Brian_Paul_D

I'm thinking that removing the gas block and tube and putting on a separate gas block upside down might be the best option. Having never taken one off, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get the original system back on correctly but watching a few videos it does seem fairly simple. Anyway, just thinking at this point.

Thanks. I forgot about the charging handle needing to grip the gas key. so removing it isn't an option. I'm pretty sure the key on the BCG fits INSIDE the tube on the upper (but it may be the opposite way). If so, plugging the gas key permanently with JB weld (on my spare BCG) should prevent any gas from going back into the BCG and still enable me to charge it with the bolt. Honestly, I doubt that the PA game commission will give any specifics about legal modifications. I'm not that worried though. I hunt so deep into the mountains that we've never seen a game warden in all of the 40+ years. They mainly patrol the roads and areas where people park. Still, I want to meet the intent of the law - if it still exists this winter.

Shepp is correct. I'm guessing they would look at an adjustable gas block as a temporary modification that I might be able to reverse in the field. Maybe not. I'll contact them in a few months as more information comes out. There is a lot of blowback right now and most likely NRA pressure so they might reverse it anyway. Just really thinking about options right now. Plugging the gas key or removing it on a spare bolt carrier seems like the easiest option (maybe removing the gas rings as well). IF that would work? that's the main question.

I thought about that as well. Having a side charging upper with no-gas port barrel.

Being new to the semi-auto world I wanted to pose a question to the more experienced folks. First the background info. I recently purchased my first AR 308 to upgrade my trusty 38 year old Remington 30-06 pump. Being a retired Navy officer I was looking for a new interest/hobby and the more I read about the rifle the more I liked the idea of being able to interchange and customize the rifle. Additionally, Pennsylvania announced late last year that they would be making these legal to hunt big game with in the following year. I hunt in a very remote mountain area and hike very far back into the forest away from other hunters and don't have any plans to 'fill the air with lead'. The dense cover makes follow-up shots rare anyway and you have to track and wait for an opening so the rate of fire wouldn't be noticeably different. All this aside, Pennsylvania has now decided to amend the law and only allow the semi-auto guns for small game and coyotes. Yes, I could pull my old gun out but I really love the improved accuracy and optics of the new gun. I've read a lot of articles about modifying the AR 308 rifles to make them in legal to use. It appears there are a several options but these appear to be the best candidates. 1) use a single shot 'zero'magazine sled. Drop in any following shots by hand and close the bolt carrier with the latch release. This would be the cheapest method but might not legally satisfy the law by removing the capability for semi-auto fire.2) Replace the barrel with a new one without a gas port. This would definitely satisfy the intent of the law and the rifle would be a bolt action operated with the charging handle.3) Remove / plug the gas key on the bolt. I would actually purchase a separate BCG or just the bolt carrier (sans bolt) and remove the gas key altogether or plug the tube with JB weld. Number one is probably out unless the PA game commission or a state trooper were to give me a thumbs up in writing prior. The cost of number two is not much more than number three but I really would prefer not to fool with changing the barrel for when I hunt in other states or at the range. Number three seems the easiest and a bolt carrier is only around 100 dollars (a full BCG not much more). However, I haven't been able to find anything about how the rifle would specifically function. With the gas key plugged I would figure it has the same function as crimping the gas tube in that the bolt would not go back and that the gas would stay in the tube and then exit the barrel as the only path to the atmosphere. I don't think there would be enough of a surface to act upon to push the bolt back. If this is true, it would keep the hot/dirty gas from entering the bolt area. (not that this would happen very often anyway). The other option of removing the gas key would give a greater volume for the gas to expand and most probably never cycle the bolt back. But is this safe for the shooter? Actually is either of these methods safer? I don't want to go with an adjustable gas block turned around or blocked off with a set screw and certainly don't want to crimp the tube inside the upper. For me personally, replacing the bolts back and forth is the easiest method and something I can do back at home. This is really just a question as to the safety and operability (ie. will it work) of the rifle with the various methods. I've read all the hemming and hawing about how it needs to be permanent or no it doesn't. I'll deal with the legal aspect separately and in advance by getting permission in writing. And YES, I might still take the old rifle anyway, I just want to gather the data to make an informed decision.Thank you in advance. I really do appreciate the advice.

