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Any recommended gunsmiths for Benelli M4 mods in Phoenix AZ area?


bill722

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Not really. Even if it's a Cerakote painted model, you can focus the heat on the current steel tube. I've never had one peel and I've done around 50 of them.

 

I did one a long time ago in my lap without a vice for a coworker. Just heated the area and put the stock between my feet and unscrewed it a little at a time. A padded vice is nice to have, but it certainly isn't mandatory. I did a current production M4 on Friday, and it took about 10-15 minutes with the heatgun. Wire brush out the remnant thread locker while it's still hot. Wipe out the threads with a rag and acetone if you're getting fancy. I coat the threads in locktite primer, then use red 271 locktite. Some don't even use threadlocker so they can easily remove the tube for easier cleaning in the front end of the receiver. The magazine tube can't come undone by itself since the magazine cap locks it in place. Transfer the rear handguard retainer to the new tube, drop in the new follower, stuff the new spring in, reinstall the spring retainer and you're done. I'll link to you the guide I put together for the trigger pack. It looks intimidating, but they are actually really easy to get apart and back together.

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Not really. Even if it's a Cerakote painted model, you can focus the heat on the current steel tube. I've never had one peel and I've done around 50 of them.

 

I did one a long time ago in my lap without a vice for a coworker. Just heated the area and put the stock between my feet and unscrewed it a little at a time. A padded vice is nice to have, but it certainly isn't mandatory. I did a current production M4 on Friday, and it took about 10-15 minutes with the heatgun. Wire brush out the remnant thread locker while it's still hot. Wipe out the threads with a rag and acetone if you're getting fancy. I coat the threads in locktite primer, then use red 271 locktite. Some don't even use threadlocker so they can easily remove the tube for easier cleaning in the front end of the receiver. The magazine tube can't come undone by itself since the magazine cap locks it in place. Transfer the rear handguard retainer to the new tube, drop in the new follower, stuff the new spring in, reinstall the spring retainer and you're done. I'll link to you the guide I put together for the trigger pack. It looks intimidating, but they are actually really easy to get apart and back together.

 

Can one simply heat ONLY the magazine tube with a propane torch (obviously not to glowing red, but checking at regular frequent intervals until it breaks loose)? I would think this would be much better than heating the receiver directly, no?

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You definitely could. The MAPP torch has a pretty small flame head so you could direct the heat where you want it with minimal residual heat saturating the receiver. I have a laser temp gun and even with the heatgun, the area around the magazine tube usually stays below 300 degrees.

 

My plan, and mind you, this is messy...

 

I have a vice. It's not the best, but it will allow plenty of torque (30-40#). I plan to get 2 2x4's and use Gorilla glue to secure them to either side of the mag-tube. THen place them in the vice. AFter it cures up, use a torch to heat the mag tube while applying torque to the receiver by hand.

 

 

This should allow minimal heat to hit the receiver

It will allow minimal compression or other elastic deformation of the receiver.

Yes, it will deadline the mag-tube...so sad.

 

Thoughts? (Yes, you may get a slightly larger package in the mail if it doesn't work.)

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Sounds like a lot of work!

 

How about getting a 5 gallon bucket full of water, and fill it so only the magazine tube is sticking out of the water. Heat the steel tube with the torch. Then pull it out twist it off? I only twist them off with hand strength alone. No strap wrenches or anything like that.

 

Are you reading somewhere that states that 300-400 degree temps can cause harm to the anodizing?

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Sounds like a lot of work!

 

How about getting a 5 gallon bucket full of water, and fill it so only the magazine tube is sticking out of the water. Heat the steel tube with the torch. Then pull it out twist it off? I only twist them off with hand strength alone. No strap wrenches or anything like that.

 

Are you reading somewhere that states that 300-400 degree temps can cause harm to the anodizing?

 

The last one I did discolored the ano. Had to get it HOT to get the thing out, and then it took a strap wrench. I've done @5 now, and it was BY FAR the hardest, using red loctite, or equivalent, it appeared.

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Not meaning to state the obvious, but it is helpful to remove the bolt and trigger group from the receiver so they collectively don't act as heat sinks thus requiring higher / longer heating efforts to release the thread locking agent. Likewise, if you use a protective vise, offset the tube-receiver from the vise so it (the vise jaws themselves) do not act as heat sinks.

 

 

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Edited by benelliwerkes
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I made a “heater” for removing similar Benelli M1/M2 tubes that you guys might try. Turn a 1” long piece of steel to just under the ID of the mag tube (The piece of steel needs to slide into the mag tube). Attach the piece of steel to a long rod (I threaded it on to 3/8” CRS). Heat the chunk of steel to past blue, almost to glowing, then push it all the way down in the mag tube so it can transfer its heat to the mag tube and receiver. When the loctite starts to smoke pull the heater out and unscrew the mag tube.

