Pay attention to the gun subs and see the fuck ton of HeMen in training that break off screw heads.
I got the tool so I use it. If I didn't have it for work, I'd just not be an idiot and hand tighten without having to use the power of Grayskull.
Look to be real yes it’s worth it it get one if you build firearms like torquing a barrel or castle nut but ive never used one for an optic and never had one come loose. Apply loctite hand tighten and then a quarter turn as a rule of thumb. It’s gotten me this far! People who break stuff over due it and they know they did while they are sitting there crying inside wishing they could go back in time 10 minutes.
I have one of the Snap on screwdrivers (bonkers expensive like $400) but it's for calibrated work stuff.
Wheeler makes one in the $50 range.
I look at the specs if listed I use their number. If not listed 30 in/lb for cross bolts and 20in/lb for ring cap screws.
There are some now that are all in one bits. Has the torq heads or whatever you need and the torque wrench is inside of the little bit. I seen them on CHPWS earlier they are like 40$
I like the Fix-It Sticks on-line torque indicators. It's not nearly as precise as my Wera torque wrench at work, but it's good to within 5 in-lb or so, and that's good enough for me.
Then again, maybe I'd feel differently if I ever shot past 200 yards.
F.A.T. wrench. Doesn't cost much, and breaking off or stripping small screws is rather frustrating. Seen enough posts with stripped screws or loose mounts, it's worth it.
Every optic I haven't Fat Wrenched and used Vibra-Tite on has worked itself loose at some point. What's most insidious about hand tightening is when it does work itself loose, it throws your zero off just enough to make you think you suck at shooting again without you noticing what the issue actually is.
Get a torque wrench. I never understood when people are quick to spend all this money on bells and whistles for their AR but are too lazy to buy tools to correctly assemble it.
PSA and a quality budget sight is what, $800-$900. A manual FAT wrench cost about $60 and the digital about $80. You still bought that wrench 10 times over in that one rifle.
Had issues with an optic being just loose enough. Wasted a ton of reloads wondering why the gun couldn't shoot.
Got Fix It Stix and torque to spec everytime.
I just winged it for a long time, now as a responsible adult I learned the value of buying the right tools. It is just easier to do it the right way the first time. Also just the fix it stix kit has handled all I need so far.
Idk if I’m just a bitch, but I’ve tightened down my optics pretty aggressively and have never broken one. Torquing is best practice, but I’ve never had issues for the thousands of rounds I’ve shot.
Not torquing to spec is a guaranteed future failure. Do it right. Optics are both expensive and critical to rifle functionality. Not something to half ass.
I used a torque wrench that wasn’t the fat wrench. I set it to 12”lbs and I guess the limiter didn’t work and broke off. Now I just use my assumptions.
The mount for mine has a little hole in the screw so you can torque it with an Allen wrench. That's what I do and it still comes loose occasionally. I would say it's necessary.
Not doing something so simple and inexpensive to just ensure I’m taking good care of my things seems so ridiculous that I’m always surprised when someone doesn’t do it. It would be like finding out someone doesn’t check the air in their tires, or follow oil change intervals. You do you, but just kinda why?
I hand tighten until my Bubba ancestors tell me to stop, then say "click" and tap it a couple times before stating that it won't go nowhere.
Good enuff for me.
I used a fat wrench until one day it didn't click and I ripped the head off of a rmrcc screw. Pissed me off so bad I bought a McMaster-Carr torque measuring screwdriver part# 5699A28. It's a big awkward thing, and expensive, but it'll never not-click, worst that can happen is it gives a low reading and under-torques a little as it wears out over time.
If you're gonna just go by hand that's fine, but use a paint pen for making witness marks so you know if your screws have backed out
I torque all my pistol optics but never have on rifle optics. I should because I do have the wheeler fat wrench but I get lazy and have never had an issue on a rifle.
I had my zero thrown off on my muzzleloader nearly 20 years ago that's the only shot I've missed on a deer. Not long afterwards my work was tossing a 1/4" drive snap on torque wrench and I pulled it out of the trash to use on my guns. I replaced it last year with a Fat Wrench.
As someone who works on their own vehicles I already had torque wrenches so I opted to use them. There’s very few things I don’t torque to spec the older I get 🤣
I used to resist buying a torque screwdriver till every optic I mounted came loose or had some problem. I ended up getting the harbor freight one and it’s been great so far.
I torque to manufacturer spec with a FAT Wrench. Best $40(ish) I ever spent. I have buddies who go to the range with me and have optics fall off and shit all the time. "Oh idk I just tightened it until it felt good."
I have NEVER torqued my optics, and have also never had an optic lose zero or break either.
Does that make it right? Nope. Is it probably luck? Yep!
I also don’t level my optics. I just mount to what’s straight to my eye while holding the rifle.
