Gas block questions

[JoeTheGreat]

My girlfriend's AR has a iron sight gas block and I'm am wondering what I need to do to change that. So I can put a quad rail of some sort on it. Any info would be awesome. I want to pick everyone's brain. Thanks.

 

[shooterfpga]

Theres a pin in the middle of that irons sight. Punch it out slide it off the barrel. Buy another type of gas block.

 

[shooterfpga]

You can put a rail on there as is by thr way.

 

[JoeTheGreat]

Lol. Sounds easy enough. Any type of gas block that's preferred?

 

[jwiatrek]

Unless I am misunderstanding getting a Sight-tower type gas blockoff is generally a bear. There are 2 taper pins that need to be drivin out and I know with my Stags I bent several punches before I took it to GDS Enterprise and paid them $20 bucks to driveout the taper pins. Best $20 bucks I spent. GDS is in South Austin on Ben white about a mile from I35

Also you need to decide if you want free float hand guard and if you want the gas block to be low profile and go under the forearm.

 

[shooterfpga]

They are kind of a pain. You could also try completely destroying the front sight to where it is no longer useable again by taking a grinder with a cut off wheel along the running end of the sight right through the pins and splitting it open

 

[JoeTheGreat]

Right now I'm just doing some research and figuring out exactly what she wants the gun to look like. Lol. She makes the final choice. I'm just doing the work. Lol. Things men will do for women.

 

[sonuvaTXgun]

I took my factory block off and replaced it with a low-profile block from Troy that I bought on Amazon so I could install the Troy free float hand guard. Like they said, you just need to punch out the pin.

Sent while being unproductive

 

[Charlie]

Free float hand guard can significantly improve your accuracy. As sated earlier, after you get it off you can replace it with one that would fit under the hand guard if you wanted to or one in front of the hand guard with a sight on it. Clamp-on (with set screws) gas blocks (with or without a sight) are available and easier to deal with than driving pins out. Check out Brownell's for a large variety of gas blocks.

 

[pvtsnowball82]

If you're going to get a longer rail and cover up the gas block anyway, you could take that grinder with cutting wheel and just cut off the iron sight portion of the stock gas block.


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[Charlie]

I've seen some articles on the cutting down of a standard gas block with a sight and it seemed to be a fairly easy project, even for a beginner.

 

[shooterfpga]

If you're going to get a longer rail and cover up the gas block anyway, you could take that grinder with cutting wheel and just cut off the iron sight portion of the stock gas block.


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Yep. But he said its for a female. She might not like that! Lol

 

[JoeTheGreat]

Once I start figuring out which type of rail/hand guard I wanna use then I can decide I guess which type of gas block. Great input tho. Keep it coming.

 

[JoeTheGreat]

Yea. I should if said what "she" wants to use. Haha.

 

[Charlie]

I understand the female thing, I have a wonderful wife, and two wonderful, grown daughters (). If you can get her to buy into a "covered" by the hand-guard gas block, just cut your existing one down and buy the appropriate hand-guard over it to hide it! (and she'll probably never know!)

 

[shooterfpga]

I understand the female thing, I have a wonderful wife, and two wonderful, grown daughters (). If you can get her to buy into a "covered" by the hand-guard gas block, just cut your existing one down and buy the appropriate hand-guard over it to hide it! (and she'll probably never know!)

Haha good idea! Just make sure you do it quick and probably better while shes away from the house so you can surprise her with her new accessories. Paint the cut marks black just in case she gets curious and wants to look.

 

[JoeTheGreat]

Hahaha. Y'all are some scandals. Lmao. I'm sure she wouldn't care as long as it looked cool.

 

[JoeTheGreat]

She got kind of excited when I told her that I might even be able to find parts in different colors. Lol.

 

[shooterfpga]

She got kind of excited when I told her that I might even be able to find parts in different colors. Lol.

Mine is the same way. I seen a rifle called a muddy girl made by howa and she wants it. A buddy has the same one for his ol lady and its dang accurate. She also wants me to build her a pink ar15 :-/

 

[hellishhorses]

Not only does Brownell's have an assortment of rails & blocks, they also have comprehensive how-to-videos. They will show you how to remove the gas block pins, gas tube pin, remove the old block, install the new block, align the gas tube and install the set screws and tube retainer pin.

For your job you'll need:
3/32 punch for the gas block pin(s)
1/16 punch for the gas tube retainer pin
Hammer (I use a 7oz tack hammer for more precision)
Dead blow hammer/Rubber mallet for knocking the old sight/gas block off & tapping the armorer's tool while on the barrel nut
Vice block or something to clamp the upper in a vice without marring the finish
AR15 armorer's tool to remove the old barrel nut and install the new barrel nut to proper torque
Torque wrench (barrel nut 30-80lbs — I generally set to 30lbs and increase in 10lb increments until gas tube hole is aligned)
T-Handle allen keys for handrail mounting

Should take you about an hour start to finish if you take your time and enjoy some Guinness's