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Thread: Running the bolt carrier on rails...

  1. #1
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    Running the bolt carrier on rails...

    Has anyone tried this? I mean on an AR15, it's extremely common in other light autoloading rifles.
    It would of course require some pretty big design changes. I feel like one of the biggest potential reliability problems with the AR is that it runs the round bolt carrier inside of a round tube and there's limited space for dirt and fouling to go.
    this is definitely not one of those "teh AR15 is unreliable!" threads, a properly built AR is very good.
    it just seems like running the bolt carrier on rails could potentially improve the reliability of DI guns, and alternately mitigate the whole "off axis force' due to gas pistons.

    down side... what do do with the buffer setup....

  2. #2
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    There's plenty of space for dirt and crap to go. The carrier has bearing rails on 4 sides of it with several thousanths of gap between the carrier and the receiver everywhere else.
    "You people have too much time on your hands." - scottryan

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by skyugo View Post
    could potentially improve the reliability of DI guns

    Just my opinion...

    Sounds like trying to fix something that isn't broken.
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    Evey -- Are you like a...crazy person?
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    Quote Originally Posted by markm View Post
    There's plenty of space for dirt and crap to go. The carrier has bearing rails on 4 sides of it with several thousanths of gap between the carrier and the receiver everywhere else.
    SpringCo would have to come with a totally different color spring for that.
    Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1

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    Then it wouldn't be an AR.

    Stoner went on to develop the 63, which used a stamped steel receiver and gas piston. It saw limited trial use by the USMC, but saw quite a lot of use by the NSW guys in it's beltfed mode
    Employee of colonialshooting.com

  6. #6
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    OH shit!
    "You people have too much time on your hands." - scottryan

  7. #7
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    Ok, let's go with this.

    Exactly what rail system/style were you proposing? A simple raised area in the upper? Somthing that utilizes the bcg dimensions, and captures an area of it?

    Tell me if I'm tracking you correctly.

  8. #8
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    Bolt carrier on rails

    There is an AR with the bolt on rails, it's called an AR18. Google it for the design.

  9. #9
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    You wanna make something that already runs on rails.....run of rails instead?

    There's a huge "Yo, Dawg...!" Xzibit joke floating around in here, somewhere, just waiting to drop, so you might want to take a moment and re-think how you want to articulate this.
    Contractor scum, AAV

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by JSantoro View Post
    You wanna make something that already runs on rails.....run of rails instead?

    There's a huge "Yo, Dawg...!" Xzibit joke floating around in here, somewhere, just waiting to drop, so you might want to take a moment and re-think how you want to articulate this.
    I think we can all agree that compared to something like an AK the AR15 has quite a bit less clearance for dirt.

    I'm thinking redesigned carrier and upper. It's just a thought... compatibility with as much existing hardware as possible seems to be the route to success in the AR game. This platform is definitely not going away.

    Given how many piston guns sell (which tend to be poorly thought out hacks) ... I'm hesitant to completely dismiss this idea.

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