Reliability to the max: best AR internal upgrades for superior cycling?

[BallisticHarmony]

The KAC E3 bolt is a proprietary bolt designed specifically for use only in SR-15 and SR-16 rifles and not in other AR rifles.

Right, unless you put a KAC barrel extension into your AR.

I’m mostly interested in further upgrading an SR-15, though. I know Knight’s only recommends using their own buffers, since their gas systems are tuned to them, but wouldn’t the whole Surefire OBC package minus the bolt reduce parts wear in an SR-15?

[Sry0fcr]

Right, unless you put a KAC barrel extension into your AR.

I’m mostly interested in further upgrading an SR-15, though. I know Knight’s only recommends using their own buffers, since their gas systems are tuned to them, but wouldn’t the whole Surefire OBC package minus the bolt reduce parts wear in an SR-15?

What parts are wearing out on SR15s? If you're not fixing an identified problem maybe you should just go shoot the gun.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[methical20]

With that amount of testing that Knight's has done on the SR15, I think it would be wise to keep a standard carbine receiver extension, carbine spring and which ever buffer they supply. I believe that the A5 is unnecessary for most applications - even more so in an SR15.

We have documented samples such as the Travis Haley gun, the Ballistic Radio gun, a few others with absurd round counts and low/no stoppages. I am unaware of how the A5 would have assisted in making those rifles more reliable. If it would have increased the statistical reliability, the improvement would have been almost impossible to discern.

If you are trying to make the SR15 more reliable, the easiest and most cost-effective solution would be to use Magpul M3 magazines exclusively. I cannot remember the exact numbers but in the recent CRANE testing of the midlength gas system, M3 magazines reduced the number of malfunctions over USGI mags.

ETA: Testing info.

The following quote is from TOS from a Marine who was heavily involved in the URG-I testing.

"Sidenote: the URG-I test was run using GI tan follower magazines, and Colt bolts were making it into the 11000+ round range firing AB57. Total average with all other suppliers was around 9300. Just about every recorded stoppage was magazine related. Once again, using M3 PMags, stoppages go away. "

[BallisticHarmony]

With that amount of testing that Knight's has done on the SR15, I think it would be wise to keep a standard carbine receiver extension, carbine spring and which ever buffer they supply. I believe that the A5 is unnecessary for most applications - even more so in an SR15.

We have documented samples such as the Travis Haley gun, the Ballistic Radio gun, a few others with absurd round counts and low/no stoppages. I am unaware of how the A5 would have assisted in making those rifles more reliable. If it would have increased the statistical reliability, the improvement would have been almost impossible to discern.

If you are trying to make the SR15 more reliable, the easiest and most cost-effective solution would be to use Magpul M3 magazines exclusively. I cannot remember the exact numbers but in the recent CRANE testing of the midlength gas system, M3 magazines reduced the number of malfunctions over USGI mags.

Fair enough, KAC master race it is. Thanks!

[AndyLate]

I "think" a NP3 BCG like Sionics sells may increase reliability, due to the self cleaning/lubricating nature of the treatment.

In reality, we are talking about reliability/durability in extreme use cases.

A quality AR kept reasonably clean and lubricated is awfully reliable when fed decent ammo.

A rifle gas gun with a rifle/A5 buffer will certainly outlast the average shooter.

It's really not magic after 60 years of production.

Andy

[Eurodriver]

This thread is retarded.

[JediGuy]

This thread is retarded.

“learning-challenged”

[JediGuy]

The A5 system wasn’t designed to increase reliability in carbines, but to allow rifle uppers to function reliably in with a carbine lower. There appear to be side benefits that cause people to want to use them (as I do). They are absolutely unnecessary for reliability in a carbine.

If anyone here hasn’t been reading the Surefire OBC threat in Tech, it gets intense. I won’t pretend to follow the formulas (not an engineer...), but very interesting stuff.

[Dr. Bullseye]

After reading several articles and threads about the Surefire OBC, I'm trying to piece together what the most "optimal" AR would look like under the hood. I'm thinking that some of the upgrades certainly worth considering would be:

KAC E3 bolt
KAC MOD 2 Intermediate Gas System
LMT Enhanced BC
Surefire OBC (and buffer?)
A5 Extension (and A5 buffer?)
Radian ADAC Bolt Catch Feature

I'm sure there are others that are in the running, but what I'm really unclear about is which of these upgrades work together, and which are too proprietary to coexist. Do they stack on top of each other in terms of improved functioning, or is it redundant? Would they counteract each other? Does a Surefire OBC even work in an SR-15? Would the Surefire buffer work with an A5 tube?

Just trying to get a grip on how all these different advances in the market can work together to make the ultimate build, which ones should be strongly considered, and which ones are unnecessary or overblown.

Thank you.

And here it is:

I'm sure there are others that are in the running, but what I'm really unclear about is which of these upgrades work together, and which are too proprietary to coexist. Do they stack on top of each other in terms of improved functioning, or is it redundant? Would they counteract each other? Does a Surefire OBC even work in an SR-15? Would the Surefire buffer work with an A5 tube?

Also known as the incompatibility of Gucci components. This forum spends a lot of time on this so you have come to the right place, OP.

[BallisticHarmony]

And here it is:

I'm sure there are others that are in the running, but what I'm really unclear about is which of these upgrades work together, and which are too proprietary to coexist. Do they stack on top of each other in terms of improved functioning, or is it redundant? Would they counteract each other? Does a Surefire OBC even work in an SR-15? Would the Surefire buffer work with an A5 tube?

Also known as the incompatibility of Gucci components. This forum spends a lot of time on this so you have come to the right place, OP.

And so I have, thanks!