OCKS Gas Key Screws

OCKS (Optimized Carrier Key Screws) are a product from Michiguns. The following description is directly from their website.

"Many AR15 brands these days come with inferior carrier key screws. Even some bolt carriers that have "OK" staking will still suffer from the screws coming loose because the manufacturer has used Asia-sourced screws with heads featuring knurling that is knurling in name only (shallow, rounded, wimpy "knurling"), which does not come near the top of the screw's head where the staking will be. Further, the top of the screw head is well rounded and downright shiny. In other words, there is nothing there on the screw head for the staking job to engage in. Result: loose screws just as if they had not been staked at all, and your gun stops working. The OCKS is purpose-made for the AR15 application and features "real" knurling that goes all the way to the top of the head, which is not rounded. Plus, there are twelve splines on the head giving depressions and projections for carrier key metal to stake/flow into and engage like gear teeth-- giving the best possible retention of carrier key screws. These are US-made and being recognized by some manufacturers as the new standard."

I have not found a better solution to affixing the Gas Key to the Bolt carrier than by using the OCKS screws and by using the Michiguns MOACKS (Mother of All Carrier Key Swagers) Swaging tool. Besides just attaching the Gas Key and torquing the bolts in place prior to swaging, I have started using a 600 grit stone to smooth the new Gas Key mating surface so that it is as flat as possible and then adding Permatex Gasket Shellac to the mating surfaces and Loctite on the threads of the bolts prior to torquing the screws and swaging the gas key. By following this method I beleive that the gas key itself would wear out before the bond would become compromised.

Something to remember also is never reuse a gas key that has been previously swaged and then removed from a Bolt Carrier. If you attempt to re-swage the gas key the screws will not be properly retained as there is no material available to be displaced into the heads of the cap screws. You could also potentially damage the side surfaces of the used gas key to the point that the key could interfere with the internal channel in the upper receiver causing significant damage or potentially destroy the upper receiver altogether.

In other words, Always use a new key and if you want it done professionally you can send the bolt carrier to me and I will install a new key and properly mount it.

Two Each OCKS Gas Key Screws: $4.00

Four Each OCKS Gas Key Screws: $7.50

Look closely at the OCKS screws and I think you will agree that these are the best on the market.