I have just purchased one of the M-4 Ar-15 rifles from Colt. It has the 'pinned collapsable stock'. I would like to 'retrofit' this gun with the functioning collapseable stock. Origional Colt parts are available from Brownell's. My question is this, in changing the tube that the buttstock slides on, what is the torque needed to get it loose and retighten it correctly.What way is it threaded? It looks like I need a special tool to do this. I see them for $7.00 and $30.00 - is there a practical diffence between them? Any insight will be appreaciated as this is my first 'black rifle".

I have done this before and used a "cheap" wrench without any trouble. On the torque issue I can't help. I just turned until it came loose and turned it back until it felt tight. It just holds a recoil piston.

Can't you just remove the pin from the stock and make the one you already have functional?

Terry

Here you go...pictures and everything.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782

thanks guys! The "civilian" version that is pinned does not have the holes drilled in the tube fir the detent to fit in. I bought the parts for the detent and when I removed the pin I found that the tube was undrilled. I should have purchased a "LE" marked gun so it would have been correct to begin with, but I thought just taking out the pin would make it functional.
It is helpful to know it is only a hand tight fit, I had nightmares of needing a vice to get it loose.

Be careful removing the buffer tube. The buffer retaining pin is held in agaist sprinng pressure by the edge of the buffer tube. The directions on AR15.com should mention/show this.

I hate it when it goes "SPROING" as I take something apart and the little pieces then go "ping, ping, ping" all over the room.