Home AR-15 Installing an AR15 Barrel with a Bedding Shim

Installing an AR15 Barrel with a Bedding Shim

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I show how I bed my AR15 barrels to reduce play between the surfaces of the barrel extension and the upper receiver.

Bat Machine Co and others make oversized extensions that can require a thermal fit between the two parts. That is obviously a better option, but I am not equipped to install a new extension or headspace it to the existing chambering in the barrel etc, and this costs about three dollars for some 0.0015 shim stock.

Thanks for watching!

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16 COMMENTS

  1. True the receiver face with a wheeler AR tool, then bed with a Loctite 609 if your that loose. Or go the way of the oversized extension. Just don't start adding metal then hammering barrel in…

  2. Your on the right track, however. I measure the I.D. of the receiver and the O.D. of the barrel. I want the shim to be .0005 to .0007 larger than the I.D. of receiver. Lap the face of the receiver. Coat the inside of the receiver and outside of barrel with thin coat of never seize. The stainless steel shim will wrap around barrel, no gaps or overlap. Make the cutout for the alignment pin. Heat receiver only, in preheated oven 200 degrees one hour. With heat proof gloves. Insert barrel and shim to receiver. Its a one shot deal. This will yield a .0005 – .0007 press fit. I've done this to AR 15's, AR 10's and EPC 9mm. Don't waste your effort with a cheap barrel or parts. Side note I have 45yrs experience as Toolmaker, putting it lightly. Don't ever use lock tite metal tapes other B.S. Special tools are required to remove barrel without damage.✌

  3. barrel should fit well enough on its own and loctite bedding should fill the gaps…a metal sheet will eventually disintegrate over time and crumble out after repeated exposure to heating then cooling.

  4. I thought you loved punishing yourself working on a floating vice moving all over the place, then I saw the vice base mounted to the bench in the background.

  5. Ever since I have seen your video I have wanted to do this to my barrels. You're video really pointed out an awesome point when installing a barrel to an upper reciever. But I have tried looking for this type of shim stock at every hardware store/Amazon but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Do you know where I could find some? I'd really appreciate any help or advice you can give, Awesome video! Thanks for showing this method of barrel installation!

  6. Nice i just went native and bedded my blem upper with jb wield and torqued it to 72 lbs on a pencil BARREL 16" hung it upside down 24 hrs it now shoots better and added a Jerry Miculeks muzzle break flat shooting and works just fine. Many ways to skin a cat sir .👍

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