Not my first AR, but my first build and will be my first quality AR. I fell into the DPMS trap on my first carbine, tried to make it better…I did, but still wasn’t good enough. So I sold it and funded this little project. I’ve gone as far as working a second job to fund this project, but I think it will be worth it in the end.
Here’s some of parts accumulated thus far:
Upper:
PSA 16" A2 barrel 1:7
midlength gas system
Troy battle rail 9"
Noveske upper receiver
BCM M16 bolt and carrier
VLTOR gunfighter charging handle
Aimpoint micro with LaRue tall mount
Lower:
LBR Lower
DSA buffer tube
Spikes heavy buffer and spring
Magpul CTR buttstock
ALG Defense ACT trigger
B.A.D lever
Boonie Packer RediMag
My questions come into play with the gas block. My only stipulation is it has to be a clamp on. I really like the thought of a fsb. Looking at the armalite A2 clamp on. Any feedback?? Feel free to suggest changes, I’m open to suggestions. Thanks, Ryan.
IMHO, a clamp-on gas block takes you back toward the DPMS level of reliability and quality. If you’re going to use a gas block, I’d go with one that’s dimpled and pinned. If you opt for FSB, taper-pinned.
Is it really worth sending it off to be pinned? I mean I found a test on a Vltor clamp on that didn’t move till 100ft/lbs of torque and at that point it actually damaged the reciever and started to shear the barrel alignment pin. To me the armalite clamp design appears the the same. I can tell the short comings of a YHM style clamp on right off the bat. That and I really don’t trust set screws.
If I do go pinned fsb, is there somewhere I can send it off to? This build will be going together pretty soon and I don’t want the barrel gone for 2 months or longer.
It’s worth it. Look how much you spent garnering quality components, why not go the extra mile and make her bulletproof reliable? No reason to try and re invent the wheel now…hell you could sell off the bad lever and redimag to help fund the excursion if necessary… all that crap is pale in comparison to your gun going bang everytime :D:D
The FSB didn’t attract my attention till after I had purchased the barrel. Plus the barrel was on sale and almost a steal. If I could have done it over again, the barrel would have been purchased with a fsb already pinned to it. But then again its a pain to find a barrel with a 1:7 twist 16" long and with a midlength gas port, let alone with a fsb already pinned. Most I found were already sold out, discontinued, etc. I would trade for one in a heartbeat…lol
It’s definitely not a money issue, I just think I’m rushing myself into finishing this rifle. It’s just annoying having all these parts sitting in a drawer and not assembled.
I think I’m boiled down to 2 options. Sell the PSA barrel and buy a quality barrel with a fsb pinned, or send the current one off to ADCO to be pinned.
After talking with a few local shops, none of them strike me as capable.
I bought a BCM stripped barrel for an SBR I was building. I ultimately decided to go with an FSB, so I bought the FSB from BCM, sent the barrel and FSB to ADCO to have it installed, also including the barrel nut so that they could slip that on before pinning the FSB. They did a great job, had it back in a reasonable time frame (don’t remember the exact time frame). IIRC, it would have been marginally cheaper to have just sent them the barrel and nut and have them supply the FSB for the $130 package they advertised. Possibly a clamp-on FSB would have been “good enough”, but I was aiming higher than that.
They did a flawless job on mine when they assembled my upper. If you have them assemble the upper, pinning the gas block is included in the cost of assembling the upper.
Alright! I went ahead a threw an email their way. I’ve purchased a few things from Rainier before, but didn’t know they offered gunsmithing services. Thanks!
I have the Aimpoint Micro T1 and a standard FSB. I want to get a low profile gas block in lieu of the FSB. I don’t care for the co-witness as this rifle is a range toy. I want to replace the FSB with a low profile pinned gas block, and some form of flip up front sight. I’ll look into the Rainier gunsmithing option for my needs as well
It can be done while still on the barrel, however I always remove it since its only held on by two pins. This allows me also remove the handguard cap and greater flexibility in shaping with no worries of damaging the barrel since I shape it using a bench grinder.
With the LaRue mount its a lower 1/3 cowitness. So truthfully while just looking through the aimpoint the fsb can be ignored. It isn’t like an eotech or low mounted aimpoint where the dot is sitting on the front sight post.
And since I plan to use this in a possible shtf, home defense, and tactical type training. The fsb becomes more appealing.
I’m not a big believer of backup sights. If I would ever have a rear sight on my rifle it would be a fixed like a Daniel Defense. IF ,and that’s an IF, my aimpoint ever failed I’d use the tube as a ghost ring and the fsb. Simple and crude, but effective at closer ranges…but instant. No fumbling with flip ups.
I don’t know if Rainier does FSB’s or not…you could call them. Alternatively, John Hwang is very responsive to email.
I built another SBR with a second BCM barrel. I bought a DD Lite rail from Rainier and a VLTOR lo-pro gas block, clicked on the “purchase install gas block” option at Rainier, then sent them the barrel. They slipped the DD Lite barrel nut on then pinned the Vltor gas block. I use that rifle with a flip-up Troy front sight. It’s been a great combo. The green SBR works well with the FSB and T-1 with Larue tall mount.
