06-18-2011, 03:58 PM
Bjorn,
There are some low-profile steel adjustable gas blocks available, that are probably lighter than the JP aluminum one. I stay away from aluminum gas blocks as a rule, since every one I have used has burnt out and allowed major gas leakage under it, but that was with 5.56 guns on carbine and mid-length gas systems. Supposedly, aluminum gas blocks are ok on rifle-length gas systems, but I'll never take a chance with them. Heat + aluminum tightly wrapped around steel = different expansion and contraction ratios for the metal, and then gas leaks like crazy. I even tried a 7075 T6 model with a mid-length carbine, and it short-stroked over and over again.
I took one of the JP steel adjustable gas blocks, milled off the front of it, cut lightening holes in the side of it, melted it down with a grinder with aluminum oxide impregnated cotton buffer pads, Cerakoted it, only to find that it wouldn't fit under the handguard I was using during installation process. It fit under the handguard, but you couldn't clamp the gas block down first, since the TRX requires it to be installed canted to the left, then twisted into place. The steel gas blocks do work well though. I have used them on 5.56 AR's and .308 AR10's.
LRRPF52
There are some low-profile steel adjustable gas blocks available, that are probably lighter than the JP aluminum one. I stay away from aluminum gas blocks as a rule, since every one I have used has burnt out and allowed major gas leakage under it, but that was with 5.56 guns on carbine and mid-length gas systems. Supposedly, aluminum gas blocks are ok on rifle-length gas systems, but I'll never take a chance with them. Heat + aluminum tightly wrapped around steel = different expansion and contraction ratios for the metal, and then gas leaks like crazy. I even tried a 7075 T6 model with a mid-length carbine, and it short-stroked over and over again.
I took one of the JP steel adjustable gas blocks, milled off the front of it, cut lightening holes in the side of it, melted it down with a grinder with aluminum oxide impregnated cotton buffer pads, Cerakoted it, only to find that it wouldn't fit under the handguard I was using during installation process. It fit under the handguard, but you couldn't clamp the gas block down first, since the TRX requires it to be installed canted to the left, then twisted into place. The steel gas blocks do work well though. I have used them on 5.56 AR's and .308 AR10's.
LRRPF52