stik

I think you may just have a stout recoil spring if it is brand new. Try leaving the rifle's bolt locked back while it is stored for a week or so to allow the spring to set a little and then go back and re-try it. I seriously doubt it is a gas flow issue with the gas tube or gas block.

Jim @ Firebird, Bobby @ Freedom Gunworks, MSTN. I'm sure any of these fellas can build whatever you want to your specs. JP is another one but you may wait longer and it may be pricier. Grant with G & R Tactical can put together a nice one, just have to call him. After building multiple AR's over the years, I have all the tools and know how but if you wanted to pay someone to build one up to your specs, I would say Freedom Gunworks or Firebird, just cause they are vendors here and support the sport.

Ditto on both the quality of the stages, the match overall and the great group of folks from squad 8. I had never met any ya'll prior to the match but had a great time. Everybody pitched in and there was somebody waiting with pasters at every target/resetting steel, etc to let the RO score and it made us all be able to run through each stage quick. Very impressive watching some of the single stack guys shoot too. Look forward to running into you all again down the road. Thanks again to Mark and the crew for putting on a great match. Eric Johnson aka Stik aka The Flying Crane

While previous posts I've made I stated I saw no difference in middy gas and Carbine recoil system vs rifle gas, etc..., the more I shoot my 18" rifle gas w/rifle recoil system I am convinced that they are softest shooting rifle out there, just deciding which comp I like the best. The 16" Sabre has been my primary since I won the complete rifle out of a raffle, I think the SJC comp kept it so flat and on target, I didn't really pay attention to the actual recoil impulse itself, just the sight picture between the double taps. But the others I built and gradually am moving more towards the 18's w/rifle gas/rifle recoil systems. Sabre 16 middy gas, Carbine buffer tube, H3 buffer, ACS Stock, SJC comp Sabre 18 middy gas, Carbine buffer tube, H buffer, ACS Stock, F2 Comp but now Vortex FH (Zombie gun) WOA 18" rifle gas, rifle recoil system, ARFX stock, F2 comp Douglas CM 18" rifle gas, rifle recoil system, A1 stock, Rolling thunder comp

Beside JP and DPMS, Sabre and Noveske have race ready rifles. Appears Firebird will be releasing race ready complete guns sometime soon according to their dealer forum. I know they have put some together per customer request previously. Freedom Gun works can also assemble you something also from what I understand. Sabre has/had the competition extreme w/the 45 degree iron sights along with the other Standard slick handguard rifle. I won one of those competition extreme rifles out of a raffle several years ago right before they were released and it's still my primary gun. Sabre barrels are awesome IMO. But so are the Noveske's. It's gonna boil down to how much ya want to spend and who has them in stock. It's like golf or any other hobby, you can get a $250 set of clubs or a $2500 set of custom clubs. Good luck with your choice, Eric aka Stik

Purely my opinion, if you want to save some money, the DPMS freefloat tube is pretty good unless you wanted to add rails on top or sides or bottom or iron sights at 1:30 on the rail. Just get the vented one DPMS offers. I have 2 JP freefloat tubes and like them and won't be getting rid of them, but as far as functionality as just a free float tube, the DPMS is pretty good bargain. If not on a budget, get the JP. I have the non-flat trigger geissele S3G and also the JP but I like the Geissele better, even though it seems to have a slightly heavier pull and longer reset than the JP, I just seem to prefer it over the JP for some reason. I prefer non-adjustable gas block just due to one less thing to mess up or possibly malfunction. I prefer the Titan comp after using Miculek and F2 comps. Just my 0.02, YMMV

I had a similar issue with a Kimber 22 top end on a dedicated Essex frame. Try a lighter hammer spring (less force the slide has to overcome to re-cock the hammer). Don't go too low though as stated before or it will try to cycle too fast and not extract the round all the way and try to load another round behind the half way extracted case.

Yep, fits fine, even with the MGM throw lever for the Leupold. Just switched my TAC 30 over from a Rock River High rise cantilever scope mount over to the Larue SPR-E and it's much better for me, can move the scope out further and shoot NTCH. Still plenty of room to move it back if you don't want it that far forward. Standard or high rings? The standard rings that come with the SPR-E.. I believe Larue makes a model that is 1.93" above the rail as opposed to the normal 1.75" (i think). The 1.93 model is the same as the 104 model (not extended as far as the SPR-E) but that one has higher rings on it, but I personally see no benefit, the SPR-E with the standard rings works fine for me. YMMV

That looks great Dan, soooo, uh, you want to do some work for me? LOL. I would prefer to find someone closer to Alabama to prevent shipping, but my FFL is my range so I can ship out thru them without paying overnight express thru UPS and jumping thru all those hoops. PM inbound.

