AR, Anyone? Who likes ARs here? Let's talk AR's

[coctailer]

One step at a time!!

 

[Unka-Boo]

Good thread... thanks for keeping it open. I'm trying to decide which route I'm going to go with for my first AR purchase/build and I appreciated all the input from various people.

And the pics are great too (especially when there's a woman holding the "weapon").

Hey now, ch139 had his gender changed legally....

 

[Yankeefan]

I'll play too

My patrol rifle

And a little yugo chickie too!!

 

[ch139]

Good thread... thanks for keeping it open. I'm trying to decide which route I'm going to go with for my first AR purchase/build and I appreciated all the input from various people.

And the pics are great too (especially when there's a woman holding the "weapon").

Hey now, ch139 had his gender changed legally....

Man, that was supposed to be our secret.

Better lookin now though don't ya think.:winkkiss:

 

[stitchclimber]

 

[KillSwitch]

Just picked this up yesterday and im putting a dpms lor rider 20 inch stainless bull barrel upper on it in the next couple weeks also a dpms lower parts package. Anyone on here have anything for sale?

 

[therifleman]

I have a lot of jamming problems with my bushmaster varminter and dpms 20 stainless bull target model. I have to take carb spray to the range in order to keep them going. Just a little dust from a quad ride will jam the **** out of them too. Small base dies are used and clean brass to start so maybe someone can help me out here and tell me how to keep these things shooting when the dirt is present.

 

[eldbillbo]

I have a lot of jamming problems with my bushmaster varminter and dpms 20 stainless bull target model. I have to take carb spray to the range in order to keep them going. Just a little dust from a quad ride will jam the **** out of them too. Small base dies are used and clean brass to start so maybe someone can help me out here and tell me how to keep these things shooting when the dirt is present.

Please explain the Jam
failure to extract
failure to eject
ejects but does not feed
what kind of ammo
have you tried different kinds of ammo
what kind of mags and followers
have you called bushmaster its its newer it may be covered under warrentee
how many rds fired

after using the carb spray are you lubing and with what

have you shot it in a dust free area so you know for sure that dust is the issue a lot of dust with too much lube can cause sluggishness but a dry carrier can be just as sluggish as well . but im thinking something else is part of this problem

i'm heading to bed so i wont be able to answer now but im sure someone else will be for i can but they will need this info

 

[therifleman]

I have tried different ammo and still have the same problems. The rounds wont chamber all the way and jam in the chamber so much as I have to use a cleaning rod to push the round back out of the chamber. It acts as though the chambers are too tight or as if the cases are not full length resized. I have the same thing happen with factory remington ammo when the guns are dirty. I can fire about 50 rounds with no problems on a good day with no wind stirring up dust but as soon as they get some dirt in the chamber I have to stop and clean with a spray cleaner. I used to use oil based sprays but that just compounded the problems. By the way I use rcbs small base dies and full length resize because standard dies wont do the job. I have also tried dry lube on the cases to help but it didnt help. The dpms shoots one hole groups at 100 if I ceep the bore clean so I hate to screw with it mechanically. I havent found a load for the bushmaster yet and have trouble keeping them under 2moa so I have just about quit using it and am looking into a 6x45 barrel for it. The mags I use are what the maker sent with them.

 

[Oohrah]

OK You may have a number of things going on, that may be combination of things that are causing a failure to feed. A tear down and cleaning paying special attention to the chamber ( use a chamber brush) and degrease everything. Apply a product called Militec 1 (you can order this on line). It must be applied with your parts at 120 degrees or more. Wipe off excess.
Apply a second coat using the same methods, and wipe off any excessive product. Reassemble. Parts and rifle must be clean for the Militech to penetrate the metal pores. It forms a lubrication bond with the metal (dry) and is renewable after a few thousand rounds. Dust and dirt doesn't stick to it, and the carbon that forms around the bolt and carrier doesn't stick into a hard carbon chip off crap.
Don't know what type of magazines you are using, but a inexpensive trial would be a Magpul composit type that sells for 14 to 19 bucks. Get one. I tried one, and now have many. In fact, I rebuilt all my metal ones with Magpul followers, springs, and added the rubber pull ons to the bottoms
If the problem were with just one rifle, I would question the barrel may be having a minimum cut chamber, or headspace problem. Without seeing a fired case ??? If you have at any time used the imported steel cased ammo with the early type coating. you may not have removed this from your chamber when you cleaned it.
If these simple try outs result with no change, wrap it up and return it to the factory!

