Spikes Conversion kit follow up
Second range trip with the Spikes kit. Still had the same issues where the fired case was getting caught between the bolt and the chamber or between the bolt assembly and the charging handle.
I was able to test it in two other AR-15s and had the same malfunctions in each so the problem seems to lie with the kit, rather than the rifle. I also tried several different types of ammo and had the same results.
Per the Spikes thread on AR15.com, this seems to indicate too strong of a recoil spring. I'll try trimming it down on the next trip to see if it helps.
I did notice when I went back to shooting 5.56 that I was more acutely aware of the blast and the buffer and spring working. I was hesitating between shots trying to figure it out, kind of like a trigger freeze. I'll need to work on the transition between the 22 LR and 5.56 in order to get the best value from the conversion kit.
Postscript:
I cleaned the unit up and used a cratex cone in a Dremel to polish out the feed ramp and polish the chamfer around the chamber opening. I then used a tight fitting patch and some JB Bore Polish to polish out the chamber itself and the barrel extension past the chamber. I clipped 1/4" off the recoil spring and lightly oiled the spring, guide rod, and spring channel on the bolt.
The Federal Champion rounds drop right in with a little "clunk". The Remington Golden Bullet HPs whcih did not chamber before, now drop in but a bit tightly. I'll give them another try to see if they will actually run now. If so, I hope to see better accuracy as the Remington bullets are a bit oversized.
I was able to test it in two other AR-15s and had the same malfunctions in each so the problem seems to lie with the kit, rather than the rifle. I also tried several different types of ammo and had the same results.
Per the Spikes thread on AR15.com, this seems to indicate too strong of a recoil spring. I'll try trimming it down on the next trip to see if it helps.
I did notice when I went back to shooting 5.56 that I was more acutely aware of the blast and the buffer and spring working. I was hesitating between shots trying to figure it out, kind of like a trigger freeze. I'll need to work on the transition between the 22 LR and 5.56 in order to get the best value from the conversion kit.
Postscript:
I cleaned the unit up and used a cratex cone in a Dremel to polish out the feed ramp and polish the chamfer around the chamber opening. I then used a tight fitting patch and some JB Bore Polish to polish out the chamber itself and the barrel extension past the chamber. I clipped 1/4" off the recoil spring and lightly oiled the spring, guide rod, and spring channel on the bolt.
The Federal Champion rounds drop right in with a little "clunk". The Remington Golden Bullet HPs whcih did not chamber before, now drop in but a bit tightly. I'll give them another try to see if they will actually run now. If so, I hope to see better accuracy as the Remington bullets are a bit oversized.
posted by iainmcphersn at 5:08 PM
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