I purchased my pistol length gas tube from M1 Sales for use in the TP555-made gas block and 10.5 in barrel. The tube is tough but can be rebent.
I cut 7/8 off using the Harbor Frieght Mini chop saw I purchased on the advice of other members for rough brass trimming purposes that happened to arrive the same day I was going to install the tube. I have a Dremel with cut off wheels I was going to use to cut it.
I don't understand the statement that the bend is in the wrong place to allow cutting of the forward end? I cut the tube before I tried to install it. I clamped it down, measured 7/8 from the end and cut it. I cleaned up the cut with a file so it fit in the gas block and put it in. The original bend will indeed still be in the wrong place, but can be recontoured. I ordered a $9 tubing bender from Harbor Freight too, but I didn't see that it worked that well so I finished rebending the tube in the vice after a trial fitting. Initially on the trial fitting, the gas tube protruded too far into the upper receiver which let me know I hadn't fully seated the tube since I'd checked and rechecked the cuttoff length. I actually had to tap the tube end a bit with a brass hammer to get it to fully seat but it was very gentle tapping. Not much drama after that.
Hope that helps.
Last edited by PFDD; 01-13-2010 at 10:34 AM.
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