I'm in the process of my first AR build. Waiting for the upper to arrive so I thought I would play around with the barrel & accoutrements to see how everything fit together but ran into a problem with the gas block.
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Here's what I have: A BCM takeoff barrel (16" carbine gas), the A2 FSGB that I am "pretty sure" was the original one installed on this barrel, and a generic handguard end cap I got from Brownells branded as SOLGW.

Here's the problem: I just can't get the GB far enough back to line up the existing pin holes. It's "almost" there, by my calibrated eye.

So what's my best (most economical without doing something cheesy) route here? Is there a chance another end cap would be noticeably thinner? Should I try to take a little metal off the end cap, or maybe the back of the gas block? It seems there should be a fairly simple solution because as I said I'm pretty sure this was all together at one point, excepting the end cap. Is there something else I'm completely overlooking?

The barrel was set up for use with a float tube/rail system, not an A2 handguard.

If I remove the end cap, I can easily line up the GB and tap the pins in. The original configuration looked like this:
https://bravocompanyusa.com/bcm-standard-16-c8-sfw-special-forces-weapon-upper-receiver-group/

After looking at that picture, I think I may try one of the BCM notched end caps since that is most likely what was originally installed.

There's nothing generic about Son's of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW).

Rufus, why do you want to put an A2 handguard on it anyway? That's very old school.

Old school is cool sometimes.

Update FWIW: Couple days ago, dremeled the bejesus out of that end cap. No way Jose, just not gonna get there. Ordered the BCM end cap I noted above, and waited for it and an upper to arrive.

Today, both pieces arrived, went together like a charm. There was just enough differences in the end caps to throw off the alignment, although I would have had a hard time believing it if I hadn't seen it myself.

I just wanted something simple and cost effective for my first build. Maybe I'll go back and put a 'spensive rail on it someday but today I'm just happy it went together.

I'm glad you got it together.

But as far as simplicity goes, unless you are completely enamored by pinned FSB's, free float rails & the gas blocks that they require are much easier to install than to dick around with the stuff you are dealing with.

WOA makes a beautiful, very high quality & still rail with a good locking nut system for $140. ALG ( owned by Geiselle) makes a similar one for a similar price.

MM

I have floated barrels and long rails with flip up irons and scopes and red dots but I still have one fixed A2 styled upper with a fixed rear sight to go along with it. Dang thing just keeps doing what it’s supposed to do without much fuss.

Nothing wrong with old school.

Yeah, I agree, why some guys are hating on old school is beyond me. If the OP wanted old school for his first build, I think its cool. Looks like he's getting it figured out. I still think they are a kick in the butt to shoot. They really don't do too bad for iron sights either. Guys at my club have these. Some more extravagant than others. One guy has his weighted. He bought it from an old gunny sergeant that shot at quantico. His son used the rifle in high power shoots back in the day. I don't know the whole story. I believe it weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 16 pounds. A few years ago, I didn't have an iron sighted AR, so my friend let me use this rifle. So freaking sweet and it shot well. Barely moved in the bags. Back then, he paid $700.00 for it and it was well worth the investment. When he brings it to our AR shoots, I think, now we have a contender ... My bone stock Colt shoots just as well though:

Target I shot in one of our AR competitions^^^^ I felt bad about pulling out the Noveske, so I switched to the old Colt.. Oh well...:



My buddies old National match Bushmaster on the bench. my Colt on the bench next to his. Old school is cool. Everyone should have at least one..

Rufus, that should be a fun little rifle to shoot. I was at the range a couple months ago and there was a kid shooting a short barreled A2. He set up steel plates at 100 yards and shot at those plates offhand. I believe they were in the neighborhood of 8" in diameter. He rang that steel with every shot. I tried hard to get him to come to our next AR shoot. I'd be damn curious to see how accurate that rifle really was. It was nothing special, built with PSA parts, but it ran like a sewing machine and was surprisingly accurate from what I could tell. I know that kid would put a whipping on one of our members that only shoots BCM. Keep us posted on how your first build runs and if it shoots accurately. After I bought my pre ban colt (pictured above), I liked it so much, that I damn near bought another one. Sometimes these things can be addictive.

It's the only way I roll.

kwg

Thats commendable. It seems a lot of guys now days only want to play around with flat tops with scopes, red dots and flashlights hanging off the handguards..

I really don't see the point of A2s these days when it it nearly as cheap to float. I like the plastic for thermal reasons, that's about it. But I put a steel float tube under it when I use one.