Perplexed with 5.45x39 AR

**ABNAK** · 04-12-13, 23:21

I finally have a line on a carrier to convert to DI. Also getting an H buffer to have just in case. Should have both by next week (trading the former pistol barrel and pistol buffer tube).

In the course of continued "investigation" until I get the proper parts I chambered one of the rounds and obviously it was difficult to extract as I mentioned previously. Upon close inspection there were lands marks (it was easy to see with the sealant) all the way to the case mouth. My buddy is a retired SgtMaj from SF and is a gunsmith. He looked at it and said "Your problem is you don't have any freebore". He expalined that there should be a c-hair's distance that the bullet should travel (the freebore) until it engages the lands and grooves. He said the lands should NOT extend all the way to the case mouth. Now, the case lot of Wolf that is easier to extract manually doesn't have the sealant like the other one does, which no doubt isn't helping, but you can see lands marks on those too up to the case mouth.

[speculation] Ballistic Advantage isn't reaming their chambers for 5.45 deep enough, as they did say they've had other complaints of this problem with Wolf sticking with manual extraction. Their explanation was that the Melonite didn't "like" coated cartridges (?).....but surplus is coated too. Also, Melonite is supposed to be slicker. Sounds like they know there is a problem but may or may not know exactly what it is. If they DO know then the cost of replacing existing 5.45 barrels could be prohibitive. There answer was that it needed to be "shot in".

Now a carbine buffer spring (not the cut down pistol one) seems to have better luck at pushing the carrier all the way into battery, and firing WILL extract the spent cartridge. However, I don't want to go to a carbine class and be required to manually unchamber a round with the ensuing acrobatics it takes to get it out.

At any rate, the plan is to convert to DI and then an H buffer if necessary, then see if this combo can overcome the "sticking" on the way in without having to send the barrel back. I'm sure there will be flak about it as I've already shot it 100+ rounds as well as perm-attaching an extended FH.

**ABNAK** · 04-27-13, 20:43

Okeedokee........

Had tried opening up the gas port to .092" as per Ballistic Advantage's recommendation for gas pistons (was .083" so a difference of .009"). As mentioned earlier I had mucho difficulty finding a DI carrier. Still didn't properly function with the Osprey so gave up on the piston thing.

Finally got a DI carrier and midlength gas tube. Put it on and used a new H2 buffer with carbine buffer spring. Cycled every round but seemed a bit spunky for 5.45, so I stopped after about 20 rounds. The H2 buffer face had a carrier ring around it and the rear end appeared to have mild impact marks from the back of the buffer tube.

FARK!!!!!............

Took a rifle buffer spring I had as well as an H buffer for pistons (with the "nub" that goes into the back of the carrier to prevent carrier tilt), put some Dycum on the buffer tail, and gave it a whirl. If it didn't function this way I was totally screwed overgassing-wise for DI. Fired both lots of Wolf I had and function was perfect; scary with a rifle spring! Held my breath and took it apart after ~ 30 rounds and looked at the rear of the buffer. No marks in the Dycum indicating no impact with the end of the buffer tube.

So now this puppy functions, albeit in an overly roundabout way. I wish I had never drilled the gas port bigger but for awhile I couldn't find the carrier I needed to make it DI. Live and learn I guess.

**Clint** · 04-27-13, 22:21

Rifle spring in a CAR extension?

The spring is most likely stacked solid at full recoil, as evidenced by the buffer not hitting the end of the tube.

This will wreck the spring shortly.

The buffer is supposed to hit the end of the tube on recoil.

Sounds like you have a barrel with a bad chamber and now too big of a gas port.

I'd contact BA for a replacement.

**ABNAK** · 04-28-13, 07:52

Originally Posted by Clint

The buffer is supposed to hit the end of the tube on recoil. It is? Did not know that.

Sounds like you have a barrel with a bad chamber and now too big of a gas port. Chamber their fault, gas port my fault.

I'd contact BA for a replacement. I'd try but the perm-attached FH and the fact that I drilled out the gas port, albeit at their recommendation, might hinder this. Will have to check into it.

I guess the challenge would be figuring out just how hard the buffer is supposed to hit the back of the buffer tube.

**Littlelebowski** · 04-28-13, 07:55

This defines "cluster ****."

**ABNAK** · 04-28-13, 08:10

Originally Posted by Littlelebowski

This defines "cluster ****."

Yep.

So, the buffer IS supposed to impact the back of the tube?

Also, the bolt lug opposite the extractor has a slight nick in it on the left rear portion. This could have been from the piston knocking it out of lockup or from the overgassing, but I'm gonna go with the former. That is the lug that bears the most force isn't it?

Forgot to add: although the correlation is hardly written in stone as far as ejection patterns and proper function are concerned, this "cluster****" is ejecting to the 4:00 or 4:30 zone about 8 feet.

**Peshawar** · 04-28-13, 18:27

Yep, cluster****. But hey, look on the bright side. The situation is still south of a catastro****. Could be worse. Like the OP said, live and learn. I've made more than my share of bubba mistakes. Sometimes the only way to really understand something is to break it.

**ABNAK** · 04-28-13, 21:06

Originally Posted by Peshawar

Yep, cluster****. But hey, look on the bright side. The situation is still south of a catastro****. Could be worse. Like the OP said, live and learn. I've made more than my share of bubba mistakes. Sometimes the only way to really understand something is to break it.

Thanks....I think.

It wasn't actually a "Bubba mistake" in opening up the gas port per Ballistic Advantage's own recommendation for a gas piston. Still didn't work. The only reason I did it was that at the time I didn't have an angle on a carrier and the only thing I had on hand to *perhaps* work was the Osprey (which had already been on it's full-size iteration as a S&W carbine and then on it again as a pistol). The potential "Bubba'ing" came in trying to get it to work as an overgassed DI and not spend another $300 for a new barrel. In that Bubba has succeeded so far. Shot it again today and all still seemed well.

Considering I have ~ 2K rounds of Wolf left and our shitstain POTUS is supposedly set to ban ammo/parts/weapons imports I may as well enjoy the fodder I have left as soon it could all be a moot point.