Major issue with new POF Revolution..any ideas?

[7301east]

I recently (1 week ago) purchased a POF (Patriot Ordinance Factory) Revolution .308 brand new. When I got the rifle home, I thoroughly cleaned and lubricated it (I already own the P415 so I am familiar with this).

On my first trip to the range I shot 25 rounds with no issues and I cleaned it afterwards including the piston assembly. On my second trip to the range I decided to test the accuracy so I shut off the gas piston (Turned the gas plug 90 degrees to the right) and shot about 45 rounds. Accuracy wasn't great, about 3 MOA with Federal 168 gr. match ammo, but that's another story. The gun functioned fine although the brass cases started to stick a bit after 30 rounds but that's another story. After about 45 rounds I turned on the gas piston and shot about 30 more rounds in semi-auto mode with no issues in functionality.

When I got home I went to remove the gas piston and the gas plug would not come out. It was loose and moved around just fine. It had functioned fine at the range and the op-rod was loose and moving but the gas plug (turned to 90 degrees left (if you are are holding the rifle)) would not budge. I am very familiar with how the gas system works and tapped gently on the op-rod, used carbon remover, and even waited a day but nothing worked.

So after another day I tried one more time. Again I could not get the gas plug off with my hand so I took an aluminum cleaning rod and tapped the op rod as firmly as I dared. After a few minutes of rapping, the assembly finally popped out. The gas plug has a date stamp of 12/19.

I looked at the piston assembly and saw no unusual build up of carbon. It was dirty but it wiped right off with a rag. I could not figure out what happened. After a thourough cleaning and inspection I could find no issue with the gas system. When I tried to reassemble the piston, the gas plug would not go back in at all. I tried tapping it gently with a rubber mallet but there is no way it's going back in gently. I am stressed to do this as the rifle is brand new and this should not be necessary. Keep in mind I took the piston apart when I bought it and after the first trip to the range and the gas plug had come out very easily.

As an experiment, I took the gas plug from my P415 date stamped 5/17 out and tried it in my new Revolution and it fit just fine making me think the gas plug is smaller. I measured it and it IS about .010 of an inch smaller on one of the locking surfaces. But here's a twist, the new gas plug FITS in my old POF P415 rifle just fine meaning the gas block opening is bigger on the old rifle AND/OR the new gas block opening warped during the short period of being turned off and not venting any gas.

POF took a few days to get back with me and when they did they sent me another gas plug....date stamped 12/19...it doesn't fit. It is too big just like the one that came with the rifle. I did wind up rapping it in with a small rubber mallet to get it in but now it won't even turn to the different gas settings it's just stuck.

At this point I am surmising that the heat from shooting the rifle with the piston turned off (very slow rate of fire, one shot every 10 seconds), must have somehow warped the metal of the gas block. I could find no imperfections on the gas plug and I can't see any issues with the gas block but the opening is definitely smaller now than when I bought the rifle.

Yes, it's going back to POF but has anyone ever heard of this? Can you offer any explanation as to how this could happen?