My son's completed PA65

[CRracer912]

Posted in PSA as well, wasn't sure if it's frequented much and this is kind of a builder now anyway.

 

My son bought a complete upper and lower from PSA 6.5 creedmoor, was pretty pleased with it, shot pretty good.

His only complaint really was the SS barrel.

His mother didn't know what to get him for Christmas, so I sent a link to an Anderson barrel I'd research to see what barrel extension it had. It was an 18" black nitride. She got that for him for Christmas.

We installed the barrel couple weeks ago, just today weather had been decent enough, we got a few rifles out to shoot and zero some scopes.  During disassembly, fully expecting barrel nut issues from being over tightened, we were pleasantly surprised, while tight, it wasn't overly tight. First thing I noticed was the gas port in the Anderson barrel was considerably smaller. Looking at the gas block from PSA, the adjustment screw appeared to be screwed in damn near all the way. Couldn't see the end of screw from inside gas port, was recessed about an 1/8" from adjustment end. He'd also bought a comp for it.

Loaded a 20 round mag and went about zeroing the Bushnell engage. Took about 4 shots to get it zeroed, rifle functioned great. He set out to shoot some 5 shot groups. For a 150.00 barrel, I figured it'd shoot about as good as the PSA barrel. We were both amazed at how much more accurate his new barrel is. Every group had all bullet holes touching, never had two out of 5 touching with old barrel. To be fair, this engage scope is 100% better than the PA 1-8 scope he's bought and shot previously with the PSA barrel. That engage scope was extremely accurate. First shot was wide right. For kicks, I had him adjust left, 36MOA. Fired another shot(WAY left, intentional, it was off that far. Went back to the right 36 MOA, shot again, 3rd shot touching 1st shot. Just happened, elevation was dead on at centered reticle for 100 yards, shot right 8". Adjust left 8 MOA, hits bullseye (4 shots to zero).

I said it functioned flawlessly, but it was actually a single shot. After zeroing, he started his group shooting and I'd adjust gas block between shots until it not only ejected(which it did from the get go) but catch another round.  Got the sorted, after 20 rounds, it didn't lock bolt back. 

Next we did one one in mag at a time until I had gas block completely open. Still not holding open. I'd put an H2 buffer in it to try to smooth out how it came from factory, so we installed the buffer PSA built it with. Still no joy. I had an assortment of carbine springs from various ar-15's. Luckily the lightest weight spring finally allowed last shot hold open.

He's only used the 2 Magpul 20 round mags, they've always worked great. He'd bought a couple 10 rounds, those wouldn't work at all in this PSA right, was too tight, couldn't insert with bolt closed, with open, it had tension but locked in. BCG wouldn't strip a round at all using bolt release. They work fine in my Ceratac AR 308 though.

He's pretty stocked with his PSA PA 65 now, it's all blacked out, and shoots lights out, he wAs grinning ear to ear

[Sisco]

Nice work! Congrats!

[Robocop1051]

I like happy endings.

I can relate this statement to multiple situations. 

[98Z5V]

3 hours ago, CRracer912 said:

Next we did one one in mag at a time until I had gas block completely open. Still not holding open. I'd put an H2 buffer in it to try to smooth out how it came from factory, so we installed the buffer PSA built it with. Still no joy. I had an assortment of carbine springs from various ar-15's. Luckily the lightest weight spring finally allowed last shot hold open.

What all did you have to change to make this thing run?  It didn't work, straight from the factory?  At a minimum, I see a random AR15 recoil spring that was the lightest weight that you had - what else?

[CRracer912]

9 hours ago, 98Z5V said:

What all did you have to change to make this thing run?  It didn't work, straight from the factory?  At a minimum, I see a random AR15 recoil spring that was the lightest weight that you had - what else?

It worked straight from PSA. I had to add a couple quarters to time the BCG and keep it from eating the lower receiver extension. Other than kicking like a rented mule with what appeared to be a choked off adjustable gas block, it shot ~2" groups at 100 yards. No tack driver, but you're gonna kill whatever animal you're shooting.

He just didn't like the stainless look to the barrel. Finding a black barrel for creedmoor seemed like slum Pickens without spending a lot. Anderson had those barrels in a Christmas flyer and it gave his mom something to get him that he'd actually like.

Now, gas block wide open, and an AR15 spring(was about a half inch shorter than stock, but more coils). Went back to stock buffer(3.250@3.86 ounce). 

Never had a problem cycling ammo even with chocked down GB, just initially wouldn't chamber a new round. Adjusting gas block almost full open fixed that, but wouldn't catch last shot hold open(even opening gas black all the way). Lighter spring fixed that. Another 200 rounds after that, zero issues. Shooting about 3/4" 5 shot groups.

But to be fair, better groups were shot with Bushnell engage, PSA SS barrel was always shot with primary arms 1-8 scope. The cross hair in the Bushnell is probably the finest cross hair I've ever used, so easy to place it where you want it precisely.

[CRracer912]

After barrel change. That's not the Bushnell engage mounted, that's a Cabela's covenant 4.

[CRracer912]

That's the way it was originally with primary arms 1-8

[392heminut]

I guess Anderson barrels are hit or miss! I got a 16" 308 barrel from them and it wouldn't shoot worth a crap! The chamber was tight too. A gunsmith buddy of mine had a chamber reamer and worked on it. He told me it was really tight and the leade was really short too. I replaced it with a Faxon and haven't tried it since he reworked the chamber but I'm not holding my breath.

[willbird]

On 5/22/2019 at 3:20 PM, 392heminut said:

I guess Anderson barrels are hit or miss! I got a 16" 308 barrel from them and it wouldn't shoot worth a crap! The chamber was tight too. A gunsmith buddy of mine had a chamber reamer and worked on it. He told me it was really tight and the leade was really short too. I replaced it with a Faxon and haven't tried it since he reworked the chamber but I'm not holding my breath.

I have only bought one Faxon but it is very very nice. It is a 16" pencil AR15 barrel, mid gas. Gem like inside and out :-).

Edited June 26, 2019 by willbird