Short Stroking?

[exdxgxe4life]

Hey ya'll first post on THR so go easy on me.

Here's my story... (skip down a ways if you don't care about the background info)

I battled over getting a savage bolt action or an AR for the longest time. I love savage (don't hate) and bolt actions are cheaper, RELIABLE, and they just freaking work. Finally decided on an AR15 because I want to use it for coyotes and prarie dogs, and I like having that second shot super fast.

So I was seriously looking at an RRA predator or coyote model. Out of no where I went with a Bushmaster Predator because I really liked the barrel profile and the 1:8 twist because it'll shoot 55 grains just fine, as well as heavier bullets for the longer range plinking. Got the Bushy for 1100 out the door at Cabelas.

SO....I take it to the range and shoot pmc/federal bulk pack/federal lake city 5.56/brown bear/silver bear while using the ****ty factory 5 round mag.

Gun had issues short stroking with bear (but not federal, pmc, or any brass ammo for that matter). I later take it out, shoot wolf, son of a bitch, WOLF gets stuck in the chamber. I know, you know, we all know wolf sucks, but it's freakin cheap right? Shot it later, same result, wolf gets stuck in the chamber. I wish it would shoot it, but until I put more rounds down range, I'm guessing the internals need to wear down a bit. My guess is the steel case wasn't bending and was putting too much force on the extractor, causing the bolt to not fully rotate.

So....The changes I make...Bought a one piece gas ring thinking that will give me a better seal....didn't do ****...good thing it was only $3 bucks.

Then I get to thinking hey, what if I put a carbine buffer spring it. The bolt would have to ride back further and wholla...end of problem right?

Hell yeah that worked!

(Holy Freakin crap this is long your thinking huh?). SO.... is it bad to run a carbine buffer spring with my full length buffer? IDK how but the face of my buffer is getting all scratched to hell.

I haven't done any serious mag dumps to see if it is affecting cycling timing, but all I really care is that when hunting, it doesn't turn into a single shot.

PS For all those that read this whole thing, god bless you, and know that a bolt action (granted can have issues too) need not be forgotten.

 

[rcmodel]

I would not recommend running a carbine spring.
It will just beat the crap out of your rifle when shooting good brass case ammo that extracts right in the first place.

Steel case expands like brass to seal the chamber, but it doesn't contract as much as brass to let go when the pressure drops.

That is fine in an AK-47, because the 7.62x39 case has a heck of a lot more taper then the .223 case.
So, once the seal is broken, the taper allows it will come out with no resistance.
.223 doesn't work that way.

If I had a Predator rifle, I would shoot American made brass case varmint ammo in it!

If I wanted to shoot steel case Russian ammo, I would get an AK-47.
They were made for it.

Commie ammo is for Commie guns!

rc

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Have you used brass case ammo? If it functions with that, use it. BTW, I had a Wolf case stick in the chamber of a Mini-14, so tightly that the extractor tore the rim off the case and I had to use penetrating oil and a cleaning rod down the barrel as a punch to get it out. This was in 2004, when I think they were using the lacquer coating.

 

[Zak Smith]

Do not run a carbine op spring in a rifle receiver extension tube.

Run good ammo from good mags. If you then have problems, have Bushmaster fix the rifle.