Yep, that is the issue with it now, no play whatsoever past the point the slide stop engages. Played with spring weights just to shoot a few clips thru it but just for the sake of not breaking anything, I have had it up in the top of the safe for over a year and just now decided to take some tax return and bonus money and try to finish it out and also hard chrome the V-10. Never been a fan of Barbeque guns but I must say, even with the cold blue on the parts I have worked on myself and the way these bobtails feel in the hand, I think these will still get shot pretty often, at least a couple mags per range trip (2-3 times a month).

The Springfield V-10 is on top, the essex is below it. You can see the differences in the rail length and guide rod shoulder in relation to the slide stop hole.

Yep, fits fine, even with the MGM throw lever for the Leupold. Just switched my TAC 30 over from a Rock River High rise cantilever scope mount over to the Larue SPR-E and it's much better for me, can move the scope out further and shoot NTCH. Still plenty of room to move it back if you don't want it that far forward.

I've done several searches on this topic and alot of folks just say use a shorter guide rod (which is what I am doing now) but I still have zero rear movement past the point where the slide lock will lock back the slide. In looking over the rails and shoulder where the back of the guide rod rests, I see that on my Springfield V-10, they are cut back 1/10" or more, closer to the slide stop hole. I have only spoken to one gunsmith about this and they were iffy since they had never done if before. Have any of you coverted a Government model frame to a Commander/officer rail length or can you recommend someone who has experience with this? What I have is a stainless Essex frame that was a gun show pick up, originally complete full size 5" gun but it had been bobtailed ($400 for complete gun). I figured this would be a good base for a project/texas barbeque gun and bought it and shot it as is, then EGW ran a deal on machine cut checkering front straps, so I had that done too. Then I got an officer's slide and barrel combo thru fusion firearms. Then EGW had an officer's comp on clearance so I had them attach it to the barrel and fit to the slide. (My vision for the project is similar to a Wilson Carry Comp) I got it to function somewhat reliably when I put the shorter Springfield V-10 guide rod in it, but like I said, at the slide's rear most point of travel, it is just back far enough for the slide stop to catch on an empty mag. While it is going to be intended to be more of a range toy and converstion piece, I still want it reliable and the rails/guide rod shoulder cut to the proper spec for the slide I have on it. I want to have the frame rails milled to be commander/officer spec, is there any hope or did I already ruin it when I cut the dust cover back to blend with the bottom slide cuts on the officers slide? I am sure it can be done but I have no mill and I will not take a dremel or hacksaw to it, even if it is a cheap ole essex frame (which I have built 3 complete 5" guns off of). I will try to attach pics when I get home or in the morning.

I have no experience with adjustable gas blocks but I run a sabre SS 16" middy w/VLTOR low pro clamp on gasblock, Magpul ACS stock w/H3 buffer, stock CAR spring and AR15 (stock sabre) carrier in my primary w/a Titan brake and JP FF tube. It shoots soft and stays on target on doubletaps. I like a non-adjustable gas block and full weight M16 carrier just for reliability. My other "gamer" rifles have low pro non-adjustable gas blocks, full weight carriers, one 18" with rifle gas and A1 stock/buffer/spring, low pro GB, YHM lightweight FF tube and another 18" with rifle gas, troy Extreme rail, CAR stock and CAR buffer/spring. All have comps, F2 or Titan, and I think I see more of a difference from the comp than I can the carrier weight/buffer weight/stock length, etc. I have several other 16" middy's (SS and chrome moly) that are just fun guns with CAR or H buffers and standard CAR springs and have yet to have a failure to feed, function, etc. Only time I have an issue w/bolt not locking back on any of my rifles is when shooting off a bench with old 20 rd mags that need new springs. I know alot of folks run adjustable gas and lightweight carriers, but I have also seen alot of those same folks guns choke during a stage. The way I look at it is with any machine, all the parts must be doing their job and if one gets out of whack, it can throw the whole machine off. Gas screw backs out or gun gets dirty/gummed up and your tuned machine is no longer tuned to run. Full gas and full weight carrier and buffer, a good comp and spend the rest of your time and money on ammo and practice with that gun learning how it shoots/feels is more important, IMO but I am by no means a top level shooter (but ain't no slouch either), I just have fun with it and shoot when I can (and am glad deer season is over so I can scratch my trigger finger)

I also own 2 Millet DMS's and this scope has a much better field of veiw and eye relief. Larue SPR-E or a Rock River Canitlever mount both work equally well. I am sure the Burris PEPR would also be similar to mounting position of the Rock River mount. Have only had a chance to sight in at 100yds but am looking forward to getting out and running some drills with it. For the price and my limited experience so far, I am a hair trigger away from ordering another one..