Anyone have the one of the new VLTOR VST gas block/folding front sight units?
Anyone with the old type care to comment about theirs?
any specific questions that aren’t answered here?
http://www.militarymorons.com/weapons/ar.optics2.html#vst2
Yes I looked at that MM; great info! I just wanted to hear small talk and perhaps see some more buildss. I don’t see too many of these in the pic threads. I have the PRI and it’s great, but I’d like to try one of these…it has a lower profile folded than the PRI, has a QD sling swivel socket built in, and has the taper-pin option, so it sounds interesting. Doesn’t cost a bazillion dollars like the KAC either.
Oh yeah! I also had a question for the Experts:
Can the VST be used with plastic handguards? Meaning, is the length of the unit optomized for butting up gainst the gas block shoulder, or is there room for the handguard cap?
yes, there’s the standard gap for the handguard cap. it’s not butted up against the shoulder.
Well, I got mine installed.
I got the pinned version, for extra security:
I like it so much I will get another for my next build. Unless you are going low profile, this is the gas block to use, INHO.
This may look very good with my DD 12.0 FSP 
I’ve had the PRI unit in the past; very nice, but this one has a much lower profile. In fact, the top rail height on the gas block is the same as the DD handguard rail…so, go for it Duffy!
What would I do with the ARMS sight that replaced the PRI? 
I already have the KAC gas block/front sight and PRI sitting in the parts drawer 
Did a gunsmith have to install that or does it come predrilled and line up with the the pin grooves on the barrel?
This is a gunsmith install only. There are two pilot holes, but they are only about 1mm deep or less. It would be best to install this on a new barrel that has never been pinned, so that you would get a good pin channel.
May have been addressed elsewhere; the design has me curious. Why does it have rail slots on top? Cosmetics? What would possibly mount there? MM’s review stetes “The rail on top of the gas block has been retained.” Why?
May have been addressed elsewhere; the design has me curious. Why does it have rail slots on top? Cosmetics? What would possibly mount there? MM’s review stetes “The rail on top of the gas block has been retained.” Why?
- In case you decide you want a fixed front sight after all
- In case you decide you want to mount a fixed front sight on the rail and a flashlight on the gas block.
Just because it has a flip-up front sight doesn’t mean you need to use it, that’s the beauty of keeping it railed.
Those two reasons don’t work for me; guess I’m too low speed.
Also, if you have a scope mount that slides on from the front of the receiver and rail system, it will pass over the gas block as well.
The second build I will be using another VST on will have midlength MOE handguards; I intend to use the top rail of the VST to attach a tac light when needed. The QD sling swivel inserts will also be of great utility on that build, since otherwise I would have to rely on the MOE polymer rails to add a sling swivel adapter.
Build another rifle to use the VST on!
You can afford to have a KAC gas block/front sight sitting unused in the parts drawer!?!
:rolleyes:
And likewise, if it was flat on top with no protrusion for rails then the mount would still slide right past…
I had the older style and I liked it a lot. I do like how this one doesn’t have the extra material mine had. Mine was EASY to flip up and perhaps this one is not as easy. It looked funky deployed though…
the rail also gives you the option of mounting some other folding front sight on top of it if you don’t like the sight picture provided by the vltor; a troy for example. you get the longer sight radius, plus a front sight that’s mounted on the barrel (for those concerned with barrel or rail deflection under certain circumstances, and want the front sight to move with the barrel).
anyways, it’s there, but you don’t have to use it (like QD sling cups in most stocks).
The ears are now smaller but have deep serrations on the sides and it is easy to grip and flip.