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8/24/2009 5:52:54 PM EDT
If I remove my front sight to put a folding sight on, do I have to get a gas block? Is a gunsmith required? Would I also need to extend the handguard? The handguard has four picatinny rails already.

Thanks all!!
8/25/2009 9:24:15 AM EDT
[#1]
Quoted:
If I remove my front sight to put a folding sight on, do I have to get a gas block? Is a gunsmith required? Would I also need to extend the handguard? The handguard has four picatinny rails already.


If you remove your stock front sight, which contains the gas block, you have to replace that function somehow.  Or have a manual repeater.

8/25/2009 9:59:19 AM EDT
[#2]
I appreciate it. I'm completely new to AR's so I'm just learning here. The only gun work I have done (besides regular maintenance)  is I turned a stock Remington 870 into a tactical shotgun. I put an adjustable stock on it, added a rail, light, optics, etc.
8/25/2009 10:27:20 AM EDT
[#3]




Quoted:

If I remove my front sight to put a folding sight on, do I have to get a gas block?



It depends



1) are you cutting off the front sight to make a low profile gas block?  If so then no



2) Are you completely removing the front sight assembly.  If so then maybe:



2a) if you're flip up front sight has a gas block built in (like the ARMS) then no as it will be included in the new assembly.



2b) if you're looking for a front sight to fit on your rail then yes you will need to get a separate gas block.







Is a gunsmith required?



Not if you're competant with tools and have a reasonable mechanical mindset.





Would I also need to extend the handguard? The handguard has four picatinny rails already.





Do you need to?  No.  Though many of us prefer to.  If you're going to keep your current handguards then I'd suggest getting a combo gasblock/flip up front sight as it will be less expensive and give you a better sight radius.  You can find such assemblies from YHM, PRI, GG&G, and ARMS.

8/25/2009 11:30:43 AM EDT
[#4]
Forest, VERY helpful! Thank you.
8/25/2009 12:00:55 PM EDT
[#5]
I hate to be the oddball here, but WHY do you want a flip-up?

The fixed FSB is one of the strongest, most foolproof parts of an AR. Just leave it as-is.

8/25/2009 12:11:41 PM EDT
[#6]
Well, I don't like the iron sight being in my field of view when I'm using the glass sight. I also want to free float the barrel. And to be honest I just don't like the look of it.
8/25/2009 12:16:27 PM EDT
[#7]
Quoted:
Well, I don't like the iron sight being in my field of view when I'm using the glass sight. I also want to free float the barrel. And to be honest I just don't like the look of it.


Raise your sight up to a lower-1/3 cowitness - and freefloat however you like; the sight won't interfere with that unless you want to use a rifle-length tube on a carbine or midlength gas system. As for not liking the looks, I can't help you there.

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