Thread: AR Questions

I own a Bushmaster XM-15 with a 16 inch barrel. I am wanting to change it to a free floating barrel and possibly get a longer gas tube for better operation. First, do I need a different barrel or will the existing one work? and second, is getting a longer gas tube going to be an issue? Any help or sites that would would be a huge help. Thanks

Getting a complete upper would be the easiest way.

a longer gas tube would require a different barrel thats the best way to go . or you have to plug the old gas port and drill a new gas port . this is not as easy as it sounds you need to know what your doing or you will screw up your barrel

Bill's right. If you want to change the length of the gas tube, a barrel change would be the way to go. Putting a free float tube is not that difficult, but if you are going to do it, I would also suggest you replace the gas tube anyway. No reason to tear it all down and rebuild it with used parts. If you have a front site block, and you are doing all of this, you might as well go to a non site gas block, and install rail sites. You could get the low profile gas blocks that fit under the tube, to 1 to 4 rail gas block. Or you could reuse your front site gas block. Installing them is a little tricky, but not to hard. Lots of info to do this on the interwebz..

You will need a few tools, or take it to someone who has them
1.) barrel wrench
2.) upper vice block
3.) vice
4.) torque wrench
5.) set of punch's
6.) brass hammer (or equivalent)

... welcome to the forum; got some good info to get started now ...

welcome to NWF ! yup..... your on a role ! don't stop now ! go to "forums", and scroll down to "rifle & shotgun discussion", this area is loaded with info. ! look around, and enjoy yourself !!

steven