308lrnewb

Thank you to everyone whom participated in this discussion! It is now closed. For any one struggling with rifle issues akin to mine.. After thinking all night long about this, I broke down the fore end of rifle. The gas tube needed a punch to be removed from block(after roll pin was uninstalled). Dial caliper went on everything. Turns out Criterion misaligned the gas port and the gas block set screw dimple by about 10*. Rifle functions on lock back every time. No more failures to feed. Ejection is a steady 4.5-5.5ft at 5o'clock. Look guys - A whole functioning AR308 rifle, not a single helping hand. Which members said it couldn't be done? ---------------------------- I also want to gratefully thank D.Wilson because his bolt carrier group is amazing. Side by side comparison to a standard DPMS BCG shows quite a bit more workmanship. The spacing for hammer is better, there is a slightly more generous scallop on the carrier for the ejection door to ride in and it is nicely fluted. The nitride finish is impeccable with no blemishes. His bolt was spot on for headspace and has not mangled any brass. After sorting 140 finely tumbled brass, I see no ejector smears or extractor nibbles. Consistent, well made and excellently priced. This guy knows his stuff. For anyone struggling to disassemble the bolt itself.. I used a winchester 45acp brass along with a bench vice and some wood scraps. The brass went into the bolt, bolt was then sandwiched between the two woods. I let the rear side of bolt dig in to one wood scrap(side that firing pin installs to) while the 45acp brass compressed the ejector. Then, a small ballpeen hammer and roll pin punch.. a couple well placed smacks and apart it went. Assembled in reverse, very easy. The bolt I received had dual coils for extractor, no doughnuts. Ejector had a single coil. Lubricated everything with a fine synthetic and it is turning like a top. He has my business for future builds. Another large acknowledgement goes to Clint of Heavy Buffers. He answered multiple emails pertaining to various 'non-standard' parts combinations. He also has my business for future builds. His product is a notch above the rest. The rifle feels pretty tame. Interested to see how things change when I throw a titan comp on the end of this barrel. Currently, it is bare threads. ------------------------------ Thank you again.

So, I have seasoned.. fired and dialed in the mega. I keep having two sporadic issues. Randomly, three known good DPMS magazines will fail to chamber. The other rifle functions fine with them. I pull the bolt back and notice the follower is tipped. Projectiles facing chamber, headstamp angled towards the pistol grip. So, I inspected for gas leaks. I see very minor soot deposits around the gas tube. I do not think this is the issue. It is running full gas. The tube port was opened to match the gas block port. Everything lines off. The issue is intermittent. Rifle will fire fine for a while, then this issue appears. Also, the bolt lock open seldom functions. Worked more in the first single shots than anywhere else. So, I have inspected the rifle for some time. This evening, I broke down both rifles. I swapped BCG's and retained the same magazine while hand testing the system. Something stands out.. What is this?? .. The dial caliper comes out. Strange... Measuring from the top of DPMS brand bolt catch(both DPMS and Mega rifles) revealed interesting numbers. Mega: Catch down - 0.22" Catch up - 0.44" DPMS: Down - 0.21(0.208" measured) Up - 0.52" These measurements were with the farthest travelling portion (right hand side) piece of the bolt catch to the lower receiver face that mates with upper receiver. I manipulated the hold open/catch mechanism by hand to ensure full strokes in both directions. The measurements were obviously done while installed in a functioning lower. Just so to preclude any clutter in this thread. I have yet to contact Mega about any tolerance specifications. One thing I have noticed - The DPMS visibly has the bolt catch 1/10"(approximated, this was by vision through ejection port) higher against the bolt face. In the Mega, the bolt catch does not elevate beyond the lugs. The DPMS rifle obscures almost the entire lower portion of bolt. I checked both carriers in each rifle. Results were consistent. I am unsure if the ambidextrous MATEN lower has less travel with the bolt catch system design. Anyone have experience here? ------------------- In recap: Rifle is still doing final break in. It has had 140 rounds fired through it, no more. I personally think the gas system is not an issue. I barely got any soot/carbon fouling to cover my bore patch when vigorously rubbing the tube and block. I am anticipating the failure to feed (bolt goes right over brass, does not strike headstamp to strip. rounds are canted 45*, tips facing up) is due to the rifle still being awful tight. The FTF issue has mostly done away with itself. Next trip to Midway will bring a 500round batch of federal city. Rifle was fired 100 times in less than a two hour span while doing barrel break in. It ran very steady on the twenty-round magazine. Ten rounders are a bit more of concern to me currently, being the hunting season. I first was concerned with a short stroke issue - Rifle is running slash's xh rifle buffer and a standard spring. Recoil is very tame. However, the brass is falling 4-8ft away and is very consistent at 4-5 o'clock throws. Issues are persistent when using m80 surplus and 168 smk handloads. The handloads were 38.5gr of h4895. ----------------- Ideas? Rifle passes headspace, everything is smoothly riding. Running lithium grease on internals with slip2000 EWL for wet work. Never fails to lock, no weak primer strikes. I have noticed every few more rounds put down, it is smoothing more and seems to cycle softer. Not in any mood to throw parts right now. Also - the magazine itself sets at very similar heights when seated against the mag catch for both lowers when using same magazine. I personally am thinking it needs a few more rounds, but hey... Oh, I was stringing consistent and tight patterns with m80. Was getting less than 1.5" patterns with it before round #100.