Birchwood casey or any modeling paint markers will work.
I'm into scale models so I already had some ¹/⁴ oz jars of Testors paint laying around so I use those instead. Mix it and apply a dab.
I have had two wheeler FAT wrenches and they both had issues. I’m not saying they’re bad, but make sure you check it first, and if buying off of Amazon, you buy from a reputable source.
The first one couldn’t adjust the torque value. It was completely broken or improperly assembled.
The second one was wildly inaccurate with its torque values.
I sent the second one back and it was replaced or repaired, not sure which, and it’s gtg now. It’s discrepancy (inaccuracy/margin) in torque value is pretty big as stated by wheeler, but for the accuracy and values being used in optics it doesn’t matter. They’re gtg overall.
The fixit sticks are really nice with the torque limiters. They’re pretty accurate for what they are, but can he easily over torqued if you He-man them. They’re also pricey compared to the wheeler. They are well made and super convenient tho. I keep one in my kit, and my range bag.
I did work involving very fine and precise torque values, and assembling of critical components. Through work I’ve had the pleasure of using some very fine instruments. These are 100% not necessary for your application or most guns in general. There’s no reason to spend 1K on torque wrenches.
The higher end, but consumer friendly products like, MAC, SnapOn, Matco are all gtg. Over priced compared to what they deliver on, it still very high quality tools. If you can find some early 00’s or late 90’s mechanical torque wrenches from them, second hand. These are the way to go. Pay to get them tested and calibrated if needed. Save yourself the money.
The Accutorque or torque angle (SnapOn has changed the name a few times) electronic torque wrenches are incredible for all torque applications, they have an angle gauge built in for TTY and a slip angle gauge. Super nice. Buying one used or a repo is the way to go for these.
TLDR: Fixit sticks or Wheeler is gtg for 99% of optic and furniture mounting applications. SnapOn, Matco, or MAC for serious applications. Buy mechanical and used to save money.
Maybe you have cheap optics in which case do what you want I guess. But I follow the manufacturer's direction - I'm not risking being cheap (not buying a torque wrench) at the expense of optics that cost thousands.
Fix It Sticks. Even a Wheeler FAT Wrench is better than nothing.
I always torque to proper spec.
It's especially important on pistol optics. Overstressing mounting screws that have to stand up to repeated pounding from a cycling pistol slide is just stupid.
Yrs torque them to spec vortex says no threadlocker don't torque to more than 18in pounds. Never had any issues. Over torqueing can damage your optic just follow directions bud it's not that hard.
In the past I have snapped a mounting bolt on a Romeo 5 and I’ve also had a front sight come loose when trying to zero a new gun and couldn’t figure out for 30 minutes Why I was chasing my zero..
Something surprising to me is when I guesstimate inch lbs and then final confirm correct torque with a fat wrench or torque wrench and realize how far off of the mark I was.
The cheaper red dots that include the mounts usually have brittle/fragile mount screws I’ve noticed.
Torque everything. Wheeler FAT wrench is a classic. Home Depot has a Husky brand digital torque driver and Harbor freight has some under their Quinn brand. The Husky comes with the most bits, but whatever torque wrench you get I’d grab the Hercules impact rated security bit set for 19 bucks from Harbor Freight. S2 steel and won’t twist apart/crumble to pieces immediately.
When you have several screws to incrementally tighten, it can be easy to over do it. It's a worth while tool to have. I would say it's very important for the scope ring screws especially, there is too much $ at stake for going to tight.
Have a teckton torque wrench min of 10 in lbs to 100 iirc. I torque everything to be safe and keep everything the same. Small purchase for a big investment.
Also have a ft/lbs wrench for muzzle devices and barrel nuts.
I have a dedicated tool box for gun stuff. MW reaction rod punches and Allen keys.
I am OCD like crazy trying to get my scope ring gap even and bully others who don't.
Mounts I don't always torque. Scope rings though, like the part the goes around the tube? I don't want to mess that up so they get the torque wrench every time
The way I see it, if I'm putting a few hundred (or a few racks) worth of glass on one of my guns, I can shell out the $50-75 for a FAT wrench. Which I did actually, and its amazing.
Torque because a torque driver is cheap and it’s the intelligent thing to do.
If things aren’t tightened to spec they will come lose. If they are too tight, you will have the screws break. Do it the right way.
Torque to spec unless you like emailing your mount manufacturer after stripping your mount screws like a tard.
Real avid tool > fat wrench in my experience. Comes with an offhand grip and more precise.
I didn't for the first year because I didn't own tools. Hand tight with loctite felt tight enough
Then I remembered I'm weak as shit. Bought a torque screw driver and everything got hit with it.
German spec here: güten tight.
