AR15 round count/ reliability ?

[mp5a3]

Just polling some AR owners here to see what AR you own, how many rounds you've shot, what lube used, how many rounds between cleaning, anything broken, etc.

I'll start.

1. CMMG (Mod4 SA)

2. 2500 rounds

3. Slip 2000 EWL

4. Usually 500 rounds between cleaning (Although I've heard it will go more)

5. I had minor extraction issues, so I add the BCM Spring, black insert, and o-ring. I'll probably also add the "H" buffer.

I've used a mix of steel cased and brass cased ammo with no problems, I keep a small coat of Slip 2000 EWL in the chamber and it works great.

I also shoot pretty rapid fire and go through 6 magazines pretty quickly before giving the gun a break or shooting anything else.

 

[shoen1200]

I am using a Stag Arms model2.
I have @ 3.2Krnds through it.
I have gone over 600rnds between cleaning but I will clean it after use if I know the rifle will be sitting unused for a time.
Around the 2.8Krnd count the rifle became a single shot - I discovered a broken extractor spring.
I replaced it with a heavier spring and black doughnut type that was recommended to me - sorry I can not remember manufacturer’s name.
I have been using a mixture of steel and brass.
Lately it has been brass since I started early this summer reloading for this rifle.
Rifle is funny in that as long as you stay with only steel or use brass before steel and no brass after using steel the rifle is 100% reliable no matter how dirty it has become between cleanings.
But if I shoot a bunch of steel case and switch to brass I have had 3 stuck brass cases since owning the rifle
I have been using CLP to clean/lubricate.
So far I am really enjoying the rifle.
Another weird side note – I target shoot better with buis that came with the rifle than I do with 512 Eotech.
But shooting moving cans and stuff the Eotech really shines.

 

[Jenrick]

RRA 16"
Normally CLP
Probably about 15-20K in the last three years. Usually clean it at the end of a low round count class, or every 1K or so in a high round count class. Had a few failures to extract with wolf sticking the chamber if the rifle cools down after being really dirty.

-Jenrick

 

[Z-Michigan]

Armalite M15A4 (16" mid length).

Approx. 4000 rounds since new (no detailed records); nearly all brass cased, nearly all .223 55gr FMJ rather than 5.56mm mil-spec ammo.

Lubricated with FP-10. Cleaned with that, Hoppes Elite or Mirachem.

Typically cleaned after each range outing, which is means every 50-200 rounds. Has probably never gone more than 300-400 rounds between cleaning.

Nothing has broken or required replacement except for the firing pin retaining pin. I think the first one was defective and I think the hole is on the small side. The third replacement retaining pin is working fine.

No accurate count of stoppages, but all stoppages I can think of have been magazine related.

Rifle is funny in that as long as you stay with only steel or use brass before steel and no brass after using steel the rifle is 100% reliable no matter how dirty it has become between cleanings.
But if I shoot a bunch of steel case and switch to brass I have had 3 stuck brass cases since owning the rifle

Actually this is a very common experience. Don't go from steel to brass cased without cleaning in between.

 

[Kansan]

I'd be interested to hear what kind of barrels you guys are using - chromemoly, chrome-lined, stainless steel (or other?).... According to some things I've read, if you don't have a chrome-lined barrel, it may only last for 3-4k rds. That seems like a low count to me...

 

[Z-Michigan]

My Armalite has a chrome-lined 1:9 twist barrel, made of the "inferior" (haha) 4140 steel. I have not noticed any reduction in accuracy, but my skill has been improving while I've owned it so who knows.

I have not seen reliable claims of a barrel being shot out in 3-4k rounds of reasonable semi-auto fire. Continuous mag dumps on full auto, yes or maybe, but not in normal civilian usage.

