Posted on 06/23/2015 10:05:16 AM PDT by w1n1
Did you know that replacing the factory gas block on your AR-15 with an adjustable gas block can improve your rifle’s performance?
Let's backup, What is a Gas Block?
The typical factory gas block is pinned onto the barrel in front of the polymer handguard as part of the front sight assembly. If your rifle features a free-float aluminum handguard, then the gas block is typically a low-profile type that fits under that handguard. The job of the gas block is to take some of the hot gas from behind the bullet that comes through a gas port in the barrel, and direct it into the gas tube which drives the bolt carrier and cycles the action. Most gas blocks on factory AR-15s are fixed, meaning they just provide a path for the gas from the barrel to the gas tube.
With a fixed gas block, all the gas and pressure that comes out of the gas port in the barrel will be used to cycle the action. In most AR-type rifles there is intentionally more gas than needed, so that if the gun gets dirty, it will continue to cycle. But often this overgassed situation is more than is really needed, adding to the recoil and increasing wear on parts. That’s where adjustable gas blocks come in. They provide a way to cut off a portion of the gas flow so the action can be driven less forcefully.
The Benefits
So whether you fall into one of these two groups Joe Tactical or a 3 Gun competitor, here are some pros of having a gas block in your AR installed:
1) You can tune your rifle to run just as hard as is really needed, and by doing so you will experience less recoil and less movement of your sights off target, so your follow-up shots can be faster. What’s happening is that your bolt carrier group will cycle hard enough to extract, eject and feed reliably, but it won’t slam to a stop as hard at the rear of its stroke.
2) There will be less stress on your operating parts because they are not running any harder than necessary. It’s like running your car engine at lower revolutions per minute. Don’t worry, it will not feel slower while shooting.
3) Since you will be cutting off some of the gas going into the bolt carrier group, it’s common to get less carbon build-up in your bolt carrier and on your bolt. This will cause your gun to run cleaner, which can result in better reliability and easier cleaning.
Read the rest of the story here.
Bump
By fully shutting the gas plug one can also be in bolt action mode, giving the bullet 15-20% more energy.
[Drone technology] == [no recovering your buried guns when the SHTF]
Would love to hear somebody who can compare an adjustable gas block vs H3 buffer for 16” carbine barrels.
Adjustable gas blocks are great if you use the same ammunition every time. If you are feeding multiple brands of cheap stuff through your rifle you just end up leaving it on full open.
I wouldn’t want it as my only rifle but I have shot one of those JP Enterprises with the tuned gas block, low mass BCG, and enhanced buffer springs and the recoil reduction was pretty amazing.
Someone should develop an adjustable gas block for use on politicians’ mouths.
One of the features I love about my L1A1. It only takes a few rounds to adjust if you need to.
Or, you can shut down the gas system altogether, drill and tap the bolt carrier and run it as a bolt action.
No more evil assault weapon.
LOL. If I get a bolt action rifle for serious use it will have more than a 16" barrel and use more than a 55 gr bullet.
You need to have a shotgun in the closet to take out the drone.
Once that’s done you can dig up the AR, the SW 1911, the Ruger .357, the other AR, the Smith and Wesson .44 Magnum, the Glock 9 mm, the Remington 7 mm, the Marlin .308, the Henry lever action .22, the other Henry lever action in .357, the Weatherby .243, the HK MR762A1, the Remington model 700, the FNH SCAR 17S, the Springfield 1911, the Bushmaster XM15, the Benelli R1, the Sig Sauer p229, the Mossberg 500, the Beretta 471 and the wrist rocket.
And after that you can dig up the wife’s guns...
A solution in search of a problem. Very similar to the “forward assist” on the AR platform.
I completely disagree. The adjustable gas block is a very good way to tune a rifle for specific ammunition.
Pingarooni
Sounds like guys with Gas Impingement systems look over at their newly formed Gas Piston buddies and get a little “adjustment envy.”
These really seem like yet another “upgrade pack” to the basic “lego rifle” system.
They run as designed, go bang when told, and clean up nice. Stoner had his stuff together
There are 300 Blackout guys that tout the need for these things, but, all things being equal (speaking 300 Blackout), a 10 inch barrel, pistol length gas system, standard 3 oz buffer and carbine length spring (presuming the platform) and NOTHING needs to be adjusted. Run a wet or nitrated BCG (or both) and super or sub both run like champs.
Save $$ for more ammo and range time.
KYPD
A bolt AR with a 24” barrel can shoot a 90 grain bullet accurately out to 1000 yards.
I confess I didn’t there were bolt action ARs.
Thanks to you I’ve just killed 1/2 on youtube. LOL.
Except, I machined one of my gas blocks to accept an HK-style swivel snap for a sling. I did this because I couldn't find one that had that feature.
Now, I guess I'll have the mill the adjustable one.
Adjustable gas block does do some good, and no harm if adjusted properly.
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