Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Levittown, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
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    Default I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    I decided I'd give an adjustable gas block a try. I did my research and it sounded like the odin works adjustable gas block was for me. Made my purchase. It arrived. So far so good.

    I bought two. I figured I'd put the first one on my carbine length s&w m&p15t.

    Firstly, the handguard on this thing is incredibly stupid. It has these obnoxious screws that can't be easily removed. The ejection port side requires you to loosen them and then pull the handguard forward and then remove them. Otherwise they hit into the port hardware and can't be removed.

    I get the handguard off. I see the factory block has set screws AND a taper pin. Why!? I removed the screws and mark the rear hole to eliminate guess work when i put the new block on.

    It is my first time dealing with a taper pin and naturally i attempt to go in the wrong direction. Pin comes out once i try the other side.

    Inconvenient, sure. But so far no signs of trouble.

    I go to remove the gas block and it is on impossibly tight. I have to tap it off with a brass drift punch. It finally comes free and can't be removed because of the muzzle device.

    D'oh. No big deal. I'm confused at this point as to how i got the brake on so tight. I finally get it free. Get the gas block off. Remove the roll pin and clean the gas tube.

    Now I'm ready to install the gas tube into the new block. This is the part I expected to be the most difficult as previous experiences have taught me that the roll pin is evil and hates me. But nope. No issue. I have one of those little green anodized aluminum gas block support jigs. It required the removal of the adjustable guts from the gas block, but it fit and worked very well.

    I put the guts back in. Slide the block into place. Tighten it down. Go to slide the handguard back on and... Nope.

    I'm not in love with the handguard to begin with. So i guess i now have to find one with better clearance inside. I actually have a spare handguard. But of course I'll have to remove the gas block again and the barrel nut.

    At this point, i look down and notice the stock is off by like 30 degrees. The buffer tube was like hand tightened (like without tools). I guess i have to address that next. I'll actually bother to stake the castle nut.

    This is a factory rifle with no modifications outside of a trigger pack. How absolutely disappointing this entire thing is.

    -Zach

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Why the adjustable gas block? Did the rifle function fine before?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Levittown, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Quote Originally Posted by zachomega View Post
    I decided I'd give an adjustable gas block a try. I did my research and it sounded like the odin works adjustable gas block was for me. Made my purchase. It arrived. So far so good.

    I bought two. I figured I'd put the first one on my carbine length s&w m&p15t.

    Firstly, the handguard on this thing is incredibly stupid. It has these obnoxious screws that can't be easily removed. The ejection port side requires you to loosen them and then pull the handguard forward and then remove them. Otherwise they hit into the port hardware and can't be removed.

    I get the handguard off. I see the factory block has set screws AND a taper pin. Why!? I removed the screws and mark the rear hole to eliminate guess work when i put the new block on.

    It is my first time dealing with a taper pin and naturally i attempt to go in the wrong direction. Pin comes out once i try the other side.

    Inconvenient, sure. But so far no signs of trouble.

    I go to remove the gas block and it is on impossibly tight. I have to tap it off with a brass drift punch. It finally comes free and can't be removed because of the muzzle device.

    D'oh. No big deal. I'm confused at this point as to how i got the brake on so tight. I finally get it free. Get the gas block off. Remove the roll pin and clean the gas tube.

    Now I'm ready to install the gas tube into the new block. This is the part I expected to be the most difficult as previous experiences have taught me that the roll pin is evil and hates me. But nope. No issue. I have one of those little green anodized aluminum gas block support jigs. It required the removal of the adjustable guts from the gas block, but it fit and worked very well.

    I put the guts back in. Slide the block into place. Tighten it down. Go to slide the handguard back on and... Nope.

    I'm not in love with the handguard to begin with. So i guess i now have to find one with better clearance inside. I actually have a spare handguard. But of course I'll have to remove the gas block again and the barrel nut.

    At this point, i look down and notice the stock is off by like 30 degrees. The buffer tube was like hand tightened (like without tools). I guess i have to address that next. I'll actually bother to stake the castle nut.

    This is a factory rifle with no modifications outside of a trigger pack. How absolutely disappointing this entire thing is.

    -Zach
    Nearly forgot to mention that when i adjusted the gas block, I'm nearly certain i stripped the bolt. So also great. I didn't force anything and used the key that came with it. I haven't investigated into this very far yet. But not my night.

    -Zach

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Levittown, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Quote Originally Posted by ar15jules View Post
    Why the adjustable gas block? Did the rifle function fine before?
    Yes. But it kicked like a mule.

    -Zach

  5. #5
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Quote Originally Posted by zachomega View Post
    Yes. But it kicked like a mule.

    -Zach
    A mule.....c'mon man......

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Levittown, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Quote Originally Posted by ar15jules View Post
    A mule.....c'mon man......
    Haha. Well it is a small mule. But it is a mule all the same.

    I'm mostly annoyed by things like the buffer being completely loose. On a homebuild, i could see it. But in a factory rifle, they really should know better. And this was not purchased during the pandemic. So no hastily built rifle (or so I thought).

    -Zach

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Quote Originally Posted by ar15jules View Post
    A mule.....c'mon man......
    LOL!
    I called to check my ZIP CODE!....DY-NO-MITE!!!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Levittown, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Quick update. Definitely stripped screw on the adjustable gas block. I could make it work if i have to. But i wrote Odin works and we'll see how they handle it.

    I tightened and staked the castle nut.

    Replaced the handguard. I'm still waiting for the pink vibratite it whatever it is called to set. I was happy that the standard free float barrel nut wrench i had was able to remove the quad rail's barrel nut. Not sure why they used aluminum since the handguard is so heavy on its own. Maybe just easier on the machining side.

    I have some other miscellaneous upgrades laying around like an moe stock that I'll put on since I had everything apart.

    -Zach

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Levittown, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Quote Originally Posted by zachomega View Post
    Quick update. Definitely stripped screw on the adjustable gas block. I could make it work if i have to. But i wrote Odin works and we'll see how they handle it.

    I tightened and staked the castle nut.

    Replaced the handguard. I'm still waiting for the pink vibratite it whatever it is called to set. I was happy that the standard free float barrel nut wrench i had was able to remove the quad rail's barrel nut. Not sure why they used aluminum since the handguard is so heavy on its own. Maybe just easier on the machining side.

    I have some other miscellaneous upgrades laying around like an moe stock that I'll put on since I had everything apart.

    -Zach
    In the event that somebody cares, Odin works is taking care of me. Their customer service is very good and responsive.

    The rifle is now entirely back together. I'm sure I'll have to sight it in again. But that isn't a big deal.

    -Zach

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
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    In a college town, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: I'm having exactly zero luck with my rifle tonight

    Quote Originally Posted by zachomega View Post
    In the event that somebody cares, Odin works is taking care of me. Their customer service is very good and responsive.

    The rifle is now entirely back together. I'm sure I'll have to sight it in again. But that isn't a big deal.

    -Zach
    Have been happy with Odinworks stuff so far, good to know their customer service is on par.

    Once you get that gas block buttoned up and range ready, i found it easiest to dial mine in by leaving the handguard off and starting with a fully closed block. Open adjustment screw 1/2 turn til it cycles semiauto and ejects at 90* then back off 1/4 turn, fine tune from there. Use Nato spec ammo or lowest pressure ammo you have (i used surplus LC tracer), that’ll help set baseline and allow lightest recoil with 308 loads while still cycling reliably. With nossler match ammo and ELDX it feels like im shooting a 5.56. FMJ feels like nothing at all. Stout reloads, same thing.

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