survivalshop

Are you sure you used the correct spring for the Bolt stop ? Is the Bolt stop for a 308AR I have altered the stop on a Bolt Catch before to give the Bolt Catch more travel , the part of the stop that contacts the Upper Receiver , its cut at an angle , because of the pivot angle . Engagement should look like this . Hard to tell with an 80 % lower , I have no experience with them or how they are made & you will have to find a way to remove the Pin , sooner or later , it could also be broken in there & thats why you have so much play .

I think that's his toe's <lmao>

One would hope its just the Gas block shoulder on the Barrel that's not cut back far enough . <dontknow>

I have a Clamp mount VLtor on my 300BLK that has an alignment hole or where they drilled the Blocks gas port out , through the first clamp screw hole . No photo's , I noticed it when installing it with the new ALG hand guards . I've been noticing the Match Barrels I've been getting of any Caliber , through measuring , they all butt up against the Barrels shoulder . The Tapered pined A2 sights type should have room for a Hand guard cap . I say should , because we have one we are talking about here ,that no room was left between the Barrels shoulder & sight to allow for this . Good post , I have never used a set screw type Gas Block , but will use a Geissele on my next Build . Nice Gas Block .

Ya , but you probable gave the fish your cold ! <laughs>

Probably the shoulder on the Barrel was not cut back far enough . 0.030" . Kinda makes you wonder , I would think they would have the Gas system or Gas Port , to the correct spec.?

Seems the OP wants to use A 2 hand Guards <dontknow> I can spend his $$ as good as you ! Free Float Hand Guard , Aj. Gas Block ,& BUIS & still get a Heavy Buffers , Buffer / Spring <laughs>

We some how seem to find more strange things as we go along in the 308 AR world . More manufacturers getting in on potential sales & manufacturing with there own spec's , for one reason or another . Again , I have no Barrels off to look at or measure .

Hit the more reply opts ions at the bottom right & the new screen will have chose file & then attach it one it loads , then you will see it show up & just hit add to post .

This is why most go to to the free float Hand Guards over the A2 type . They all don't have rails on them & the most of the ones that don't , you can add any size you want , if you want .

All your popular pistol powders & a lot of rifle powders are not being made or are being used in the procurement of ammo for the Government . All that BS about reloading components/ammo being scarce because of demand , is , getting a little old . When the Gov. wants a Billion rounds of just one caliber , not to mention all the rest it needs or wants , that's a lot of primers , brass ,bullets & powder. less for retail . Its how the anti gun people in office , who work for us ,are screwing us.

If you have a lath to turn the barrel , would be easy . I always tend to alter inexpensive , easily replaceable components , though another A2 gas block , the pin holes may not line up with the one on now . I would have the A2 sight gas block milled or the flat part of a fine grinding wheel , would make short work of it , being careful & not too aggressive , it won't need much , ether way .

Damn 98 , I wanted to salute you also , after that one <thumbsup> <lmao>

Sounds like the hand Guard cap is keeping the Tapered Pin holes from lining up . Most likely the Barrel Manufacturer did not leave room for the Hand guard cap for std A2 hand guards , when they turned the Barrel for a gas block . If you plan on using the A2 type sight /gas block , Remove the sight & remove some material from the face of the sight where the HG cap sits against , that will let the Pin holes line up & enough to keep the Cap snug against it .

I shot some loads today , the Chronograph was giving me fits , so, not much in any load stat's , some shots registered , most didn't . I would shoot a round & then the display read the Battery low , so change the Battery & take on shot , then the some thing , low battery . I ran out of new in the wrapper batteries . Took my meter out of the truck & sure enough all three batteries were on the low side for 9 volts , junk batteries , I guess . I will take some photo's of the Targets & show what results I did get with some of the loadings . I can say that 41.5 - 42 gr.'s of Tac will be about as high as I will go with the 168's , the primers were a little on the flat side , not bad , but was showing me something . I was shooting my 20" HB 308 AR for these loads .

New Barrel , never installed , contact the Manufacturer about it & send it back if need be .

Does your Lower Receiver have threads in the hole for the spring . Some Manufacturers use a set screw or plug to tension that spring . If its not threaded , you can thread it , some here do that even with the AR 15 platform . I have compression spring stock & can cut you a spring to what ever length you want , also .

I didn't mean that you mixed them , I know you know better than that ,that wasn't my intention with bringing it up . Different ammo will print differently & some ammo could foul a barrel & cause grouping problems with other ammo tested also. <thumbsup> I normally swab the barrel in-between test loads & clean with copper type solvents if my groups get out of hand as yours did . Not saying that was your issue , but its something to think about when your groups go crazy. I have had , very good ammo or bullets show flakes of copper on the patch , when swabbing in-between load testing. You just had a bad Trigger Module, you proved that , to me , the Trigger is one of the most important components in the firearm for bringing out the capabilities of the rife & shooter for Accuracy . Yes ammo ,barrel/chamber , shooter has a lot to do with it also , but a bad trigger system will keep the firearm & shooter from it full potential. Since most of us know how the MilSpec triggers are & they can be cleaned up , but offer little compared to what is available now a days & after my 870 incident while hunting , I will not have a Trigger smith tune any factory trigger of any type.

