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[dcs_fancy_header bgcolor=”#ffffff” color=”#000000″ fweight=”bold”]The Hammerhead Rifle Tool II (HHRT V II) is a handy little no-nonsense armorer’s tool that has become a welcome addition to my toolbox.[/dcs_fancy_header]
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The Hammerhead Rifle Tool II (HHRT V II) is a handy little no-nonsense armorer’s tool that has become a welcome addition to my toolbox. I see ARs as tools for use, not for lining a safe. Although I like to build an aesthetically pleasing carbine, I am more concerned with the functionality and reliability of any carbine that I build. It’s going to get used, get dirty, and show some “character” in the long run.
That being said, it’s nice to have a “new” build – one that doesn’t look like it has been through the wringer directly off of the workbench. I apparently learn a lot from screwing things up, and I’ve definitely had my fair share of lost detent springs, scratched lowers, jacked up crush washers, and marred castle nuts. This is where the right tool for the job comes into play, and the right tool for the job is the HHRT V II.
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The tool is a simple, comfortable wrench made from heat treated 1095 spring steel with a Mil-spec black oxide finish. The best and most unique feature of this pocket-sized little wonder is a fully-enclosed castle nut wrench. To use the castle nut wrench, remove the collapsible stock, then slip the tool itself over the receiver extension tube and mate up the four teeth directly over the castle nut. The benefit is obvious; the wrench has 4 points of contact with the castle nut, unlike open-faced wrenches.
The enhanced contact virtually eliminates the possibility of accidentally slipping the wrench off of the castle nut and marring the finish or damaging the nut – which is important, especially if the user is breaking through a staking job, or if the user used Loctite on the receiver extension tube threads. If you like to torque your castle nut to Mil-spec rating prior to staking, the HHRT V II has ports for both 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch torque wrenches, which is an improvement over the original design.
The HHRT V II also now has two flash hider wrenches that measure .750 and .825. I used these when installing my Advanced Armament Corporation 51T Blackouts on a 5.56 barrel and 300BLK barrel for my Faxon Firearms ARAK-21, and I’ve used the .750 wrench multiple times since then removing A2 birdcages while swapping out gas blocks for some other builds. The wrench is comfortable in the hand and ergonomically shaped allowing for small, smooth, precise adjustments. The HHRT V II measures in at .187” thick, so there is enough room to tighten down a chosen muzzle device without mangling the crush washer behind it.
For fixed stocks, the HHRVT II also has a 5/8” extension tube wrench, and the original lanyard hole at the butt of the tool has been changed to a ¼” hex drive socket.
Lastly, the HHRT V II has a great little pivot pin and takedown pin punch at the butt of the tool in case you have dainty fingers.
Now, the HHRT V II isn’t the be-all-end-all; it does not have a barrel nut wrench like a standard armorer’s tool, but the advantages and features make it well worth the money – it is a vast improvement over open-faced castle nut wrenches.
For those that like a little bit more bling in their lives, the HHRT V II is also offered in titanium if that’s your style.
Check out the HHRT V II at: http://www.hammerheadrifletool.com/HammerHead_Rifle_Tool/HammerHead_Rifle_Tool_Home.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HammerHeadRifleTool
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