Based on my experience, you might as well order a new gas block tonight:blink:. I have a YHM low profile one now and its fine.
Here’s some advice based on my mistake:
-The Red loctite they used is permanent and you probably aren’t equipped to remove it, short of putting the barrel in an oven at 550 for a few hours. I used a whole propane can torch trying to melt the loctite and got nothing for my effort. The barrel has a lot of steel and it soaks up a lot of heat. So you need to stick it in an oven for a few hours or use an acetylene torch to get it really hot.
But, you rounded out the screw, so you almost have to drill it out now. You could heat it and try one of those remover bits, but those things never work for me.
-You could take it to a gunsmith to drill out the set screw and replace the gb, or you can do it yourself if you’re handy. A drill press is helpful, but you can do it by hand, here’s how:
-Take a small drill bit, about 1/8", and drop it in the empty hole. Wrap some tape around the drill bit to mark the depth of the hole to the surface of the gas block, and then use that to start drilling out the set screw.
(Note: You should have a couple spare drill bits of each size because if they’re just the normal consumer bits, you’ll probably wear at least one out, esp. if you’re doing this by hand because you’ll end up work hardening the steel if you let up on the pressure when you’re drilling.-You let up and the steel & bit get hot but don’t cut and this makes the steel harder and dulls the bit, which makes the problem worse.)
-When you get to or near the tape on the first bit, switch to the next larger size and open up the hole. Remember: this screw is set into a dimple drilled into the barrel, so you can drill to the same depth as the first hole (relative to the gas block) and not hit the barrel. It only took me 2 bit changes to get the screw out. The 3rd/last drill should be about 3/16", I think. It should be large enough to totally remove the threads on the gb [and the loctite with them].
-Here’s the important part: When you start getting close to full depth on the last bit, be careful or you’ll blow right thru the screw into the barrel and not get any indication (first hand knowledge:( ). Grab the gb with some vice grips that are really locked onto it and try to twist it around the barrel. If it won’t budge, drill a little more and try again. When you get the threads basically gone, the gas block will break loose and you can wiggle it around and remove it.
You might bend the gas tube, but those are cheap.
Just take it somewhere if you aren’t very mechanically inclined, or don’t have the spare $ to buy another barrel if you duff it up. Just know it will probably be at least $100 for someone to touch it.
When/if you install a new GB, it really helps if you have a shim to offset it from the shoulder on the barrel. The gap is a place for the handguard cap and it’s about .060". I tried to free-hand it and missed the hole and my rifle was failing to feed about 25% of the time and the action wouldn’t lock back on the last round. I took my rail off and found soot all over the barrel from the gas that missed the hole. So, I bought a std handguard cap on the internet for about $3 and cut it in half with tin snips to make a shim. I used that to reset the gb and it worked. I can send you a half of the cap if you want it.
++ So far, my only complaint with BCM is this adamantium-kryptonite blend loctite they use on the gas block set screws.
Disclaimer: I am not a gunsmith, nor have I spent the night at a Holiday Inn Express lately. This is merely advice from an AR owner who’s been in your shoes. If you hurt yourself, or your weapon you have my condolences.
]. Beeswax can be had at anywhere that sells candle making materials, or in a wax toilet ring. So I picked up a wax ring for $1.50 at Lowes this morning and I also got a pack of 10-24 x 1/2" SHCS, since they didn’t have set screws.