Brass deflection pattern (Stag 6H upper)

[berettaprofessor]

Question; I recently bought a Stag 6H upper direct from Stag; direct impingement, 24" stainless, heavy bull barrel. Standard carbine buffer in the lower. Very accurate with factory ammo, esp Hornady 40 grain v-max and some 69 grain Remington. I shot 50 rounds through it yesterday and the brass is deflecting to the 1:30-2:00 position, regardless of load or bullet weight. Since I'm a lefty shooting a right-handed upper this is somewhat a happy surprise instead of AR's ejecting to the normally 4:00-5:00 position. However, I don't know what this means for the rifle. I've read that it may indicate the rifle is overgassed. Is this normal/ok or anything to worry about?

 

[MistWolf]

Attempting to tune your rifle by ejection pattern means little unless you go through the rifle and make sure the ejector, ejector spring, extractor and extractor spring are up to spec and unless your Stag has the Colt M4 extractor spring, it's not to spec. Even then, ejection patterns are suggestions, not hard & fast rules. It could mean your rifle is overgassed, or it could mean you've got a pending extractor and/or ejector issue. Stags do tend to have overly large gas ports and the carbine buffer is simply too light.

If you want to tune your rifle, get a H or H2 carbine buffer, good carbine action spring, update the ejector & extractor and their respective springs and install an SLR adjustable gas block. Adjust the gas block until until the action will eject the last round in the magazine without locking back, then open it a click or two until it does lock back

 

[briansmithwins]

If the rifle is working don't mess with it.

BSW

 

[berettaprofessor]

Wow, thanks to both of you for replying, but that's two different approaches. The carbine buffer being a little light for a 24" barrel makes some sense and I'll try switching it out, but I wouldn't know a spec Colt M4 extractor spring if it jumped up and bit me. The lower is a Spike's Tactical and I used a Stag parts kit. The upper is all Stag. Does that help?

BSW, it's working great at present, I just want to make sure I'm not allowing extra damage to the rifle by letting something go by. Does overgassing actually hurt anything other than making the action more dirty?

 

[briansmithwins]

Overgasing can lead to damage because the recoiling parts get too much energy and open up violently. You'd probably notice it as excess recoil when the buffer slams back into the end of the receiver extension.

You can try running a heavier buffer and see what happens. Personally, if a AR functions reliably and the empty brass lands about 6' away, I wouldn't worry.

BSW

 

[Tirod]

If it aint broke don't fix it.

It takes about 25,000 rounds to wear out an extractor or break a lug on the bolt, if it happens in the next few thousand it's warranty work regardless.

As long as it's new - shoot it. Stag isn't in the business of going broke making rifles that will self destruct the way some posters like to imagine. The first part you substitute voids the warranty, don't take their advice at all.

I served 22 years USAR and we conducted our own weapons qualification all those year, standing on the firing line it made no difference, Colt, FN, Armalite, Hydramatic, M16, A1, A2, the piles of brass varied from shooter to shooter, from one to 5 o'clock. They were worn out Basic Training Issue thru brand new out of the box, you couldn't predict where it would land.

Don't worry about the ejection pattern, worry about using decent clean magazines and good ammo in it.