To drill a hole or not?

Not sure this is really a gunsmithing question but figured I'd get the best response here.

I put a 6.5 CM Proof Research CF barrel on my Seekins SP10 but Proof has the +2 gas port which moves the gas port further up the barrel by a couple inches which, naturally, moves the gas block forward a couple inches as well. As can be seen in the picture, with the gas block now being forward, it puts the adjusting screw in a bad spot. The adjusting screw is about where the red circle is.

I was thinking I could drill a small hole in the handguard, just large enough to get a Allen wrench in there, to adjust the gas block would be the easiest, but easiest and best, aren't always one and the same.

Sometimes I overlook the obvious, so if anyone has a better idea, I am open to suggestions.

Drink a few beers first to calm your nerves! DRILL IT! Little sharpie action, never know you did it.

Drill it, done several different handguards on mine

Do it.

Here's how I improved my handguard so my can would fit.

Remmy700 said:

Drink a few beers first to calm your nerves! DRILL IT! Little sharpie action, never know you did it.

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That's probably not a bad idea.

I'm not overly thrilled with how it looks with that gas block sticking out and was hoping Seekins maybe sold different length handguards, and they do, just not for the SP10.

handguards can be changed -- often times you must also replace the barrel nut

handguards come everywhere from 4" up to 20" long, or buy a CF one and cut it to any length-- I think the sp10 uses the armalite style barrel nut IIRC

the AR is the barbie doll for men, EVERYTHING can be changed on them

cohunt said:

handguards can be changed -- often times you must also replace the barrel nut

handguards come everywhere from 4" up to 20" long, or buy a CF one and cut it to any length-- I think the sp10 uses the armalite style barrel nut IIRC

the AR is the barbie doll for men, EVERYTHING can be changed on them

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The Seekins SP10 has a different style attaching system for the armguard, I'm not sure any of the other handguards will or would work on the SP10.

Use a sharp bit slightly bigger then your Allen wrench, go slow on a drill press and paint the edges with sharpie or a birch wood Casey aluminum black pen and no one would ever know it's not factory.

Ok, so two-three beers first, a sharp drill bit, go slow, touch up the shiny edges with black sharpie, and it'll look just like it came from the factory that way. Got it!

But just know, if it all goes to sh1t, I'm going to come back and scream, holler, and cuss at all of you that said drill it.

It hasn't been mentioned, so I guess I'll throw it in there since barley soda is going to be involved. Mark hole placement and then remove the hand guard before drilling.....

Was it me I'd just put a Superlative Arms AGB on it and not have to drill anything. But I've already suggested that.

Is the SP10's SP3Rv3 forearm the same internal dims as their other SP3Rv3 forearms, or is it different? If they are the same then perhaps a longer one could be fitted if the exposed GB really bothers you.

ntsqd said:

Was it me I'd just put a Superlative Arms AGB on it and not have to drill anything. But I've already suggested that.

Is the SP10's SP3Rv3 forearm the same internal dims as their other SP3Rv3 forearms, or is it different? If they are the same then perhaps a longer one could be fitted if the exposed GB really bothers you.

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As I mentioned in another thread, if I'd have known this before I bought the .875 journal GB I would have gone with their select adjustable GB instead of the low profile adj. GB. Is another 100 bucks that big a deal, no, but then I have another GB sitting on the shelf collecting dust.

The problem with the handguard is Seekins doesn't make a longer one that fits their SP10, I've talked to them multiple times, the hanguard it comes with is the longest one they have available for the SP10.

If you calm down, grab a beer or two.. or like me grab a Bacardi and juice. then take the handguard off the rifle if you know how. measure the distance to the hole needed from the front of the receiver to the back of the threads of the adjustment screw, then offset the measurement with 1/2 the screw diameter. take a piece of tape and put it approximately where you need the hole. measure on your handguard where you need the hole. put a dot with a pen/pencil and take a ***** punch or center punch and mark the center of the hole with the punch and hammer. if you have a drill press, and if you have centering drills, use the #1 or #2 center drill to drill the piloting hole. then stage drill until it is as big as you need. yes, this is a long process but it makes the job look professional and it keep the drill from bending and making the hole in a location that is not exactly where you need it. hey morons! I am using the real name of a punch and you are censoring it out! learn your tool names!

I'd say do it... As previous posts mentioned, you can always replace the handguard if some catastrophic happened while drilling. I'd grab a spring loaded punch to mark my hole and give me a good starting point when before drilling. Start with a small bit then drill a finishing hole with the bit that fits your desired allen wrench! Also, the air dry cerakote in armor black works really nice with a paint brush for touching up anodized aluminum.