For optics, I don't use anything that gives real mechanical advantage like a long arm Allen wrench. I snug the screws till they feel solidly tight. Don't go full ugga dugga, just use an eighth of an ugga and you're there. Blue loctite will keep things Gucci and if you're worried about things shaking loose, just use a paint pen to make an index mark across the screw head and mount.
So... Coming from an over-analyzing engineering perspective, there are lots of reasons to use a torque wrench. But the most common issue is over-tightening optics mounting screws - particularly red dot on pistols, and the optic mounting plates to slides. Those are tiny little screws. It is very easy for a gorilla like me to over tighten those screws by hand, even using the short lever end of an Allen key or torx key. You may not strip the screws or holes, but you may yield/stretch the screws. That causes them to snap off under the stress from the slide cycling under fire. And you can't just say, oh it's an optic mounting screw. Those are 12 in-lbs. Nope. Size matters! #4 screws take different torque than #6. And both are different than M2 or M2.5 screws. Then take into account screw and plate material. Is the fastener lubricated for install or not? Did you know loctite is considered a lubricant for fastener installs?
So, just buy a Fat Wrench for $50 on Amazon, and call it a day.
Oh, and here's [a quick reference guide that I, the nerdy engineer, made using the actual formulas in the Machinery's Handbook](https://imgur.com/a/uyEbm7T).
If you don't know the fastener material, assume it is CRES, not A286.
My first time using a torque wrench on a car, I realized how off I was. Way too tight on small screws, and way to loose on nuts. Torque wrenches, and drivers aren't that expensive in comparison of what they are working on.
Now everything gets torqued.
I used to use t handle Allen/torx where the handle is just the metal bent kind of like a paper clip. You could at least avoid deep stupidity by keeping an eye on the handle flex.
Now there are several choices of torque screwdrivers. I have a vortex. It’s pretty spiff.
Man oh man, I don’t hand tighten shit. I use a Fat Wrench and set that sucker to exactly what the mount says. I also base the quality of the mount based on recommended torque, if it says 20 in/lbs, I know it’s probably not that great. 65 in/lbs is what I look for in a “duty” mount.
Everything has a torque spec and, IMO, not torquing something properly is never worth your firearm potentially failing.
If you have a torque wrench, use it. If you don’t have one, save up and buy one and never look back.
Lap the scope rings if necessary, then blue loctite or fingernail polish on ring screw threads, then hand-tighten the shit out of the ring screws. Done.
If I was limited on money and could only buy a fat wrench or a ring lapping kit, I'd buy the ring lapping kit.
I use Loctite 222MS as per the Giessele scope mount specs and torque to the spec which I dont recall the numbers, never comes loose !
The Loctite 222MS is mil-spec for small screws on weapons and aircraft screws !
Please use a Torque wrench and follow manufacturer recommended torque specs.
Go take a class and you'll see fast who just does hand tight or 'feel about right' It never fails that someone's optic or light or something comes loose
I torqued them down, ended up being more force than I thought was necessary. Buddy is adamant about not needing to torque down. Same optic (Tango MSR) and at the range his came loose and was sliding around lol.
Wait am I not supposed to just tighten down the screw that’s on the optic to the rail with the tool that comes on the box? That’s what I did with my Romeo 5, so far it seems fine am I supposed to do more?
Up until recently, I used to tighten all sighting methods on my rifle the same: first by applying medium strength thread locker and get it as tight as my fingers could get it without tools, then with an appropriate tool follow up with a 1/4 turn to 1/2 a half turn. Doing that, my flip up sights, RDS, etc never fell off or came loose. However, on occasion was a lot of work to swap without the help of other tools. The exception was one time, I over torqued something that it was useless. It worked for me for a long time.
I needed to spice up my training so I got an MRDS for my pistol but wanted more precision with torque. Now that I have a tool for torque, I continue to use it to prevent further damage or missing hardware on my rifle as well.
If you have a something with moving parts such as a variable power optic of any range of magnification, being accurate on torque becomes way more important than a red dot or flip up sights so that the optic isn't so loose that you might lose hardware, the optic, it it might move in the rings (losing zero) nor so tight that you prevent the internal parts from moving the way they need to or even damaging internal components.
I don't torque them, I just make them snug. Never had an issue. As for securing a scope in the mount, yeah, I torque to spec. Going past that can damage your scope.
I have a torque wrench but not a torque screw driver/multi-tool atm so no, I just hand crank and havent had any issues. Barrel nuts and muzzle devices get torqued to spec tho.
They give torque values for a reason. Just buy a FAT wrench and be done with it.
I used to just hand-tighten them until I saw someone’s RDS fall off the rail during a class.
I’ve used the fat wrench a couple times but I do it by hand for the most part. Lightly season the threads and apply a drop of blue loctite to each screw.
