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View Full Version : Titanium gas blocks: high round count/hard use reviews and experience?


DreadPirateMoyer
03-10-16, 14:55
Titanium gas blocks have been on the market for a few years now, and I never jumped on the bandwagon because I never really saw the need for it. That said, I'm still curious: how are they holding up for those who have used them?

Any gas erosion issues? Cracking or other issues from thermal expansion/contraction with the barrel? Any other problems or issues that have popped up?

It seems to me like they'd wear away faster than normal steel gas blocks as titanium baffles do compared to inconel, but...gas blocks usually aren't inconel and a lot of people seem to think otherwise. Because of this, I'd like to see what people have been finding in the real world.

What says the hive?
redmist
03-11-16, 21:53
They hold up just fine on all our military M240 belt feds, I don't think it will ever be an issue on an AR-15.

Ryan
Brahmzy
03-11-16, 23:22
Everything I've heard says they're good to go. Full-auto, no problem. Bring on the heat and grime.
BufordTJustice
03-12-16, 00:33
Titanium gas blocks have been on the market for a few years now, and I never jumped on the bandwagon because I never really saw the need for it. That said, I'm still curious: how are they holding up for those who have used them?

Any gas erosion issues? Cracking or other issues from thermal expansion/contraction with the barrel? Any other problems or issues that have popped up?

It seems to me like they'd wear away faster than normal steel gss blocks as titanium baffles do compared to inconel, but...gas blocks usually aren't inconel and a lot of people seem to think otherwise. Because of this, I'd like to see what people have been finding in the real world.

What says the hive?
Well, Ti is more tolerant of heat than 4140, which is what most FSBs stress made of. Ti work hardens. It also had half the coefficient of expansion of steel.

I don't see it faring any worse than a std steel lo pro gas block or FSB.

My Ti SLR sentry 6 is faring well. Coming up on 1k rounds.
556BlackRifle
03-12-16, 13:05
No guarantees that it will stay attached if installed under a KeyMod rail system... :sarcastic:

:)
Brahmzy
03-12-16, 17:57
No guarantees that it will stay attached if installed under a KeyMod rail system... :sarcastic:

:)

That's a very good point. Better buy the MLOK-rated GBs so you don't suffer KeyMod-induced shards of Ti flying.
DreadPirateMoyer
03-14-16, 10:51
Well, Ti is more tolerant of heat than 4140, which is what most FSBs stress made of. Ti work hardens. It also had half the coefficient of expansion of steel.

I don't see it faring any worse than a std steel lo pro gas block or FSB.

My Ti SLR sentry 6 is faring well. Coming up on 1k rounds.

That's a good point. I hadn't considered that standard gas blocks are carbon steel, which is normally worse for heat and erosion than titanium and why stainless or higher is used for suppressor baffles.

Hmmm.
Brahmzy
03-14-16, 12:36
I think it has a lot more to do with design, than material. The blocks with ball bearings and springs and crap INSIDE the block are going to have issues, need rebuilds etc.
Ti is indeed superior to steel in this application, but SLR's steel blocks are really tough blocks because there's not a whole lot to go wrong there.
I suppose the end all be all block would be a Ti base with an Inconel main screw, such as the Odin blocks, but then the Odin blocks have all sorts of crap to go wrong inside them and actually have routine replacement parts sets.
Whereas the SLR blocks are not intended for parts replacement as ideally, it's not needed.
Benito
03-14-16, 17:16
Titanium is nice and light, albeit more expensive than steel, and less heat-tolerant than properly treated steel.
I can really see the advantage in Titanium for parts that:
a) sit far forward of the user (e.g. gas block, muzzle device, suppressor - although heat is definitely something to keep in mind there)
b) are not stressed by heat (e.g. ejection port)

In addition to gas blocks, I am interested to learn how Titanium muzzle devices (particularly brakes) hold up compared to their steel counterparts.
I am strongly considering a Ti SLR adjustable gas block.