Reminder: Check your gas rings!

[Paco]

Remove BCG from upper.
Ensure bolt is extended
Place BCG bolt first onto a flat surface (BCG is vertical)
If BCG does not collapse under its own weight, gas rings are good. If it collapses, replace gas rings.

Both my 300blk and 5.56 SBR uppers have already worn out their gas rings. Apparently suppressed full-auto eats gas rings like candy.

 

[thebrasilian]

That's a lot of shooting!

 

[bigfutz]

Um... when is Shootzenfest, again? I'll bring gas rings!

 

[Paco]

That's a lot of shooting!

300BLK only has 3k rounds through it, if that.
5.56 10.5" has ~1k rounds through it. Apparently suppressed full-auto on 5.56 guns will wear out the rings in ~500 rounds.

 

[Tigerstripe]

uh oh

 

[Tigerstripe]

i havent done that test but ill bet my most used upper has more than 5000 rds fired.

 

[rotarymike]

What about the one-piece ring? Think that would wear as fast? http://www.midwayusa.com/product/163933 ... iece-ar-15

[EDIT: according to the comments on Midway, Oly makes the same thing but .004 larger]

(alternately, you need to make sure the chrome on your BCG's bore is not rough, and is adequately lubed).

 

[kg4kpg]

I have one piece gas rings. No problems at all but I don't have the round count some of these guys have.

 

[11B3XCIB]

That's a lot of shooting!

300BLK only has 3k rounds through it, if that.
5.56 10.5" has ~1k rounds through it. Apparently suppressed full-auto on 5.56 guns will wear out the rings in ~500 rounds.

Sounds like a WAR upper would help you out if you're doing that much suppressed shooting.

 

[Paco]

That's a lot of shooting!

300BLK only has 3k rounds through it, if that.
5.56 10.5" has ~1k rounds through it. Apparently suppressed full-auto on 5.56 guns will wear out the rings in ~500 rounds.

Sounds like a WAR upper would help you out if you're doing that much suppressed shooting.

Possibly, but then all my SBR uppers wouldn't have "SABRE DEFENCE" on the side of them.

I'll have to put one on my list of things to acquire. Or just get the set of 15 gas rings from Brownells.

 

[11B3XCIB]

Or start a new build around one !

 

[beerman]

What happens when the gas rings where out? How does it affect the gun? I've only had an AR for about a year, and mine has about 300-400 rounds through it.

 

[rotarymike]

Typically it starts short-stroking (FTE, stovepipes) and blowing gas out around the charging handle.

I got issued an M16A2 once with over 15000 round count... barrel only had a suggestion of rifling and the bolt would easily fall out of the carrier if tilted. Because of its condition and my complaints is why I learned as much about armoring the AR/M16 rifles as I did in the service... otherwise us coneheads didn't get much gun time.