ar problems

[mickey]

Your not hurting my feelings.
You do what you need to do. Your not going to learn otherwise. At a minimum you should know how to trouble shoot your own weapon.

Wut? You got feelings????

 

[4x4demon]

I punched the roll pin out. After removing the roll pin the gas tube would slide back into the receiver appx 1/4".

I got the front sight off with the help of some more lube and a small hammer. Here is what I found underneath it.

Here is the picture of the gas port

 

[jasonj5313]

If I were in your shoes, I would buy a new gas block and gas tube. This way you start out fresh. Install both correctly and see were you stand. It looks like you may have "compromised" parts. Without actually seeing and manipulating the upper that's the best I cam do. It does sound like a gas issue.

You could always sell the parts later if that doesn't work.

 

[mariner]

Join www.ar15.com, spend some time poking around there.

This thread may not directly address your concern, but it will give you some valuable background:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_4/22...__GAS_BLOCK___Step_by_step_instructions_.html

If you want to mess with your rifle without messing it up you'll need some equipment, especially the upper receiver block and armorer's wrench.

I've never met rockmup, but I can see he's well respected here. Pay him a visit and let him show you how to do this properly -- there's no substitute for learning from someone who knows his stuff.

 

[4x4demon]

At this point Jason, I'm kicking myself in the ass for not waiting on that psa set up from you. On the flip side, I'm getting pretty good at taking this thing apart and putting it back together. Thanks for the links mariner.

 

[jasonj5313]

It's cool man (easy for me to say from back here). If you need help, give me a call.

 

[4x4demon]

Thanks man.

Well I reassembled the gun and made sure everything lined up. Now I'm waiting on a test fire. I cleaned the hell out of everything. We'll see I guess. I still want to reaplace the fsb, but looking at the barrel I'm worried if I do I'm gonna have to replace the barrel as well.

 

[jasonj5313]

I may could help ya there. Let me know if you need one.

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Whoever installed that FSB the way they did ruined it and your barrel.

 

[4x4demon]

I may be calling you then Jason. If Gorilla is right and I cant make this system work then I'll get see about getting one of the chf barrels from you.

 

[rrussotwo]

Whoever installed that FSB the way they did ruined it and your barrel.

This ^^^

It looks like they had a spare block and used it in place of the correct one and drilled it and the barrel in anticipation of dumping it.

Not the worst place to be in. At least you've learned a lesson. Buy a new barrel and gas block/tube and move on.

 

[scooterj]

Here is another option: B.M.A.S. Folding Front Sight/Gas Block
http://www.bushmaster.com/products.asp?cat=19
It's about 1/3 the way down the page

There's another here
http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=375

A few more here
http://yhm.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=6&zenid=aec9b38913e96e9bdabf9ff236959c70

The barrel probably isn't ruined unless you want to use the standard taper-pin FSB. The clamp on gas blocks work just fine. I've been using a YHM Spector for years with nary a problem.

 

[JWG223]

It's time to stop throwing good money after bad. You already have people in this thread willing to donate time and knowledge--don't waste it on junk parts, get yourself something that isn't messed up and have it put together properly

 

[4x4demon]

And I'm very thankful for all the advice I've been given in this thread JWG. I'm thinking about getting the clamp on fsb and seeing how that does for the time being. Ultimately I want to upgrade the system to a new barrel with a proper fsb. I just dont have the funds to do that at this time.

 

[Sin-ster]

Avoid aluminum and vertical clamping gas blocks.

Unless you're a glutton for punishment, that is...

 

[4x4demon]

Whats wrong with the vertical clamping gas block?

 

[scooterj]

Avoid aluminum and vertical clamping gas blocks.

Unless you're a glutton for punishment, that is...

As long as it is put on straight and screws Loc-Tited, there should be no issues. Have you had one fail?

 

[SpeedRacer]

As long as it is put on straight and screws Loc-Tited, there should be no issues. Have you had one fail?

The only AR failure I've ever had was a clamp-on gas block/flip up sight (YHM IIRC). Professionally installed, screws Loctite'd, lasted about 100rds before it worked loose and crapped out. Bolt action AR...not nearly as fun!

Gas blocks have come a long way since though, and there's a few on the market now that if properly installed should be rOck solid. Especially the ones that use a barrel dimple and set screw.

 

[4x4demon]

Is it the vertical clamping ones you have a problem or just clamp style fsb's in general?

 

[Sin-ster]

Is it the vertical clamping ones you have a problem or just clamp style fsb's in general?

Aluminum is the single worst issue, as it heats (and thereby expands/retracts) at a different rate than the barrel. Matching the steel of the block to the steel of the barrel is ideal, but "anywhere close" is gonna be good enough.

Here's a brief test run by MM several years ago. It's on just one type of clamp on, and a pretty solid one at that, but it gives you an idea of how the issue was overstated:

http://www.militarymorons.com/weapons/ar.optics2.html

About 2/3 down the page begins the article-in-question.

The vertically clamped blocks are typically two piece in design, and subsequently leave more room for play. Talking with a few engineer-types the other day, we also decided that somewhere in the technical aspects, it made sense in terms of expansion under heat that the horizontally clamped units would work better. (The jargon was over my head, sorry!)

The only non-pinned block I ever saw have issues was actually a set screw type, which did take a shock and actually over-dimpled the barrel to the point where the screw was allowed to shift. Those are widely accepted as the more sturdy of the options, so... Take it all with a grain of salt. That's just one of the problems with anecdotal evidence on the subject-- no one really knows what to look out for! Even those that have seen clamp on blocks fail in person can't recall the make, material or model of the problematic gas block, so it just adds to the confusion.


ETA-- Fixed link.