Review: Geissele Armorer’s Package Tools
Major Pandemic 10.15.14
Did you ever open a present and then graciously spend the next ten minutes stalling to figure out whether someone just re-gifted you a sex toy as a gag gift? This was kind of the case when I opened a box from Geissele, which they had included a few extra instruction-less prototype products in the box.
I opened the box and pulled out what appeared to be a 1″ steel rod with the serrations on one end and the words “Reaction Rod” on the other. Deeper into the box were these torturous looking punch like devices. Hmmm… “Okay,” I asked myself “What the hell is this, because Geissele is a trigger company.” It took me a few minutes, but I figured it out and validated my assumptions with a phone call to Geissele who then provided instructions. The mysterious tool set was actually Geissele’s new Armorer’s Package.
Reaction Rod
Despite what my dirty mind superimposed on this absolutely awesome tool, it is actually intended to be mounted to a vise so that you can to slide an upper on to mount barrels. The teeth on the front end of the tool match up with the barrel extensions and provides a super strong barrel lockup to apply crazy amounts of torque to the barrel nut without any stress to the upper receiver’s pin mounts. Unlike all other barrel mounting tools, all of the torque is directly on the barrel extension.
This is essential for those barrel nuts that seem to need just a bit more torque to line up the gas tube holes. Although most barrel nuts do not require an ape hanging off the barrel nut wrench (if you are that kind of person), the Geissele Reaction Rod allows you to bring the torque. Probably the most awesome feature is that you can rotate and clock the action so that you can attached bolts, rails, and screws to the left right and bottom of the handguard and barrel.
This makes attaching gas blocks, handguard screws, and rails on the bottom of the rails super convenient. Just spin the receiver upside down and press the Reaction Rod teeth back into the barrel extension. You do this all without having to pull it off the Action Rod. This has become one of my favorite tools for working on AR-15s.
Gas Block Installation Tools
The other mysterious punch-like devices were actually “Punches.” Geissele recognized that there was an absence of quality punches for gas block installation. This includes a tapered, 1/16″ punch, and pin starter punch.
The Geissele Gas Block Pin Punch set is made specifically for the removal and installation of that pain in the butt to install 0.078″ roll pin that secures the gas tube to the gas block on an AR-15/AR-10. Generally the installation process for most people requires putting the gas block in a vise and then losing about seven pins because the needle nose plyers keep snapping them across the room every time you start to tap the pin in. Just push a pin in the pin starter punch and drive it half way into the gas block. The tapered Starter Pin can then be used to finish the last few taps to fully drive in the pin.
Removal of a rusted in gas block roll pin has always been a challenge since there are no commercial pin punches in 0.078″ diameter. 1/16″ (0.062″) punches have a tendency to bend and very few starter punches are available in 1/16″ diameter. The Geissele punch set makes gas block work a whole lot easier.
Stubborn pins can be removed by starting the pin movement with the Start ‘Tapered’ Pin and then reaching for the Pin punch to drive the roll pin completely out. Geissele suggests resisting the temptation to just jump to using the straight pin punch; a hard rap with a hammer on a stuck roll pin can cause the punch to bend. The stronger tapered punch should be used first.
It should be noted that although the Geissele Gas Block punches are made from properly hardened and tempered 01 tool steel, they are considered a consumable item. Geissele will not replace tools damaged from misuse or normal wear and tear. Like the Reaction Rod, you start to wonder how you ever were able to live without these tools to build an AR.
Trigger Fitting Pin
Geissele includes the Trigger Fitting Pin with some of their higher end triggers, but they now include it in this package as well.
This simple but handy tool simplifies trigger installation by providing a correctly sized punch to position the trigger components before pushing this Fitting Pin out with the Receiver Pins. Another use is to correctly size coated receivers to receive the receiver pins. Sometimes the trigger pin holes need to be loosened a bit for them to fit when coatings have been applied.
Another perfect use is as a tool to use while trigger tuning when the trigger is required to be pulled repeatedly during tuning. I will rather pull out a long pin with a handle attached instead of driving a trigger pin out over and over again until tuning is complete.
Final Thoughts
The AR-15 Armorer’s Package is a set of indispensable tools that previously we did not have readily available to us. The Reaction Rod is brilliant and totally bulletproof. I use this so much I have considered buying another and mounting it to my bench. I would like to see Geissele add two holes on the end of the tool so that is could be permanently mounted to a workbench. The pins are also an excellent investment for the AR-15 builder and delivers a faster and more professional looking final build void of all the traditional DIY ops scratches on the gas block. Excellent tools.
Specs
- Description: AR-15/M4 Armorer’s Package
- Reaction Rod: 1 x AR15/ M4 Reaction Rod
- Fitting Pin: 1 x Trigger Fitting Pin
- Roll Pin Tool: 1 x Gas Block Roll Pin Tool
- Gas Block Pin Punch Set: 1 x Gas Block Pin Punch Set
- MSRP: $131.00
