Home CMMG Quick Tip: How To Install the Wrenchman LW Handguard

Quick Tip: How To Install the Wrenchman LW Handguard

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Brownells Gun Tech™ Caleb Savant shows us how to install the Brownells Wrenchman Lightweight Handguard for AR-15. The first step is to make sure you have everything in the box: the Wrenchman LW itself with barrel nut, barrel nut wrench, Allen wrench, and the instruction sheet. Start by removing the barrel nut from the handguard using the Allen wrench. Put a little Brownells Action Lube Plus or any similar grease on the barrel extension and insert it into the upper receiver. Slide the barrel nut over the barrel with the notches facing the muzzle, hand-thread it onto the upper, and tighten it with your torque wrench set to 40 ft.-lbs. (Anywhere from 30 to 80 ft.-lbs. will work – the AR-15 is forgiving.) The barrel nut doesn’t have to be indexed, so it’s easy to install. Now, install the gas block and gas tube. Slide the handguard onto the barrel nut – anti-rotation tabs on the ‘guard guarantee you’ll get it aligned correctly. Insert the indexing plate into the handguard. Good news – the plate goes in only ONE way. Insert the two locking screws through the bottom rear of the handguard and snug ’em up with the Allen wrench. Your AR-15’s new Wrenchman LW handguard is installed!

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23 COMMENTS

  1. You torqued it only once? I’ve always followed the military TM, and torqued it three times (Torque, back off, torque, back off, torque). This is supposed to swage the threads of the receiver to match up more precisely with the threads of the barrel nut.
    Continuing to watch, how are you verifying the gas block is aligned?
    You’re going to get more calls on the helpline leaving out important details like that.

  2. I believe Midwest Industries OEMS these, they should be good to go (They look similar to the Combat Series, also look at the barrel nut/wrench). The quality you are getting is excellent. American Made and solid.

  3. Most Torque wrenches are calibrated to operate exact with a socket to get the correct torque. With the offset of that wrench, two inches or so off center how do you calculate the difference to get the proper torque? Or do you just set it at 30-40 foot pounds and know that you are already at the minimum and you accept that the torque is over but under 80 foot pounds? Or am I just over analyzing and I should not be worried about it? Thanks for your help!

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