Low profile DD gas block, pin or no?

[GTifosi]

Does anyone think it would truly be worthwhile to drill, taper ream and pin a DD low prow clamp on type gas block onto a barrel that has a perm'd muzzle device?
As in once assembled it's never going to come apart again anyway without destroying parts.

Mechanically the clamp 'should' be adiquate if proper block to barrel tolerances are met and the screws properly cleaned, loctited and torqued, but there also is room for a single pin to engage like a standard gas block between the screws.

A little too far into the waste of time sector, or a somewhat sensible idea?

[deadlyfire]

I've never had a gas block that wasn't pinned. YMMV

[sinlessorrow]

Pinned is far superior.

On my DD mk18 DD pinned the Mk12 gas block

[Seth247]

I would just rub some red locktite between the barrel and gas block. You have to heat it up with a torch to get it off. But if you have the equipment or patience to wait for a gunsmith(I don't) go for it.

If you do do locktite, make sure you blow some compressed air through the gas tube and then run a patch through the barrel before it sets to clear any excess locktite from possibly blocking the gas port.

[GTifosi]

I'm using the .750 clamp style.
pic from DD website
https://danieldefense.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/_/7/.750_clamp_1_.jpg

That's why I was wondering if adding a pin might be a good plan.
Ironically, or mabe not, if using the mk12 I'd probably dimple + some drill for the set screws, loctite* and stake, then walk away without a second though. I just don't really trust that barrel x and gasblock y would fit with a full and proper interference fit vs the clamp style that can somewhat compensate for such differences.
If machined together or size matched pre-shipment then sure, be all over it, but otherwise there can occasionally be a gray area that would be difficult to correct by conventional means.

*I've an industrial grade loctite that's meant for semi-permanantly bonding slip fit joints together. Like a bushing or bearing race into a sleeve and that has a silly high heat resistance factor, or at least more than a propane torch might offer.
MAPP gas on the other hand could be a different story, but suffice to say way hotter than what a barrel will likely produce under all but the most extreme usage.

I don't know the specific # as its in the generic container it walked out of the machine shop in, butit is definitely a loctite product.
Green in color, semitransparent, sticky as all get out if you get it on your fingers and freakishly strong once cured.

I thank you all for the answers so far and should anyone have more to say or different thoughts please feel free.

I believe I may end up pinning at this stage, though in retrospect a dot of weld at the aft seam when the muzzle device was being done would have been an easy accomplishment. Just not very professional looking.

[Seth247]

Green loctite? Interesting.

Also, if i was going the loctate route, I would make absolutely sure the gas port/tube were lined up properly. Should probably mount the gas block with just the clamp and shoot it a bit to make sure it is correctly gassed and operating optimally, then mark the gas block and barrel for position and then remove it to apply the loctite.

[mpom]

Unless there is a new green lock tite product, the green I have is designed to wick into items already assembled. Don't think it has any advantage over standard 242 (blue) or 271 (red).

Mark

[Seth247]

That might be the stuff to use mpom.

Mount the gas block and make sure it shoots well, then wick the green stuff in there for a solid lockup.

[careboy]

Pinned is far superior.
http://www.primeaffiliate.com/track/images/22.gif
http://www.canadablackberry.com/imgs/images/2.tod.gif

[Low Drag]

I had one installed on a light weight BCM barrel. It moved and turned my AR into a single shot in less than 300 rds.

I had it replaced with a a pinned unit. I'll take a unit that is mechanically secured (pinned) over one that is chemically secured (red loctite) any day.

I had a pinned muzzle device that made it all interesting too.

[brzusa.1911]

I wouldn't get one that is not pinned, regardless if the muzzle device is pinned or not.

[bp7178]

I think there is more to if its pinned or not. If the gas block fits like crap pinning isn't going to help.

KAC didn't pin their gas blocks for a while, but they were pressed on with a hydraulic press.

The SR15 I just got is actually pinned...with two pins no less. I would suspect the gas block is still pressed on as there is ZERO gas leakage around it.

[GTifosi]

I'm @ 370 rds in and no leakage anywhere including around the block to tube joint which gives quite a bit of confidence in the tolerances used in the DD part. Of course that's not really a surprise to most I imagine.

AFA port to block alignment, I took great pains to ensure that was all proper including making index marks pre-assembly and running reasonably appropritately sized soft wire from gas tube orafice down through the port into the barrel bore proper post assembly. If it was off by much I'd not have been able to do such.

I don't believe the loctite I have is capable of creeping into already assembled joints. Fairly positive actually.
Well, at least no more than any other type/consistancy of same goo level. It's meant to be applied, assembled wet, then left over x amount of time, overnight in most cases, with no heat cycles or other processes to cure it.
I'll dig further to see if I can reaquire the type or nomenclature for possible future reference.
Its very definitely 'industrial grade' though, so might not fall into the usual off the shelf available tpyes.

FWIW, the block did need to be tapped onto the barrel without the screws installed. There was certainly no way it was going to shove or twist on by hand unless mabe a screwdriver was wedged into the clamp slot, but that wasn't going to happen at my place.

Mabe I'll give it another couple 100 rounds for the sake of saying I did give it an honest go, but it's likely going to end up pinned before too awful long. It is my 'house gun', and I don't want even the remotest risk of failure if it could be avoided so simply.