AR Sponsor
Posted: 1/10/2012 5:10:09 PM EDT
| I love the cast front sight bases on the 601 and 602. Correct me if I am wrong, but there is no source for these aside from getting really lucky and finding one attached to an old barrel. I have had a WTB ad up on the EE now with no luck. So, I am going to plan "B" which is the reproduction route like NDS did with the a1 lowers. Any plans from NDS to produce one? Barring that (hint, hint) can a more common a1 FSB be shaped down to get close? I would be interested if any of the members here have done that and would share pics and methods. I have been using various dremel / filing experiments on some old a1 FSB that I got from Apex. But getting the clean, smooth lines of a cast FSB has alluded me so far. Thanks for any help or ideas. |
Yes, you can make a credible copy. They are a bit of work but I've done some. The one thing that you probably can't do ( let me know how if you do!!  ) is make the raised letters for "UP".
One thing to look out for !!!! be careful not to grind so deep on the front that you get into the front sight post detent hole. Ask me how I know  ; and I've seen others do it too. Some FSBs have more material in the front, Bushmasters seem to have plenty from what I've seen.
A belt sander works good for the flat straight front and back, after that it's dremel and file. |
|
Yes, you can sleeve a .750 to .625, but it's best done with a new base, otherwise the taper pins will be too far out from the center of the barrel, and you will need seriously oversize pins.
Silver solder the sleeve in, ream it to size and cut, grind away all of the unneeded material. The small bright ring can be carefully covered with cold blue after parkerizing. |
AR Sponsor