How an AR-15 Works

[titsonritz]

Pretty cool animation...

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[RX-79G]

I take a little bit of issue with the way it says that gas pushes the bolt back. It isn't the result of gas hitting the carrier key, but expanding behind the bolt inside the carrier. This is somewhat revolutionary because it pushes the bolt slightly forward, taking some strain off the locking lugs to make them turn more easily. And it's the reason the rifle won't cycle correctly if the gas rings are missing or have their gaps lined up.

 

[Heyjoe]

I take a little bit of issue with the way it says that gas pushes the bolt back. It isn't the result of gas hitting the carrier key, but expanding behind the bolt inside the carrier. This is somewhat revolutionary because it pushes the bolt slightly forward, taking some strain off the locking lugs to make them turn more easily. And it's the reason the rifle won't cycle correctly if the gas rings are missing or have their gaps lined up.

Gas rings don't need to be staggered.

 

[Stomper]

Gas rings don't need to be staggered.

Yeah, well you go back in time and tell that to my Drill Sgt that we nicknamed "Sasquatch", so……

 

[bionic knees]

being an ar noob I had a fair idea of how things worked, the video was helpful for me.

 

[bionic knees]

Gas rings don't need to be staggered.

aren't gas rings much like piston rings? you get a better seal if they are staggered.

 

[titsonritz]

I take a little bit of issue with the way it says that gas pushes the bolt back. It isn't the result of gas hitting the carrier key, but expanding behind the bolt inside the carrier. This is somewhat revolutionary because it pushes the bolt slightly forward, taking some strain off the locking lugs to make them turn more easily. And it's the reason the rifle won't cycle correctly if the gas rings are missing or have their gaps lined up.

He says about the gas "...through the gas tube and into the bolt carrier key forcing it to the rear." While a little short on description it technically isn't wrong and the graphic clearly shows the gas leaving the key and filling the cylinder portion of the bolt carrier. But yeah I agree, he should have gone into the piston/cylinder relation of the bolt and bolt carrier and it's design departure from a conventional direct impingement system.

Also, FYI, the staggering of gas rings is a myth, yes it is in the military manual and taught that way but it is still BS. A properly functioning AR will actually operate on a single gas ring and with a suppressor or other high pressure gun will run without any rings installed.

 

[titsonritz]

aren't gas rings much like piston rings? you get a better seal if they are staggered.

See second half my above post.

 

[DirectDrive]

Matt Rittman does a great job with his animations.
Best on the web.
I think Glock was his first one.

 

[DLS]

Hard to fathom how some gun myths, such as staggering the gas rings, persist and persist and persist.

 

[titsonritz]

Hard to fathom how some gun myths, such as staggering the gas rings, persist and persist and persist.

The military didn't help matters on that one, they also over clean IMO.

 

[Stomper]

The military didn't help matters on that one, they also over clean IMO.

We were made to wipe until we bleed.

 

[nwslopoke]

Hard to fathom how some gun myths, such as staggering the gas rings, persist and persist and persist.

Not when you consider the source. The vast majority of people brought to the platform were instructed the same way. Until a higher source can dispute it, that persist as fact.

 

[Mikej]

aren't gas rings much like piston rings? you get a better seal if they are staggered.

I was taught to stagger ring gaps when I learned to rebuild gasoline piston driven engines. So I do when I'm cleaning the AR. When I get to the point that I don't have the 10 seconds to spare I'll skip the process.