 

[therifleman]

I like the sound of the miltec product. I think since I have the same problem with factory new ammo in two different guns as with my re-loaded ammo there must be a dirt accumulation problem. I do use a chamber brush but only after a couple hundred rounds. I wonder if I am using a particularly dirty powder that leaves a large amount of carbon buildup? blc-2 and win 748 and rem 7 1/2 br primers.

 

[Oohrah]

Many swear by running them wet and continue to add to it. Two things happen, the wet collects sand, dirt, and powder that needs attention sooner or later. The Break Free is good stuff, but will dry out in the not so easy places. Those troops recently KIA in Poppyland it was reported a sustained fire fight and weapons failed to function and jammed. I own a black rifle and building another for fun. Sorry, to all those who acclaim them to be the greatest since peanut butter, they fail under certain circumstance whether the damp of Nam, or today's desert and mountain environment . My thought is the inpingment system and prolonged firing causing the lubrication qualities to burn off or travel may be a factor. When they were first issued, the power was part of the problem, but there were others to where parts were chromed, powder and bulllet wts. were also changed along with barrel twists that sabilized the heavier bullets. No experience with the add on piston system that may improve the design, but it seems they do go longer with sustained fire. A fun thing, Yep! A battle rifle, I have a handful each of Garands and .30 Carbines. Not too sure even though they are obsolete calibers, ammo is any harder to obtain than .223 or .308, as supply and demand, along with price, makes any milsurp rifle difficult to run right now. No doubt the last two will be around much longer or until a replacement NATO round comes up. Not likely powder is the factor on your failures. I know there will be a bunch of remarks sent out that some go 10s of thousands of rounds without cleaning. Maybe so, but for a battle rifle to quit when you need it, isn't my choice if I have a choice. Over all there has been improvements, and many are good. Remember, most of us that used Garands, BARs, and other 30 Calibers are not around in numbers, and this is
the AR generation, who only use those replace rifles for fun. Hummm, wonder if most being piston run, has anything to do with a lack of failure?
By the way, the owners of Miltitech 1 sent 600,000 bottles to the troops in sand country. I talked to two Marines who used the product over there. Neither knew each other, but both claimed the Militech was superior to the CLP they were issued. Never asked if they had sustained firing while there.
We have been using it on our Honor Guard's Garands. Nothing dirty, like blanks. They ran out of the previous powder. and I suspect the new blanks, are the the old .223 powder that didn't work in the M 16s. All our blank adaptor orfices needed to be enlarged because the powder burns hot and nasty. We have been using the new blanks for four years now, with some times, two or three funerals per day. I use the Militech for insurance that the rifles continue to fire, even if they can't be cleaned between events. So far there have not been any failures

 

[eldbillbo]

Even though im a big fan of ar15s i have to agree with you Oohrah the ar15 can be tempermentle for such a a simple DI design my first love all the rifles i have owned was a Daewoo Dr200 the Koreans got it right with those . i owned one a very long time ago when i was a little green about all the laws regarding hi cap mags and imports not a lot of internet information back then and the lack of replacement parts (as if anyone of them would ever need replacing unless lost) i got one cause a buddy of mine had one and a buddy of his had one his buddy put 2000 rds through it and never cleaned it i never cleaned mine until prior to selling it as it never malfuntioned

they combined features of the ar15 ak47 hk and the FAL and put into 1 reliable accurate dependable rifle and now thinking about i think i'm gonna have to put one of my ars on the block and find me another i only paid $450 at a expo show it came with 10 at the time preban mags i regret selling that.