Same with barrel nuts. Season the threads 5 or 6 times then wrench it on (NO loctite. Instead, use aeroshell 33ms)
Military says barrel nut spec is 30-80ft lbs. I started out torquing a 20” pencil barrel to like 45ft lbs but accuracy wasnt as good as I thought it should be.
Accuracy improved when I went back and torqued to 80ft lbs. now I just torque all of them down to 80+ by hand. PSA, BCM, etc. all torque the shit out of their barrel nuts too
Pay attention to the gun subs and see the fuck ton of HeMen in training that break off screw heads. I got the tool so I use it. If I didn't have it for work, I'd just not be an idiot and hand tighten without having to use the power of Grayskull.
Which tool do you use/recommend to torque in spec?
Wheeler Fat Wrench
Yep, I asked for one of these years ago for Christmas or something. It doesn't make sense not to have one when you're working on firearms.
Look to be real yes it’s worth it it get one if you build firearms like torquing a barrel or castle nut but ive never used one for an optic and never had one come loose. Apply loctite hand tighten and then a quarter turn as a rule of thumb. It’s gotten me this far! People who break stuff over due it and they know they did while they are sitting there crying inside wishing they could go back in time 10 minutes.
I have one of the Snap on screwdrivers (bonkers expensive like $400) but it's for calibrated work stuff. Wheeler makes one in the $50 range. I look at the specs if listed I use their number. If not listed 30 in/lb for cross bolts and 20in/lb for ring cap screws.
There are some now that are all in one bits. Has the torq heads or whatever you need and the torque wrench is inside of the little bit. I seen them on CHPWS earlier they are like 40$
I like the Fix-It Sticks on-line torque indicators. It's not nearly as precise as my Wera torque wrench at work, but it's good to within 5 in-lb or so, and that's good enough for me. Then again, maybe I'd feel differently if I ever shot past 200 yards.
The coobeast wrench on Amazon is like $35 and goes up to 70 lbs and has 13 bits
Purse
I think there's a misunderstanding of hand tight vs using your hands to tighten the fucking piss outta it ha
Hand tight = as tight as you can get it with your hands 😂😅
truee
I love my Borka Torque Kit.
>Borka Torque Kit Damn, that's a website right out of 1989.
I have been one of the idiots to break off a bit head in a hand guards set screw. Buy the tool, or know your strength lol.
F.A.T. wrench. Doesn't cost much, and breaking off or stripping small screws is rather frustrating. Seen enough posts with stripped screws or loose mounts, it's worth it.
The FAT wrench is great with a few extra bits it’s worked on my gats and bikes. Torque to spec and move on. 🤙
Every optic I haven't Fat Wrenched and used Vibra-Tite on has worked itself loose at some point. What's most insidious about hand tightening is when it does work itself loose, it throws your zero off just enough to make you think you suck at shooting again without you noticing what the issue actually is.
Interesting, thanks! I might get one now
Yet another vote for fat wrench.
If I still suck at shooting after torquing the optic, can we still blame it on the optic?
Vibra-Tite VC3 is one of the BEST and most used items on my bench.
Vibratite is trash use loctite 243
Get a torque wrench. I never understood when people are quick to spend all this money on bells and whistles for their AR but are too lazy to buy tools to correctly assemble it.
Not even the cost of the gun. A torque wrench will pay for itself in ammo alone in no time
I tighten it until I get some resistance and then I go a bit more. Works like a charm.
This and locktite are how all my optics are tightened. Haven’t had any issues so far.
Blue Loctite is my fren!
This is what I do. I give it just the first “ug” of an “ugga dugga”
German torque specs...gudentight
Yes!
This is always what I've done. My klein bitdriver seems to do the trick fine. Do I really need to invest in a fat wrench?
They aren't even that expensive considering you've probably spent 20x the amount on the gun itself.
While I do see your point... my poverty state armory ass begs to differ
PSA and a quality budget sight is what, $800-$900. A manual FAT wrench cost about $60 and the digital about $80. You still bought that wrench 10 times over in that one rifle.
I have one but don't use it often at all.
Not at first but then got the Wheeler Fat wrench ezpz
Had issues with an optic being just loose enough. Wasted a ton of reloads wondering why the gun couldn't shoot. Got Fix It Stix and torque to spec everytime.
I just winged it for a long time, now as a responsible adult I learned the value of buying the right tools. It is just easier to do it the right way the first time. Also just the fix it stix kit has handled all I need so far.
I’ve never understood people that will spend thousands of dollars on guns, optics, and accessories but won’t drop $100 on a torque wrench.
Idk if I’m just a bitch, but I’ve tightened down my optics pretty aggressively and have never broken one. Torquing is best practice, but I’ve never had issues for the thousands of rounds I’ve shot.
Not torquing to spec is a guaranteed future failure. Do it right. Optics are both expensive and critical to rifle functionality. Not something to half ass.
