I’ve seen several refrences to AR 15’s using tapered pins for the front sight base. I have also read of LMT using non-tapered pins. A question in regards to that is if you buy an LMT barrel or upper and ever find yourself in the position to change the FSB or for some odd reason need to replace the pins, does this mean you can’t use everyone else’s tapered pins?
Just curious as I would think this would be a killer for any Police Dept or Military unit if they had to buy an oddball part. Although it seems that LMT does sell to the Military so maybe no biggie!
If your remove the FSB off a barrel, your really should ALWAYS try and keep it with that barrel. The reason is that the FSB and barrel are drilled and pinned together. You cannot just take another FSB and install it onto the barrel as the holes most likely will not line up correctly.
So the the taper pin thing is really a none issue.
The FSB is not something an armorer would be replacing.
He may remove and re-install it, but you re-use the same parts.
If you WERE to buy a new FSB for some reason, it’s not going to have ANY holes in it.
You install the FSB on the barrel, drill the holes through both parts and then install the pins.
LMT uses 1/8" diameter straight pins.
It just so happens that you can run a 2/0 taper pin reamer in if you really MUST have taper pins…
As far as replacing a FSB in a military environment, the standard procedure is to replace the whole barrel if any part of the barrel assembly gets damaged.