back to the issue at hand .

i have a cousin who lives in Kinniwic who has a colt sp1 he has shot it a lot and he is no ar15 expert he probably does not even know how to dissemble the bolt carrier group, he bought it another cousin when my uncle passed away and every time i see him i ask about (and ask if he wants to sell it) he has had no issues with dirt but i don't know where he shoots but i know its not at a range.

as Oohrah also noted my second guess would have been misaligned locking lugs or chamber needing a polish . and since you have used and had the same problem with factory new ammo that rules that out as that was my first guess but
with 2 rifles having the same problems leads me to think that is something the user is using or doing or not doing granted the ar15s are tempermental especially match grade with tighter tolerences . i know that brake cleaner will dry throughly dry it out especially if clorinated that will dry up any oil or lube

one thing you want to take a good look at is the inside of the gas key a hard carbon build up any of the walls can cause the carrier to bind with the gas tube just enough that combined with the pulling and pushing a round will stop it from extracting and feeding properly . i actully had this problem with my AA 6.5 grendel upper part of the problem was that the key was actully out of spec but just that nasty carbon from wolf gold round caused it to lock up so bad i had to use a screw driver to pry the bolt open i would scrape out the key and it would shoot good for a while 8 rounds and do it again finally i replaced it with a colt key and problem was solve well at least i was able to shoot 50 rds with out a lock up i ended up selling it.

as Oohrah said militec is some good stuff i have not tried it but a friend who just got back from the sand box says its great stuff.

another thing that is over looked is the buffer tube area no one ever thinks of lubing it but a buddy of mine who knows way too much about ar15s (he used to be the go to ar15 guy at all the guns shows) used to put some kind of white litheum greese on them not a lot but he did i usually just wipe every part including the buffer with a clp

with the kind of pressure pushing these bolts open a little dust should not be causing them to lock up

oh and while cleaning the gas keys check to make sure they are still properly staked and have not come loose

of and one other question are your barrels marked .223 or 5.56? and if marked .223 are you using .223 or 5.56 ammo?

 

[Oohrah]

Thanks for the memory kick! I though about that gas key (Is that the one with the screws that are staked on the side to keep from loosening? Seems once in a while they are not quite done correct and loosen up) Only thing is it happens with a second rifle. Odds are both is almost nil. Never thought about lubing the buffer tube, but it does make sense! In the late 50s, we were issued new Garands. Contact shinney spots, bolt lugs and recesses got a dap of white lubripate until the first 500 rounds or so put through it. After that it was not used, and no further use except light lubricating oil. Found out later in life the lubriplate would dry out if left in. Thanks!!!

 

[eldbillbo]

yep that would be it has 2 allen screws on top that attached them to the carrier if they come loose even a little it allows gas to escape so it looses some of its force and can screw up the timing

 

[Oohrah]

Again, thanks for the confirmation. There haven't been any issues with my couple years old, Bushy. Even though the barrel is chromed, it still gets cleaned after each use, as all firearms are, living in a humid climate. All metal magazines get the Magpul treatment with followers and springs, along with their rubber slip ons on the bottom ( quick changes, load outs, and protects the mag body somewhat if dropped) This was done even with new magazines.
All recent buys have been strictly Magpuls. They are one tough and reliable magazine. To me the heart of functioning for the most part, is the magazines. Building a second one with a Spikes Tactical lower

 

[madcratebuilder]

Damn, I thought this was a photo thread!

I'm old school, since 1967 the Mattel rifle was been my friend.
I'm gathering parts to build a woodie. These are just old plain jane Bushies.
This

became this


This one seems to be getting more uses these days.


Neither one of these liked steel case ammo until they had several hundred rounds fired, now they eat it just fine.

 

[glockguy]

Im new to the AR world but heres mine so far.

 

[NorthernBornRebel]

Here's mine with my AMD-65

 

[twoclones]

Which magazinne speed loader would you recommend for the AR?