I have a post-ban Hungarian SA85M.    After putting in the required parts to make in compliant, it eats at me to see the ground off portions of the front sight block and gas block.  Do I really want to go to the expense of replacing these parts and figuring out how to remove and replace them?  I am unlikely to take part in any bayonet charges, and I have a nice dewey cleaning rod, but it bothers me.


What's a boy to do?




I

Some of us have had someone just add some weld and shape it to become a lug.  That might be a more sensible alternative than to replace a gas block and front sight base.

Just leave it. Focus your attention on matters of real importance like actually training with your rifle. I guarantee you that when you are shooting your rifle, you will not even see where the lug was ground off.

I just recently replaced the gas block on my Romanian because I wanted a bayonet lug for no reason that that some people don't want me to have it.

Anyway, it was a bear to get the damn thing off, I almost resorted to cutting the old one to get it off. I had to put the gun in a vice, and after knocking the pins out (which wasn't easy either) I resorted to heating, lubing, and finally using a pipe wrench to get the gas block to finally break loose, once it was loose it only took about an hour of twisting and pulling, and tapping I found the right combination of curses to get the thing off the barrel. It was tight almost the entire way off... Calipers confirmed the gas block was actually about .009 of an inch smaller than the area of the barrel where it was attached. Now THAT is press fit... The new one went on like a dream though. using a vise as a makeshift press instead of hammering the pins in made it go very smoothly.

My advice is that if you really want it, then do it, but be prepared for lots of frustration and hard work and ingenuity. If you aren't willing to put up with a huge huge huge pain in the ass, then don't do it.

Note however, this was just my experience with one rifle, I've read that others simply knock the pins out, tap the gas block and viola, it's off.

Afterwards though, I'm happy I did it. Now me and my rifle are much closer after having gone through such a harrowing experience together.

Oh and it still shoots straight and cycles fine.

You're wrong.   I couldn't concentrate on my upside down pinky firing drills this morning because of it.


I kid.    You're advise is sound.  But I'm wondering how to do it probably more than if I should do it.  The post about welding has actually made me question just how far epoxy putty can be pushed and trusted.   If it failed in a Zombie attack Michelle Obama would be violated in a most cruel fashion.

Hmmmmmm....