AR15 gas block will not stay clamped

[HuckFin]

I bought a new AR15 SAA pistol upper with a clamp on gas block that keeps coming loose because the two clamp bolts keep pulling out the aluminum threads (third time now) SSA fixed it under warranty but not so sure they want to fix it again, said they will call me back when they make up their mind. They claim I am the only one that this has happened to. I have approximately 200 rounds through it this time around.
Anyone have any idea what would cause this? The only thing I can think of is that the bolts were over torqued. Another reason I thought might be causing this is that the bolts are to short and do not thread all the way into the aluminum block but SSA denies this.

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[Caveman Jim]

Stay on them, they bought the warranty when they supposedly fixed it once.

 

[old11bravo]

This is why the Western Washington gun community has no love for SAA. It would be a fairly cheap, very easy fix to replace the gas block yet they pass up every opportunity to repair their severely damaged reputation. I'm surprised they're still in business.

EDIT: If you ever have plans to get up in the Everett area, give me a heads up beforehand and I'll fix/replace it for free.

 

[HuckFin]

The gas block was already replaced to no avail. Thanks anyway.

 

[Tomahawk67]

Replace the gas block with a steel gas block. There's all kinds to choose from.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

When you say the screws are too short, does that mean the after they are tight there's a few unused threads at the top of the hole? I assume this is an aluminum gas block and stainless screws. I was trained as an outboard mechanic and everything on an outboard is aluminum with stainless screws and bolts. *Everything* has a torque spec and it's critical that all threads are engaged and not over tightened. If your screws are too short then the threads that are engaged are taking all the torque and stress. It's easy for them to strip out.

 

[Member 34319]

Replace the gas block with a steel gas block. There's all kinds to choose from.

This X1000.

 

[HuckFin]

When you say the screws are too short, does that mean the after they are tight there's a few unused threads at the top of the hole? I assume this is an aluminum gas block and stainless screws. I was trained as an outboard mechanic and everything on an outboard is aluminum with stainless screws and bolts. *Everything* has a torque spec and it's critical that all threads are engaged and not over tightened. If your screws are too short then the threads that are engaged are taking all the torque and stress. It's easy for them to strip out.

Yes there are a few unused threads because of the shorter bolts. I was going to replace the short bolts with longer ones but they were tight (probably Loctite) so I let them be. SSA says that gas block with the short screws work fine on everybody else's KR7 series but mine.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

x1 million

get a steel gas block. set screw type

 

[HuckFin]

I am trying to get this fixed under warranty so I'm going to hold off on the steel gas block for now. Plus I would like to keep it as light as possible.

 

[DAPSRT]

The miniscule amount of weight a steel block will add combined with the fact your rifle will work 100 percent is well worth just biting the bullet and buying one. Good ones are between 30-50 bucks.

I am trying to get this fixed under warranty so I'm going to hold off on the steel gas block for now. Plus I would like to keep it as light as possible.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

SSA says that gas block with the short screws work fine on everybody else's KR7 series but mine.

Bingo! Never buy another product of theirs, ever. They are idiots.

That's why the screws are loosening or stripping out.

 

[HB of CJ]

Forget the Aluminum Screw Type gas block. Consider the gas temp at that barrel location. Then consider the melting temp of aluminimuium. That cheapo Aluminum gas block should NEVER have been manufactured. Yikes indeed.

Insist that your provider give you a proper STEEL front gas block with THROUGH threaded holes you can put high quality ALLEN HEAD grade 8 screws WITH grade 8 hex nuts on the other side. Any other bolt on type gas block is garbage.

Also that steel screw type front gas block should slide hammer onto your barrel kinda tight. Two, (2) cap screws are good. Three, 3) better. Hundreds of AR15 builds. Yep. Literally uncounted M16 rebuilds long ago far away. Now too Old!

My failed feeble attempts to exactly equalize paragraph length continues. Much fun!

 

[slimmer13]

Like others have said, probably need a beefier gb. I would imagine that a pistol length gas system has a lot more pressure on the gb because it's so close to the chamber.

That's why i wouldn't go shorter than a 10.5" or so barrel with a carbine length gas system. Stress on the internals will cause premature wear.

 

[HB of CJ]

Actually if the gun is tuned correctly and sometimes I kinda doubt that ANY AR15 pistol design can do that, the gas pressure/ volume/ time curve on a pistol would have to be very close to the same thing experienced on an AR15 Rifle or Carbine.

That gas key and AR15/M16 bolt carrier must work correctly. It can be over gassed a little bit but a whole lot. Some gas tubes for the pistol have several coils that wrap around the barrel allowing that short gas tube to be a necessary longer overall length.

Necessary to slow down the gas pulse from the very closely located gas port in the short pistol barrel. The gas port hole diameter on a pistol AR15 can only be made so small. One reaches a point where the gas needed at the correct pressure is non doable.

When you get your build up and running, compare the pile of extracted and ejected brass to that of a standard AR15 20" Rifle. The piles MUST be in the same place. If they are NOT, then consider WHY. Understand ANY AR15 pistol build is problematical.

Respectfully. Good luck with your AR15 pistol.

 

[old11bravo]

The miniscule amount of weight a steel block will add combined with the fact your rifle will work 100 percent is well worth just biting the bullet and buying one. Good ones are between 30-50 bucks.

Aero Precision has blems for $19.99 right now if its a .750 inside diameter size. Trading a tenth of an ounce of weight for a ton of reliability is a good trade in my book any day.

Have had my share of troubles with aluminum gas block enough to know they are bad juju...

 

[Sgt Nambu]

It's possible that the holes were oversized and the depth of thread wasn't enough to prevent stripping! My guess, anyway!

 

[teflon6string]

Try as I might (for the sake of my wife) to keep my gas block clamped, there's little I can do about it once I fall asleep.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Try as I might (for the sake of my wife) to keep my gas block clamped, there's little I can do about it once I fall asleep.

But plug!

 

[HB of CJ]

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!