Nico9283
NES Member
Strange issue that I couldn’t figure out… read entire process before suggesting anything please.
Here’s the gas system setup:
11.3 BA .556 Hanson barrel - carbine length
Superlative arms adj gas block
Melonite BA carbine length has tube
WMD nickel boron BCG
JP captured buffer spring H2 weight
I’m in MA so… NOT suppressed.
Using standard 55g FMJ ball ammo (Norma I believe is what I had on hand)
Followed manufacture’s instructions of starting with block completely closed (turned all the way clockwise until it stops) and then turned 18 clicks counterclockwise to be in full open mode.
Got one or two failures to lock back on last round. Yes, it locks back when manually pulling the bolt back without binding. Mag used was a brand new 10-round Pmag. No I haven’t tried other mags yet, but will do so. For now, I’m writing it off to being a completely new build and needs breaking in and maybe some extra lube.
Turned 2 rotations counter clockwise into bleed off mode, rounds would eject at around 330-4 o’clock but bolt wouldn’t pick up next round. Assuming it wasn’t traveling far back enough? Could H2 buffer be too heavy while using in bleed off mode?
Started over and used again at 18 clicks for full open. Same result: proper cycling and ejection at 3 o’clock but one or two failures to lock back on last round. Again, thinking it just needs to be ran more to break in since sometimes it would lock back on last round. BUT, for gits and shiggles, I asked myself if it was cycling too fast in full open for the bolt to reliably lock back. So, I rotated 6 clicks clockwise into restrictive mode, and ran flawless with 3 o’clock ejection, no failures to pickup next round, and locked back every time on last round. However, I noticed it was pretty gassy in my face. The smell was stronger than what I’m used to with other setups.
So here’s my big question, if it runs correctly while being semi-restricted… why wouldn’t it run correctly in semi-bleed off? Shouldn’t both situations be putting the same amount of gas down the tube but the difference being where the excess is being sent (out the front of the gas block vs the barrel)?
Since I only ran about 75 rounds total while doing this, I’m thinking I should strip her down, clean everything, lube it up heavily, and start again that way I can rule out any initial break-in malfunctions that might’ve been happening in the first few rounds. I know the break in period is several hundred rounds, but I should see less and less malfunctions on the way to 500 rounds as the action gets smoother and smoother.
Should I fool around with maybe changing the buffer weight from an H2 back to standard weight and try in bleed-off mode again? I was always under the impression that carbine length gas systems required an H2… but then it dawned on me that an H2 might be too heavy IF I start restricting or bleeding off some of that back pressure.
Any and all suggestions are welcome and I’ll try to ignore the unavoidable dingbats lol
Here’s the gas system setup:
11.3 BA .556 Hanson barrel - carbine length
Superlative arms adj gas block
Melonite BA carbine length has tube
WMD nickel boron BCG
JP captured buffer spring H2 weight
I’m in MA so… NOT suppressed.
Using standard 55g FMJ ball ammo (Norma I believe is what I had on hand)
Followed manufacture’s instructions of starting with block completely closed (turned all the way clockwise until it stops) and then turned 18 clicks counterclockwise to be in full open mode.
Got one or two failures to lock back on last round. Yes, it locks back when manually pulling the bolt back without binding. Mag used was a brand new 10-round Pmag. No I haven’t tried other mags yet, but will do so. For now, I’m writing it off to being a completely new build and needs breaking in and maybe some extra lube.
Turned 2 rotations counter clockwise into bleed off mode, rounds would eject at around 330-4 o’clock but bolt wouldn’t pick up next round. Assuming it wasn’t traveling far back enough? Could H2 buffer be too heavy while using in bleed off mode?
Started over and used again at 18 clicks for full open. Same result: proper cycling and ejection at 3 o’clock but one or two failures to lock back on last round. Again, thinking it just needs to be ran more to break in since sometimes it would lock back on last round. BUT, for gits and shiggles, I asked myself if it was cycling too fast in full open for the bolt to reliably lock back. So, I rotated 6 clicks clockwise into restrictive mode, and ran flawless with 3 o’clock ejection, no failures to pickup next round, and locked back every time on last round. However, I noticed it was pretty gassy in my face. The smell was stronger than what I’m used to with other setups.
So here’s my big question, if it runs correctly while being semi-restricted… why wouldn’t it run correctly in semi-bleed off? Shouldn’t both situations be putting the same amount of gas down the tube but the difference being where the excess is being sent (out the front of the gas block vs the barrel)?
Since I only ran about 75 rounds total while doing this, I’m thinking I should strip her down, clean everything, lube it up heavily, and start again that way I can rule out any initial break-in malfunctions that might’ve been happening in the first few rounds. I know the break in period is several hundred rounds, but I should see less and less malfunctions on the way to 500 rounds as the action gets smoother and smoother.
Should I fool around with maybe changing the buffer weight from an H2 back to standard weight and try in bleed-off mode again? I was always under the impression that carbine length gas systems required an H2… but then it dawned on me that an H2 might be too heavy IF I start restricting or bleeding off some of that back pressure.
Any and all suggestions are welcome and I’ll try to ignore the unavoidable dingbats lol