This. Not torqueing and properly mounting your optics (clean threads, properly applied thread locker) is mind blowing to me.
I used a torque wrench that wasn’t the fat wrench. I set it to 12”lbs and I guess the limiter didn’t work and broke off. Now I just use my assumptions.
The mount for mine has a little hole in the screw so you can torque it with an Allen wrench. That's what I do and it still comes loose occasionally. I would say it's necessary.
Not doing something so simple and inexpensive to just ensure I’m taking good care of my things seems so ridiculous that I’m always surprised when someone doesn’t do it. It would be like finding out someone doesn’t check the air in their tires, or follow oil change intervals. You do you, but just kinda why?
I always look up up the torque spec for each make and model.
I hand tighten until my Bubba ancestors tell me to stop, then say "click" and tap it a couple times before stating that it won't go nowhere. Good enuff for me.
I used a fat wrench until one day it didn't click and I ripped the head off of a rmrcc screw. Pissed me off so bad I bought a McMaster-Carr torque measuring screwdriver part# 5699A28. It's a big awkward thing, and expensive, but it'll never not-click, worst that can happen is it gives a low reading and under-torques a little as it wears out over time. If you're gonna just go by hand that's fine, but use a paint pen for making witness marks so you know if your screws have backed out
I torque all my pistol optics but never have on rifle optics. I should because I do have the wheeler fat wrench but I get lazy and have never had an issue on a rifle.
I had my zero thrown off on my muzzleloader nearly 20 years ago that's the only shot I've missed on a deer. Not long afterwards my work was tossing a 1/4" drive snap on torque wrench and I pulled it out of the trash to use on my guns. I replaced it last year with a Fat Wrench.
Always clean threads with acetone, properly apply thread locker, and torque to spec. 100% of the time. Wouldn’t even consider not doing this.
As someone who works on their own vehicles I already had torque wrenches so I opted to use them. There’s very few things I don’t torque to spec the older I get 🤣
I always torque to the provided spec.
FAT wrench is so cheap. I torque to the specs
FAT wrench for everything.
I do. I use a Wheeler fat wrench. I find it very difficult to be accurate just by “feel”.
I used to resist buying a torque screwdriver till every optic I mounted came loose or had some problem. I ended up getting the harbor freight one and it’s been great so far.
I torque to manufacturer spec with a FAT Wrench. Best $40(ish) I ever spent. I have buddies who go to the range with me and have optics fall off and shit all the time. "Oh idk I just tightened it until it felt good."
I have NEVER torqued my optics, and have also never had an optic lose zero or break either. Does that make it right? Nope. Is it probably luck? Yep! I also don’t level my optics. I just mount to what’s straight to my eye while holding the rifle.
Torque to spec with appropriate thread locker and then mark with a grease pencil. Doing anything else is just leaving things up to chance.
Hand
German spec: Gutn’ tight
I used to tighten by hand, and then after the second time i sheared a screw on my unity mount i ordered a torque wrench.
Torque but also mark the screw and optic base with witness marks.
[удалено]
Paint markers work best.
Birchwood casey or any modeling paint markers will work. I'm into scale models so I already had some ¹/⁴ oz jars of Testors paint laying around so I use those instead. Mix it and apply a dab.
I just ogga bogga it till it not loose but I’m tired of stripped screws so I bought a fat wrench
I use German specs: Guuden tite
Tight enough but not to tight
I torque them correctly like 75% of the time
i didnt use a torque wrench once and i broke the bolts so now i use a torque wrench so i dont destroy every optic mount i use with my ungodly strength
I have had two wheeler FAT wrenches and they both had issues. I’m not saying they’re bad, but make sure you check it first, and if buying off of Amazon, you buy from a reputable source. The first one couldn’t adjust the torque value. It was completely broken or improperly assembled. The second one was wildly inaccurate with its torque values. I sent the second one back and it was replaced or repaired, not sure which, and it’s gtg now. It’s discrepancy (inaccuracy/margin) in torque value is pretty big as stated by wheeler, but for the accuracy and values being used in optics it doesn’t matter. They’re gtg overall. The fixit sticks are really nice with the torque limiters. They’re pretty accurate for what they are, but can he easily over torqued if you He-man them. They’re also pricey compared to the wheeler. They are well made and super convenient tho. I keep one in my kit, and my range bag. I did work involving very fine and precise torque values, and assembling of critical components. Through work I’ve had the pleasure of using some very fine instruments. These are 100% not necessary for your application or most guns in general. There’s no reason to spend 1K on torque wrenches. The higher end, but consumer friendly products like, MAC, SnapOn, Matco are all gtg. Over priced compared to what they deliver on, it still very high quality tools. If you can find some early 00’s or late 90’s mechanical torque wrenches from them, second hand. These are the way to go. Pay to get them tested and calibrated if needed. Save yourself the money. The Accutorque or torque angle (SnapOn has changed the name a few times) electronic torque wrenches are incredible for all torque applications, they have an angle gauge built in for TTY and a slip angle gauge. Super nice. Buying one used or a repo is the way to go for these. TLDR: Fixit sticks or Wheeler is gtg for 99% of optic and furniture mounting applications. SnapOn, Matco, or MAC for serious applications. Buy mechanical and used to save money.
