Anyone stake screws in the gas block? I'm guessing it's a bad idea as I've never heard of anyone doing it.
Or maybe it's just overkill?
Anyone stake screws in the gas block? I'm guessing it's a bad idea as I've never heard of anyone doing it.
Or maybe it's just overkill?
I did on my PSA chf by FN. Got curious about it after reading reviews and found the barrel was not dimpled for a set screw which has been the only thing I have found not so hot with Palmetto State's higher-end parts. So I dimpled where the screw (Or screws...really seems like 2) was digging into the barrel, high temp thread locker, followed by staking the tightened screws with an automatic center punch.
I would trust the Larue setup without much concern.
No, entirely pointless, the pin is far stronger.
I'm amused each time I read that no one will pin on a nitride-treated barrel. All you have to do is grind off the exterior nitride layer with an aluminum oxide wheel, then you're back to the base steel at typical hardness (RC maybe 26-28, nothing super hard). From there you drill and pin as if it's an untreated barrel. I have personally done this on three nitride treated barrels, including a Daniel Defense CHF/nitride S2W. With sharp bits of the right type (cobalt steel or carbide) you could probably drill just fine without the preliminary step of grinding off the nitride layer, but that step eliminates any issue.
If you're going to build regularly I suggest standardizing on one quality type of low-pro gas block. I like the Geissele SGB, but there are some other good options like Black River Tactical. You could also use a common set-screw style block (like YHM or Troy) if you have a jig for drilling the pin-hole or access to a mini-mill.
Set screws seem adequate, but I don't like building something that fails, so I pin my builds if I can't find a barrel like that has a factory pinned gas block - which is pretty easy to do now.
Duty use is a bit of a thread veer, but I don't like the idea of amateur homebuilds for duty use. I would buy a fully assembled quality upper for any on-duty use and keep the personal builds for personal use.
Ned Christiansen is in lower (SW) Michigan and has a great reputation, and he already posted in the thread, but it appears he isn't taking on custom work right now per his website (http://www.m-guns.com/). If you go on MGO forums you should be able to find some other options. There are people in SE Michigan with good reputations who do this work, but I haven't personally used their services so I won't post any names.
Yeah, if I had planned it out better I would have used the same gas block across my rifles. First time building though, so.
I will lurk around the Michigan forum and see what I can shake loose. I also know that I am a new builder, but I have a hard time thinking a factory rifle can be much better than one I can build. Yeah? Out-of-the-box reliability is one thing, but I will def buy a rifle next time. Just would like to see the differences between a factory spec'd rifle and my frankenguns.
Not worth it at all to buy factory, my first was factory built and the rest are all assembled by me. You can easily assemble a factory clone like BCM, DD or Noveske a lot cheaper than buying a complete factory rifle.
My Daniels Defense M4V11PRO I put together for about $500 cheaper than buying a new unfired factory V11PRO, But it has all the same parts. Same for my 16" BCM, found a cheap complete factory lower and then a cheap complete upper and now its all BCM but $400 cheaper than buying new.
DDM4V11 PRO, SSA-E, Vortex viper 6.5x20-44mm
BCM 16 KMR-A, SSA, EO Tech EXPS 3-0, G-33 magnifier
S&W M&P Sport II, BCM PNT, Aimpoint PRO
BCM 9" 300 BLK upper/KAC lower/DD BCG/ BCM PNT/ Aimpoint T1
Noveske upper/lower/handguard, 20" 6.5 Grendel Bartlein Barrel, SSA-E,Vortex viper GEN II PST 5x25-50mm
16" BCA .223 Wylde "budget rifle", SPARC AR
Retired Army Airborne Infantry
"A Bad Day At The Range Is Better Than A Great Day Working"
USMC Force Recon 1978-1984
US Air Force Res. 1995-2004 (Air Transportation)
M16/AR15 shooter since 1978, gun collector and AR builder since 2004
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