Gas tube stuck in front sight

SlammedDime · 06-09-2010, 17:18

I decided to drop some cash and upgrade my AR with a new forearm, foregrip, maingrip, red dot sight and a low profile gas block... however the gas tube is stuck in the front sight and I can't get it out...

I soaked it in oil, popped the front sight into a vise, clamped down on the tube with a pair of locking grips, pulled to my hearts content, and it didn't budge *at all*... (yes, I did remove the pin that holds it in place, which is how I know it didn't move, the hole is still perfectly round, I can fit the pin right back in after all of my fighting with it).

Any ideas? I don't really want to buy a new gas tube if I don't have to, and I haven't crushed this one yet either, which I'd also like to avoid.

TECH51 · 06-09-2010, 18:22

Had that on my bush master. I had to get mid-evil on it. Then I got a YHM black gas tube.

EKUJustice · 06-09-2010, 18:35

Gas tubes are cheap, just put a new one in and avoid the problem

***mvician*** · 06-09-2010, 18:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by EKUJustice

Gas tubes are cheap, just put a new one in and avoid the problem

remlap · 06-09-2010, 19:09

after you loosely clamp on vise grips hit with a hammer
works for me.

Remington700VS · 06-09-2010, 19:11

I had the same issue. Long story short, I bought a new one...

DougW · 06-09-2010, 19:20

I have rubber pads for my bench vice. After soaking the tube/block for a few days with penetrating oil, I put the tube in the vice, clamping down enough to hold it but not crush it. Put some electrical tape on a pair of channel locks, and used it like a slide hammer. Took about 20 hits, but I got it off (I wanted the gas block for a mid length).

As others have said, gas tubes are cheap!

gasrings · 06-09-2010, 20:29

Remove the handguards and GENTLY snug the gas tube in the vise jaws so that the bottom of the upper receiver is facing the ceiling.

Rotate the upper receiver about 15 degrees back and forth - the gas tube will remain stationary and break free from any carbon locking it in place.

If done properly, the gas tube won't even be scratched.

***duncan*** · 06-09-2010, 23:30

It will come out. Just work on it a day later after some more PB blaster in there. Use a dental pick inside the roll pin hole and move it back and forth 1mm to get some moving. Worked for me. carbon buildup is a pain!

Onmilo · 06-10-2010, 06:58

Kroil Oil is your friend!
I also use a gas tube wrench but I work on quite a few AR15 rifles.
It does the same thing the vise-grips or channel lock pliers do without the worry of crushing the tube.
That doesn't really matter to me because I replace gas tubes as a matter of rebuild anyway, I never reuse one, they are cheap enough to just replace.

vafish · 06-10-2010, 07:55

The one I removed, that had been leaded up by a .22 conversion kit, I just grabbed with a pair of pliers and started rotating it back and forth while pulling on it. It eventually came out.

I had bought a spare one before I started in with the pliers figuring I would crush it. But it ended up with only a few scratches on it.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · 06-10-2010, 10:29

Pair of pliers and rip that bad boy outta there.

You don't already have spare tubes on hand??

SlammedDime · 06-11-2010, 09:33

Thing gun has probably less than 300 rounds through it (lack of time... a baby will do that to ya...).. I've never had to take it down this far before. Even moreso because of the low round count I don't understand why it won't budge. I wouldn't consider myself weak by any means, but after throwing it in the vice again and giving it all I got, still wouldn't budge at all, so I think I will have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. I have to send a piece back to midway for an exchange as the forearm cap was too small, maybe they'll throw that on the same return flight if I give them my credit card number.

vafish · 06-11-2010, 12:59

I was surprised at the amount of force it took to get mine out.

When I first tried pulling on it and it didn't budge I figured I was going to end up crushing the tube and needing to buy another one. So I went out and bought another one, came home and dug out the vise grips and started pulling and twisting. Didn't need the new tube.

I would check around locally and see if any shops have a gas tube in stock. The money you save in shipping should make up the difference in buying locally.

TECH51 · 06-12-2010, 00:14

Kinda off but is the "fat" carbine gas tube worth it.

internal · 06-12-2010, 09:27

At least we know if that roll pin ever came out the gas tube would still stay in place.

USMC03Grunt · 06-12-2010, 19:32

I always looked at gas tubes the same way I see gaskets and condoms...they're a one-time use sort of item. We had plenty of them that wouldn't want to come out when replacing a barrel so sticking a screw-driver between the barrel and gas tube, give it a few spins would pull the gas tube out of the upper in order to remove the old barrel. Now we weren't looking to put the same barrel back on again so it didn't matter but I suppose once you got it out, it would be a matter of clamping the old gas tube in a vise and pull on the barrel until it came off.

SlammedDime · 06-17-2010, 16:18

I'm going to end up replacing it... I still can't get it to budge and I don't feel like wasting any more energy on it... thanks for the help fellas, pleasure as always.