well, I ahve tried twice now. the first one came out... horrible....

the second.. well, I am not sure if it is "perfect" but it is very close.

so, here is my question... other than "eyeballing it" is there a fool proof method to get everything lined up perfect, when installing a gas block and front site base?

The best way for me, was to look through the hole in the rear sight base (where the piston travels)

but that is still just eyeballing it.

maybe one could lay the trunion (with barrell installed) on something perfectly flat, and measure how high the GB is above the surfacE?

any ideas? how do you guys do it?\

I ended up putting a 45 angle on the pins, so as they get driven in, they (might) twist the things to the correct possition, if it was off a little.

I have tried looking through the preexisting holes too, and it;s a PITA, but this won't work on a brand new barrel or a shortened barrel.

I ended up just eyeballing it, speaking a voodoo spell and hitting it with a hammer.

Fortunately , event he one I have that is aoff quite a bit, it still functions 100%

it doesn't have sights anyways...

You could hang the rifle vertically with the muzzle pointed towards the ground.  Use a square with a bubble level to assure the barrel is perfectly vertical.  Then hang a plumb bob through the notch in the rear sight .  Line the blocks up with the string and they'll be almost perfect.  I used this method when put the barrel blocks on my .45ACP conversion.  The downside is that you will have to rehang and align the rifle every time you make an adjustment.  This method will align the barrel blocks with each other.  If the rear sight block is canted, the other blocks will be canted the same way.

You could try scribing a vertical alignment line on the blocks and a line down the barrel.  Since your rear sight block is already installed, the alignment will again depend on the rear block.  Measure the width of the rear sight block with calipers and make a mark on the barrel at the exact center of the block.  Use a piece of aluminum or steel angle to transfer the center mark down the length of the barrel.

ok, I think I get it. YOu could find the exact center of each block, and scribe a mark there. And scribe a line down the barrel.

This is going to be useful info after the barrel ban REALLY kicks in.


The only problem, is the barrel attachments are at different barrel diameters... doh!

I suppose one could wrap tape around it, to get to equal barrel diameters.

The problem is, being off just a little has dramatic effects on things like site alignement.

edit: and is there a fool proof way to eyeball it?

like, what's the best eyeball it method?