FSB's in 2020?

**1168** · 07-31-20, 17:05

KAC doesn’t seem to think they are required.

Originally Posted by PracticalRifleman

There are many many tier 1 unite without FSBs. I don’t think they hurt, but a requirement? I’m not so sure.

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Yup. I prefer the extra handguard length on anything shorter than a M16. Although I dig Kinos and mock dissies.

Originally Posted by dlrflyer

What I wish is that manufacturers would use the round handguard retainer on basic midlength uppers. That way I could easily install the MOE SL handguard, which is friggin awesome for most purposes. I’m still trying to figure why they insist on the triangle retainer....

Yeah. Baffling.

**js8588** · 07-31-20, 17:50

Originally Posted by Hank6046

PRI and Scalarworks makes them as well.

So does Midwest Industries

**JulyAZ** · 07-31-20, 17:57

Originally Posted by Novak

I always thought a MK18 FSP RIS II would be the perfect rail for 10.3-11.5 builds...

Who’s to say it’s not?

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**Novak** · 07-31-20, 19:43

Originally Posted by JulyAZ

Who’s to say it’s not?

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You're making me want to send an M4A1RIS II to chop boss...

**The_War_Wagon** · 07-31-20, 19:43

This thread turned out a LOT differently than I thought it would!!!

I figured the FSB was as passe these days, as oval handguards!

**dirkmagurk** · 07-31-20, 20:02

I prefer a FSB when using a red dot optic and a lo profile pinned gas block on my scoped rifles. I don’t understand why these otherwise high quality rifle assemblers continue to use set screws. The gas block is a critical component and gets extremely hot. I think most here would agree that using a thread locking compound to secure a castle nut is unacceptable. Then why has it become acceptable to use set screws and locking compound on gas blocks? I have a buddy that removes set screws from dimpled barreled gas blocks on a very highly regarded companies rifles by removing the handguard and firing a 30 round mag or two through it to heat it up enough to easily remove the set screws.

**ColtSeavers** · 07-31-20, 20:49

Originally Posted by dlrflyer

What I wish is that manufacturers would use the round handguard retainer on basic midlength uppers.

This. It's 2020, why is there no option to choose which handguard cap you get?

Originally Posted by dirkmagurk

I prefer a FSB when using a red dot optic and a lo profile pinned gas block on my scoped rifles. I don’t understand why these otherwise high quality rifle assemblers continue to use set screws. The gas block is a critical component and gets extremely hot. I think most here would agree that using a thread locking compound to secure a castle nut is unacceptable. Then why has it become acceptable to use set screws and locking compound on gas blocks? I have a buddy that removes set screws from dimpled barreled gas blocks on a very highly regarded companies rifles by removing the handguard and firing a 30 round mag or two through it to heat it up enough to easily remove the set screws.

And this. Again, it's 2020, why the hell are so few companies offering factory drilled barrels with gas blocks ready for pinning by end user? And why are clamp on gas blocks not more commonplace?

On topic: I only have FSBs on ARs that I have spefically built or configured to accomodate the FSB. Otherwise, I avoid them for more freedom.

**Belmont31R** · 07-31-20, 21:07

Originally Posted by dirkmagurk

I prefer a FSB when using a red dot optic and a lo profile pinned gas block on my scoped rifles. I don’t understand why these otherwise high quality rifle assemblers continue to use set screws. The gas block is a critical component and gets extremely hot. I think most here would agree that using a thread locking compound to secure a castle nut is unacceptable. Then why has it become acceptable to use set screws and locking compound on gas blocks? I have a buddy that removes set screws from dimpled barreled gas blocks on a very highly regarded companies rifles by removing the handguard and firing a 30 round mag or two through it to heat it up enough to easily remove the set screws.

Who the **** takes a customer's gun out to a range and fires a 30rd mag to do what a few seconds on a Home Depot MAPP torch can do? Then the range becomes the shop to work on guns?

If even the premise of that were true Internet forums would be filled with dudes with set screw gas blocks failing, and it would have been fixed over a decade ago when people were making equally nonsensical statements back then.

The actual cases of properly documented and installed set screw gas blocks failing are slim to almost none.

That said its not hard to pin a GB so why not?