 

[yosarian]

Cmmg bargain bin m4.non cl,1x9 twist,blue extractor,clp lube,bore foam.My round count is about 850 a mix of remington green/white box 55grn,privi 193,privi m855,and pmc 55grn .223.All in all the gun functions %100 only had 1 light primer strike and that was a privi 193 round.Im a very happy ar owner and about to purchase a second for my son.

 

[yosarian]

Fogot to add the barrel is 4140 and my research tells me as long as I don't over clean my barrel (bore foam helps alot) and don't over heat my barrel (min mag dumps)the barrel should be gtg for aboutr 15,000 rnds.ymmv.

 

[rino451]

4140 barrel Bushmaster. Clean and lube MAYBE once a year, that's if someone at the gun club admonished me and I start to feel guilty. I use some red shotgun grease on the carrier contact points (don't know the name). It's usually run dry at any point in time. I personally put several 1000 rounds thought it (5k maybe in 3 2-day carbine classes), but bought it used, supposedly with 2500 already though it. I think that Chuck Norris cried on it and his tears are what keep running w/o lube. I run mostly Wolf .223 poly, Silver Bear .223, ADCOM, and reloads. Occasionally Remington 55 FMJ or JHP's.

My other, DPMS kit gun, is FINICKY! particularly with polymer Wolf. I have another that's close enough to the first that I can't really say anything about it's reliability.

ETA I have to admit tha tI have bought a boresnake (still unused in the AR's) and I have used Mobile 1 once, but thought that it was smokey.

 

[waterhouse]

I've got a bushmaster lower with ~10,000 rounds on it, Mobil 1 for lube, but it's probably had 6 or 8 different uppers on it over the years (mostly Noveske uppers of various lengths). Probably doesn't help your data much. I run a bore snake through it and wipe it down after heavy sessions with the suppressor, which gets things pretty dirty, but other than that don't clean it much.

 

[kwelz]

1. Colt 6940

2. ~5000 rounds

3. Break Free CLP

4. Cleaning? What is this you speak of?

5. Had one bad mag. Won't feed properly in my gun or any of my friends.

 

[MutinousDoug]

American Spirit lower; originally an Oly upper
Oly 1-8" bbl 20" lasted between 4-5000 rounds before becoming unacceptably inaccurate (3MOA). It now has a new Krieger 1-8"barrel 26" with less than 300 rnds. Accuracy in the Oly bbl was 3/4MOA when new and went from 1.5MOA at 4500 rnds to 3MOA at 5000.
Lube is Singer sewing machine oil, Hoppe's oil or Lubit-8 (when I'm at the range and need a needle dispensed oil).
Compass Lake trigger.
Chamber is brushed and bolt carrier cleaned and lubed after most range sessions 20-100 rnds. Then a patch through the bbl to clear the carbon left from the chamber cleaning. I use Sweets or Butch's Bore Shine once or twice a season (500-1000 rounds). Spray cleaner in the action, moly lube on the sear and oil on the pins when the trigger begins to feel gritty +/- 500 rnds.
All rounds have been either 69,75 or 80gr for High Power or practice.
No components have required replacement aside from the bbl.
HTH

 

[C-grunt]

I have a Colt 6520 that I bought from my friend. I have a few hundred rounds through it, all American Eagle, Remington, or Ultramax. I havent had a single malfunction and only use Pmags or new 20 rounders. My friend never had a problem either. I tend to usually clean mine after every range trip, but not always. I clean/lube with Rem Oil or CLP.

I also have my PD patrol rifle which is a Bushmaster. The 4 day class had me shoot A LOT of ammo. Probably almost 2k rounds. No malfunctions in feeding, but did have the trigger return spring go, giving me a set trigger. LOL. Cleaned after every day using CLP.

 

[Al Thompson]

The real guide to how long and how good would be the ongoing saga of Pat Rogers training ARs. Although high quality rifles, he is over 10k through several with no cleaning at all. Just relubes with Slip 2000 when one gets sluggish.

