Current status on the ACR? [Archive]

kwelz

12-08-11, 18:55

I know these were a huge disappointment to everyone when they came out. Bushmaster did their normal job on them.

Despite that I have decided to get one. I can get a new one at a pretty good price. So I figured what the heck.

I know there have been a few issues including loose fasteners so I will keep an eye on all this.

My real question comes about the barrel. We all know the stock barrel is heavy junk. So I would like to drop a Noveske 14.5 on there. I am aware that it will take some work so I was hoping some of you have had this work done and could suggest a good place to have it done.

I did a search and have found a lot of info but this is something I just want to make sure I get done right.

Thanks all.

MikeCLeonard

12-08-11, 20:20

There have been some rumblings about a newer Version 2 of the ACR coming out soon. I have no idea if this is true or not...but waiting till after SHOT to pick up an ACR might be a good idea.

Alien

12-08-11, 23:13

Most people like Adco for barrel work. I had them lighten and chop my ACR barrel and they did a great job.

http://www.adcofirearms.com/shopservices/

Just be aware you will want them to shrink the gas port. Any AR-15 barrel will have a wider gas port than is appropriate for an ACR. I don't know what the sizes are for various barrel/gas system lengths although on the ACRforum site, there are threads with some of that info.

Also you may want to make sure you have or get the newer version of the op rod spring. It is stiffer and my gun needed it to reliably cycle with IMI M193 because it was overgassed even with a barrel chop of over 2 inches.

Alien

12-08-11, 23:14

.....

crusader377

12-09-11, 08:45

I'm not an expert on the firearms industry in any way but IMO the ACR is dead and it is very unlikely that any version 2.0 is going to change that. The ACR had a tremendous amount of hype before it was introduced but when it actually came out it was overpriced and underperforming.

I think with the current market where one can get a basic Colt, DD, or BCM for less than a $1000 there is little chance that the ACR can be a sale success with their current marketing/pricing strategy.

I think the only way that the ACR could be successful is if they priced it in the $900-$1200 range.

J-Dub

12-09-11, 17:17

Could the 300aac blkout be a game changer?

The ability to swap to a 300aac with just a simple barrel change would be great. And if you went SBR only the barrel would have to be engraved.......

Iceberg

12-14-11, 19:32

I really like my ACR and most of the guys that I have met, which actually own one, feel the same way. The prices have come down enough that you can buy one and put premium optics on it for around the cost of a base SCAR. I paid $1200 for my basic Tan model out the door at a local shop and I have added the adjustable folding stock, EoTech 516 & FTS Magnifier, and the AAC Blackout 51T Flash Hider. My buddy just picked up a black basic ACR for $1500 delivered to his FFL off GB.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll42/ekbergie/Gun%20Collection/014.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll42/ekbergie/Gun%20Collection/015-1.jpg

kwelz

12-14-11, 21:47

Yeah I decided to go ahead and get the one. My only real bitch about it is the barrel. Working on figuring out how to drop a Noveske 14.5 in there. :D

nickdrak

12-14-11, 22:27

I think chopping the factory barrel to 14.5" and recontouring it in-front of the gasblock is a better option to dropping a bunch of money into a premium AR barrel that may never work properly for platform.

Dave_M

12-14-11, 22:33

Even Travis Haley is rockin' a SCAR (one with Troy sights and an EOtech even) these days...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC3EmQwv8hk

I'd poke it with a stick now.

kwelz

12-14-11, 22:37

You won't hear me argue that the ACR is better than a SCAR or AR. I am not getting this as a main weapon, or even a "serious" weapon. Sure I will probably run it through a class. But more than anything I am getting it because I "Want" it.

But even knowing it isn't a primary weapon, I want to make sure it is done right when I get it.

thopkins22

12-15-11, 00:34

I'd PM member goteron, either here or on lightfighter. He has fooled around with it quite a bit and might have answers that the general membership does not.

Winnerkd

12-15-11, 02:07

Aside from M4Carbine.net, I have heard almost nothing about the ACR in recent months.

Iceberg

12-15-11, 10:51

If it is not AR or AK, they are just sitting on dealers racks. Our local shop is blowing out a new black SCAR 16 for $1800. I also picked up a new LMT CQB MRP Defender 16 for $1300 several months ago that had been sitting for almost a year. There are good bargain hunting opportunities out there if you have the cash.

bigdog2003_99

12-15-11, 12:09

Yeah I decided to go ahead and get the one. My only real bitch about it is the barrel. Working on figuring out how to drop a Noveske 14.5 in there. :D

I could help you with this too, I did a 10.5" noveske in my Acr

kwelz

12-15-11, 12:43

I could help you with this too, I did a 10.5" noveske in my Acr

Can you give me some details. What kind of work was required? Cost? We're you able to do it yourself?

bigdog2003_99

12-15-11, 13:05

I had my buddy turn down the barrel and piston on a lathe, the piston needs to be shortened for the carbine length (considering your going with a carbine length)

The barrel needs turned down to accept the piston support piece, 2 slots made for the gas block pins, and the gas port needs reduced some, lots of people with their 16" barrel cut down to 14.5 work with the factory size gas port so I'd try that one

Overall cost should be less than 100ish to have the barrel ready to accept all the Acr parts depending on where you go

I can post some pics of my setup when I get home if you want

kwelz

12-15-11, 13:10

That would be great.

