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6 Best Armorer’s Wrenches For Your Gun Builds

AR-15 Tools
Need to do something on your AR-15? Chances are you'll need an armorer's wrench. Here are some of our favorites that have helped us through our builds.
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    Whether building ARs, taking them apart, or swapping out buffer chances are you’ll need an armorer’s wrench.

    Just like everything else dealing with ARs, there are about 100 different options out there.

    These tools often get looked over as most people buy pre-assembled ARs, but many people find themselves in situations where they need one.

    Wrench meme
    Technically, this is one option…

    In general, it’s a good idea to have one.

    The multi-tool wrenches offer quite a lot in a small package. But if you find yourself constantly using one, you may be better suited to buying purpose driven tools.

    Armorer’s wrenches, also called AR-15 wrenches, can vary in price quite a bit.

    What separates these wrenches from each other is the amount of tools/features they have and the build quality. Some of the cheaper choices can function perfectly fine for simpler tasks, but they may lack the options or strength that you need.

    My Reloading Station
    My Reloading Station

    We’ll be taking a look at a few popular wrenches and detail the highs and lows of each.

    The tools covered are multi-tools. However, companies do make standalone buffer and barrel tools. At a minimum, the covered tools will have a barrel nut tool, flash hider slot, and castle nut wrench.

    And really – these are the main things you’ll need an AR-15 wrench for.

    Best Armorer’s Wrench

    1. Real Avid AR-15 Armorer’s Master Wrench

    If you need a wrench that can almost replace a toolbox, this is the wrench for you. Real Avid is offering a lot of outstanding tools for AR-15 builders and their wrench is one of our favorites.

    Real Avid AR-15 Armorer’s Master Kit
    Real Avid AR-15 Armorer’s Master Kit

    This covers everything from most barrel nuts (free-float and mil-spec), the castle nut, flash hider/many muzzle brakes, and even allows you to attach a torque wrench!

    Best Armorer’s Multi-Tool
    $70
    at Primary Arms

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    And if that wasn’t enough – you’ll also find a hammer built in with removable hammer heads. Brass, nylon, and rubber hammer heads screw into the handle of the wrench. Note that I said that they screw into the handle so there is no chance of them flying across the room while using the wrench or hammer.

    However, the Real Avid is on the heavy side. While this is nice for using it as a hammer, it can be a little cumbersome when using it as a wrench.

    Check out our full review of the Real Avid Kit.

    What’s your take on the Real Avid wrench?

    Readers’ Ratings

    3.06/5 (1528)

    Your Rating?

    2. NcStar AR15/M16 Combo Wrench Gen 2

    I know what you’re thinking, “NcStar? Isn’t that an airsoft company?” Yes and no. They do make a lot of cheap products, but some are worth the money. Their AR wrenches are some of these products. They’ve made three generations, but this is about the first two. The second seems far more robust.

    $25
    at Primary Arms

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    While they may not be top-tier in terms of quality, they work. Think of it like buying a tool from Harbor Freight. It’ll get the job done, but don’t expect heavy lifting—this is definitely not for someone building ARs as a living.

    They’re capable of removing your barrel nuts, but some people have said that the teeth aren’t the strongest. So keep this in mind while torquing down a new barrel as the wrench may break or damage your AR. They both feature spanners, a castle nut wrench, a 3/4” and 5/8” muzzle device wrench, and can be used with torque wrenches. NcStar also made sure to label these tools.

    Overall, the NcStar options seem like a good choice for occasional or one-time use. Do keep in mind that some people have had issues with the build quality.

    3. Wheeler Delta Multi Wrench

    A middle of the road option, the Wheeler Delta offers the standard basic tools, but also includes a bit driver and various attachments. There is an option to buy the Delta with a torque wrench, but it does cost a bit more.

    $40
    at Primary Arms

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    Wheeler’s entry into the market does come with plenty of criticism. Such as, the barrel nut pins are reported to either break or damage the gun. This stems from the Delta only having two pins. Others have criticized the Delta for being out of spec for some of the wrenches and included bits.

    While the Delta’s reviews are all over the place, keep in mind its cost versus the competitors. Approach it with caution.