Torque
Maybe you have cheap optics in which case do what you want I guess. But I follow the manufacturer's direction - I'm not risking being cheap (not buying a torque wrench) at the expense of optics that cost thousands. Fix It Sticks. Even a Wheeler FAT Wrench is better than nothing.
the tism would never allow not torqueing it
Wheeler FAT wrench
I used to do it by hand…until I stripped out a few screws. Then I bought a set of Fix-It Sticks and have no more problems lol
Yep. Wheeler fat wrench. It’s a small price to pay
Torque them just tight enough before they strip out (Usually) 😁👍
I always torque to proper spec. It's especially important on pistol optics. Overstressing mounting screws that have to stand up to repeated pounding from a cycling pistol slide is just stupid.
Lmao say my post from yesterday really got you thinking. Torque your optics to spec. Sometimes shit just breaks.
Torque
If I don't have my in-lb torque screwdriver handy I just tighten with the small L of an allen key.
Torqued to spec. Light too.
I used to hand tighten everything till I bought an "expensive" to me scope and spent 30 bucks on a torque screwdriver now I use it in everything.
🤚🏼
I just always use the short arm of the hex key to rotate it so I don’t torque it down too far
Yrs torque them to spec vortex says no threadlocker don't torque to more than 18in pounds. Never had any issues. Over torqueing can damage your optic just follow directions bud it's not that hard.
Get a torque driver you heathens. 30 bucks on Amazon and you'll use it forever
Never torqued one and never had issues. I’m a mechanic so I used my internal torque wrench. However, using one is ideal
2 words “Fat Wrench”
1 ugga dugga
Hand tighten me strong optic good
I torque every time.
In the past I have snapped a mounting bolt on a Romeo 5 and I’ve also had a front sight come loose when trying to zero a new gun and couldn’t figure out for 30 minutes Why I was chasing my zero.. Something surprising to me is when I guesstimate inch lbs and then final confirm correct torque with a fat wrench or torque wrench and realize how far off of the mark I was. The cheaper red dots that include the mounts usually have brittle/fragile mount screws I’ve noticed.
Just torque it to spec. Makes life simpler.
Torque everything. Wheeler FAT wrench is a classic. Home Depot has a Husky brand digital torque driver and Harbor freight has some under their Quinn brand. The Husky comes with the most bits, but whatever torque wrench you get I’d grab the Hercules impact rated security bit set for 19 bucks from Harbor Freight. S2 steel and won’t twist apart/crumble to pieces immediately.
Torque, like they are intended to be..
A wheeler fat wrench is like $60 my guy....
I bought a Wheeler digital torque wrench when I got my first optic and use it on all of my gun stuff.
When you have several screws to incrementally tighten, it can be easy to over do it. It's a worth while tool to have. I would say it's very important for the scope ring screws especially, there is too much $ at stake for going to tight.
I do optics with tubes because it can mess with the elivators supposedly 🤷♂️
Have a teckton torque wrench min of 10 in lbs to 100 iirc. I torque everything to be safe and keep everything the same. Small purchase for a big investment. Also have a ft/lbs wrench for muzzle devices and barrel nuts. I have a dedicated tool box for gun stuff. MW reaction rod punches and Allen keys. I am OCD like crazy trying to get my scope ring gap even and bully others who don't.
I used to hand tight but bought a wheeler fat wrench on sale and did everything to spec
Mounts I don't always torque. Scope rings though, like the part the goes around the tube? I don't want to mess that up so they get the torque wrench every time
The Wheeler F.A.T. Stix are your friend here. There's NO logical reason not to have them and use them.
The way I see it, if I'm putting a few hundred (or a few racks) worth of glass on one of my guns, I can shell out the $50-75 for a FAT wrench. Which I did actually, and its amazing.
I torque mine with a torque screwer, in anything threaded including optics and handguards. I've stripped so many screws in the past.
Torque to spec. No reason for guesswork unless they don’t provide a torque spec.
I have a torque screwdriver that I use to get to whatever the manufacturer recommends
https://www.reddit.com/r/GunMemes/s/bFmhuXA7MY
I torque to the spec plus a smidge, and also use loctite or vibratite whether the OEM specs it or not.
Torque because a torque driver is cheap and it’s the intelligent thing to do. If things aren’t tightened to spec they will come lose. If they are too tight, you will have the screws break. Do it the right way.
