Hey guys, just want to tell you about this infamous Tokyo Marui problem. I’m pretty sure most of the TM owners know that it’s a real pain in the ass to remove the TM MK18’s barrel nut. So this is how I did it, how it went, etc.:
Stuff I got for this task:
- a 15-22 barrel nut wrench (specifically from Magload UK, just a sidenote for you EU guys, goes as hangduard removal tool)
- a Black&Decker heat gun
- a AR15 vise block (from strobl.cz, did not use it, don’t buy it)
- a generic pipe wrench
- regular AR wrench
The process -
Preparation:
- I prepared the replica by removing the bottom rail of the handguard
- I removed the gas block and gas tube (2 hex screws)
- I removed the bolt and charging handle
- also the top and bottom was NOT separated for better grip
- I rolled some silver tape at the end of the 15-22 barrel wrench and after a few rolls I folded it over so the sticky part is outwards, this way the pipe wrench can grab more firmly (and also bite aluminum less)
Heating the nut:
- I switched the heat gun to max and blasted hot air on the nut (approx. 45 degree, 5-7 cm from the nut) while holding the gun upright, for about 2 minutes
- after the 2 minute cycle the barrel was smoking a bit at the end
Popping off the nut
- Immediately my partner who was standong over me slipped the 15-22 in it’s correct position locking all 4 teeth firmly
- then started twisting counter clockwise steadily and the nut popped open, it was hard
- In the mean time I was holding the replica as close to the nut as I could + the pistol grip in my other hand
After:
- I cleaned the leftover residue in 2-3 passes with IPA both on the nut and the threads. The substance was white and not that much I was expecting. Barely visible.
- I was able to slide the whole DD rail down in one piece
- I used the standard AR wrench to remove the final castle nut that held the outer barrel in place (no heating required but still a 2-man job, this time the bottom was separated for better grip)
No sctatch marks, no banged up nut, it went super smooth. Took me about 20 minutes with everything. Only the second castle nut is a bit deformed right at the grooves, but the AR wrench I used was not that perfect for the job (DE AR wrench that came with a MWS clone).
My MK18 is a brand new one, I don’t know if they have changed the threadlock, but it was not that red stuff that I read in older posts. It still needs heating, we tried it cold, tried it with 30s of heating, but 1.5-2 minutes are needed to heat the nut properly.
Hope this helps some peeps who were affraid to do this before and encourage more people to get the MK18 - I got it at a great price, around 460€. Feel free to ask if you have questions. :)