DPMS LR handguard removal

Chad Schmidt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
238
Location
Wisconsin
I tried to remove the handguard to install a Wilson 6.5 CM barrel but it is not budging. Any tricks to get the handguard off? It's the first time since I purchased it new. Thanks in advance for your information.
 
You might have to use a little heat. Agree with ARlife4me, post a picture of the rifle and tools you have. Make sure you removed the gas tube. It happens.
 
The last factory AR I pulled the handguard from was a ruger 556. The barrel nut was on well past 80ft lbs. took liquid wrench and a breaker bar on the magpul AR wrench to finally budge it. I took the new barrel nut up to 95ftlbs and it still didn't line back up. Ended up around 30 ftlbs for the gas tube to line up.
 
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24" stainless free float aluminum handguard that I assume it is threaded to the barrel nut like my ar15's.
 
Yes. It's a two piece handguard. They will often use red loctite on the tube. (Not the barrel nut). Use a small butane torch, like for soldering on it. Then you can remove the tube from the nut. Might need a strap wrench. Make sure to remove the gas block and tube first.
 
There would have to be a shoulder inside to keep the handguard from threading up to the upper or some kind of stop. As mentioned before about removing the gb before starting the removal process on the hg. If you're replacing the hg then you'll need to remove the barrel nut also unless there's a hg that attaches in the similar manner. Some barrel nuts don't need to be timed like the 1's with holes for the gas tube to pass thru. Sometimes those need shims for proper alignment and torque. Be careful removing the barrel nut as you can bend the upper.
 
Those DPMS handguards do have holes that have to be aligned for the gas tube. That LR308 uses a larger barrel nut wrench than the standard AR-15 wrench. Torque it to 35 ft lbs and if it's not aligned go to the next hole. Be sure to test the gas tube alignment after installation.
 
WOW! That sucks having a hg that has holes needing to be aligned for gas tubes! It's bad enough aligning barrel nuts with holes!
 
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