Just a quick update. Two of my retro barrels are in. I ordered the 12.7 and 14.5 carbine barrels. They are really nice and have the site base installed on them. The only problem, they still come with the triangle end cap. I will have to replace those. I thought Brownells said this was taken care of?

I need to take the compensator out of the wrapping but from looking at it, it is not that shiny like others I have seen. So that is a plus. It might look different out of packaging.  

Has anyone else ordered these barrels recently? If so did you get the same end cap as me?

Mine came with the triangular cap as well. Also a older colt cap will not work without modification as the brownells FSB does not have a relief cut for the rim on the cap.

The old colt cap is not flat the new triangular cap is so either the rim on an older cap has to be ground off or a relief cut needs to be made in the FSB or the pin holes in the FSB wll not line up with the barrel.

Good to know. I am going to have my gunsmith do the barrels. I do not have the tools to do this. I will have to get two end caps now. Is there no end cap needed for the rear of the barrel? I need to look at handguards and see how they fit into the delta ring. This is my first complete build.

That's interesting to hear that they still send them out without round caps.  

At the risk of sounding like a shill, I'd contact John Thomas at Retro Arms Works (I've had nothing but outstanding work done and his accolades are many on this site).  He's very knowledgeable regarding most things retro, and applies an incredible amount of attention to detail when building clones.  The best part: he's rather humble about his work when it comes to pricing.  If not John, there are a few other reputable gunsmiths that are well recommended on this site that specialize in the retro AR stuff.

John is a great guy and have spoken to him in email. I really would like to send all six of my rifles to him. Right now I cannot afford to do that. I have a local smith here that does custom rifles who is going to put these together for me. I wish I had the right tools I might try doing it myself. I have put lowers together just not uppers. I always have a smith go over my work when I have done them in the past.

I wish they would have sent with the correct round end cap. The smith will charge to take that pin out and redo it.

I emailed John Thomas also about fixing my 12.7 barrel.  I emailed Brownells last month and express my disappointment in the triangle hand guard cap also. The response I received from them will take it under advisement. Like other big business I guess they don't listen to consumers. I already have all the parts accumulated over the years for my xm177 build and was just missing a barrel. Hopefully I can resolve this with little discomfort to the checking account

That is not to reassuring to hear that they were not willing to fix it. I posted on their side of the board. Maybe they will correct this mistake. I hope so. I want to buy four more barrels but this makes me think of taking my money else where just for principle but it is a small matter. Maybe we should speak loudly with are pocket book. Either way I will take the barrels and get the right parts and use them.

I believe they are going to change out the handguard caps once the current in stock of barrels are sold out. They are switching barrel manufacture the last I heard.

I wonder what the quality differences will be in the barrels or if quality control was a deciding factor in switching companies? I haven't mounted and fired mind yet waiting on the upper and lower to be refinished and my moderator from retro gun works. Oh yeah and my flat round .625 handguard cap thanks Brownells