buffer for 7.62 x 39 upper suggestions

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Deserthunter

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I bought a Palmetto State Armory 7.62 x 39, 16-inch upper for by .223 Colt AR-15 lower. I primarily want to shoot hard primer and military ammo in it, the cheap Russian stuff. To go easy on my bolt (I know about the 7.62 x 39 bolt problems) and to accommodate this ammo, which H buffer weight or H-number should I use. I was thinking an H-3 buffer with perhaps a Wolff extra power spring. Is that a good idea or am I drinking Kool-Aid. Suggestions please. I've checked about, but many of the comments I read say to experiment because YMMV. I'm looking for a least a good starting point.
 
I built an upper using a PSA mid length gas 16" 7.62x39 barrel, and just use a carbine buffer. It ejects to 3:00-3:30, which is considered correctly gassed. If you have a carbine length system, an adjustable gas block may be required.
 
To save my Colt bolt, I shoot brass only and use a FA carrier. I may upgrade my standard carbine buffer. Look for a Superbolt if you can find one.

Good luck...

M
 
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If the gun strips rounds form the magazine and always goes fully into battery I'd not mess with the recoil spring. Mass matters a lot more than spring force in terms of the bolt rearward velocity, so an M16 carrier and/or heavier buffer is an easy swap and easy to reverse if needed. Slamming it harder going forward with a stronger spring can cause feed issues as you are reducing the amount of time the mag has to get the next round into position and it could be hard on the cam pin, so I'm not a fan of "extra power" springs for anything other than magazines or maybe extractors. OTOH if your heavier buffer causes failures to strip the next round or failures to return to battery, then you may need an extra power spring, but I'd say instead that it proves your "over-gassed" hypothesis is incorrect and you should return to "standard".

An adjustable gas block is great idea if you are building, but as retrofit it can be a lot of work especially if you have a standard FSB. My suggestion is just shoot what you have with the cheap ammo and put the money you would have spent aside to buy an MGW "enhanced" 7.62 bolt if the bolt breaks.

If you have ignition failures, Model1 Sales sells an enhanced 7.62x39 firing pin (a bit more protrusion than standard) that I'd suggest trying before messing with hammer springs -- I've these in my 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 ARs.

I always say if you've never broken a gun you just ain't been shooting enough! AR parts are cheap and plentiful, keep some common spares and hand, fix anything that breaks and keep shooting. In various ARs I've broken bolt lugs, cam pins, extractor pins (weird one!) and had out of spec extractors that worked with brass cased but not steel cased. None of the replaced parts have broken. Reliability has a so-called "bathtub" failure rate curve where the rate starts relatively high with virgin parts (so-called infant mortality failures) slopes down to an expected low level, and then eventually starts to ramp up in the wear-out or end of service life phase.
 
An adjustable gas block is a waste of money for a supersonic 30 cal. You WILL have it open 100% as port pressure with such rounds is a fraction of what 5.56 generates.

My previous x39 needed a stiff load to even cycle and my current 300bo even though it has a syrac gas block with an aluminum BCG and no buffer at ALL still needs all the gas it can get.
 
An adjustable gas block is a waste of money for a supersonic 30 cal. You WILL have it open 100% as port pressure with such rounds is a fraction of what 5.56 generates.
Unfortunately it seems more than a few barrel makers for alternate caliber AR barrels don't do their homework to use the correct port size. I've had to open up the ports in several barrels. My experience says under gassed is more common than over gassed with the alternate calibers and barrel lengths. I also shoot suppressed a lot and have never seen the need for adjustable gas blocks or "gas buster" charging handles, etc. YMMV.

Its not too difficult to open up a gas port in the barrel, its real hard to narrow it so the adjustable gas blocks are a solution to a real problem, they are just not something you should necessarily think about changing first. Basically if you need to retrofit one, your barrel maker screwed the pooch or you are shooting ammo pretty far from "standard".

If you are building your upper other than "wasting" a few bucks if you end up needing to run it 100% there is not really a downside and it can save you a disassembly/reassembly should you end up needing one.
 
