Stake the castle nut? Leave it unstaked? Use some Loctite?

I don't stake it, and I've never had one loosen up. In fact, I've disassembled some old agency guns that were not staked that were an absolute bitch to get rotating, so unless the gun were bound for a combat zone, I'd consider it unnecessary.

Yes, every time.

Endplates are cheap and you can stake them several times before you need to replace them.

But if its just a range toy, it probably doesnt matter.

I stake it.

I stake them just because it is quick and easy.

I have several I've staked. Several others I haven't. I actually was just checking a rifle today that wasn't staked, the nut spun free. I'm not sure how good of a stock kit it was, I actually had to install the castle nut backwards because it didn't have the staking notches.

Add to that, the endplate blew out where I was staking it. The edge shows what looks to me like an incomplete mold fill from the casting.

I'll be swapping out the end plate and castle nut when I get a reason or opportunity.

Anyway, on the staking; I have had some come loose. Maybe I'm not tightening the castle nut properly, who knows. None of my rifles have factory installed stocks, they're all stripped lower builds. I haven't had a staked nut come loose, but since I have a mix I check every rifle periodically.

Staking is quick and easy. About 5-8 hits with a General Tools 89 Stainless Steel Automatic Center Punch with Adjustable Stroke for $13 on one of the 2-4 available cutouts in the castle nut and you're set.

Takes about 30-45 seconds. I've restaked in the same spot but usually if I'm swapping a buffer tube, the castle nut doesn't torque down to the same spot on the endplate, or if it does, one of the other ones is available.

It's cheap insurance if you shoot a lot and it's the way it should be.

Maybe I never tightened my appropriately, but I've had them work loose, so I stake them now.

I've considered it- inquired about the right punch to do the job- but no, I've never staked one.

And while I guess there's no harm about it, I wouldn't use Loctite. That just seems wrong.

I stake mine. With a spring-loaded center punch, it only takes one tool and a few seconds. Cheap insurance.

I dont drake them because if you take them down it's easy to slip and scratch the buffer tube with the wrench and I've never had one loosen. I lecture them.

I never stake mine and haven't ever had one shoot loose. However I am one of those who believes it applying some force when tightening a fastener.

I loctite'd a few in the past but haven't bothered in years. Never staked, don't see the point. It's my rifle, I'm not trying to keep someone else from messing with it.

I HAVE had one come a little loose once... THE HORROR!

Ya know what I did about it? Nothing.
A week later when I got home, I tightened it. I wasn't killed or even almost killed.

The end plates cost $2 should you need to take your buffer tube off for some reason. I always stake them. Its the correct way to do it. I've seen goobers at the gun range at least several times, with home built AR15's that are literally falling apart because said goober didn't stake his rifle or torque the nut with any force.

I have the Magpul wrench and it will take off a staked castle nut like a hot knife through butter, so taking a staked castle nut off is not a problem should you need to remove your buffer tube.

I always stake them.

Torqued and double staked with a center punch.

Ive removed one of my staked endplates to fix a crooked buffer tube and my Hammerhead wrench took it right off no problem.

I do not but I do check it and torque with a wrench and bar. I havent had one come loose but I certainly understand those who do it.

I've been staking AR end plates, ( manually - no auto stakers here! ) since the early '90s when my very first AR, ( an Olympic Arms XM-177 knock off, ) castle nut loosened up during firing.

Uncle Sam/Colt also were very specific about staking end plates on their rifles.

quote:

Originally posted by ARMT Guy:
( manually - no auto stakers here! )

I'm with you there... auto center punches are for putting a little ding in a piece of metal so a drill bit doesn't wander when you start drilling.

For staking a castle nut, you want to move a significant amount of the endplate metal into the notch in the castle nut.

I use a hardened steel center punch and a framing hammer.

I didn't used to stake mine, now I do. I had a rifle that was unstaked, and didn't have a problem with it for years. Then it became a patrol rifle and started riding around in my car. There is a certain amount of vibration that this subjects your rifle to, as well as a bit of rotational force on the stock when inserting and removing the rifle from the rack. One day I pulled it out of the rack and the stock was cocked about 15 degrees off center. I could wiggle it back and forth easily with one hand. Retorqued it and staked it, haven't had a problem since. Now they all get staked, even the ones that live an easy life going to and from the safe.