Changing my handguard

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Polinese

New member
Currently my carbine is set up with the following:

BCM 14.5 "socom" barrel
Pinned and welded flash hides
Pri clamp on railed gas block
MI gen 2 free float 1 piece handguard.

I've had no issues with the MI handguard but was thinking about changing it out for something nicer.

Is it possible to swap that out with say a larue or DR rail? Or am I stuck with what I've got on account of my pinned barrel?
 
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ed308

New member
The flash hider is usually the problem. But if you look closely, you'll usually be able to find where it's pinned to the barrel. Removing the A2 sight/block is easy. I've down a couple. Knock out the pins, remove the sight/block then replace with a larger gas block that covers the holes. Then install whatever rail you like. I think you'll need to pin the muzzle device on your barrel due to the barrel length. This will makes removal of the A2 sight much easier...

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/sight-tools/ar-15-front-sight-bench-block-prod20727.aspx

You could also replace the barrel or build a new upper. Probably less work.
 
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Polinese

New member
I know where the pin is. Didn't know if it was possible/ feasible to remove that or if the swap could be done without removing it.

The gas block is on with Allen screws so no trouble there
 
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ed308

New member
Sorry, I misread your post thinking you had a A2 front site. Regarding the pinned flash hidder, you cut cut down the flash hidder to expose the pin then drill it out. I think ADCO has service that will do it for you for $40. But that's only if not welded.
 
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Polinese

New member
Gotcha. Seems like keeping it as is, is that best option. Line I said I haven't had problems, just suddenly felt concerned about that durability of the way the MI rail attaches
 
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DubC-Hicks

New member
You could buy a Voodoo manimal flash hider, and send your upper in to Adco. They can cut off the A2 and mount the manimal. The manimal is .750 wide, so barrel nuts and gas blocks can fit over it if you ever need to change them.
 
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Theohazard

New member
You’ll need to remove the muzzle device to remove the gas block. And since it’s a railed gas block, you’ll mostly likely need to remove it in order to install a new rail.

Luckily, any halfway-decent gunsmith should be able to remove a pinned-and-welded muzzle device. Just don’t forget that you won’t be able to assemble the rifle (or store the parts in a way that could be construed as you having the intent to assemble them) until you either have a proper-length muzzle device pinned-and-welded back to the barrel, or you register the lower as an SBR.
 
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