 

[OregonJohnny]

For a time I had a standard Bushmaster A3 20" M16-style with a chrome-lined barrel. I used Bushmaster 20 and 30-round mags. While I owned it, I think I put a total of about 500 rounds through it. I cleaned it about 3 times, I think. Just used Gun Scrubber and Hoppes #9, then would lube with a bit of Outers gun oil. Never had 1 single malfunction.

I traded it a while back on a Springfield XDM handgun. Why? I'm still not quite sure. I like the XDM but I miss the AR. So I'm in the market soon for a Colt 6920 or S&W M&P15X.

 

[gvnwst]

POF P-415 SPR, no idea how many thousand rounds (probably close to 4k) since least cleaning, mostly steel case wolf, regular old gun oil. Only malfunction was a magazine induced error, wouldn't feed properly. Still very accurate with no cleaning, MOA with good ammo.

 

[FlyinBryan]

1 - colt model 6700c match target rifle. 20" hbar flat top. (unmodified)

2000 or so rounds
cleaned every range trip, or 300 rounds or so.
hoppes, mobil 1 for lube.
20 or so failure to feed.
20 or so failure to extract/eject
good accuracy (slightly bigger than an inch @ 100yds)

1 - bushmaster 16" hbar, (unmodified)

7000 or so rounds
cleaned every range trip (about 300 rounds.)
hoppes, mobil 1 for lube
zero stops of any kind for any reason
surprisingly good accuracy, 3/4" @ 100yds, hasnt diminished yet

another identical bushmaster as above (unmodified)

8000 rounds or so
cleaned every trip (about 300 rounds.)
hoppes, mobil 1 for lube
zero stops of any kind for any reason
surprisingly good accuracy, 3/4" @ 100yds, hasnt diminished yet

 

[Z-Michigan]

Bryan, that's a 2% failure rate in your Colt 6700. Any idea why? Could it be mag related, or are the mags used with it the same as the mags used with your two Bushies?

Amazing performance with both Bushmasters, btw, especially the accuracy.

 

[FlyinBryan]

not sure why. to be honest it was my 1st ar15 and i just figured it was typical (having heard about the reliability problems the platform had encountered in its early years. i owned it before i ever had the internet so i didnt know it should be better. the mags were the same ones i still have (plus ive added a few here and there) all 30 round g.i.

really, that colt could have easily been the reason that i never bought another ar, but i came into quite a bit of money and decided to try a couple more (i shoot one and my brother shoots the other) and i am so glad i did.

i think the colt had a problem that could have been rectified, but like i said, i thought that was the norm, so i never tried to find the problem. (an employee of mine even bought an identical 6700 and had similar reliability issues, so i was just sure all was as it should be)

as far as the accuracy for the bushmasters (thanks by the way) i would say i got lucky and just got a cherry of a barrel, but i got two, and they shoot just about identical. maybe i got two cherries.

 

[possum]

bushmaster e2s with the izzy muzzle devise. it has over 5,500rds through it, no issues to date when using quality ammo, no broken parts etc. 250-400rds between cleanings on avaerage. the only lube that i use is high temp wheel bering grease.

 

[FlyinBryan]

with the izzy muzzle devise.

is that a muzzle break possum?

 

[natescout]

dpms lower with a model 1 upper with chrome line barrel, the model 1 BCG broke in two, around 2000 rounds, so i bought a dpms titanium BCG . Ive put another 2000 round throught , runs like a champ now. guess its true, get what u pay for

 

[RP88]

1. CMMG mid-length build, with a BCM BCG, etc. built it to milspec according to the chart.

2. only about 800 rounds

3. CLP

4. after every trip, or within a few days after the last trip

5. one failure to extract (the case got lodged around the gas key, but popped out after sticking a car key against it and giving it a light pop)

has shot Wolf, PMC, Remmy UNC, and some of the Black Hills stuff. No problems. I only use magpul follower-enhanced USGI mags, and they work fine.