I've gone as much as 800 rounds of Dynapoints in my M261, 1:12 barreled rifle between .223 blowouts of the gas system. This time round I was going for 1000 rounds of Remington Golden Bullets, this particular barrel's favorite fodder. Didn't make all 1000 of GBs, as in testing the BDM hi-cap mags I had to use somewhere between 300 and 400 Federal Walmart Bulks, but I did make the 1000 rounds this morning.

Recently some pants-wetter published in a newsstand magazine that you risk blowing up your AR if you shoot .223s in it after .22LRs, because the bore gets "obstructed" with lead, raising chamber pressures drastically. I have NEVER heard of this actually happening (and you'd think someone here would have heard of it), but I took a look down the bore before my .223 blowout just to see. The bore looked dirty as you'd expect but the lands and grooves were very distinct. But just to be safe, I made ONE pass down the bore with a USGI bore brush. No giant chunks of lead came out.

I loaded an ancient GI mag with five rounds of Federal American Eagle and pulled the trigger. The first round ejected normally but the bolt seemed to short-stroke a bit, hitting the second round in a classic bolt-over-base failure that did not damage the round. Partially clogged gas systerm? Bad mag? Weak mag spring? Completely dry bolt? Who knows? After chambering it, the second round fired and ejected normally and the third round fed and chambered fully. I ejected it and put the other two rounds of .223 back in the box for another day. As far as I'm concerned, my gas system is now CLEAR (why waste 18 more rounds confirming it?) and the gun is good to go.

Next time I'll go 1200 or 1250 rounds before a blowout.

If you are shooting copper jacketed .22lr bullets, how can the bore get fouled with lead?
I have been putting zillions of remington golden bullets through my stag lately, and the bore just looks dirty to me...........certainly not obstructed.

Sounds like you have been doing some pretty comprehensive testing Snake45, Keep us updated!!

P.Smith

Quoted: If you are shooting copper jacketed .22lr bullets, how can the bore get fouled with lead? I have been putting zillions of remington golden bullets through my stag lately, and the bore just looks dirty to me...........certainly not obstructed. Sounds like you have been doing some pretty comprehensive testing Snake45, Keep us updated!! P.Smith

Perhaps because there is no such thing as a "copper jacketed 22LR bullet."

The bullets in those rounds you've been firing aren't jacketed; they are copper washed. They aren't as dirty a the standard waxed lead 22LR, but they still lead the bore at an appreciable rate.

Quoted: Perhaps because there is no such thing as a "copper jacketed 22LR bullet." The bullets in those rounds you've been firing aren't jacketed; they are copper washed. They aren't as dirty a the standard waxed lead 22LR, but they still lead the bore at an appreciable rate.

This is correct. And I'm not sure exactly what the Rem GBs are coated with.

The important issue here is the gas port hole, and whether or not it's getting clogged with ANYTHING--lead, copper, wax, moly lube, powder, or whatever. And if it clogs, if it's gonna keep the rifle from properly functioning as a 5.56, or if that clogitation can be blown out with a round or two or ten of 5.56.

THAT's what I'm testing here. So far so good.

Gun magazines and gun shops are full of more bad info than a CIA false flag operation. What you did is exactly what the Army recommends for keeping the gas system functioning while using the M261 system. Even if you were to plug the gas bleed hole, your rifle would still work as a bolt action.

Quoted: Recently some pants-wetter published in a newsstand magazine that you risk blowing up your AR if you shoot .223s in it after .22LRs, because the bore gets "obstructed" with lead, raising chamber pressures drastically. I have NEVER heard of this actually happening (and you'd think someone here would have heard of it), but I took a look down the bore before my .223 blowout just to see. The bore looked dirty as you'd expect but the lands and grooves were very distinct. But just to be safe, I made ONE pass down the bore with a USGI bore brush. No giant chunks of lead came out.

well i have put about 8 k of federal bulk 22 thru my ar and i have gone probably about 2 k between 223 rounds a few times. i even went as far as 1k with out cleaning to see if it would do it. i have never cleaned the barrel after shooting just 22, including the 2k.

after range trip ( 500 rounds or so ) i hose of the bolt and the upper with powder blaster then oil with clp. then when i do shoot 223 i will clean the barrel with a bore snake ( chrome lined bushy ) and it looks just as shinny as if i bore brushed it.

i dont think cleaning it a little as i do is too little for it, because i have not had a 223 jam in over 5 k rounds. it takes me just as long to clean it if i shoot 20 rounds as if i shoot 500