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I heated mine with my wife's hair dryer.

 

Got the receiver up to about 180 degrees and the magazine started turning by hand.

 

Had to apply heat a few times to keep it up around that temp or it would get tight.

 

Seems like there are a million threads there when you start trying to screw it off.

 

I would rather heat the receiver than the mag tube.

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I always choose to ruin the least expensive part or the part that is most easily replaced !

 

Really shouldn't have to ruin anything.

 

The advantage of heating the receiver is that it expands away from the tube. If you heat the tube, it expands against the receiver.

 

When I did it, i just figured it WAS an expensive piece and I would take my time and heat it to the bare minimum to get it loose.

 

So I just ran a hair dryer and heated all sides of the receiver to get it where the mag tube would just move by hand with gloves on.

 

Started twisting it out, it cooled a bit after a few turns and got stuck, so re-heated it back up with some of the blow dryer. Then continued twisting it out. Receiver was clamped in a large vise with plastic jaws.

 

I did not glue in the New tube

Edited by les_garten
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Interesting methods. I guess I've never had that much trouble with these. I had one particular 11715 that took a really long time to release, maybe 25 minutes. Compared to getting the receiver extensions off, these are a cakewalk. Never had any discoloration or damage to the finish including those old ugly three tone tan M4's.

 

Usually I use the Wagner heatgun because I don't want to waste MAPP gas.

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Curious mind wanted to know.

 

The U.S. Consumer Protection Agency and U.L. approval governs maximum hair dryer temperatures to 140 deg F / ~ 60 C to prohibit scalp burns.

 

"Other components of the hairdryer are designed to ensure its safe operation. Dryers contain a safety cut off switch that prevents the temperature of the drier from exceeding 140°F (60°C). This switch is a bimetallic strip, which is made from a sheet composed of two metals. These metals expand at different rates when they are heated. As the temperature inside the drier increases, the strip will bend one way or another as the metal strips expand at different rates. When a certain temperature is reached the strip bends to appoint where it trips a safety switch that cuts off the power to the drier."

 

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Hair-Dryer.html

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Curious mind wanted to know.

 

The U.S. Consumer Protection Agency and U.L. approval governs maximum hair dryer temperatures to 140 deg F / ~ 60 C to prohibit scalp burns.

 

"Other components of the hairdryer are designed to ensure its safe operation. Dryers contain a safety cut off switch that prevents the temperature of the drier from exceeding 140°F (60°C). This switch is a bimetallic strip, which is made from a sheet composed of two metals. These metals expand at different rates when they are heated. As the temperature inside the drier increases, the strip will bend one way or another as the metal strips expand at different rates. When a certain temperature is reached the strip bends to appoint where it trips a safety switch that cuts off the power to the drier."

 

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Hair-Dryer.html

 

Well...

 

Now I know another thing to be unhappy about when my old one breaks...

 

I just checked this one and it puts out over 300 degrees pretty quickly.

 

I know my showerhead is illegal...

 

I take it out, use it, and stow it away above a ceiling tile.

 

Ya oughta see my toilet flush, got a hidden resovoir and I hogged out the Flush valve, that flush is a sight to behold.

 

But my hair dryer, just bone stock. And i guess ol' school, cuz it gets hot enough.

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IMHO, you are making too big a deal of this. It is likely to be much easier than you anticipate. After reading the great tutorials here by SD, I did most of the mods discussed here and others with no significant issues. And I am not a gunsmith, nor do I play one on TV. To heat the magazine tube/receiver, I bought a cheap heat gun at Habor Freight for less than $15 (cheaper than many hair dryers and more useful!). No need for Visegrips or vises etc in my case. One guy held the receiver in a towel while I turned the mag tube with gloved hands. If there is a trick, IMO, it is applying moderate heat slowly to avoid overheating. It took a few minutes because we were avoiding rushing the process. I chose to direct most of the heat on the mag tube where it joins the receiver, since the mag tube was "disposable." It is possible that some mag tubes are easier than others to remove, but overall, very doable even for a novice like myself. Go for it!

Edited by NHnewbie
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I heated mine with my wife's hair dryer.

 

Got the receiver up to about 180 degrees and the magazine started turning by hand.

 

Had to apply heat a few times to keep it up around that temp or it would get tight.

 

Seems like there are a million threads there when you start trying to screw it off.

 

I would rather heat the receiver than the mag tube.

 

I also used wife's hair dryer. Took about 4 or 5 min. and unscrewed with just a little bit of muscle. It had blue Loctite.

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