The Riflespeed Adjustable Gas Block: Best AR-15 Gas Block?

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Since Eugene Stoner and the wizards at ArmaLite bestowed the AR to us mortals, a dizzying number of refinements have occurred. From triggers to twist rates, flat top uppers to free-float handguards, numerous innovations have unlocked the AR’s potential. With Riflespeed Gas Controls, Kyle Lynch has now brought gas blocks into the modern era. They are foolproof, modular, virtually maintenance free, and built for a lifetime of service. Because they solve nearly every issue plaguing the AR’s operating system, this could be the most innovative product in a generation.

GAS WOES

Every AR barrel is “overgassed.” This means its gas port is larger than necessary for optimal function. They’re built this way to ensure operation when an AR is dirty, dry, or lower pressure ammo is used. The problem with an overgassed AR is faster cycling, which creates more felt recoil and wear on parts. Adding a suppressor only makes this worse. To slow bolt speed, a few tricks are used. The most common is adding a heavier buffer (H2, H3, etc.). That works, but a better solution is controlling the amount of gas entering the system. This can only be accomplished with an adjustable gas block, but not all are created equal. The reality is most adjustable gas blocks have fatal flaws. Setscrews fall out or seize, plungers are eroded by hot gas, and very few have adequate setting ranges. Unless you’re a competitive shooter willing to tweak your gun and run a tailored load, adjustable gas blocks aren’t worth it. For duty or defensive guns, this is doubly true. Riflespeed Gas Controls aim to solve all these problems and more. After testing the product and hearing Lynch explain it to firearm experts with hundreds of years of collective AR experience, I’m convinced he’s thought of everything. This is the best gas block yet devised. Here’s how his ingenious Gas Control works.

RIFLESPEED GAS CONTROL

You won’t find any small pins or springs on Riflespeed’s Gas Controls. Each part is robust and intuitive to use. Beside the gas block housing itself, Gas Controls consist of four components: a 12-position control knob surrounding the barrel, a plunger plate, a beefy spring, and the plunger itself. Gas Controls are available for barrels with .625, .750, and .875 gas block journals. The most obvious feature is the control knob that’s available in six lengths to clear the front of the handguard for adjustment. To make Gas Control selection easy for consumers, Riflespeed offers an online Configurator that takes gas block journal, barrel length, gas system length, and handguard length into consideration before spitting out compatible versions. With Gas Control installed on your barrel, operation is simple. Turn the knob up for more gas. Twist the knob to a lower number for less gas. As the knob is turned, a plunger goes in or out of the housing to regulate gas flow. A patented rotation stop prevents the knob from going above or below the 12 settings, and positive detents at each setting ensure the knob won’t move on its own.

This clever design requires no tools for disassembly or user adjustment. Riflespeed offers 10 plungers of varying lengths to further finetune the range of adjustment. In most cases, this isn’t needed, but there are always exceptions. One of the most challenging uppers to correctly gas is a .300 BLK that uses both supersonic and subsonic loads with or without suppressor. In terms of gas pressure variation, this is an extreme example, yet with the correct plunger, every possible combination will reliably cycle. Another use would be tuning a carbine for home defense and competition. For optimal function with hot 5.56 NATO defensive loads, the correct setting might be 3, and with powder-puff .223 Rem. reloads, the setting could be 9. This is just an example, but as you can see, the options are nearly endless, and so is the product’s lifespan. The plungers are made of specialized A286, a high-strength, nickel-stainless material. Compared to 17-4 stainless, a common metal in suppressor making, the durability of A286 is startling. When Lynch used 17-4 plungers in testing, they died in less than 300 rounds. With A286, depending on firing schedule, the plungers last between 10,000 to 25,000 rounds. That’s multiple barrels. This explains the high cost ($19) for such a tiny part.

Lynch recommends swapping plungers with each new barrel. In addition, since the plungers aren’t threaded, there’s no place for carbon to seize. To ensure the plunger moves freely for the life of the product, Lynch says to add a drop of oil with each gun cleaning. To ensure military-grade durability, Riflespeed Gas Controls are taller than standard gas blocks and use straight gas tubes. The reason for this is to create thicker walls between gas tube, plunger, and the barrel. It’s a better system, but it does pose clearance issues with certain handguards. Lynch cautions against the use of the ATLAS S-ONE from Aero Precision and some of the cylindrical PRI carbon tubes. To confirm if your handguard will work, peer through the handguard from the muzzle end. If you can see where the gas tube enters the upper receiver, you’ll likely be fine.  

VERSATILITY

Riflespeed Gas Controls are ideal for any AR besides price-point and retro builds, where $15 gas blocks and front sight blocks reign supreme. On everything else, a Riflespeed Gas Control is a $200 cheat code for complete control of a gas system. In addition to retrofitting existing ARs, I will install a Gas Control on every future build. From featherweight carbines using aluminum carriers and polymer buffers to heavy varmint rifles, a Riflespeed Gas Control is worth every penny. Much like the automotive industry, AR innovation has flourished since the 1950s. Like cruise control and intermittent wipers on cars, Riflespeed Gas Controls offer multiple settings for your gas system, which is a very good thing.

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