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Posted: 9/18/2012 11:10:33 AM EDT
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I'm very new to ARs and know very little about them.
I have a Colt LE6920. I purchased a Trijicon TR24G and used an American Defense Recon mount for it. The shadow of the front sight in the scope is driving me crazy. It doesn't affect my accuracy, it affects my sanity. I spoke to my normal gun guy about removing the front sight, and he instead recommended getting a new gun. Currently this is not an option. I also considered adding the DD Omega 7 rail. This however was with me originally keeping the front sight. 1. So is it a bad idea to have the front sight removed? 2. If the front sight is removed, does this allow me to go with a longer rail without messing with the gas block? a. if No, do you think the Omega 7 rail (very short) will look goofy without the front sight? Any help is greatly appreciate! |
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Quoted:
What would be the most cost effective option without doing a bootleg job? Cutting down your current front sight is the cheapest and most secure way to do it. If you have a hacksaw, file, and some paint you will have a low pro gas block held on with the factory taper pins. |
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I'll start from the beginning in an effort to make everything as clear as possible:
The front sight post IS your gas block. It serves both purposes. If you want to add a free-floating rail to the gun anyway, it is generally a good idea to get one long enough to cover the gas block both to protect it and to increase your sight radius. Also, you may find it more comfortable to have a longer handguard to hold onto. You can either completely remove the front sight post (FSP) and replace it with a low profile gas block, or you can modify the FSP into a low profile gas block (LPGB). I have a strong preference for the latter because, (1) it saves you the cost of purchasing an additional gas block, and (2) it is more secure because it is pinned to the barrel instead of set screwed. Also, there's no guessing about alignment between the gas port on the barrel and the gas port on the block if you re-use the trimmed-down FSP. So, in-short, buy the 9.0 or 10.0 rail and shave your FSP. |
| Unlike most newbies you picked a hell of a first rifle. Good for you, if you want a longer rail don't let anyone tell you what you should and shouldn't do. It's your rifle not theirs. Cutting the FSB down is not a huge modification and quite easy to restore if you decide to. It is a very easy job and can be done so 98% wouldn't know it was a home job. Just keep reading this forum you are doing a fine job!!!! |
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Sounds like you need a new "gun guy." Just for what it's worth, it seems like most of the time in here that someone says "my gunsmith says" or "the guy at the gun store told me" it turns out that these people either hate business or have no idea what they are talking about. It's an extremely simple process to remove a front sight base and replace it with a low profile has block, it just requires the right tools (and sometimes patience because those suckers can be tight!).
Welcome to the forums, check out the buil it yourself forum for great info 
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This might help
Build it Yourself Scroll about 1/3 of the way down the page ETA : Actually less, start with the post titled "Changing Your Own AR15 Barrel for Dummies" |
| Another route you could go is to cut the FSP including the bayonet lug, sling swivel to make it a low profile gas block. Cut the handguard cap, delta ring and springs behind it. Get a 10" or 12" Centurion Arms rail and you're good. Unless you're worried about the resale value of that Colt, don't do it. You could also just get another upper. |
| You can cut the font sight base but i would just get used to it as is. Shoot it a little while, focusing on the important stuff, breathing, respiratory pause, squeeze and trigger control back to reset, sight picture .. Focus on front sight post... Your stance, recoil managment... All the things that do matter. When you got those down, then worry bout the lil stuff.... |
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I said I was new to ARs. Not guns, lol. I've already killed quite a few hogs with it in the 3 months I've owned it, as well as put 3000+ rounds through it at the range. I'm OCD and it bothers me, which is why I chose to point out that it's not affecting my accuracy. Maybe a few more thousand rounds will change my mind but I don't think so.
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| Thanks everyone for the help. I've used my gun guy for hunting rifles but never "sporting rifles". I'll definitely be relocating. I'm not comfortable doing these modifications myself so I am going to take it to a local Class III weapons dealer to do the work once I make my mind up. |
| I agree 100% with Will816 post! go with a gas block they are not expensive, and don't worry about one with set screws they work fine! one thing you can do with on that is set screwed on is get it set where you know it is lined up good with the hole in the barrel, then take a drill bit sized for whatever size set screws you have, that will be the tap size drill bit not the isze of the set screw, take the drill bit with set screw out drill a small detent in the barrel so the set screw has a home to go to and rest in the small detent hole you drilled, it doesn't have to be real deep just so the set screw sit down in it a bit! Do one hole at a time then tightent up the set screw after you get done drilling it, that way nothing will move on you. Once you get this done if you have to take off the gas block for any reason, slide it back on look down through the holes and line it up and tighten them up and you are good to go! Or another option they make clamp on gas blocks, once they are tightened up you are done and the clamp type work well also! |
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