There is only the bottom edge of the pin exposed in the barrel . With the gas block on I can't see the gas ports much less that pin when looking down the bore . Izhmash, RWC Group , the original seller , the original purchaser, the place I bought it from , and myself , we all missed it . You are correct , alot of fail going on . So the lesson here for me is to for now on is to assume that any firearm can have serious flaws , used or new . To assume that a new firearm is OK because it's new is foolish , the one I bought was new at one time , it was flawed from it's begining . I certainly took