Planning my first build and have a question about barrels? I am wanting to put a USGI type front sight base with gas block (not for sure of technical name) on my build. I looked at YouTube and one video says you have to drill the holes, another video showed someone installing one then pinning it. If it depends on the barrel what do I look for in the description so I get the correct one? I am considering Yankee Hill or Spikes for the barrel. Also I see these sights for sale and they say they are not pre-drilled. What does this mean, and where can I get one pre-drilled? Thanks in advance for all helpful information.

The FSB you're referring to is drilled and then pinned, as a matched set basically. It would be hard to find any two that would be exactly the same.

Either buy a barrel with FSB, get one that clamps on, or get a non-drilled barrel and have a smith drill/match the FSB to your barrel.

I assume all i have to do is just align sight base up then clamp it on. Correct? I looked for one that clamps after your reply. My Google skills are not good,because I can't find any. I looked at Primary Arms, PSA sites search is not that good, and did not see any at Joe Bobs. Any suggestions please? I try to stay away from Midway, and Brownells, but will use them if necessary.

Found one at Riflegear for 45.00. Does that sound like a fair price? How about a gas block with a flip up sight? Which one would be the best option? Does the gas block clamp on as well or how does it install on barrel?

Try Delton

I like their site. Are their barrels good? They have the front sight base I want on them, with a chrome lined barrel.

I have 2 Del-Ton barrel kits. My rifle is a 16" with A2Style Fmarked front sight base pinned. The other is a 20" with YHM flip up front sight. My barrel is very accurate. I did not go chrome lined. A lot of stuff says chrome lined is easier to clean but not as accurate. Has to do with inconsistencies in chrome lining. Just my .02 cents but I have 2 more Del-Ton barrels on order soon. Customer service is great and they will answer all questions and build what u want. Can't imagine going anywhere else.

Thanks that is good to know. That will save me money vs going with the YHM barrel. Will a Magpul Mbus flip rear sight work with the "F" marked font sight, or will I have to go with a carry handle, or the non "F" marked front sight?

Should I go with a light weight barrel or standard? What is the advantage and disadvantages of each type barrel? I know one is lighter, but is the heavier one more accurate? Also I was wanting to know is the mid-length mean just that, its slightly larger than the carbine?

Mid length moves the gas port closer to the muzzle - it is longer than a carbine gas system, and shorter than a rifle gas system.  Because the gas port, and therefore sight base and hand guard end cap is further forward, you have to use mid length handguards instead of the more common carbine length handguards.

A heavier barrel is not necessarily more accurate than a lighter barrel. The weight adds stiffness which can keep quick follow-up shots closer together, the weight means the barrel swings around less, as it has a greater moment of inertia, and the extra mass means the barrel heats up more slowly (but cools down more slowly).

As a barrel heats up, it begins to droop (ever so slightly) and flex as the metal expands.  In very high precision shooting, this is a known quantity that sharpshooters keep track of in their dope book and make allowances for as to each shot in a string.  Unless you're shooting at that level and over very long distances, there really won't be much difference between a light barrel or a heavier one in terms of plinking, general target shooting or hunting.

Armalite makes the std style clamp on, add their name to your search or just go to their site. I'll be using one of these on my current build, don't have it yet though to review.

So if I go with a 16 inch barrel does that make my build a carbine? If not why?

No.

You can get a 16" barrel in any of the three common gas lengths.  The usual 16" barrel has carbine length gas, and a lot of barrel sticks out past the front sight base.  Then you can get a 16" mid length gas barrel, which has less barrel in front of the sight base, and needs longer, mid-length handguards. Lastly, you can get a 16" barrel with rifle length gas, that has a little bit of stubby barrel past the front sight base, and uses regular rifle length handguards.  That last configuration is usually called a "dissipator".

As for "carbine" versus "rifle" terminology, any AR-15 with a barrel less than 20" long is technically a carbine, because it has a barrel shorter than the standard 20" rifle that was originally introduced.

what he said ^




How have you been Circuits?  

 

I am still confused. If the barrel is shorter than 20" it is technically a carbine. But it depends on where your gas block or front sight, and gas tube length? Why would I need a mid length, why would I need more or less barrel in front of my front sight base.

Carbine, as a word, means short rifle.  Hence the "any AR-15 with a barrel less than 20" is a carbine"

Carbine is also a description of gas system length - because that was the length of the gas system on the first AR-15 carbines.  One term is derived from the other, but they are not the same in practice.

For SHOPPING purposes, you must choose either a carbine, mid length or rifle gas system.  Most these days seem to prefer the mid length, because it duplicates the dwell time of the rifle gas system in a shorter barrel.  If you really want a 16" barrel, a mid length gas system is the mostly likely to give you trouble free operation.

The more or less barrel in front of the sight base, while an important technical feature, was my way of describing the systems to you, since you seem incapable or unwilling of doing any reading or research of your own.

So get a mid-length.  Or don't.  I don't care.

Thank you for the information you have supplied me with. There is no reason to have an attitude. No one forced you to help me. This forum is much like our televisions, if you don't want to see something, or in this case help someone, don't. Help. Don't  help. I don't care.