Help with Bushmaster Varminter

HighPlainsDrifter

HighPlainsDrifter

New member
I need some help getting the tubular forend off my Varminter. I called Bushmaster and they advised that they are put on and taken off with a strap wrench. So I go to Sears and buy a strap wrench. I put the strap wrench to it and all it does is slip. Anyone got any great ideas or tips that might help me get this forend off? This is the first one I have owned with the aluminum tubular forend and I am clueless.
 
If you got one of the small strap-wrenches with the narrow rubberized strap, you may not have enough grip to remove it. You need a pretty good strap to grip the tube if it is torqued pretty good. You should also have the receiver held in an armorer's block while installing or removing the free-float tube.

Why do you want to remove the FF tube?
 
Mike,

The climate I hunt in has alot of moisture this time of year. Usually in the form of snow or blowing snow. I would like to remove the forend from time to time so I can lightly oil and wipe it down. The last thing I need is a bunch of rust under there. Its impossible to get down in there to do preventative maintanence if I dont remove the forend. I would think this would be a routine procedure in order to properly care for the weapon. Every AR I have ever owned or had assigned to me had plastic two piece forend covers that you could remove to clean and care for the gun. Is there a reason I should be concerned about removing the forend?
 
I'm just used to the uppers that I build. The gas-block has to be removed in order to take off the free-float tube. I'm also used to stainless barrels, and have not been concerned with cleaning or maintaining the area under the handguard. In fact, I have shot out the barrel on one upper and had never had the free-float tube off since it was installed.

If your FF tube is two-piece, and you don't have to remove the gas-block to get it off, there is no reason not to remove the tube.
 
The current models of their Varminter/Predator rifles have a 3 piece ventilated free float forearm tube. They consist of a barrel nut that holds the barrel on, The handguard screws on to the barrel nut and is held in place by a locknut. You can easily see this configuration. If it looks different than described, it is the old style and is one piece. It is best removed with a tube block for the FFT and an action block to hold the upper receiver. Strap wrenches are a good way to scratch a tube.
 
I have used WD-40 in there speedkills. Problem is, after a while WD-40 becomes tacky especially when airborne dust and dirt blows in there and sticks. It looks pretty nasty under there and I would feel much better if I could take the tube off periodically and wipe everything down. I love the rifle, just not sure I like the fact I cant wipe the whole gun down every once and a while without this much hassle.
 
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