Your bbl nut can likely be reused without issue, new ones are $30ish, I can unf*** it (labor wise) it if you want for the cost of shipping the upper back to you if interested.
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That gas block looks like an aluminum model. If it is (which I'm almost certain), remove it. That's more than likely your issue, from my experience. I've seen nothing but cycling/gas problems with that aluminum gas block (first hand experience, not 'saw on internet'). May or may not be the same manufacturer I had the 'pleasure' of dealing with, but aluminum is a bad choice in regards to gas blocks.
If you're not sure if it's aluminum, try a good magnet.
gas tube is NOT aluminum
yea, that's what i meant. i put a pretty strong magnet up to it and it snapped to pretty quick
I'm not a big fan of aluminum gas blocks either. I complained to S&W about aluminum lo-pro gas blocks and the lack of pinning them on their CAR length M&P15 T. They now have steel pinned gas blocks so maybe they took my advice after having to fix many of them. The only ARs that even run 1/2 ass decent with aluminum gas blocks are rifle length ARs. Sure someone with pipe up that their AR runs great with an aluminum gas block, when they have 30k rounds plus through that gas block should they then comment.
strip the bolt from the carrier and slowly slide the carrier into the upper. Can you feel the key hit the gas tube?
i want to brag on MI some. I sent them an email earlier tonight, citing the issues with the barrel nut and anti-rotation pin, and linked to my thread. i told them that it had nothing to do with them, that it was the installer's fault and asked how much a new barrel nut and ARP would be. Long story short, they are hooking me up for free for being "so honest".....