AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

[sentry1]

At the range this week, I noticed my AR15 is spitting brass as much as 5 - 7 feet away. I could hear my brass smacking against the back post supporting the overhang we shoot under.

Aside from Paladin, are there other worthwhile options in adjustable gas blocks?

 

[BirdEyes]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

sounds like you just need to cut a turn off of your ejector spring.

 

[sentry1]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Oh hell, that's not going to be simple, is it?

 

[BCP]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

I find that too much extractor spring tension throws it forwards and too little goes backwards. Really cheap part and easy to replace.

 

[Pat M]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Adjustable gas tube, lot cheaper than a block

 

[sentry1]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

The only adj gas tube on Midway was only $15 less than a Paladin. I got the impression from the reviews that the tube isn't all that reliable.

Looks like Paladin or PRI are good choices.

 

[MitchInOR]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

I just received an SLR DA7 gas block. I going to install it tomorrow and hopefully have a mini review in the next couple days.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Should have taken BirdEyes advice, and gone straight to the ejector spring first. Simple fix, and a common modification to almost all competition ARs so we can recover our brass. My rifles all leave all ten cases in a nice litle 6"-8" pile, about twe feet beside/behind me at 4 O'clock.

 

[Rock Head]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Are there any ill effects of throwing brass that far from you, besides potentially annoying the people in the lanes next to you?

 

[sentry1]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Haven't made a final purchase yet, Kevin, so I'm still open to advice!

Can you direct me to some instructions on modifying the ejector spring to achieve this result?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kevin Thomas</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Should have taken BirdEyes advice, and gone straight to the ejector spring first. Simple fix, and a common modification to almost all competition ARs so we can recover our brass. My rifles all leave all ten cases in a nice litle 6"-8" pile, about two feet beside/behind me at 4 O'clock. </div></div>

 

[ksthomas]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Sentry1,

Use a cut-off wheel in a Dremel, and simply take off a loop at a time (we're talking the ejector spring here) until the brass is going where you want it when firing. I'd say start with about one and a half turns, and go from there. Should have it where you want it pretty quickly. Word of advice here; Springs are cheap, and you'll want to have several on hand, especially when you go cutting coils off. Something you ought to have in your spares box anyway, but this makes it mandatory.

we used to have a link to a piece on this on our LCSA website, but I'm not even sure that it's still up. I'll take a look, and let you know if it is.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Okay, found a copy of the write up, even though the site is down. Courtesy of my friend Jeff Chosid, simply cut the spring down using a Dremel with a cut-off wheel to a point where it leaves the ejector standing about .005" proud of the bolt face. As he points out, this is a hardened spring, and you'll need to use the Dremel; a wire cutter won't do here.Once you've got it to length, reassemble with the cut end going down into the ejector hole, the ejector assmebled to contact the face of the uncut end of the spring. Reassemble, and you should be set.

Good shooting!

 

[sentry1]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Thanks Kevin. I'll get some extra ejector springs from Midway or somewhere. Ejector disassembly doesn't require any special tools does it? I assume a YouTube search will get me what I need.

 

[ksthomas]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Technically, no. All it takes is a small punch and about three hands. There are a number of bolt disassembly tools on the market such as the Sinclair AR-15 Bolt Vise. They will make life a lot easier, and let you dispense with that extra hand. At about $25, it's money well spent, and you'll use it for a number of routine maintainence chores on the bolt. Yeah, you need one.

There's a number of tools that are needed to build ARs (barrel nut wrench, roll pin punches and starters, torque wrench, Front Sight Bench Block, etc.), and then there's a bunch more that aren't neccessarily required for building, but make life a lot easier for any AR shooter. The bolt vise is one of the later.

 

[BirdEyes]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sentry1</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I assume a YouTube search will get me what I need. </div></div>
While I can't recommend the tools used in this, refer to http://www.gswagner.com/arejector/arejector.html for a pictorial. It is rather straightfoward to do especially once you see a picture. As for tools, you'd be better sticking with Kevin's advice. I was reluctant to add the link when I saw the adjustable pliers being used in the picture....

 

[ksthomas]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Yikes! Yeah, this is why you want the specialty bolt vise; no channel locks involved.

Kitchen table gun plumbin' at its finest!

 

[culater]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

I would look to David Tubbs AR 15 extactor and ejector spring
http://youtu.be/u4dxFcgfwHg

I have a set put in and work great

 

[leadbullet]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

you should be happy the brass comes out at all, wherever it goes well, who cares as long as the bullets hit the target.

 

[seanh]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Really? Happy that his gun is functioning at all? If you're having that much problem with your rifle, you should take it to a competent AR mechanic...they can do wonders for reliability.

Being happy that your gun is functioning as it should is a sign that the gun wasn't built properly.

 

[sentry1]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: attherange</div><div class="ubbcode-body">you should be happy the brass comes out at all, wherever it goes well, who cares as long as the bullets hit the target. </div></div>

 

[ksthomas]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Facepalm . . . okay, now THAT'S funny!

 

[sentry1]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

Seriously though, thanks for the advice, people who contributed useful advice. I've ordered a couple of extra ejector springs, and I'll try grinding down the one in the bolt now.

Back to adjustable gas blocks, thoughts? I'll be assembling a MATEN at some point, will tuning the gas flow keep it from beating up my brass?

 

[seanh]

Re: AR15 throwing brass everywhere, adj gas block?

In short, yes. Too slow a carrier and you don't reliably strip the next round, too fact and you ding up and sling brass. A lighter ejector is the first place to start but just the right timing will allow relatively undamaged cases.

What I do is close the block til it won't cycle, then start backing out the screw where the bolt comes back but wont strip a round and then slowly open it up til I can strip rounds reliably. When I'm stripping rounds I'll start tweaking to see if I can drop the brass within a foot of the ejection port.