I'm pretty new to black rifles, and I've got a question about free float tubes.

I was considering getting a varmint upper or complete kit, but I noticed that most of them don't have a visible sling swivel.  I always shoot prone with a sling, so I'll need some way to attach a swivel.

It seems that adding one to the gas block would sort of defeat the purpose of the free float.

Would I have to drill and tap the forearm for a sling swivel?  Are the forearms solid enough that they can be drilled and tapped, or is it more involved than that?  Can I install an accessory rail for a sling and handstop?  

Thanks,
Tom

If you have a tactical rail you can use a rail mounted sling adapter
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Tactical-Slings-Mounts-s/22.htm

 
 

1. Buy swivel kit from sporting goods store. ~$10

2. Trim machine screw stud down to clear barrel.

3. Drill correctly sized hole in tube (remove the tube if you want to).

4. Stick the trimmed stud into the tube and fanangle a nut onto the stud. This takes some doing.

5. Tighten down.

If you pre-install the nut/bolt on the tube BEFORE you install the tube, the nut/bolt won't clear your gas tube when you screw it on. I didn't feel like removing the gas tube, so I just worked at it with the tube installed. Took about 15 minutes of jiggling until I got it to thread on.

As TheEngineer said, not a bad way to go.

Unless you have one of the DCM free float uppers that look just like the A2 stocks, those have the sling swivel already on them.  The hole is in the existing area of the regular A2 swivel.

I use the Gear Sector QD on my FF rail with the Noveske QD end plate OR the QD on my Magpul CTR.  Multiple connection points for carry options.





Cheer,

this what do on a round tube. Sort of.  I thread the tube and trim the stud so it just clears the nut +2 threads.  I use red loctite on everything.  This on DPMS free float tubes, it clears the gas tub just fine.

Yankee hill makes rails that fit on a tube nice.

This is what I did.  I haven't shot the rifle a lot, but seems very solid and likely that it will hold up.  I actually have a bipod mounted to mine, and cinched down pretty tight.  You can get a bipod stud, and I also used a white spacer/washer.  I didn't put a nut on the backside of the bipod stud at all.