Sam H
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Posts: 1,099
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Post by Sam H on Oct 21, 2012 12:46:57 GMT
So I picked an extra A3 type upper with a 20" heavy barrel to mount an optic on for my daughter to use on my AR for hunting season. I figured the extra length in the barrel would help in energy and accuracy.
I mounted a scope, put it on my lower and locked in a full mag. Then I tried to chamber a round - and it happens that it won't go all the way into battery - the rear end of the cartridge itself sticks out about 1/4". The bullet also seats VERY tightly into the chamber and gets stuck. To extract the cartridge I have to put the gun on its stock and tap at the charging handle downward to get the bolt to extract. Markings left from this are on the actual bullet itself and NOT on the case. This leads me to believe that the problem is the barrel... as in the internal diameter of the barrel is too small ie. not .223.
I've built a few AR rifles now since I've gotten into the AR platform but this is the first time I've ever encountered this issue. This is also not one of my builds - I picked it up at a gun show from a private seller. The upper is in brand new condition, never fired, and carries no markings whatsoever.
Any ideas/suggestions for remedying the issue?
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Post by Lonely Wolf Forge on Oct 21, 2012 13:55:06 GMT
sounds like someone sold you a piece of crap out of spec barrel :/
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Taran
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Posts: 2,621
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Post by Taran on Oct 21, 2012 14:01:12 GMT
AR uppers are chambered in a lot of different calibers. You probably got one not in .223 without realizing it. Only options, really, are to figure out what it Is chambered in and do the mods to the lower to work that caliber, or get a different upper.
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Sam H
Member
Posts: 1,099
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Post by Sam H on Oct 21, 2012 14:29:18 GMT
Having gotten one chambered in 5.45 was a thought that did cross my mind. I suppose i could go to my Lovato gun store and see if that is the case. Thanks guys.
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Sam H
Member
Posts: 1,099
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Post by Sam H on Oct 22, 2012 3:01:14 GMT
I'd thought of that too. Might go that route.
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Post by ShooterMike on Oct 30, 2012 18:05:47 GMT
My guess is, you bought an upper with a .204 Ruger barrel on it.
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Sam H
Member
Posts: 1,099
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Post by Sam H on Nov 4, 2012 0:40:17 GMT
Tried .204 Ruger and 5.45 ammo in it.
Thus far its all no go. The .204 Ruger cartridge didn't even want to fit into the chamber - neck length is all wrong. Same goes for the 5.45x39.
I dropped it off at my gunsmith/favorite LGS today to be looked at. Upon initial inspection he said it was most likely a FUBARed barrel - probably came from the manufacturer like that. The only thing that could be done to fix it is either to replace the barrel or re-chamber the barrel to make it work properly. He said he'd take a closer look and let me know on Monday.
Apparently there's been a few barrels that have ended up in his shop from home builders that were like this. No markings on the barrels and purchased from gun show vendors. I wonder if someone is making barrels and not milling the chambers to proper specs (either on purpose or just sheer ignorance of the issue) and selling them at gun shows.
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Post by GUEST on Nov 4, 2012 6:40:09 GMT
Some custom barrels are short chambered so you can finish out the chamber specs to what you want.
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Post by ShooterMike on Nov 5, 2012 21:42:12 GMT
I hadn't thought of that, but yeah, I've bought a barrel or two like that. I've never seen an AR barrel with the gas hole and barrel extension already in place that hadn't been chambered. But it sounds like a solid explanation. If the .204 round won't chamber, it's not .223/5.56 either. Get your gunsmith to slug the bore and see actual bore diameter. Then you can chamber it accordingly. Pray to God that it doesn't mic to .17 caliber.
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Post by Odingaard on Nov 5, 2012 22:29:48 GMT
My advice, get another barrel and don't screw around with this one... There are many companies out there that turned out stuff they said was .mil spec which was not, such as Vulcan and Blackthorne - but I have my own opinion: If it's not marked at all, then there is nothing about it which was proper spec to begin with. Sounds like it was a factory second which did not make the cut, so it was not stamped. If it were intended for resale, federal law requires that the barrel is marked. I have seen a few of these end up at gunshows, as they get tossed into the meltdown bin at the factory and workers snatch them out and try to make a little money on them. They sell this crap in bulk to the highest bidder. Do the wise thing, toss it out and get yourself a decent barrel. They do not cost that much. There is nothing you can do with your current barrel to make it function properly in a weapon without spending more than you would for a brand new name brand barrel anyway.
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Post by ShooterMike on Nov 6, 2012 15:58:13 GMT
Or send it to me. I'll cut and turn it down on a lathe and make a faster twist replacement barrel for my suppressed Browning Buckmark. I need a 4-inch 1-8 or 1-7 twist barrel designed to handle 60 gr Aguila SSS.
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Sam H
Member
Posts: 1,099
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Post by Sam H on Nov 7, 2012 1:29:24 GMT
Got the upper back. I am assuming they reamed out the chamber and re-milled it to proper head space.
I took it out to the range and shot it on a lower I had. Everything chambers fine and shoots well. Now I'm going to have to find optics for this thing.
Oh and total cost: $0. The owner of the LGS is trading me the labor cost of fixing the barrel for the labor cost of replacing his front rotors, and pads on his pick-up.
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