I'm running a standard buffer and spring on my 16" 7.62x39 upper. Gonna save the wear and tear on my bolt by staying away from the commie stuff. Saving that for the SKS and AK.
 
My PSA barreled rifle does require standard hammer springs to ignite Russian primers. I tried JP yellow and red springs, but no luck. Heavy hammer are not required, as GI springs work fine. PSA has their own NIB trigger for $30, and it's got a clean break, and it's a great trigger.

I also have a 16 ARP barreled x39 rifle that I only shoot brass reloads through. It's got an ARP Super Bolt for the heavy loads I use in it. It's a very strong bolt that cures the x39 weak bolt problems. Check out ARP's site. They still had a few bolts available yesterday.
 
303 Hunter or anyone in know

Is bolt you mention completely stripped or does something come with it?
It's a complete bolt assembly. ARPerformance website is showing 2 in stock, but they go fast.

Also, an important procedure for a x39 AR is to lap the upper receiver. This makes sure that the mating surfaces for the receiver and barrel are truly flat. This takes away any side load on the bolt, which has thinner lugs than a 5.56 bolt. My lapping tool is made by Wheeler, and is powered by a drill. They're around $30 .
 
I know you are looking for an upper but there are problems as listed trying to adapt an AR to the Russian round. if you have the money the best way to use the 7.62x39 in an AR is the CCMG Mutant which is built for the round even has a bigger bolt head which is important not a hogged out 5.56 bolt. trouble is you will be stuck without being able to use any AR upper on the Mutant lower. they are different
 
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7.62 39 works great in the AR platform. I have had several in different configurations. They all run great with Steel and Brass Ammo. Most any spring andbuffer combo work fine. Unfortunately there's a lot of overthinking when it comes to gas tubes, adjustable gas block's, and buffer springs. Most of the time a lot of different combinations will work fine. I even have AR10's that run fine with AR 15 springs etc.
 
well it is hard to feed the different case of the Russian round in the AR platform. what kind of mags do you use? any way I do not like the hogged out bolt for the 39. That is why I like the beefed up Mutant bolt although a new bolt is not much but do not like the idea of the bolt shearing off while firing it
 
I hate over thinking!

(I think...)

I don't know if Colt bolts are hogged out 556. Here is a picture of my Superbolt :

index.php


M
 
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I hate over thinking!

(I think...)

I don't know if Colt bolts are hogged out 556. Here is a picture of my Superbolt :

index.php


M
is that for the 39 round? cause the steel is very thin on the outer ring which would cause a lug to break. you can look at the bolt face for the 7.62x39 round on the CMMG website and they show it next to a modified 5.56 bolt
 
Who cares? Manufacturer guaranteed 10,000 rounds steel (which I never shoot). Spare bolts are cheap. Besides my AKs and Mini-30s have big bolts. When I break one I'll be sure and let you know.

Get over yerself.

M
 
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Who cares? Manufacturer guaranteed 10,000 rounds steel (which I never shoot). Spare bolts are cheap. My AKs and Mini-30s have big bolts.

Get over yerself.

M
most 5.56 bolts do not last more then 7k rounds with more steel around the rim. tell the people you got the bolt from to get over themselves and their bogus warranty. all I hear on this forum is safety. I do not like the idea of a bolt giving way while I am firing the rifle. CCMG would not have gone out of their way to beef up the system if it was not a problem
 
I do not like the idea of a bolt giving way while I am firing the rifle.
I've broken several bolts including 7.62x39 in an AR, it was not a catastrophic failure -- one lug sheared off, I had had a feed failure, probably from the broken part jamming up the works, unbeknown to me at the time. I cleared the jam and kept shooting. Only noticed it was broken when I cleaned it.

The CMMG mutant is fantastic, mine nails 6" steel plates at 300 yards with Wolf steel cased ammo, but if all you want is to shoot cheap 7.62x39 ammo in an AR the 7.62x39 upper for your existing lower is a lot less expensive!
 
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