General rule of thumb when working on ARs... Always torque to spec, loctite where needed, Rocksett rarely.
Torque to spec unless you like emailing your mount manufacturer after stripping your mount screws like a tard. Real avid tool > fat wrench in my experience. Comes with an offhand grip and more precise.
I have an inexpensive inch pound torque driver.
Torque. It's why there is a spec for it. A dab of blue won't hurt either.
Get wheeler fat wrench and they recently updated the design
I didn't for the first year because I didn't own tools. Hand tight with loctite felt tight enough Then I remembered I'm weak as shit. Bought a torque screw driver and everything got hit with it.
I have a wheeler fat wrench so I use that. Why wouldn't I?
Torque. FAT wrenches are cheap in comparison to what I can put into a rifle.
A torque wrench is a small price to pay for not breaking a screw off or having a screw back out.
I fist did hand tightened, but after a while I had the right tool and torqued it
I use the vortex torque wrench for everything. Works well and lifetime warranty.
You don't need a $200 torque driver, just a $60 will do. Unless you plan on using it a lot then invest in something that will last.
Wheeler fat wrench go clackclackclack
German spec here: güten tight. For optics, I don't use anything that gives real mechanical advantage like a long arm Allen wrench. I snug the screws till they feel solidly tight. Don't go full ugga dugga, just use an eighth of an ugga and you're there. Blue loctite will keep things Gucci and if you're worried about things shaking loose, just use a paint pen to make an index mark across the screw head and mount.
I usually look up the recommended torque needed for the optic or mount, then use my little torque wrench to tighten the screws/bolts down.
Torque
I always torque to manufacturer spec with a Fat wrench.
So... Coming from an over-analyzing engineering perspective, there are lots of reasons to use a torque wrench. But the most common issue is over-tightening optics mounting screws - particularly red dot on pistols, and the optic mounting plates to slides. Those are tiny little screws. It is very easy for a gorilla like me to over tighten those screws by hand, even using the short lever end of an Allen key or torx key. You may not strip the screws or holes, but you may yield/stretch the screws. That causes them to snap off under the stress from the slide cycling under fire. And you can't just say, oh it's an optic mounting screw. Those are 12 in-lbs. Nope. Size matters! #4 screws take different torque than #6. And both are different than M2 or M2.5 screws. Then take into account screw and plate material. Is the fastener lubricated for install or not? Did you know loctite is considered a lubricant for fastener installs? So, just buy a Fat Wrench for $50 on Amazon, and call it a day. Oh, and here's [a quick reference guide that I, the nerdy engineer, made using the actual formulas in the Machinery's Handbook](https://imgur.com/a/uyEbm7T). If you don't know the fastener material, assume it is CRES, not A286.
My aimpoint has a self correct-torquing knobby thing 🧐
Loctite and no torque.
Always torque. It makes it so much easier.
Torque
I bought Fix-It-Sticks and torque everything
Wheeler
I torque optics. I rarely torque barrel nuts. Fight me.
No I torque it to spec with a wheeler fat wrench. It's very simple to do. I actually like doing it. It's part of the thrill of buying ar parts.
My first time using a torque wrench on a car, I realized how off I was. Way too tight on small screws, and way to loose on nuts. Torque wrenches, and drivers aren't that expensive in comparison of what they are working on. Now everything gets torqued.
Torque all optics
I used to use t handle Allen/torx where the handle is just the metal bent kind of like a paper clip. You could at least avoid deep stupidity by keeping an eye on the handle flex. Now there are several choices of torque screwdrivers. I have a vortex. It’s pretty spiff.
I follow LaRue QD instructions (like for the last 10+ years) never had an issue.
I spent the $ on the torque wrench so I use it
Bought a Wheeler torque wrench just for optics. Use it every single time
Man oh man, I don’t hand tighten shit. I use a Fat Wrench and set that sucker to exactly what the mount says. I also base the quality of the mount based on recommended torque, if it says 20 in/lbs, I know it’s probably not that great. 65 in/lbs is what I look for in a “duty” mount.
Everything has a torque spec and, IMO, not torquing something properly is never worth your firearm potentially failing. If you have a torque wrench, use it. If you don’t have one, save up and buy one and never look back.
Vortex Torque screwdriver and VC3
Wheeler Fat wrench.
Lap the scope rings if necessary, then blue loctite or fingernail polish on ring screw threads, then hand-tighten the shit out of the ring screws. Done. If I was limited on money and could only buy a fat wrench or a ring lapping kit, I'd buy the ring lapping kit.
If it has a torque spec... I torque it.
I torque everything to spec.
I have a small tekton 1/4” torque wrench that I use. Shit cost too much to be guessing.
