Installing A2 Front Sight

[Mssr. Eleganté]

Are there any tricks to installing an A2 front sight tower? The barrel already has the two cuts for the pins and I have the two pins. Do the pins have to be installed in a certain direction (left to right, right to left)? Can I use the vise grip plier trick to press them in like when assembling a lower parts kit or should I only use a punch?

UPS dropped off a new custom upper today and due to a miscommunication between the vendor and I it was shipped with the front sight tower not yet installed.

[Sugacookie]

The pins are tapered.

Where are you located? Brownells makes a special block.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=20727/psize=24/Product/AR-15-FRONT-SIGHT-BENCH-BLOCK

By the picture it looks like to put in its Right to Left. I wouldnt use vise grips. Use punches. If your close I have the block maybe we can meet up.

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Here's the Brownell's video, should be helpful.

[dieselpower]

Not all vendors taper the pins. See if you can set the pins in the slots one way and not the other way. This tells you the pins are tapered.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

Thanks for the help. I had tried to find that Brownell's video but could only find their one about installing the front sight blade into the sight tower. But then I've never had much luck with Brownell's search engine.

The pins I have are beveled on one side. I'll put them in beveled side first, right to left.

[Fate]

They might not fit. Barrels are typically drilled for the pin grooves from the drilled FSB pin holes. These positions are NOT standardized. Essentially each FSB only fits the barrel it was originally installed on. To do what you are attempting might not be possible with a predrilled barrel.

[Nathan Krynn]

Yeah the FSB and the barrel need to be drilled and reamed at the same time on a good jig with a hand guard end cap on. This is a skill, hell I messed one up learning.

We go from the left to right. But it depends on how it was drill and reamed. Some companies go from right to left and I have even seen opposite directions once for some un-godly reason.

But the important thing is what was in the first paragraph of my post.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

They might not fit. Barrels are typically drilled for the pin grooves from the drilled FSB pin holes. These positions are NOT standardized. Essentially each FSB only fits the barrel it was originally installed on. To do what you are attempting might not be possible with a predrilled barrel.

I should clarify. The vendor sent me the upper and included the A2 front sight assembly and the two pins, but without the pins installed. They thought I needed to install my own rail before I put the front sight on when actually I was just going to install a KAC M5 RAS, which can be installed without removing the front sight. I didn't make it clear what kind of rail I was adding when I placed the order.

The pin holes in the front sight assembly they sent match up perfectly with the two cuts on the bottom of the barrel. I'm sure they cut the holes correctly using the included front sight base.

[Fate]

I should clarify. The vendor sent me the upper and included the A2 front sight assembly and the two pins, but without the pins installed. They thought I needed to install my own rail before I put the front sight on when actually I was just going to install a KAC M5 RAS, which can be installed without removing the front sight. I didn't make it clear what kind of rail I was adding when I placed the order.

The pin holes in the front sight assembly they sent match up perfectly with the two cuts on the bottom of the barrel. I'm sure they cut the holes correctly using the included front sight base.

Then you should easily be able to tap them in and git 'er done.

Examine FSB for which side has larger hole and drive from that side. Taper goes in first. Support barrel/FSB with a piece of 2x4. Tap in with brass punch (I made mine out of some $3 brass rod from a hobby store I cut down to ~3")