Waiting on Magpul to pull their act together. UBR2 was 'spring 2016'.. Then, summer... followed by fall and now.. "LATE 2016". Thus, "Embryo". MOE is from another rifle, which is why does not match pistol grip. Grovtec limited slip cups(279 from memory) on both sides. MS4 sling works well in either a single point or dual point configuration. Seekins K20 is worth the money. Once on, you never feel the difference in weight. Midway only had the silver in stock. Rattle can cerakote in the works. Contemplated waiting to bust a whitetail before dropping any photography, but.. selected image carries plenty of weight. Mega did all the looks department, not me. Though, Embryo sure is something.

D.Wilson MFG bolt headspaced amazingly. Well constructed. Quality part. Shameless plug. An upper tier USMC Armorer had many good things to say about the finished product.

Oh, trust me.. I am still being very cordial and well composed.

Oh, my mistake.. survival shop was the one.. I am sorry - Just, shepp you been on my sack and balls since day one. apologies though. Was an honest mistake. Yea, I openly will declare - go ahead and have the moderators delete all of my posts. Fine with me. Less internet fannies being hurt. Ban sound good. Not like I really need to be around here. Too many other places for valid information. The only guys/gals I decently appreciated likely know whom they are. When doing this, please remove all of my picture uploads as well. Kthnx

B...b..b..but SHEPP SAYS!!

washguy has the best post EVER! ROFLMFAO - Mr. Whiskers!! Bean - I mean 'within spec' as in 'specification'. The specification that each manufacturer places on their magazine well vs the specification that each magazine manufacturer places on their outside tolerances. I did not type 'milspec' for a reason.

repeater = semi automatic. http://www.nodakspud.com/AR Lowers.htm read this. I am too lazy for copy/pasting things all night long.

98 is spot on. Shepp - I never said it would be anything more than a repeater... I simply stated I always liked the prototype styling. The NDS-15 trigger charge handle upper/lower kit is a hybrid between experimental(prototype) a1 and standard a2. They beefed up specific webs and retain the different(original) takedown/pivot pin layout. the pivot pin is unique to the prototype. It gives the A1 style handle and sight. Check out their webpage. It is messy, scroll around on the AR lower receiver page. Pricey.. but, I like it none-the-less.

Last I heard.. USMC does not allow the use of anything other than USGI magazines. Now, when deployed if a company is using personal supplied items.. Though for qualification(which is an active thing), you must use the steel magazine. Sure, everything has issues - the mind's eye is a perfect world. I agree to this fully. We all compromise when moving thoughts from the realm of concept to a standard in reality. Once something is brought to existence, it no longer is 'perfect'. The difference in weight is moot to me. My concerns are with the pmags and others - they are not to 'spec' and with tolerance stackup issues can arise. This was noted among the M4 lowers long ago and is also know to be an issue with the ar308 receivers. This was mended in ways by redesigning the overall tolerance for both frames. However.. K.I.S.S

Act a fool.. say things that make others spew various rude things. Research odd tidbits. Maybe someone actually knows more than I do. It is amazing what can be done with open thinking. I am always learning. Maybe that bit there - because hardly anyone seems to get that part. Even though I dredged the A5 information from nearly ten year old posts measuring various ar15/ar308 parts. Also, again to see if someone else has run in to any issues because I am always learning.

Interesting. I have an old ruger 10/22 but.. I only heard of NDS when someone introduced me to their AK stuff. Either way, sounds like something of an interest to me. A C1 buttstock with the NDS prototype style upper/lower/handguard. Would be a fun shooter. May have to look around for a 1:14 barrel...

That seems like plenty to me.. Well over 400 rounds worth of storage right there. You can run with all those? *edit* Mod thinks I need a mag rack to be 'tacticool uber leet' Maybe next time I will crack one of the super owner safes open for a picture.. The quality of their 'quality control' may say something. The materials are the same. That, coupled with a likely similar tolerance in wall thickness due to the same material usage.. Perhaps the issue is not just the 'that was ar15, this question is over ar308'. Problems trend manufacturing process and materials.

Anyone ever build a replica prototype m16? I see NoDak Spud vending some. I know they make AK stuff and have a good reputation. I always liked the prototype A1's. Especially the trigger charge handles.