Vltor experiences/opinions

[Constructor]

I've spent quite a bit of money swapping barrels, drilling ports, and trying BRT gas tubes to figure out the right port size for a 14" mid length AR. I'd like to hear what the right gas port size is for a 308W 16" rifle length gas.

Start with a .081" then match it to the exact load and build. Different powders and bullet weights can affect the pressure at the port.

 

[Neurotic]

This (Vltor A5 / BCM MK2) recoil system format brings these benefits to the table:

1. You can get rid of the carbine length recoil spring that collapses an inch after a mere few thousand rounds and get the rifle length recoil spring for which the system was originally designed. I've had to change as many carbine recoil springs as gas ring sets in the past. The rifle length recoil spring with far more coils will both last far longer and provide much better service.

2. All the "patented" stuff in both recoil systems is really in the buffer design. There are springs on either side of the buffer weights than reduce both felt recoil and bolt bounce. And they really do that.

The MK2 upgrades over the Vltor A5 are in the design and material quality of the internal springs inside the buffer plus the polymer piece on the muzzle end of the buffer. The MK2 buffer tube also has more detents than its A5 counterpart - but they are not numbered with the MK2 system as they are with the A5 format.

This stuff works.

The A5 also offers higher spring preload with a lower spring rate than a traditional carbine configuration. It's sort of similar to the benefits of a Tubbs flat wire spring.

 

[M4orturnate]

So the A5/intermediate length buffer systems are about the only thing in small frame guns I haven't messed with. I'm genuinely curious what the benefits are, but when I ask all I get is "they're the best, quit being poor", which is basically what I hear when discussing the JP SCS. Having tried the SCS and deciding it's not the second coming, I'd still like to hear more tangible benefits of the A5 outside of the placebo effects.

Personally im not impressed. I prefer a carbine length with a red sprinco spring and a t2. The a5 shoots soft i guess but the spring noise and feel is rediculous. I have one on my 12.5 and dont think i hain anything over my normal set up

 

[TheOE800]

The A5 also offers higher spring preload with a lower spring rate than a traditional carbine configuration. It's sort of similar to the benefits of a Tubbs flat wire spring.

I would use a Tubbs in a small frame before I did A5 again.

 

[Neurotic]

Personally im not impressed. I prefer a carbine length with a red sprinco spring and a t2. The a5 shoots soft i guess but the spring noise and feel is rediculous. I have one on my 12.5 and dont think i hain anything over my normal set up

I've found the sproing noise is more about the spring than the system length. Chrome silicon springs don't really sproing in either application; where the Sprinco springs are chrome silicon. So, if you're comparing a Sprinco spring in a carbine system to a music wire or SS spring rifle spring in an A5 system I'd expect more noise. Unless your getting a bunch of bouncing with the A5, which would mean something isn't right.

I would use a Tubbs in a small frame before I did A5 again.

Why?

 

[M4orturnate]

I've found the sproing noise is more about the spring than the system length. Chrome silicon springs don't really sproing in either application; where the Sprinco springs are chrome silicon. So, if you're comparing a Sprinco spring in a carbine system to a music wire or SS spring rifle spring in an A5 system I'd expect more noise. Unless your getting a bunch of bouncing with the A5, which would mean something isn't right.

Why?

Sprinco in both. Dont notice it in the shorter ones but its obvious to the point of annoying in the a5. Jmo

 

[Clayman]

I don't find my A5 set ups loud (spring noise). The Geissele 42 is obnoxious. The A5 isn't any louder or quieter than my KAC with their hh buffer and spring imo.

 

[thedude824]

I’ve run into some of the same issues. I was planning on running a Criterion barrel with matched bcg, but they’re 6-8 months out minimum on the barrel I wanted to go with. So now I’m stuck between the Ranier Arms 1:8 16” rifle length gas barrel, the Faxon 416r 5R midlength 16” match barrel, and the SOLGW 16” midlength Combat Grade Barrel.

I ended up with a VLTOR MUR upper, VLTOR A5, ADM UIC ambi lower, Geissele MK4 13.5" and Criterion 14.5" hybrid barrel. I ordered the barrel on "backorder" and was quoted 6-8 weeks. It arrived 10 days later.
The rifle is fantastic. With an H3 it was smooth as silk with no spring noise (Sprinco green) and extraordinarily flat shooting. It became my carbine course gun. With the suppressor the BCG was slamming around, but I wanted to keep a fixed gas block. Never got the Bootleg carrier to work. Turns out I was able to get it to shoot perfectly with my high backpressure can just by swapping to an H4. That realization alone made me forever a fan of the A5. I wasn't able to get the other rifles to shoot so perfectly with a buffer weight swap. All of my carbine buffer rifles use AGBs for that reason. Any rifle I built from that point uses an A5. The system is just more forgiving and seems to land on the right setting very easily. Its like rifle building for the kids that ate crayons.