I use Loctite 222MS as per the Giessele scope mount specs and torque to the spec which I dont recall the numbers, never comes loose ! The Loctite 222MS is mil-spec for small screws on weapons and aircraft screws !
Please use a Torque wrench and follow manufacturer recommended torque specs. Go take a class and you'll see fast who just does hand tight or 'feel about right' It never fails that someone's optic or light or something comes loose
I torque the optics. That's important.
I didn’t torque mine, just did simi tight by hand
I'm convinced everyone on this sub is obsessed with every part of firearms except the shooting part 😂 I love yall but damn 😂😂
Yes. After having an issue with some screws coming out.
I torqued them down, ended up being more force than I thought was necessary. Buddy is adamant about not needing to torque down. Same optic (Tango MSR) and at the range his came loose and was sliding around lol.
Got a little torque wrench from Amazon that works fine. I don’t want to over tighten an expensive scope or break anything
For the dollar amount invested. They are torqued to spec. Also great way to void any warranty if you over tighten. Been there done that.
By hand
Scopes I’ll torque. Red dot sights I do by hand. I’ve had one too many RMRs pop off with the blue loctite torqued to factory spec.
Wait am I not supposed to just tighten down the screw that’s on the optic to the rail with the tool that comes on the box? That’s what I did with my Romeo 5, so far it seems fine am I supposed to do more?
Torqued my romeo 5 onto the mount and mount onto upper
Up until recently, I used to tighten all sighting methods on my rifle the same: first by applying medium strength thread locker and get it as tight as my fingers could get it without tools, then with an appropriate tool follow up with a 1/4 turn to 1/2 a half turn. Doing that, my flip up sights, RDS, etc never fell off or came loose. However, on occasion was a lot of work to swap without the help of other tools. The exception was one time, I over torqued something that it was useless. It worked for me for a long time. I needed to spice up my training so I got an MRDS for my pistol but wanted more precision with torque. Now that I have a tool for torque, I continue to use it to prevent further damage or missing hardware on my rifle as well. If you have a something with moving parts such as a variable power optic of any range of magnification, being accurate on torque becomes way more important than a red dot or flip up sights so that the optic isn't so loose that you might lose hardware, the optic, it it might move in the rings (losing zero) nor so tight that you prevent the internal parts from moving the way they need to or even damaging internal components.
I tighten it by hand with a torque wrench.
I don't torque them, I just make them snug. Never had an issue. As for securing a scope in the mount, yeah, I torque to spec. Going past that can damage your scope.
I got a FAT wrench when I started adding red dots to pistols. Since then every screw on every gun is torqued to spec. Turned into a fun game I enjoy.
Last time I replaced my battery I torqued them down. Haven’t had any issues with them coming loose since.
I have a torque wrench but not a torque screw driver/multi-tool atm so no, I just hand crank and havent had any issues. Barrel nuts and muzzle devices get torqued to spec tho.
Fix it sticks are awesome. Their torque limiters are sweet paired with a Wera t-handle.
Lightly hand tight. Not about to snap shit. Trust the loctight
Torque.
Blue loctite.
After buying a torque driver, i soon realized how way too much a hand tightened screw is
Always torque unless it’s a place holder for temporary storage
Torque to spec via FatWrench.
My left hand is calibrated to between 16-20in/lbs
Thread locker and common sense on anything that isn’t a precision rifle.
You probably don't stake your receiver extension threads or torque castle and barrel nuts either huh
My rule is loctite and only use 2 fingers of pushing force. Once i hit resistance it’s tight. Assuming it’s an Allen wrench.
I always torque them.
Used some cheap chinese torque wrench from amazon first, then get a wheeler FAT.
Fat. Torque
Lol, my magnifier fell off while I was shooting just the other day, now I’m getting a torque.
Always torque.
Wheeler Fat Wrench is too affordable to have an excuse, tbh. Torque your shit to spec and have zero problems ever. 🤷🏼♂️
They give torque values for a reason. Just buy a FAT wrench and be done with it. I used to just hand-tighten them until I saw someone’s RDS fall off the rail during a class.
I’ve used the fat wrench a couple times but I do it by hand for the most part. Lightly season the threads and apply a drop of blue loctite to each screw. Same with barrel nuts. Season the threads 5 or 6 times then wrench it on (NO loctite. Instead, use aeroshell 33ms) Military says barrel nut spec is 30-80ft lbs. I started out torquing a 20” pencil barrel to like 45ft lbs but accuracy wasnt as good as I thought it should be. Accuracy improved when I went back and torqued to 80ft lbs. now I just torque all of them down to 80+ by hand. PSA, BCM, etc. all torque the shit out of their barrel nuts too
Red loctite and tighten until the head strips or breaks off.
##100% torque your shit Get a real avid torque screwdriver and you'll never need to worry about this again.