it has been documented here where gunsmiths have ruined 15-22s. Since it looks like an AR, some treat it as such... and that ain't a good thing.

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the nut on my rifle was so lose i didnt even have to Turn it hard to remove it i need to check my brothers nut soon to make sure its not lose asell

I Dont need to worry about the Nut Thing anymore i just Finished a Free Float Handgaurd Mod for my Rifle

I have a feeling that I may have the same problem .
While testing some ammo recently, I had the guns forend resting on sandbags I noticed the groups changed depending on how much downward pressure I used. Cheers

Do you still have the end cap installed on the handguard?

Hi yes its still just on the the forend, I have added some goodies to the gun but but not touched the front end. Cheers

As far as i am aware you can remove the endcap without it having any effect on the gun at all, it is to stop 'mud' and 'stuff' from entering the handguard (i think) which of course happens on a daily basis when crawling around in the jungles of south east asia.
The endcap touching the barrel with pressure i think could effect barrel harmonics which could result in fliers but if you are going to remove the endcap then get/make a barrel nut tool and give that nut a tightening. It can only help and is a useful tool to have anyway.
After tightening mine and finding an ammo that my 15-22 liked, my fliers are my fault.

I guess I will have to get a barrel nut tool & vise jaws & have a go at it. Cheers

And keep the hand guard end cap in your parts drawer.

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ordered a wrench myself from tacticool as i feel i might have the same problem. I noticed on lmy last range trip that the groups opened up. I would get some nice tight groups then a few fliers. then a nice tight group but off (zerod scope again) and the same pattern of tight flyers then tight but off center.Was wondering how tight should the barrel be? I don't want to over tighten it.

I don't use a torque wrench but just tighten using 2 fingers. As you said, you don't want to over tighten.

IMO, if you tighten so much that you need to put a wrench on the end of the barrel nut tool to get it loose again, then you've gone too far. I can firmly grab the end of the wrench with my hand to loosen my barrel nut. That may seem too loose for some but I've never had the barrel nut back off any after prolonged shooting.

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FIDELITAS ET FORTITUDO

So someone jumped in my post about a new barrel. Saying S&W needs to do it for headspace.

How can everyone take their barrel out if the guy is right in my thread?

Question is, is that guy correct? All kinds of info online... some correct, some wrong. Guess you need to figure out who is correct.

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FIDELITAS ET FORTITUDO

Thats kinda what I am asking. I think he is wrong. But it would be nice to hear from all the people that have taken their barrel out.

I'm not here to say anyone is wrong. Just know ARs & 15-22s are made to be user disassembled. My barrel has been swapped out, removed for cleaning & removed for getting cut down... all told multiple times. I've never heard of headspace issues when putting these barrels back on.

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FIDELITAS ET FORTITUDO

I just hand tighten mine.... no vice.

A bit of historical trivia---

Before Shooboy and Tacticool22 were offering proper steel wrenches, we were using PVC and cutting out the fingers to fit in the barrel nut. A bit crude, but necessity is the mother of invention, right? Anyway... I think most folks found that the barrel nut isn't torqued too much from the factory whatever spec (if there is a spec) might be.

The closest thing I have gotten for a "factory spec" is 20 foot pounds.
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Head space is determined by the cutout in the bolt for rim fire.

Attached Images

	Headspace Rimfire.jpg (27.6 KB, 28 views)
	Headspace Straight.jpg (35.7 KB, 32 views)
	Headspace Necked Round.gif (4.6 KB, 19 views)

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