Odd (or not so odd) AR issue

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  • ironhead7544

    Active Member
    Oct 27, 2018
    188
    Since you handload, try crimping the cases. I have done that before and it worked. That was brass cases, but it is worth a shot with the steel.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Yeah, mid-gas on 16 inchers is always a roll of the dice when shooting 'other than NATO' ammo. The whole concept of that barrel setup was to soften the impulse of M4 carbines for better follow-up shots. It is the worse setup for light loads/3 gun type setups/ammo.
    My feeling is, if you want a 16" mid-gas gun or upper, plan on using it for you SHTF gun and feed it full power ammo.

    The concept was bring dwell time on a 16" barrel close to the approx 7" dwell of the M16 and M4, reducing the overgassing and excessive forces that caused wear and reliability issues. "lighter" loads can work just fine in even shorter dwell barrels. Rifle gas on 18" barrels(6" dwell) and intermediate on 16s(5.5" dwell) are common in 3 gun, and run fine with light 55gr loads. Problem with wolf/Tula is a screwy pressure curve from cheap dirty powder, and steel that doesn't expand and shrink back like brass, so you tend to have hard extraction that can sap some power needed to cycle. I don't normally shoot it, but do have a couple boxes to play around with, works fine from my shorter stuff, but can hang up in my longer barreled/rifle gas stuff. The velocity isn't that far away from most 55gr, and is actually a little higher than my mild 55gr 3 gun loads(100% function in all my ARs). Usually I can get steel cased to run best if I run the rifle really wet, with thinner oil like CLP. Overall IMO it isn't worth it, better off just running cheap brass ammo, but it can help find problems with light strikes and gas leaks as it tends to barely run on properly tuned rifles, primers are really hard, and is dirty enough that gas leaks show up fast.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    The concept was bring dwell time on a 16" barrel close to the approx 7" dwell of the M16 and M4, reducing the overgassing and excessive forces that caused wear and reliability issues. "lighter" loads can work just fine in even shorter dwell barrels. Rifle gas on 18" barrels(6" dwell) and intermediate on 16s(5.5" dwell) are common in 3 gun, and run fine with light 55gr loads. Problem with wolf/Tula is a screwy pressure curve from cheap dirty powder, and steel that doesn't expand and shrink back like brass, so you tend to have hard extraction that can sap some power needed to cycle. I don't normally shoot it, but do have a couple boxes to play around with, works fine from my shorter stuff, but can hang up in my longer barreled/rifle gas stuff. The velocity isn't that far away from most 55gr, and is actually a little higher than my mild 55gr 3 gun loads(100% function in all my ARs). Usually I can get steel cased to run best if I run the rifle really wet, with thinner oil like CLP. Overall IMO it isn't worth it, better off just running cheap brass ammo, but it can help find problems with light strikes and gas leaks as it tends to barely run on properly tuned rifles, primers are really hard, and is dirty enough that gas leaks show up fast.
    Actually, you're right. I was thinking of the mid-gas 14.5"s probably.
     

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