AR15 adjustable gas blocks?

Hi guys, a few quick questions for AR owners who are running suppressors on their rifles.

What style of adjustable gas block are you using? Comments about current unit - good/bad, or what could be improved?

Stainless steel or Aluminium main body?

Clamp style or grub-screw directly into barrel style?

If you want to fit the thing inside of a free-float tube, what sort of inside diameter is your tube usually?

I am aware of the JP unit that has the short picatinny rail section on top (which are quite good) but those obviously wouldn't fit inside most forend tubes. Which would rule that option out for alot of rifles.

If there is enough demand i am considering designing and making a suitable unit to add to my current list of products that we make here (if i ever get the time to do it....) but obviously would be looking for a few 'helpers' with testing, feedback, etc. with the usual perk of a big discount off the price of any final product made, or similar in recognition of their input.

Or, if there is already suitable product out there that is available (and not on bloody backorder FOREVER..) then please let me know, as i don't seem to be able to find anything currently to meet the demand here.

You can email or PM me if you prefer, rather than replying to this thread.

Thanks, Dean.

Just about to start trying my new SLR Adjustable - Melonite QPQ Finish

Reason chose this one:
Adjustment screw clicks with adjustment, making the settings repeatable/not guesswork on how many turns you've done.
Can shut off 100% gas.
Can take apart easily for cleaning... not that I think i'll ever need to.
Adjustment from barrel end - hand rail not blocking you.

Should have gone grub screw to barrel.... not HARD to get clamp on lined up properly, just another thing to think about.

Never had adjustable before, so first dive into this area.

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Originally Posted by Grue

Just about to start trying my new SLR Adjustable - Melonite QPQ Finish

Reason chose this one:
Adjustment screw clicks with adjustment, making the settings repeatable/not guesswork on how many turns you've done.
Can shut off 100% gas.
Can take apart easily for cleaning... not that I think i'll ever need to.
Adjustment from barrel end - hand rail not blocking you.

Should have gone grub screw to barrel.... not HARD to get clamp on lined up properly, just another thing to think about.

Never had adjustable before, so first dive into this area.

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These are nice, had a setscrew one and was very happy with it

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Originally Posted by Shamus

These are nice, had a setscrew one and was very happy with it

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Will they ship to NZ?? Ive been trying to get something like this.


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An affordable detent click style gas block with front facing adjustment is the only one worth designing for NZ. $100 max retail price.

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Originally Posted by dfmaisey

Hi guys, a few quick questions for AR owners who are running suppressors on their rifles.

What style of adjustable gas block are you using? Comments about current unit - good/bad, or what could be improved?

Stainless steel or Aluminium main body?

Clamp style or grub-screw directly into barrel style?

If you want to fit the thing inside of a free-float tube, what sort of inside diameter is your tube usually?

I am aware of the JP unit that has the short picatinny rail section on top (which are quite good) but those obviously wouldn't fit inside most forend tubes. Which would rule that option out for alot of rifles.

If there is enough demand i am considering designing and making a suitable unit to add to my current list of products that we make here (if i ever get the time to do it....) but obviously would be looking for a few 'helpers' with testing, feedback, etc. with the usual perk of a big discount off the price of any final product made, or similar in recognition of their input.

Or, if there is already suitable product out there that is available (and not on bloody backorder FOREVER..) then please let me know, as i don't seem to be able to find anything currently to meet the demand here.

You can email or PM me if you prefer, rather than replying to this thread.

Thanks, Dean.

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I am just starting out with one of these:
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...124.aspx?dym=y
Yes adjustment is on the wrong side and there is no clicks to the adjuster. Fix these two deficiencies and I would buy one for $100. I may be going to get a JP soon for another rifle but I would definitely try your product.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Digit

An affordable detent click style gas block with front facing adjustment is the only one worth designing for NZ. $100 max retail price.

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yep, and as light/low profile as possible with grub screws

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Digit

An affordable detent click style gas block with front facing adjustment is the only one worth designing for NZ. $100 max retail price.

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Like an SLR rifleworks adjustable gas block ...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Grue

Just about to start trying my new SLR Adjustable - Melonite QPQ Finish

Reason chose this one:
Adjustment screw clicks with adjustment, making the settings repeatable/not guesswork on how many turns you've done.
Can shut off 100% gas.
Can take apart easily for cleaning... not that I think i'll ever need to.
Adjustment from barrel end - hand rail not blocking you.

Should have gone grub screw to barrel.... not HARD to get clamp on lined up properly, just another thing to think about.

Never had adjustable before, so first dive into this area.

