Will a buffer spring lose it strength faster when using a suppressor? I have about 1000 to 1500 rounds through mine and recently the BCG does not pick up a round and complete it's cycle. It locks back on last round, but has a problem going into battery. Your thoughts please and thank you. Yes factory ammo.
I have an AR-10 which is giving me a few hiccups.
- Thread starter Jerry Snyder
- Start date
I know I have to adjust my gas block for different weights of ammo, whether if be factory or handloads. Is this the same type of ammo that you have 1000-1500 rounds with? Do you clean and lube it up regularly... I ask because I know some people who don't. If you're all lubed up and the gas setting hasn't changed, you can stretch your spring out a little or buy a new one. I think they are good for about 3-5K rounds.
ronemus
Gold $$ Contributor
Be sure to lube the bottom of the carrier to reduce friction on rounds in the magazine; I prefer to use a very thin application of MolySlide. Have you tried multiple magazines? Damaged feed lips can create issues, as can weak magazine springs. Having the mag springs reversed front-to-back can create issues; the final loop of the spring should be to the rear underneath the follower (ask me how I know). Do you regularly clean and lube the internals of your magazines? Particularly when running suppressed there is a lot of blowback into the magazine. Locking back on the last round indicates that you have enough gas (possibly too much); if the BCG is running too fast the next round may not be up fast enough for the bolt to catch it; this is common on suppressed guns.
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If the bolt carrier locks back on the last round you do not have a gas issue. Completely disassemble the bolt and clean it, make sure the plunger ejector can be fully compressed into the bolt. Have you blown a primer? Make sure there is no foreign material in the barrel extension.
What I’ve found on suppressors with ar rifles is a suppressor puts a ton more carbon and crud back into the action.
Look for hard carbon buildup in the following areas.
Inside the gas key, will build up and prevent going into battery. Clean out with a drill bit
Area in the upper where the gas tube enters. This will also build up with crud and prevent going into battery.
The bolt carrier itself. Strip it down and clean every ounce of carbon. A small ultra comic cleaner works really well for this.
Look for hard carbon buildup in the following areas.
Inside the gas key, will build up and prevent going into battery. Clean out with a drill bit
Area in the upper where the gas tube enters. This will also build up with crud and prevent going into battery.
The bolt carrier itself. Strip it down and clean every ounce of carbon. A small ultra comic cleaner works really well for this.
I tried 5 mags which I know are good to use in that rifle, all failed.
It is highly unlikely that your spring is worn out after 1500 rounds. If locking back on last round it is getting enough gas and something else is goin on. I'm not gonna guess at it with the little info we have.
Akajun already said it and I'll add, ARs are dirty and worse suppressed. Throw in dirty powder and they get filthy. Still they work, mine do, even you can't even touch the thing w/o getting crap all over your hands.
Akajun already said it and I'll add, ARs are dirty and worse suppressed. Throw in dirty powder and they get filthy. Still they work, mine do, even you can't even touch the thing w/o getting crap all over your hands.
I assume you have cleaned this thing, sprayed some brake cleaner down the gas tube and lubed it well.
Try putting just the bolt into the barrel extension and see if it goes into battery. If it does check for problems in the bolt/carrier movement. One ar10 I have is finicky about which direction the cam pin goes in, my ar15s don't seem to care.
If the bolt goes easily into battery while in the carrier, check for any other drag.
Another issue I have seen is the extractor springs being too stiff or having o-rings under them that make it tough to snap over the cartridge rim. If the buffet spring is a bit weakened and the rifle is dirty, perhaps they all work together to give problems.
I also wouldn't rule out a gas system issue. As someone mentioned, too much gas can make one seem like it does have enough. A heavier buffer that slows the carrier down can help.
Try putting just the bolt into the barrel extension and see if it goes into battery. If it does check for problems in the bolt/carrier movement. One ar10 I have is finicky about which direction the cam pin goes in, my ar15s don't seem to care.
If the bolt goes easily into battery while in the carrier, check for any other drag.
Another issue I have seen is the extractor springs being too stiff or having o-rings under them that make it tough to snap over the cartridge rim. If the buffet spring is a bit weakened and the rifle is dirty, perhaps they all work together to give problems.
I also wouldn't rule out a gas system issue. As someone mentioned, too much gas can make one seem like it does have enough. A heavier buffer that slows the carrier down can help.
If at all possible, eliminate any variables individually; check each fix (test fire) before proceeding to another check/fix; process of elimination. I would suggest the following approach: 1. Ensure everything is cleaned well enough so that upon inspection, nothing is potentially hiding from you.
2. Take a good hard look at your wear patterns across all your moving parts and interfaces; you're looking for something indicative of improper contact angle and or pressures. Things that often wear shouldn't appear jagged or rough in nature. Depending on the nature of the wear on the part you're inspecting and its function/role within the weapon, if something's askew, it shouldn't be too difficult to spot.
3. Check all of your connection points, torque specs and the like. As others stated above, gas doesn't seem to be the culprit necessarily, but I would want to rule out the potential for a loose connection bleeding gas pressure without it being intended upon.
4. Modifying the buffer weight is a solid option to alter the BCG velocity. With that said it's important to know the buffer weight and to understand the relationship different types of ammo, can or no can, etc.
5. "Spring Set" can be measured: identify what the max/min operational lengths are supposed to be per the manufacturer's specifications, then check your own springs against this. The magazine springs could be at fault here and from what you described, I suspect that either the BCG is potentially moving too fast and or the magazine spring isn't presenting the next cartridge quickly enough. Regardless, if you find any spring to be out of tolerance, bin it and replace it.
My two cents, best of luck!
2. Take a good hard look at your wear patterns across all your moving parts and interfaces; you're looking for something indicative of improper contact angle and or pressures. Things that often wear shouldn't appear jagged or rough in nature. Depending on the nature of the wear on the part you're inspecting and its function/role within the weapon, if something's askew, it shouldn't be too difficult to spot.
3. Check all of your connection points, torque specs and the like. As others stated above, gas doesn't seem to be the culprit necessarily, but I would want to rule out the potential for a loose connection bleeding gas pressure without it being intended upon.
4. Modifying the buffer weight is a solid option to alter the BCG velocity. With that said it's important to know the buffer weight and to understand the relationship different types of ammo, can or no can, etc.
5. "Spring Set" can be measured: identify what the max/min operational lengths are supposed to be per the manufacturer's specifications, then check your own springs against this. The magazine springs could be at fault here and from what you described, I suspect that either the BCG is potentially moving too fast and or the magazine spring isn't presenting the next cartridge quickly enough. Regardless, if you find any spring to be out of tolerance, bin it and replace it.
My two cents, best of luck!
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