I was able to get the Tac Sol charging handle to begin working properly in the CMMG upper. I could see parts of the charging handle that were rubbing/ binding. I polished it up with some 400 grit sandpaper then applied a bunch of FP10 lubricant all over the charging handle. Cycled the charging handle about 50 times and by the end it was no longer binding.
With regard to the use of the match trigger in combination with a Tac Sol, what do you consider a match trigger? I have used the Geissele SSA-E, which I consider a match trigger in conjunction with the Tac Sol upper. I experienced no significant reliability issues. I will soon see if it works with the CMMG upper.
I know there are some reports of notched hammers not working with the 22 uppers, but I have not experienced this. My duty rifle is a standard Colt 6940, with the standard notched hammer (no way in hell I would be allowed to put the SSA-E in my duty rifle). I have not had any problems running a Tac Sol upper or a CMMG conversion kit in my Colt lower. As of my next range session, I will find out if it also works with the CMMG upper.
I think the key to any of these conversion kits/ dedicated uppers is the use of ammo the kit/ upper likes, liberal amounts of lubricant on the action and cleaning the action or at least adding more lubricant after several hundred rounds.
I don't even begin to consider the Ruger 10/22 in the same category as an AR with dedicated upper. The 10/22 is a straight up plinker... and much less expensive. However, with the exception of basic marksmanship, nothing about the 10/22translates over to Duty/ Personal Defense rifles.
My first attempt at cheap/ available practice (my local pistol club/ range does not allow the use of centerfire rifles) was the S&W15-22... close, but WAY too light to mimic my duty rifle (but is great for introducing my children to shooting). Then I went to a conversion kit... worked but fouled up my duty rifle upper to no end. I have progressed to the dedicated Tac Sol and now CMMG uppers... should have started there to begin with!
With department budgets in the tank, we are rarely qualifying with our duty rifles. I am able to get on a nearby military base's Rod and Gun club a few times a year to get some additional practice in with the real stuff... but I go to my local pistol club a couple times a month. I shoot several hundred rounds through the 22lr uppers during each session and 5000+ rounds a year. Absent the ability to use the rifle at my local range, I would probably wouldn't put 500 rounds down range in a given year.
I think 22lr uppers/ conversion kits are a great way to work on gun handling/ transition, target acquisition and trigger control. The only thing that does not perfectly translate over is recoil management... which isn't too much of an issue with the 5.56 anyway. As long as one is training themself not to touch off the follow-up shot until the sight is back on target, the training/ practice should translate over just fine. I know that my proficiency with the duty rifle has increased greatly since I increased my trigger time ten fold by using this tool.
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