1st Time Out w/ A2

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Posted: 10/3/2018 8:46:14 AM EDT

So got rained out today at a friends private outdoor range so settled for indoor 25 yard. PSA lower, TNTE A2 stock set with buffer and spring, TNTE 20” A2 barrel kit, PSA nickel boron BCG, JSE Surplus A2 upper, DPMS lpk. Had to come up 4 clicks to zero, windage dead on never touched from assembly. Had 1 light primer strike. More problematic was at least twice the bolt failed to strip a round and chamber. Tried 2 different magazines, USGI steel and Lancer happened with both. I know it was first time out and only fired 15 rounds. I had it pretty oily, just looking for thoughts.

Attached File

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:10:28 PM EDT

[#1]

Is that a gremlin lower?
Nice!

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:13:09 PM EDT

[#2]

Yep PFG at the range.

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:29:38 PM EDT

[#3]

What kind of ammo?

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:34:29 PM EDT

[#4]

Put a non-nickel boron BCG in there. Seriously.

Toolcraft or BCM or Centurion.

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:34:56 PM EDT

[#5]

Cheap 55g steel case. Never had it fail to chamber but could be the issue.

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:36:11 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
Put a non-nickel boron BCG in there. Seriously.

Toolcraft or BCM or Centurion.

View Quote

First one I’ve ever used. Not good?

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:44:07 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
Cheap 55g steel case. Never had it fail to chamber but could be the issue.

View Quote

I've never used it, but it's reputed to be weak. Probably a faster burn rate which requires less powder - less gas volume.

Wolf Gold and Geco are often recommended for bang/buck.

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:45:50 PM EDT

[#8]

I always loved A1 and A2 rifles. Clean it really well and try some 52/53 grain and 68/69 grain ammo at 100.

I've been amazed at how well 1/7 twist rifles shoot lightweight match bullets. I've also been disappointed with virtually every 55 grain FMJ I have ever fired.

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:47:56 PM EDT

[#9]

Light strikes are probably hammer spring legs oriented incorrectly.

I don't recall USGI mags being steel. What brand?

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:51:01 PM EDT

[#10]

C products makes a steel gi style mag.

I would check the hammer spring orientation like suggested above.

I have out them in backwards before, though I had walking pins and not light strikes.

Maybe a different action spring if you have one.

Posted: 9/30/2018 5:56:13 PM EDT

[#11]

Good looking rifle.

Double check the hammer spring orientation, as suggested, and find a full power, M193-type load. I break into my stash of older Fed. XM193 when l test a new rifle. Shoot 100 rounds. If l have problems it won't be ammo related.

Posted: 9/30/2018 6:42:04 PM EDT

[#12]

Believe the magazines to be C products brand. Checked the spring it appears correct, I know it can happen but I assembled this the same as all my other lowers and never had a light strike issue before.

Posted: 9/30/2018 11:53:45 PM EDT

[#13]

By failed to strip a round a chamber, do you mean it didn’t fully go into battery? Or did it not pick up a round at all?

If it’s the former, along with a light primer strike...it may be a lockup tolerance issue with that bolt.

I had one PSA nitride upper that I used a PSA NiB BCG with that just refused to run. The BCG would seemingly go into battery but about 20% of the time, there was no bang when the trigger was pulled and I'd have to mortar it to get the round to eject. Never quite figured out if it was a tight chamber, extractor spring, etc. or a combination of all of the above.

Posted: 10/1/2018 1:08:38 AM EDT

[#14]

Nice PFG A2 OP!

My PFG A1 will get done eventually....

Posted: 10/1/2018 3:07:46 PM EDT

[#15]

Since it sounds like a brand new rifle... fire some full power ammo through it, and allow the various parts to break in.

A lot of steel cased ammo can be under powered , even to the point of not producing enough gas to 100% cycle a brand new rifle.

As for the primers, a lot of steel cased ammo can have slightly harder primer cups... so again, allow the rifle some more time to break in.

As mentioned, it wouldn't hurt to recheck various parts... hammer spring, gas block and tube... and lube the heck out of it.

Lots of bolts can be snug with the receiver lugs for the first 50 rounds.

And make sure the chamber is clean.

Posted: 10/1/2018 10:03:25 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
By failed to strip a round a chamber, do you mean it didn’t fully go into battery? Or did it not pick up a round at all?

If it’s the former, along with a light primer strike...it may be a lockup tolerance issue with that bolt.

I had one PSA nitride upper that I used a PSA NiB BCG with that just refused to run. The BCG would seemingly go into battery but about 20% of the time, there was no bang when the trigger was pulled and I'd have to mortar it to get the round to eject. Never quite figured out if it was a tight chamber, extractor spring, etc. or a combination of all of the above.

View Quote

Correct never stripped a round from the magazine, maybe based on some comments here the bolt wasn't cycling completely because of the ammo.

Posted: 10/1/2018 10:06:29 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
Since it sounds like a brand new rifle... fire some full power ammo through it, and allow the various parts to break in.

A lot of steel cased ammo can be under powered , even to the point of not producing enough gas to 100% cycle a brand new rifle.

As for the primers, a lot of steel cased ammo can have slightly harder primer cups... so again, allow the rifle some more time to break in.

As mentioned, it wouldn't hurt to recheck various parts... hammer spring, gas block and tube... and lube the heck out of it.

Lots of bolts can be snug with the receiver lugs for the first 50 rounds.

And make sure the chamber is clean.

View Quote

Yes, brand new build so I'm hoping just some better ammo to make sure everything is cycling properly and allow some time to break in will solve these issues.

Posted: 10/2/2018 12:07:17 AM EDT

[#18]

Full power ammo for break in every time is key. I have had issues with one midlength build that hadn't had problems for two years shooting PMC (slower than m193) and couldn't figure out why until it dawned on me one day.

It happened in the cold, the rifle never had an issue until I was out with 20 degree temps and slower ammo. Ammo that wasn't running real hot, plus cool temps with a particular lube (that I thought would handle cool temps fine) and an H2 buffer all contributed. The H2 was swapped into a pistol build that could utilize it reliably and the lube was swapped to break free. Never had another issue since.

Sometimes chasing problems is "tolerance stacking" of differences that seem irrelevant but add up to cause issues.

Remove any thicker lube. Fire three mags of m193 or similar spec "hot" ammo followed by three mags of your preferred plinking ammo and report back. Good luck.

Posted: 10/3/2018 8:46:14 AM EDT

[#19]

Topic Moved

Posted: 11/23/2018 3:44:08 PM EDT

[#20]

Finally made it back to the range today. Cleaned the rifle as clean as I could get it especially the chamber. Checked the springs for proper assembly, no problem there. Bought 150 rounds of Federal Brass 55 grain FMJ. Only used the Lancer magazines. Fired 100 rounds, not a single light strike, not a single FTF or FTE. Functioned perfectly, this A2 may very well be my favorite AR. Am planning an A1 build next so we will see but I am loving this A2. The full power quality ammo made a tremendous difference.

Posted: 11/24/2018 8:18:50 PM EDT

[#21]

That's good news.

My A2 replica goes with me almost every time I go shooting. I feed it a steady diet of M193, and it's happy.

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