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Thread: Enhanced/Heavy Duty Gas Tubes

  1. #11
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    I forgot to mention that all gas tubes are not equal. Some commercial tubes are really weak to temps. So go spec. The alloy variances in the stainless change the amount of Nickel. Lots of Nickel in Inconel.

    I don't really see how a coating is going to help a tube unless it is a hard coating that helps rigidity through the temp cycle.

    The nickel content should prevent any corrosion in the standard tube.

    I have also blown tubes, they will blow a hole in them at the same area where they tend to melt. So the high temp cycling makes the parts weaker. The tubes that have blown never reached melting temp, that's why they got to be cycled through the temp variations so many times. You almost have to get a new sight base because getting that little chunk of tube out is about impossible if its stuck.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by devinsdad View Post
    Melonite, Nickel Boron, hard chrome etc... any of these coatings can only make a good product better. I'd have no problem using a gas tube or any other quality made part that was coated in any of these. The AR industry, like many others continues to evolve. As completely new innovations seem to be lacking, coating rifle components is the newest addition. It won't make up for poor maintenance, but might make the time to failure last a little longer. Last I saw, a Spikes Melonite coated gas tube cost damn near the same as a standard Stainless one. If I was doing a new build, I'd use it in a heartbeat.
    IIRC, the Melonite tubes originated on their 5.45 uppers for use with corrosive ammo. Beyond that, their use strikes me as nothing more than marketing hype. Anything with a special coating has to be better, right? I have my doubts about any coating being able to improve durability under such harsh conditions, but would be interested in seeing some test results.

  3. #13
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    Thanks for the replys.
    Armatec- I had to look up Inconel...Id never even heard of it before. After reading about it...wow...very strong stuff it sounds like.
    You say youve made gas tubes from this before?
    Are you in a firearms/gunsmith type job?
    How much would an Inconel gas tube cost?
    Thanks for the vids, man yall damn sure put some rounds downrange.
    Also-what IS the industry spec for gas tubes? Ive never seen it before, come to think of it.

  4. #14
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    inconel is actually a trademark name for a particular manufacturers material, the material is nearly identical to a few others but everyone I have ever known uses the inconel.
    Inconel is the go to in firearms industry for ultimate material with heat and strength, but you have to come correct with your machining setup rigidity, and feeds,speeds. Gummy stuff, knights makes a break out of I think.

    I am an engineer at Armatac Industries.

    We have made them, like I said. I got good information from Colt Canada on how they handle their LSW, they have a straight tube that is thicker. So you can use a thicker stainless tube and really make it hold up to high temps. You have to turn down the ends. Thicker tubes don't fit all the handguard situations though.

    like anything, you learn how important every feature is on the tube by trying different things. I was doing an experiment and ruined one inconel tube but learned that you can remove a very small fraction from the od of the tube sticking in the gas key and retard the overgassing from being overported(another goofup)

  5. #15
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    What would the Inconel tube cost?
    Do you/did you ever sell these to the public?
    Besides Inconel, any other materials you might recommend for a "enhanced" tube?
    Many thanks for your posts, sir.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by MK18Pilot View Post
    Where can the video you are referring to be found?
    http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/...ring-test.html

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by armatac View Post
    I forgot to mention that all gas tubes are not equal.
    No truer words spoken, I used to go round and round online with this subject back in the "parts is parts" days. I knew this firsthand from a lot of full auto with M16s then later on with commercial full autos.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by MK18Pilot View Post
    Where can the video you are referring to be found?
    http://youtu.be/Kzfm4pYhIyY

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by armatac View Post
    For example here is me with a total melt down of a mil spec gas tube in 400 rds of Wolf..
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPhbO208I2U
    What's up with that fire down range?

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sry0fcr View Post
    On a SHTF rifle or any other rifle probably not worth the time or money.

    A.) You don't have a full auto rifle
    B.) You probably wouldn't be carrying that much ammo in a SHTF situation
    C.) I don't think your concern is grounded in reality

    The only "enhanced" tube I'd even bother trying would be the Fatboy from PRI is I had an overgassed carbine either due to gas port size or use of a suppressor.
    I tend to agree with this.

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