Hard to tell the two powders apart , WC 846 seems to have more flattened type granules , meters just like the WC846 . WC 846 on the left & Tac on the right. I'm going to take some with my Camera mounted Microscope , just to see what they look like up close . Not that it matters. Test ammo for tomorrow . Four different Bullets Manufacturers

Wish I had the extra cash to buy more when I did . This powder is what I'm looking for , if it stands up , as said , to my WC846 , which I will probably never see again. This powder looks like it will meter real well in the Dillon & my Redding Powder measurers . 39.3 is at the low end of the loading span , I would be happy with it , thats about the same charge wt. as I'm using with WC846. I'm going in a different direction with my rifles , I'm going to be loading Bullet weights closer to MilSpec ball , around 155 gr. with the 308 & 55 & 62gr. (non-penitrator ) with the 5.56 . I can't find a place close to shoot long range , so I pretty much gave up on it , for now & am concentrating on up to 200 yards & see how they do . The damn 155gr bullets are more $$ then the 168's . Can't wait to try this powder out , my powder has a lot of age to it , this new Tac may shoot better , who knows . All the Powders we all like are hard to come by , still makes me wonder what are the real reasons behind it , not what all the Gun Rag writers are putting out .

The name on this thread is " Hammer strike strength & precision " , not lock time , the issue was hammer strength , light primer strikes with out ignition . Lock time of course probably was increased , more so because of a binding Hammer or inconsistent trigger sear release , both of those will effect group size , with out a doubt . All the precision shooters are big on lock time , Mostly your Target , Match & Long range shooter's , most of us ( unless you are one of them ) will not even realize the one or two Milliseconds or fractions of them , in our shooting experiences . The speedy Pistol shooting matches now a days are won by fractions of a second , so any advantage to the speed to which they can get round to round time , the more advantage they may have . All of these precision firearms have to be tuned for all this to come together , they also don't have to take these firearms in a combat or Hunting conditions. Yes ,you are going to bring up precision sniper rifles , they are not the same as a competition only rifle . There is a fine line to draw when setting up for decreasing lock time , a heavier hammer spring to take a fraction of a Millisecond off lock time , effects trigger pull/release , a lighter Firing pin ( Titanium ) may need the heavier Hammer spring or lighter & on & on . Its a system, all components working together to make a difference . The OP's situation & maybe even 98's , could have been effected , just by removing the components & that could have dislodged something or corrected a bind that could have been the caused the issues . Its hard to tell in hinds sight ,with no controlled measuring to compare the effects to. <dontknow> On the subject of light primer strikes , if the primer ignites , its not light strike . A pierced Primer will rob the ignition of the main charge in the Cartridge & that will also alter group size & your past lock timing when the Primer ignites . The above could also contribute to grouping .

I agree with the Lock time measurements & their effects on accuracy , as a system ! Trigger release, hammer travel speed & firing pin travel to primer & its ignition , but we are talking about the first two of those factors ( on this rifle ) , with changing out a Trigger/Hammer module , the only factors that are different. <dontknow> Unless you have the proper measuring devices to tell if the speed of the Two Different Modules Hammers and the first Trigger pull/release #'s , that was showing poor grouping , its all conjecture . Even the ammo could cause poor grouping ,from lot to lot , box to box . Just too many factors effect how a rifle will shoot , even temperature ,to put all that on a Hammer spring , I just don't buy it , just too many other contributing factors . I say its just a better working trigger Module , more consistent , etc , etc <thumbsup>

Ya baby , now to do some load development . Should not be as involved as a Powder that has no loading data , such as WC846 & I know what FPS the rifles & Bullets like already . I will load some up today, I have the brass al ready primed & ready to go . I need more <thumbsup>

How slow are the Hammers dropping to give a weak primer strike & ignite the primer ? What are we talking about , Micro milliseconds ? I just don't buy the explanation for the poor grouping . Lock timing & its speed has to do with action speed, on how the FCG & BCG resets or locks back into battery , from shot to shot . In theory , a heavier Hammer spring can slow the process down , because of resistance . I don't see how any of that can effect pulling the trigger to drop the hammer on a primer. No offense & I mean it , how do you know what your Armorer did to the rifle ? Did you watch him work on it ? Just how much were you into Gunsmithing back then or at that time ? Really .

Why is it a problem ? Its not blowing out primers & its not failing to extract , where's the problem to fix ? Manufacturers are not concerned with how your brass looks after it has been ejected from the rifle , as long as it serves its purpose & is safe to use . Only reloaders care how much damage has been done to the brass for its reuse . Fired brass was never meant to be reloaded . Its fired & discarded . Now us reloaders , well, we feel a little different about it . FaRKle I want my 308 to feel like a .22 <lmao> ,so I'm potentially voiding the warranty to do it . <dontknow>