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Thanks for the link. That looks quite good, did you get the clamp on barrel model rather than the simpler grub screws to barrel system? I guess the basic grub screw style would fit inside the forend tube alot easier? Be easier to make too.

The seekins one looks ok for a relatively cheap price, i didn't even know that one was available. Steel too which i would prefer from a durability point of view. Good to know.

Does anyone have a aluminium block of some type? Just wondered if there were any issues with the gas port holes eroding over time?

Will look at pricing once i get a better idea of the features and (if i get time) make some prototypes. Might be a challenge to get it under $100 though, unless the volumes were big enough to bring the price per unit down.

Thanks for the replies so far.

D.

Yeah, went with the clamp on, but size isn't a biggy - the clamp doesn't take up as much room below as the main body does above the barrel. If I bought again I'd go grub screw - so long as the screw in the barrel detent aligns the ports, that'd be the way to go.

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Originally Posted by anderset20

Will they ship to NZ?? Ive been trying to get something like this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Their list price is over $100US however so the $250US State Dept fee applies? So $370US x 0.7 = GST plus landing charge, one expensive gas block.

:(

It looks good though.

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Originally Posted by Digit

An affordable detent click style gas block with front facing adjustment is the only one worth designing for NZ. $100 max retail price.

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I would buy a couple.

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Originally Posted by MassiveAttack

I would buy a couple.

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I would too, with grub screw attachment, still waiting for my stock gas block that I tapped a grub screw into the gas-port of to break or spit the grub screw out

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Originally Posted by gimp

yep, and as light/low profile as possible with grub screws

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+1, something along the lines of the Parallax Tactical ones.

I think $100 is too low , for a well designed & made ( steel ) , adjustable gas block , I would also see what the current HK ARs use , in reguards to adjustable gas blocks , its my impression that the 7.62x51mm HK417 is one of the few rifles to have a adjustable gas block designed with using the rifle , suppressed OR un-suppressed .
Also maybe look at the OLD oringinal AR10 , one model had a setting for cutting the gas OFF , I think for rifle grenades ?
I would NOT worry about too much about out the front adjustment , as you can always have a little slot cut in the hand guard , which is what the HK has I think ,

All About Adjustable AR Gas Blocks | AllOutdoor.com

"I think $100 is too low , for a well designed & made ( steel ) , adjustable gas block"

In terms of manufacturing using modern CNC machinery the actual manufacturing cost should be well below $100. Just for a minute consider that an complete AR15 lower can be bought for $50USD, I cant see there being more work in a gas block.

I will only buy steel gas blocks after seeing what a alloy one looked like after 6k rounds.

I really like the low profile JP one.

Click adjust would be nice but not needed for most users.

I have a block with a leaver to switch between use with a van or without-I like it but and adjustable version would be even better.

We will have a couple of NEA prototype gas blocks in next shipment. I believe they are a detent type with a retail price around $100

Although it's a bit niche, would also be very keen if you were to make them either in a couple of diameters or even with inserts/sleeves - it's a bugger trying to find a .625 adjustable block

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Digit

We will have a couple of NEA prototype gas blocks in next shipment. I believe they are a detent type with a retail price around $100

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Detent from the front?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Digit

We will have a couple of NEA prototype gas blocks in next shipment. I believe they are a detent type with a retail price around $100

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Thanks digit, when do you expect that you will have these in stock and available?

Do you have a pic of them that you can post here?

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Originally Posted by steven

"I think $100 is too low , for a well designed & made ( steel ) , adjustable gas block"

In terms of manufacturing using modern CNC machinery the actual manufacturing cost should be well below $100. Just for a minute consider that an complete AR15 lower can be bought for $50USD, I cant see there being more work in a gas block.

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I'm not sure on the quality of the $50 ones you quote, but with manufacturing the cost per unit largely depends on the quantities being manufacutred, and the type of CNC machines and material suppliers at your disposal. Trying to compare the US market to here is pointless as there are so many differences. In the US for niche-market gun stuff you have a potential customer base in the tens of millions. In NZ for AR stuff it is only in the thousands. New products take time and cost money to design, develop and test to a point where they are market ready. Liability can be an issue too if things go wrong. So if the $ are not there to cover costs and make a small profit, things don't get made. Business 101.

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Originally Posted by dfmaisey

Thanks digit, when do you expect that you will have these in stock and available?

Do you have a pic of them that you can post here?

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No further info at this stage

Well Anderson lowers are $50. Not sure what you class them as a company but I would think of them as a no-name.



http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...prod75094.aspx

While yes quantities matter, frankly I still think some items like adjustable gas blocks are greatly over-priced for the work put into them compared to other highly finished and close held spec parts, maybe that's just my view as an engineer. I also think the same for suppressors btw.