    4. Tapco Armorer’s Wrench

    Again, you’re probably going, “First NcStar, now Tapco?” Can’t blame you, after all their furniture is the bane of AK and Mosin purists everywhere. However, the Tapco Armorer’s Wrench seems to be quite well liked across the board.

    $43
    at Brownells

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    Tapco took the time to clearly label each tool on their entry to the market. Its feature set is very similar to that of the NcStar wrenches, but it does seem better received by the AR community. Some users have noted that it may not work with all ARs and there have been reports of the barrel pins shearing off as well. Despite this, Tapco’s entry appears to be a solid choice.

    5. Brownells AR-15 Armorer’s Wrench

    Over the past decade, Brownells has been making waves in the AR community by introducing their own AR-15s and M16 style clones. It comes as no surprise that they would have their own line of tools—and the wrench is made in America.

    $54
    at Brownells

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    Unlike many other wrenches, the Brownells wrench uses four teeth to remove a castle nut. This allows for a better grip when removing or replacing the nut. When designing the wrench, Brownells made sure to make this a heavier duty tool—you can tell from just looking at it.

    Reception towards this choice seems more positive across the board, but the reviews Brownells.com are mixed.

    All in all it seems like a safe choice.

    6. Magpul Armorer’s Wrench

    Let’s be real, this article wouldn’t be complete without at least mentioning Magpul’s wrench.

    Magpul Armorer's Wrench
    Magpul Armorer’s Wrench

    While this wrench may not have as many tools as other options, it more than makes up for it in build quality. Heck, it’s made in America as well.

    Best Armorer’s Wrench
    $59
    at Brownells

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    Magpul’s Armorer Wrench is built to last—they even added two flat sections to be used as a hammer. During my research, this was the most commonly recommended wrench that I could find. Going back to the build, Magpul made this wrench look like a normal wrench and gave it the heft to back it up.

    Do keep in mind that these do not work with every brand of barrel.

    Closing Thoughts

    There are a lot more tools out there than what we briefly went over, but I just wanted to talk about the most common. Like I mentioned before, if you think you’ll be doing a lot of work on ARs you may want to pick up a standalone barrel tool and a standalone castle nut wrench.

    Also, it would be in your best interest if to make sure that the wrench you buy will work with your specific gun. 

    What wrench do you run? Let us know in the comments! If you’re looking for more awesome gunsmithing tools, take a look at the Essential Gunsmithing Tools!

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    5 Leave a Reply

    • David

      CBC Industry Guardian kit,barrel nut is 30mm. Real Avid Master Armorers kit is missing wench spec. Ordered a 30mm crowfoot.

      May 31, 2024 6:28 am
    • DB

      bought a wheeler , was fine for building new rifles , i found a older Colt Match HBAR and decided to free float it with Rock Island Armory NM FF system , i snapped two of the Teeth/pins off the wheeler wrench trying to break the barrel nut loose , not the same wheeler you pictured though , also got in trouble with wheeler T-handle wrench set when it snapped off in a GB screw , would not recommend wheeler products to an enemy

      January 28, 2024 4:23 pm
    • Mike A

      Can't go wrong with a Midwest Industries Armorer's Wrench either. Any AR15 build REQUIRES the need of an armorer's wrench the MI wrench gets the job done and the price is appropriate for a quality product. It's not a "buy once cry once" high price, but it's not so cheap where you're questioning it's durability and quality.

      February 16, 2022 11:48 pm
    • Dlay

      Bought just the wheeler wrench and mini torque wrench love them highly recomended.

      May 15, 2019 6:54 pm
    • BadKarma

      I bought an armorers wrench from UTG, and it performed quite well in all aspects except one. The pins for the barrel nut have (had) a coating on them that increases their thickness out of spec. They wouldn't allow the wrench to seat flush on the nut. In a moment of frustration, I went with it to break loose a too right barrel nut. Big mistake. The pins bent while also damaging the nut.


      Lesson learned I bought a USGI barrel nut wrench and a set of oversized crowfoot wrenches. A thin blue Scots disposable towel protects the finish using the crowsfoots.

      May 15, 2019 5:02 pm
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