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Posted: 1/29/2015 6:52:12 PM EDT
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ok, so im new to civilian ARs. just traded my AK for a stag arms ar15
everything seemed god but it short strokes, it ejects the round (sometimes the empty shell gets stuck on the way out), but doesnt go back far enough to grab the next round, also doesnt lock when the mag is empty the spring feels WAY too strong when pulling the charging handle back and when you release the bolt it goes forward like a bat out of hell. my question is, 1.it seems like the spring is just way too heavy. is this possible or common? 2. will there be a big difference if i drop from an H buffer to a standard 3 OZ buffer? 3. will a reduced strength spring be good? 4. with current spring will cutting 3 coils of it work? stag arms 18" barrel, gas tube is about 13", gas tube seems solid and not leaking, gas block is on good, gas key looks good and not leaking, no carbon by the gas block or gas tube tried 3 different mags, and 3 different types of ammo (223 and 5.56) everything is lubed. i have 11 years military experience and i can tell you about the M4 all day but civilian ar15 im not 100% on it seems like the spring is just way too heavy. |
| Id buy a standard carbine buffer and standard carbine buffer spring and see if the problems go away. It sounds like the previous owner may have put a extra power buffer spring as well as a heavy buffer when he shouldnt have. This gun does have a carbine buffer tube correct? |
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im gonna get a new spring tomorow from the local gun range. the rifle is a carbine.
as for types of ammo, 2 were brass ( i tossed the box out before i looked, i got 2 boxes of 20 from the range to test), one was steel cased. so im sure it wasnt the ammo or mag. im 99% sure it is the buffer spring and/or the buffer |
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Tell us more about the rifle. Is it factory built? Could it have had a rifle stock on it and someone ordered a collapsible and reused the rifle spring with the carbine buffer? What mags were you using?
A picture of the rifle and the parts I mentioned might help. |
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Quoted:
Tell us more about the rifle. Is it factory built? Could it have had a rifle stock on it and someone ordered a collapsible and reused the rifle spring with the carbine buffer? What mags were you using? A picture of the rifle and the parts I mentioned might help. This Also take apart the extractor on the bolt and see if there is an oring around the spring. Also what ammo are you using? |
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small update kind of.
bought a spare spring from the local range. as a temp fix i cut the spring a coil at a time till it cycled the round and held the bolt open on empty mag. (cordless dremel at the range haha) i already looked at the gas key, took the handguards off to look at the gas tube. so usually the gas block is right inline with the front sights or top rail or whatever, and mine was canted just a bit off center. so it took a bunch of pounding but i moved the block enough to see the hole in the barrel and used a marker and lined the block back up. now it is inline with the top sights where it should be. also took pipe cleaner and ran in the gas tube and nothing is blocked or anything. im trying to give as much info as i can. it is a stag arms, 18" barrel (not fluted), full rifle length gas tube, carbine, low profile gas block, gas inmpingment system (not piston), had a 10.5" spring when i got it (cut it till it cycled the rounds, the replacement spring i got is a 12.75" or 13" forgot what i measured) i believe a stock carbine buffer spring needs to be about 11.25" if i recall right... .ammo i tried brass 5.56, brass 223 and steel tula 223. all did the same thing. also tried a standard GI mag and 2 polymer mags so other than the canted block (not much maybe 1/8 inch or less), everything looked good. i will go to the range tomorow and hope it was the problem. if it still short strokes, i dont know. lol. |
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Quoted:
small update kind of. bought a spare spring from the local range. as a temp fix i cut the spring a coil at a time till it cycled the round and held the bolt open on empty mag. (cordless dremel at the range haha) i already looked at the gas key, took the handguards off to look at the gas tube. so usually the gas block is right inline with the front sights or top rail or whatever, and mine was canted just a bit off center. so it took a bunch of pounding but i moved the block enough to see the hole in the barrel and used a marker and lined the block back up. now it is inline with the top sights where it should be. also took pipe cleaner and ran in the gas tube and nothing is blocked or anything. im trying to give as much info as i can. it is a stag arms, 18" barrel (not fluted), full rifle length gas tube, carbine, low profile gas block, gas inmpingment system (not piston), had a 10.5" spring when i got it (cut it till it cycled the rounds, the replacement spring i got is a 12.75" or 13" forgot what i measured) i believe a stock carbine buffer spring needs to be about 11.25" if i recall right... .ammo i tried brass 5.56, brass 223 and steel tula 223. all did the same thing. also tried a standard GI mag and 2 polymer mags so other than the canted block (not much maybe 1/8 inch or less), everything looked good. i will go to the range tomorow and hope it was the problem. if it still short strokes, i dont know. lol. Wut? |
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i traded an AK for this AR. it is a stag arms upper and lower, with a troy rail. any way it is still short stroking. ill upload some pics of the gas block and where the tube meets the block. when i zoom in the pics it looks like carbon build up and a leak from the block or where the tube meets the block. 
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The block is right up against the shoulder where a handguard cap would otherwise go. Some blocks are designed so that small gap has to be maintained, even if you aren't using a handguard cap. Moving the block back to the shoulder can occlude the gas port.
Not saying your gas block is definitely one of those, but that is something I'd investigate. ETA - a little leakage from the gas tub or block is not unusual when a rifle is brand new. It usually stops after enough fouling seals it up. |
| I am just curious if it is a home build and it was built using STAG upper and lower receivers. What are the specs on the barrel? What kind of BCG? Which buffer? Have you checked to see if you have proper flow with the gas block (running a liquid down the gas tube to see if it trickles or streams out of the barrel)? |
| A weapon with gremlins like yours needs a qualified brick and mortar gunsmith to dismantle it, gauge all components, reassemble and test fire. Buffer springs are gauged by expanded length. No cutting is ever required or advised. After you get it back let us know what work was preformed and how well it shoots. |
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If the gas block was canted I would check the tube end where it contacts the gas key.
Take a pick of the tube in the upper, very well could have gotten bent or damaged. Aside from that, yank the Gas Block & measure the spacing of the port hole back set. Then measure the port on the barrel from the wall. Subtract the measurement & that is how far off the wall the block needs to be. Next you should check the hole in the gas tube. I have had them a tad small & not in the exact spot of the port in the GB. If it is s set screw type you can insert a drill bit threw the screw hole to check alignment of the tube in the block. Also, go back to the unfooked spring. |
| Sounds like it's under gassed. Could be an alignment issue, but if everything checks out there, your choices are A) add a muzzle device like the KX3/KX5 to increase back pressure or B) open up the port. An 18" tube with rifle gas is short on dwell time, so it may need an oversize gas port to run right. |
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