M14 Forum

Redraider

Hi all,

I need some input as to the best tools for dealing with the FS castle nut, the stock liner screws, and the handguard clip. Which ones are good and where do I get them?

Thanks

Redraider

Ted Brown

GI castle nut piers from Sherluk

Stock liner screw wrench from Badger Ordnance (the type that fits a hex driver)

Hand guard clip pliers from Badger, but most of those available are fine.

Many of these items can be had from Brownell's, but I don't necessarily recommend their castle nut plier.

Gus Fisher

Very definitely agree.

In the 70's and early 80's, we used G.I. stocks for most of our NM 14's, except fot THE Marine Corps Rifle Team in the 80's. That meant every time we built a new NM, we had to take the stock liner out and modify it.

I don't know how many of the little posts we broke on the stock liner screw tools before I was finally disgusted enough to make a better tool that would last longer.

We were no longer issuing the 8 piece Grace Gunsmith screwdriver kits, but we still had some of the largest ones in RTE supply, because the largest Grace screwdriver did not fit any screw slot on an M14. (Actually, none of the Grace Screwdrivers fit any firearm we worked on very well.) So I asked if they would issue one of the big screwdrivers to me to make a special tool and they did.

I modified the screwdriver by filing it by hand to fit the stock liner screws and then rehardened it. I have no idea how many dozens of stock liners I have taken out, refinished and or modified and reinstalled with that tool and I still have it and it still works great 30 years later.

However, the stock liner wrench from Badger Ordnance that Ted mentions is hardened correctly and should give years and years of use.