I don't even have the donut on my spring. I'll call LFA tomorrow and hopefully I only have to send back the BCG. I'll let you all know. Thanks

I'm not sure if this helps identify anything but today I inserted a 5 round magazine (outside in a safe direction and on safe) and manually cycled the charging handle back. The gun kicked out all 5 rounds at the 3:30-4:00 position. I repeated this again with the same positive results. I kind of figured it would leave some rounds in the chamber.

It looked exactly like that with the rounds jammed.

I have the bolt out and I can hook a spent round in the extractor and then use torque to straighten the round and push in the pin. The force isn't always consistent. You can't just push in the pin with your finger but with the round clipped in most of the time I can straighten it and push in the pin without too much force. Other times it seems to stick and I have to really force it to make the pin pop in.

I haven't had the chance to call Chris yet since it is the weekend but I will on Monday. (LF Arms build) Yes, the bolt locks back after single shots but sometimes there is a spent round sitting on top of the mag (when I would fire with only a single round in the magazine). When it does eject it pushes the round out hard at the 3:30-4:00 position and it will travel 10+ feet. (if that helps). I have had BCG and gun well lubricated. I thought maybe I had oil in the chamber area the might be causing the extractor to slip off the base of the round. I cleaned it all out so there was no oil in there but it still jammed after the 4th shot (with the spent casing on top of the new round inside the chamber). I made sure not to have any oil on the face of the bolt where the extractor claw grabs the round but had lube on the back of the lugs and sliding bolt surfaces.

Having just taken the leap into the world of MSRs and purchased a LR308 I am having a FTE issue that I need some help with. The gun is a Live Free Armory LF308 with a 20" barrel. DPMS-style upper/lower and BCG. First day to the range was yesterday. I was doing the barrel break-in and would shoot one round and then clean the barrel. After 7 rounds I went up to 3 rounds between cleaning. The first 10 rounds didn't have any issues. After that I began having a failure whereby the spent round wasn't ejected but the new round was being jammed up under it as it was trying to enter the chamber. After a few times I fully cleaned the barrel and BCG, lubed, and switched ammo. (I used Federal 165 gr BTHP the first 10 shots then switched to Winchester 150 gr when it first jammed). The third box of ammo was Hornady Black 150 gr. I loaded 3 rounds in the mag and the first two shot fine but the third was just laying on top of the empty mag with the bolt locked back. Went back to the original Federal 165 gr. and it jammed again after the first shot where the spent round was on top of the new round entering the chamber. I got tired of fooling with it and decided to do single shots from the magazine for another 6-7 rounds. Some rounds kicked out okay but more of them didn't. They didn't stovepipe, would just lay on top of the mag. Fully cleaned and lubed up the gun again last night and tried again today. I thought that maybe I had too much oil around the chamber area and that the extractor was slipping off of the round as it started back. So I cleaned out the chamber area pretty well but today it did the same thing. Add in Hornady 150 gr ammo as well today with the same issue. I managed to get up to 3 rounds working before the 4th jammed in the mag with the 5th under it. I was using a Magpul 10 round P-mag and tried the 20 round mag as well with no difference. I don't think it is the mag because even on the last shell the extracted round would be laying on top of the empty mag with the bolt locked back. Since the bolt will lock back on the empty mag and leave the spent round on top the mag, I don't think it is an issue with the BCG not cycling fully. I'm pretty new to this so any tips or things to check would be appreciated. I can get a hold of the company on Monday but I figured that the most likely cause of the error is ME - being new to the semi-auto gun world. Thanks in advance, Brian