Does anyone sell a stronger barrel nut spring?

[Brian Ski]

Has anyone use a heavier barrel nut spring for the full size/Mini Uzi? After shooting a while the barrel nut gets loose. I do hold the catch down when tightening. And it has a good edge to it. I think I just need a stronger spring. I am not sure where I should look for one.

 

[dustindu4]

Did you replace it with one from a parts kit? Or the tooth?

 

[Chef]

There's only two reasons for a UZI barrel nut to loosen on it's own. Either the teeth on the nut are worn or the tip of the retainer isn't sharp anymore.
Both of these parts are cheap enough to replace. Going to a heavier spring is like treating a symptom instead of curing the problem.

 

[Hiller]

There's only two reasons for a UZI barrel nut to loosen on it's own. Either the teeth on the nut are worn or the tip of the retainer isn't sharp anymore.
Both of these parts are cheap enough to replace. Going to a heavier spring is like treating a symptom instead of curing the problem.

What he said.


R/s, Hiller......................

 

[Jones]

Try loosening the barrel nut without depressing the latch. If you can turn it without much resistance then the latch's "tooth" or the serrations on the barrel nut are worn and need to be replaced. A lot of people just grab the barrel nut and gorilla-fst it loose but the latch should always need to be pressed in to get the nut to unscrew..
Some Uzi owners will even depress the latch, screw the barrel nut down then let go of the latch to keep the nut in place. Saves rounding the latch or serrations down over time.

 

[Garrett]

Going to a heavier spring is like treating a symptom instead of curing the problem.

I disagree that the spring couldn’t be the problem. I had the spring on my GI Uzi compress to the point of failure. When compared with the spring in a parts set, the failed spring was noticeably shorter.

I swapped springs and the barrel nut stopped backing off.

So a “stronger” spring may not be needed, but the in-service spring may have fatigued to the point that it needs to be replaced by a “stock” weight spring.

 

[Brian Ski]

Try loosening the barrel nut without depressing the latch. If you can turn it without much resistance then the latch's "tooth" or the serrations on the barrel nut are worn and need to be replaced. A lot of people just grab the barrel nut and gorilla-fst it loose but the latch should always need to be pressed in to get the nut to unscrew..
Some Uzi owners will even depress the latch, screw the barrel nut down then let go of the latch to keep the nut in place. Saves rounding the latch or serrations down over time.

I will try loosening it without holding the catch down. I do tighten the nut while holding the catch down. Just checking for a replacement new spring rather than another used one. I am using higher powered ammo, so the recoil may be a bit stronger. I don't seem to have a problem with regular 115 gr 9mm.

 

[Brian Ski]

I disagree that the spring couldn’t be the problem. I had the spring on my GI Uzi compress to the point of failure. When compared with the spring in a parts set, the failed spring was noticeably shorter.

I swapped springs and the barrel nut stopped backing off.

So a “stronger” spring may not be needed, but the in-service spring may have fatigued to the point that it needs to be replaced by a “stock” weight spring.

Kind of my thought too. Vector had parts kits from other guns when they built them. So hard to tell what shape it is in.

 

[MGMAN45]

US barrel shrouds have NOS catches and springs.Numrich has NOS barrel nuts.I changed mine out and the nut never loosens.Well just left barrel shrouds web site,they HAD new catches.

 

[navgunner]

DS Arms has the catch and spring for a reasonable price.

 

[Brian Ski]

Great Thanks... I will replace both and see.

 

[Brian Ski]

Try loosening the barrel nut without depressing the latch. If you can turn it without much resistance then the latch's "tooth" or the serrations on the barrel nut are worn and need to be replaced. A lot of people just grab the barrel nut and gorilla-fst it loose but the latch should always need to be pressed in to get the nut to unscrew..
Some Uzi owners will even depress the latch, screw the barrel nut down then let go of the latch to keep the nut in place. Saves rounding the latch or serrations down over time.

I just gave it a try. Nut will not loosen without pressing the latch down. Even with some good torque. I even loosened it a few teeth and tried to turn it, no go. The latch is holding it solid, except under recoil. I tried it several times in several places. Thanks for the idea.

Just waiting on replacement spring and latch to arrive.

 

[Brian Ski]

Interesting... I got 2 new springs, and 2 new latches. I grabbed a latch and I could not install it. It had a little different design. I had to file quite a bit off to make it fit. I also put in one of the new springs. When I went to put the old spring in the little pouch, I noticed the other new spring was longer. I did not notice that before. I pulled out the spring I just installed. it was shorter, the same size as mine. DSA sent me 2 springs of different lengths. One about an 1/8 inch longer. I used the longer one and it worked great. The barrel nut did not loosen up.

Now I am puzzled over the 2 different lengths that were sent.

 

[Jones]

I didn't do any measuring but my pistol uses a latch that's about half the length of a full-sized or mini.
Maybe the shorter spring is for the pistol/micro application.

 

[cajun 22]

That's weird. I've never seen the small one before. My full size and mini both have the larger one. The smaller one might be for the pistol/micro.

 

[Brian Ski]

I didn't do any measuring but my pistol uses a latch that's about half the length of a full-sized or mini.
Maybe the shorter spring is for the pistol/micro application.

View attachment 39490 View attachment 39491

The shorter spring was in my Mini and also one of the ones in the replacements sent. The latch on my Vector mini was one piece of steel. The replacement was similar to yours, a piece of steel with a spring tab crimped on it.

 

[Jones]

Unlike the full-sized and minis; the tab/catch on the latches for the pistol and micro are split.
One half is raised to be the catch, keeping the latch from coming out on it's own.
The half that's level acts as an outrigger/ski of sorts. Because the latch is so short, the "ski"
Keeps the latch from tipping and unhooking itself when it's depressed.
Pretty ingenious when you think about it.

 

[Dirk Hawthorne]

I always depress the lock when I spin the nut on

seems kind of pointless to let the teeth chatter against the lock

 

[Brian Ski]

I always depress the lock when I spin the nut on

seems kind of pointless to let the teeth chatter against the lock

It wears the nut and the latch. I always hold it down. That is why I wanted a new spring. Working great so far. Just would like to get a few more of the longer springs. Not sure why the longer size.