I swear to Christ, whoever's job it is to put threadlocker on the screws at the Magpul factory much get paid by volume. Nearly every Magpul product I've bought has come with screws that are absolutely drenched in threadlocker. This often makes it inordinately tough to install the screws.

As a result, this usually means scrubbing all Magpul screws with a stiff-bristled brush, along with some brake cleaner or acetone, to remove all that caked-on stuff. Then I reapply the proper (smaller) amount of my own threadlocker before install.

I know this. I've done it for just about every Magpul product I've bought. But today...

I had a little time to kill this evening, so I decided to try to finish installing some upgrades to my AK-103K. Tonight's task was installing a Magpul Zhukov handguard paired with an Ultimak rail. I wanted to try getting the handguard assembled for a test fit before installing the Ultimak. As I'm looking at the screws for the Zhukov's aluminum chassis, I think to myself that I really should clean off all that threadlocker first.

But then I figured that it's just a test-fit, and I wouldn't be torquing it down, so what's the harm? (I ought to know to always trust my gut, but this time I decided to ignore it. Stupid mistake.)

I get everything installed for the handguard and the screws lightly snugged. Setup looks and feels good. I then go to remove the screws holding the Zhukov chassis to the barrel mounts. Uh oh. Two of the four come out just fine, but the last two are stuck tight.

Fucking threadlocker. Now I'm a little pissed.

I try a couple different (properly sized) Allen wrenches, and even bust out the propane torch to add some heat. Nothing's working.

Well, this test fit appears to have inadvertently turned into a permanent install. Normally that wouldn't be a big issue, but I need to remove the handguard in order to install the Ultimak. So I press on.

Then it happens: The hex head strips on one of the screws. Then the other one does as well. All thanks to a bad combination of a large amount of threadlocker paired with soft screws.

Fucking threadlocker! Now I'm pissed.

I break out the drill with some stripped screw removal bits. I add more heat, just in case. No luck. The bits just tear up the heads without making any progress on backing them out.

Fucking threadlocker! Now I'm really pissed!

Time to unleash the big guns. Out comes the Dremel with a grinding bit. I carefully grind the heads off the screws. When I'm down to a hair's-width of the screw heads left above the chassis, I use a steel punch and big-ass hammer to knock the screws out, shearing the remainder of the heads off in the process.

Success! I now have an uninstalled Zhukov handguard, but one of the mounting brackets has two headless screws sticking out of it. I use the Dremel again, this time with a cutting wheel, to cut deep channels in the headless screws. Then I use a big flathead screwdriver to finally wrench the screws free.

Success. Fuck you, threadlocker. Not today.

Next I run off to the nut and bolt shop just before they close, in order to find some proper replacement screws. I then finally get everything assembled properly, both the Ultimak and Zhukov, and with the proper amount of threadlocker on the screws.

Magpul and their obsession with threadlocker managed to turn a 20 minute simple install job into a 3 hour ordeal.

Lessons learned:
1) Always, always, always clean off all that damn threadlocker. Even it's just a test fit.
2) Trust your gut when it tells you to do something.
3) When in doubt, get pissed and break out the fire and power tools.
4) I need another beer.

(Fucking threadlocker...)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RogueJSK,

I haven't seen anything with an excessive amount of threadlocker, but I have had the pleasure of having two Dan Wesson revolver barrels with the nut red locktited on. WTF they thought they had to put any threadlocker on it, I don't know, I've had Dan Wesson revolvers for almost 40 years and never needed to do anything to keep the barrel nut snug. One nut I got off by soaking in nail polish remover, the other one had to have some torch done to it. What a hassle.

Very strange. I've never had an issue with the amount or strength of the threadlocker that Magpul uses. If it's still the same stuff I'm thinking of (dusty yellow) I always considered it more like Vibratite (which I prefer for most installations that don't require a true threadlocker) than I did actual threadlocker such as Loctite. I've read several places that it's an industrial version of an anti-vibration compound.

Regardless I'm shocked that it held as tight as it did in your instance. To your point though probably better to remove the stuff they're putting on the threads and reapply your own.

This stuff and products like it should be used sparingly.

I ran into that with some MLOK accessories, the inside "mounting" section needs to spin to tighten against the rail and lock it in place.

Guess what happens when Magpul loads it down with thread locker? It doesn't spin and won't lock against the rail.

 
Buy your screws from Hogue. Nothing is applied to them, leaving you free to use your own threadlocker. Personally, for grip screws, I prefer the Loctite purple (low strength) product. You can remove the screws and clean them, and reuse them, but it holds very well for grips.
 

Loctite and I have a love/hate relationship. It's great until I need to remove it.

I have a YHM handguard. It mounts by screwing onto the end of the purpose made barrel nut. I used purple loctite when I installed it, and everything was great until I needed to remove it for whatever reason. It moves a little bit, and siezes. It took me a blowtorch, delta ring wrench, and a vise to get the nut separated from the handguard. I went to reassemble everything, and it stuck again, so I got frustrated and tossed it aside, bought a new one, and called it a day. The siezed one is still sitting on my gun safe, waiting for me to have the patience to fix it again.