I bought one of the m16a1 kits that came with the new barrel i finally got my retro lower for it now it just needs to get built.  The barrel just needs the front sight base mounted (and of course the rest of the kit built)my ffl doesnt do that so i need someone who can preferably at a reasonable price.  I'm in plano someone close would be great.

This is a basic DIY project which only requires a couple of tools which I'm sure you can beg/borrow so no need to pay $$.  Take a look at the AR-15 section for instructions or maybe Cop512 might pitch in with his expertise.

I can take a pic of the barrl and post it but my ffl thought it was going to inolvde drill angled holes or something for the front sigh tbase and he didnt wanna mess with it because he said if you mess it up then your buying a new barrel. But maybe its not all that hard.

http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=123&t=470461

or you could go with Tboy.  last time he chastized a member on here and told him to thread the receiver so that the selector detent does not fall out.

or perhaps bubble gum will do better.

again, im a certified Colt and Bushmaster armorer.  however if your barrel needs to be drilled... your project is beyond armorer level work.  it is gunsmith level work......Tboy has yet to respond with his qualifications, or lack thereof.  i would assume by his silence he has very little credentials, but a high ego and a high post count to back his play.  especially how he called this a DIY project when you are looking at the possibility of drilling holes into your barrel.  no... a dremel tool will not work.

to answer your question, your gunsmith buddy is right, assuming this is a brand new barrel and no front sight/gas block has ever been mounted to it.  which sounds correct since almost all the time, the gas block/front sight post is mounted at the factory..  TBoy is wrong - this is not really a DIY project, unless you decide to go with a gas block that installs using no drilling and set screws instead.  but since this is a "retro" build i'd assume you don't want that configuration since it would be incorrect for a retro build.  sounds like you have a barrel with a hole drilled in the side it (the gas orifice) with no sight post at all mounted to it.

drilling into a cylindrical surface is very difficult and even with modern tools, no two drilled holes are exactly alike in a cylindrical surface.  this is not a DIY with a few hand tools.  thus when you order an A2 front sight post, it comes with no holes drilled in it for the taper pins.  what the gunsmith would have to do is place the gas block (A2 front sight post) on the barrel, align it properly so it isn't canted left or right, and then drill two holes through the gas block itself and through the barrel and out the other end of the gas block.  then he would install the taper pins.  sounds easy, but it is actually more difficult because you can easily screw up and the front sight post is canted.  

so yes you have one shot at making it right. and yes, again TBoy is flat ass wrong on another AR build.

thnx for the reply cops i didnt think it was all that easy either because if it was my ffl would have offered to do it.  You wouldnt be interested in doing it would you?  I'de be willing to just send the barrel off to someone to get the front sight installed if anyone has a recommendation.

hop over to the retro forum, there are a few members that can help you out with the FSB install and getting it parked.  adco also offers the service.

google elmer balance, he is a old man in devine tx. he can do that for you. he used to own springfield armory.

i dont have the proper tools to do it, sorry man.  i wish i could help you.  i know it is very difficult to do for a guy who doesn't have the proper tools.

i found a ballance spelled with 2 l's i assume its the same person. I found one contact number but i feel weird just calling it out of the blue lol.

Adco did a first rate job on some hk barrel work for me - whatever that is worth.

ADCO would be my first choice, as well.  I've had them do a quite a bit of barrel work for me over the years.  Always done well and at a reasonable price.  Better turnaround times than most, too.