Nit Picking with a $0.03 washer

This photo shows front tang of the trigger group assembly or "frame" as removed from the receiver/gas tube. A screw attaches this portion of the frame to the receiver. There are 2 screws that hold the frame to the receiver. They can be removed with a #2 flat blade driver or a #2 square drive. I prefer the #2 square drive with a fixed 4" round shaft to reduce damage to the head and surrounding parts. See how the bottom is nicely curved?

The curve reduces the contact of the screw head to a small area in the center of the frame and it does not press uniformly. Notice the witness marks of the screw heads contact with the frame.

A fiber washer under the head of the 8-32 screw head helps disperse the load evenly and, in theory, improves the stability of the connection of the frame to the tube.

This is a 3/16 washer that is about .066 thick and I used these first after deciding that filing the tang flat and repainting was too much for too little. Retail hardware price was $0.14

This #8 fiber washer is about half as thick but when purchased in bulk they were only $0.03 each. I feel this is a handy solution if you are not filing down the flashing seam and refinishing the frame. You could use other types of washers but the fiber washers seemed to me to be the best combination of malleability and strength.

Shoot Smart. Shoot Safely.

Poorman Plinker