CumbiaDude

12-15-11, 14:31

I had my buddy turn down the barrel and piston on a lathe, the piston needs to be shortened for the carbine length (considering your going with a carbine length)How are you guys deciding where to put the gas port, what size, and all that stuff on the ACR? People talk a lot about the right gas port size, dwell time etc. for short ARs on this site - are you using that type of info or is it easier because the ACR is piston-driven?

bigdog2003_99

12-15-11, 14:58

How are you guys deciding where to put the gas port, what size, and all that stuff on the ACR? People talk a lot about the right gas port size, dwell time etc. for short ARs on this site - are you using that type of info or is it easier because the ACR is piston-driven?

As far as the gas port, the Acr uses a standard gas block seat .75 iirc, the size of the gas port is significantly smaller. I.e. a 10.5" ar15 uses around a .090 gas port while an Acr uses around a .060 for the 10.5"

Im not sure about dwell time on a piston rifle but from what I understand it isn't as big of a deal as it is on an ar15, I could be wrong though but I think the piston takes most of the guess work out of it

I don't know the other barrel lengths gas port sizes yet, I havnt tried them yet. On my personal rifle, i was one of the first 2 people with the 10.5 conversion, I finished it in early January this year so I didn't even know what sizes I needed for the gas port or if it would even work so I made my gas block adjustable with a set screw, 2500+ rounds later with no problems.

bigdog2003_99

12-15-11, 17:14

heres some pics of my acr's at this moment, the coyote one rings steel at 300 meters pretty consistently, at 100 meters i cant tell the difference between groups from the 2, both hold close to 1 moa if i do my part

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/bigdog2003_99/IMG_02471.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/bigdog2003_99/IMG_02451.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/bigdog2003_99/IMG_20101230_194604.jpg
heres the barrel after i had it turned down, note the reprofile on the piston, and barrel by the piston support

eta i added an aac brake since i finished the barrel set, it already is showing wear from the blast of the 10.5" after only a little over 1k rounds\

eta 2.0 heres a factory set of sbr barrels that never were released to the public (yet)
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj240/bigdog2003_99/IMG00247-20100908-0836.jpg

kwelz

12-15-11, 21:31

bigdog2003_99

12-15-11, 22:37

Thanks man. That is the kind of Info I was looking for. If you don't mind I have a couple more questions.

1: Just to clarify, you did not do anything to the gas port? You left it stock.

2: Where did you get the barrel extensions. bushmaster said they would not sell them. How difficult was the overall process? I am thinking about having ADCO do the work if I can't find a local place to get the work done.

By the way, those look great, that is exactly what I am looking to do. I would like to do a 10.5 down the road as well as my 14.5. But I have to many irons in the fire to do another SBR at the moment.
thanks dude, the sbr on the acr makes it 1000x nicer, it balances better too

i left my gas port stock, i drilled/tapped a set screw into the gas block to reduce the flow, you can reduce it if you know the size required

as far as 2, i assume you mean the extra parts for the barrel? i stripped my factory barrel and used all the parts off of it on the new 10.5" barrel, the barrel extensions remained on their respective barrels

kwelz

12-15-11, 22:53

thanks dude, the sbr on the acr makes it 1000x nicer, it balances better too

i left my gas port stock, i drilled/tapped a set screw into the gas block to reduce the flow, you can reduce it if you know the size required

as far as 2, i assume you mean the extra parts for the barrel? i stripped my factory barrel and used all the parts off of it on the new 10.5" barrel, the barrel extensions remained on their respective barrels

You are awesome man.

So the barrel doesn't have a different barrel extension than the AR? I was under the impression it did.

Like I said I will eventually SBR it. The modularity is just too good to pass up using. Right now though I am doing 3 cans and another SBR.

One more question. What is the weight with the shorter barrel? I know it is going to balance a lot better. But I am curious as to the wight savings.

bigdog2003_99

12-16-11, 11:01

No the extensions are the same, hypthetically you can use an Acr barrel in an ar15 if you wanted to, the weight on mine didn't go down much because the lightweight noveske barrel is a heavier profile than the factory m4 profile, if you go with a lightweight profile on it it could go down significantly

My 10.5" Acr weighs about 9.5-10 pounds fully loaded up, mind you that's suppressed with a full mag

CumbiaDude

12-16-11, 16:32

Thanks for the info and pix, bigdog :)

I'm not sure about dwell time and pistons either, I just know that on the AKS-74U (8.5" barrel), they added a booster to increase the dwell time, but even then it runs pretty well without it 'til it gets dirty. I guess the piston must help with that, like you said.