16"bbl. ,rifle gas system,photo's added

[survivalshop]

I finally got out & put some rounds on target with the 16" bbl. with the rifle length gas system & she shot pretty damn good for a stock trigger & 4x32 ,ten + year old turkey scope . I also put a set of Magpul sights on her .Here's the story below .

The first test firing ,I had problems with the rifle not functioning with more than five rounds with the PMags , I loaded them up with twenty rounds & placed the caps on them & let them set that way since the first firing .

They worked flawlessly , both mags numerous times with different loadings of rounds & they held the bolt back last round .

All other rounds works flawlessly ,I had no malfunction , except after the first two PMags that held the bolt back last round ,no mags afterward would hold it back .

I could lock it manually (some thing I could not do the first test ) I tested every mag I had with me & no difference . It will need more tweeking ,spring tension may be the problem now .

I could only get on the 100yd. range today ,because there was some kind of shoot going on in the other three ranges ,I wanted to sight the rifle in @ twenty five first ,but I was hitting the 24x24 cardboard with the way the scope was set up ,what luck . So I dialed her in as best as I could with a stock trigger with 9+ # pull & about a mile of creep ,but crisp disengagement .

After doing some test firing to make sure how & what kind of grouping I would get .I cleaned the barrel & chamber & put some of my 172 gr. hand loads down range , she grouped much better than the Milspec ,but the trigger & scope were not up to the task .

I took the scope off & put the Magpuls on & she was shooing a little high ,So dialed the front sight up a bit and was surprised at how nice she shot with open sights , I had my doubts about the inexpensive Magpuls ,but they were nice even in rapid firing .

I will post some photos tomarrow , those DE Magpuls look real nice on that rail & match my CTR. Oh I had so many people come up & ask me what the" hell was I shooting ".

Rapid fire , 100yrds, 147 gr. FNM nato ammo

My 172 gr. hand loads . need trigger work.

100 yrd ,magpul sights ,rapid fire from a rest

Like I said ,needs some good trigger work & I kinda like the Magpul sights. That's a 3" targadot .

[98Z5V]

Excellent writeup, man, excellent.  Sounds like you had a great range day, all told.  I haven't had one of those for a couple months now, and it's starting to make me twitch a little...  :o ;D

[imschur]

yeah excellent  <thumbsup>

[Matt.Cross]

Excellent writeup, man, excellent.  Sounds like you had a great range day, all told.  I haven't had one of those for a couple months now, and it's starting to make me twitch a little...  :o ;D

Good write-up!!!

I'm getting some range time tomorrow myself, I got some FGMM and friends to send downrange.

[98Z5V]

I'm getting some range time tomorrow myself, I got some FGMM and friends to send downrange.

You make your friends hold your targets?!!?  <lmao>

[Matt.Cross]

You make your friends hold your targets?!!?  <lmao>

With the way I shoot, they feel safer downrange...  :'(  ;)

[survivalshop]

I added photo's to my above post ,it just didn't show up for todays post .

[98Z5V]

That's one fine looking piece of hardware, ss - very well done, man.  <thumbsup>

[survivalshop]

Went back to the range today to test the alterations I made to the bolt catch. All mags worked flawlessly.

The Pmags were left unloaded since the last outing ,just to see if I had the same problems as the first test.

The Pmags worked with any round count was put into them.

Found some interesting spec's on my two different lowers. I took measurements of the height in which the bolt catch is raised with both lowers compared . Now that the bolt catch is working on last round with different mags & ammo . I feel it is good to go .

Here are some measurement between the DPMS &the CMMG lowers.

DPMS

      Pmag --0.449 "

      Cprod.--0.399 "

      DPMS --0.501 "

CMMG

        Pmag --0.424 "

        Cprod.--0.378 "

        DPMS---0.431 "

The differences in the height in which the bolt catch is raised with the mag. follower must be manufacturing tolerance differences.

Same three mags were used .

I also noticed a big difference on how much play is in the bolt catch , as far as fit in the lower. The DPMS has a great deal of slop compared to the CMMG that has very little . Of course this 16" upper is on the CMMG .

The play in the DPMS may be a broken bolt catch pin . It does have a DPMS pin in there . I will have to remove it to inspect . I have a SI Defence s/s pin for it .

[survivalshop]

My Millett TRS1 came in & I was just going to put it on the 20" ,but I am going to put it on the 16" for some target testing of this bbl. tomarrow.

I will then put it where its going to stay on the 20".

I will post some photo's , even though I still haven't done any thing to the trigger.

[imschur]

<thumbsup>

[survivalshop]

OK , I put the Millett TRS1 on the 16" just to see what it would do with the scope & its almost nine pound trigger .

I was quite impressed . I know I could do a lot better with a good trigger & will switch the scope or get some ting just for the 16 "

I will have to also get a trigger for the 20" now that its complete , but not bad with the 20" ether . I have a program some where on this PC & when I get a chance I will use it to see what size of group these are . The dots are 3 ".

[98Z5V]

I must admit - I'm enjoying your progress with this project!  <thumbsup>  Great stuff, ss.

[imschur]

yeah great stuff

[SWshooter]

If you find a trigger you really like, let us know. I've tried a Bill Springfield trigger job and a Jard match trigger and I'm not really impressed with either. I think I'm going to try a drop in next, a Gold or Chip McCormick.

[survivalshop]

I've been looking at the, JP tactical fire control kit , for the 20 " rifle .  Has any one tried it ? It comes with trigger, hammer, disco., & springs . Much better price than those drop in one piece units .

I will send the 16" TG. to Bill Springfield , he has done good work for me on other rifles & my Remington 870 mag. DSG (designated slug gun) I use for deer hunting.

That Remington trigger was 7.9# & came back 4.2# & man it is clean & crisp . Made a big difference in grouping .

[survivalshop]

Finally got my VLtor flash suppressor in & on . I had to remove the Vtac hand guard & gas block of course to be able to put the barrel in the vice blocks .

No room on this 16" to clamp any thing on with out removing the hand guard . It all went back very easy . Just re-loc tighted the screws & all was lined up .

It did change the sound level or the perceived sound level from the shooters perspective .

[imschur]

man I really dig this rifle  <thumbsup>

[shooter545]

I'm running a JP trigger in one POF, a ATC Gold in my DPMS and a Chip McCormick in the other POF. It is a tough call which one I like the best. They all work really good. I really like the short rest on the ATC, but my JP breaks really nice, and the CMC is really nice clean also.

I don't know if that helps as I don't really have one that I can point to and say it is the best.

[SWshooter]

I was on the CMMG site ordering parts for my 22 conv. and I saw their two-stage trigger. The price was pretty reasonable so I ordered one. Let you know how I like it.