I have a RRA upper with a mid-length aluminum free float tube.  This is a one-piece tube -- I'm pretty sure that the barrel nut is an integral part of the tube.

I want to mount a YHM swivel stud like this:



However, the FFT is about one gas tube hole off in timing for me to be able to drill and tap a hole on the bottom from of the tube and have the hole be either between two of the grooves on the tube or in line with one of the groves.  See a picture here.  The red line denotes the current bottom center line of the FFT.



Should I just leave it as is, or can I possible turn the tube one more hole or back it off one more hole without any detrimental effects?

use a center punch and drill the hole in front of the grooves.

The hole would be put between where the grooves end and the end of the tube.  My question was mostly about aesthetics.  But, I'm guessing that the FFT is torqued properly where it is now.