Released in 2014, and in conjunction with the BEV Block, the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench is part of the line of products developed by Magpul to help grow its line into other interest areas. A solid wrench is a necessity to any gunsmith or armorer’s workbench, and Magpul’s wrench is a multi-use too used to address the broadest range of needs possible.
A multi-use tool, the Armorer’s Wrench is made from solid, heat-treated American steel, with a manganese phosphate finish for added tactile control. Its overall dimension is 11.7” in length, and is 0.35” in width so as to fit comfortably in the hand.
On one side is an open-end, dual sided wrench with teeth specifically designed for both free-float and A2 style barrel nuts. At the base of the barrel nut wrench are two hardened, flat-faced strike points (one on each side) to be used as gunsmithing hammers on pins or other items.
The center length of the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench includes a ½” torque wrench/breaker bar interface on one end, a ¾” slotted wrench for muzzle brakes or flash hiders on the other, and near the middle a beer bottle opener to celebrate finished builds.
On the opposite end is a closed, multi-use wrench that is slotted to adjust rifle receiver extensions and carbine castle nuts.
The Magpul Armorer’s Wrench is available only in a matte Black (featured).
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Average (3/5): Priced at $79.95 the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench is made with solid steel, and as such incurs an expected cost for its material and design. The market is awash in varied alternatives of wrenches with similar design and material to include those by Brownells ($62.99), AR Stoner ($32.99), Real Avid ($79.99) and more. Naturally, each of these have varied designs, with some specifically addressing only specific features to specific rifles (i.e. such as free-float barrels and barrel nuts) and that influences the underlying price. Given that the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench is intended to address the most common elements of gunsmithing necessary, its cost is appropriate (or average) for its place within the overall market.
- Comfort – Excellent (5/5): The first thing noticed about the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench (aside from its heft) was the surface of it. The wrench had an almost sticky feel to it, likely attributable to the manganese phosphate finish, that aided in positive control and feel. The outward corners were all rounded to make gripping comfortable and not painful in the hand. The overall weight aided in using it as a gunsmithing hammer, giving it a credible about of mass to drive pins or give overall rigidity when making rifle adjustments. Because of its overall steel construction, this is a wrench you wouldn’t want to drop of a foot or other appendage as it does have a fair amount of mass behind it.
- Durability – Excellent (5/5): While Magpul doesn’t expound on its product description beyond “American steel” the construction process of making such a material often lends itself to being among some of the hardest material commercially available. For those who care about the source of raw materials, Magpul is clearly stating that such steel is from here in America (which often has a higher quality) vice overseas (specifically China). Over the course of several builds, while some surface marring was noted, none of it was sufficient enough to penetrate the subsurface material under the finish—again speaking to the overall durability of the product.
- Functionality – Excellent (5/5): From a functional aspect, the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench was designed to address nearly all elements of a rifle build or maintenance needs. All features helped build both a free-float full-length rifle and a traditional A2 carbine. It really did present itself as an all-in-one tool that could be easily used from adjusting muzzle brakes to attaching/staking castle nuts. This was something that set the wrench above many of its competitors that only address a few aspects of gunsmithing, or are specific to a single type of component of the rifle. The wide mid-section also gave ample room for a comfortable grip regardless of what aspect was in use.
- Weight – Average (3/5): Weighing in at 1.1 pounds, the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench felt as one would expect from an all-steel construction and had the equivalent heft as other common hand-held tools. It was also very well balanced with equal weight distribution between both ends. In contrast, the armorer’s wrenches from Brownells (1.2 pounds), AR Stoner (1.14 pounds), and Real Avid (1.88 pounds) all illustrate that the wrench from Magpul is of an appropriate (or average) weight considering most of the market wrenches utilize the same core steel material.
Overall Rating – Good (21/25)
Product Link: https://magpul.com/magpularmorerswrench-ar15-m4.html?mp_global_color=undefined
I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via STL Shooting Enthusiasts, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.
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