WWG1WGA

Does your bolt lock back? Can you manually rack and eject shells? If so, I would say that the problem is on the front end, not the back end. I assume you “cleaned” the hell out of “everything”? Did you check the piston itself to make sure there wasn’t any debris blocking the spiral cut on it? Likewise, chips/debris in the gas ports aren’t as easily spotted as you’d think. Run something through the ports to make sure nothing is clinging to the sides. If you still find nothing, keep shooting it. Break in is totally different for everyone. Let us know how it goes.

Just as you said...remove it all. The gas piston is way worse than the barrel or bolt will be. The bcg comes through the front after the barrel is off.

I got bored...

I was wondering about you...glad to hear you got the fit issue cleared up!

Honestly the cerakote looks pretty rough as is and the barrel is covered so I wouldn’t really care. Must of us throw our guns in barrels and buckets all the time not to mention breaking it down and “fixing” everything....so to answer your question, I’d keep it and get started making it work

so I got bored and took your advice. Now I just need to test four weight combinations times 4 spring combinations...what’s that 4 million options...! Lol. I didn’t include the buffer spring in my weight totals

I’d just take a flat file and make a single pass at a time until it fits together well. Check and make sure there’s not a blemish under the finish where that back pin block is on either the upper or lower. If there is I’d try to remove it...otherwise just smooth the upper portion that goes into the lower portion. Should be easy. The finish comes off easy and clean

If it is an issue with the bolt, just pull the barrel. You’ll want to anyway to clean the whole thing out.

Yes 59 pages seem excessive but you’ll gain so much insight on the gun so quickly you’ll run through the pages and want more! Main thing is to break it “completely “ down and clean it like your an archeologist unearthing aliens. Then just buy a case of the cheapest crap you can (Walmart) and burn through it. I didn’t bother sighting in or anything until the gun started to work. I did the break in with a buddy...1 loaded a mag while the other dumped the mag and vice versa. Don’t shop any parts yet just clean/shoot till it starts working/ clean again. They should include a case of shot with the thing! Everyone goes through the same “is this broken/ ever gonna work” moments...keep shooting it! Have fun!

So the taccom buffer is longer. But if I put it through a 1/2” drive socket, you still have the use of the inner spring. Yeah the socket sounds sketchy but it saves me getting other weight buffers turned down just to try something. If it wasn’t such a good fit inside and out I probably wouldn’t want it in there but as is, it’s just a sleeve that fits the buffer.

So I was thinking...I’ve got an 11/16 deep well socket that’s the same od as the fat part of a buffer weight. The original buffer slides inside the socket, resting against the shoulder, and the spring rests against the bottom of the socket. You’d end up adding about an inch of spring to the overall length in stock configuration. It’s ads instant weight but not more than a rifle length buffer. If I wasn’t going out of town I’d give it a try this weekend. Easy way to test the added weight theory. Now let all the “OMG don’t do that” people chime in... I think it’s worth a try, but maybe not for everyone. I’m going to see if the taccom buffer fits in the socket the same

Nelson, do you happen to be able to shoot on your property or do you have to travel like me?

Same here. I’m hoping someone will have insight on the lack of buffer weight though. Maybe save me some time

If I turn the face down a tad I think it would. I went a different route than most and put a rifle length tube on mine so I have a lot of options open to me...sometimes too many options...lol

Help me out with this one...why is the buffer so light? Especially the taccom buffer...plastic/ aluminum. Is it just to aid in faster cycling? I keep thinking a heavier buffer would help in recoil control. I can never just leave well enough alone. What are your thoughts so I don’t have to go try and test a bunch of different buffers and spring combinations. Thanks

I almost think there’s some loctite on the splined section. Once you knock it out the first time it’s real easy every time after. Just support the receiver really well on something solid and give it a good whack

It comes out the opposite way from the one with the c clip

You said if you were wrong you’d come back and apologize... and you did! Hats off to you. It’s almost worth a spring send to Canada wouldn’t you say?

Thanks for that. Did you find a backplate that fit? I thought the hole in the receiver was smaller than normal and wouldn’t let the backplate fit into it properly. If yours does fit, let me know where you found it. Thanks

Thanks squid! Now who has a carbine spring that cut just the number of coils off that taccom suggests? I cut more than they said to

Did you clean the gun first or just load up and go? When I got mine, I took everything apart. And I found metal chips throughout it along with a bunch of thick black sludge. Don’t let the quart of oil covering everything fool you. I’d break it completely down, clean everything, and start again. I’d also just run a bunch of junk birdshot through it for more brake-in. Mine didn’t like the cheap crap at first but neither did I, so me and a buddy took turns loading mags and shooting a lot of FTF, FTE, until it grew to like the cheap stuff. Then it shoots everything. Also make sure your gas ports inside the barrel don’t have any metal hanging inside the holes or barrel. You may be getting a lead cheese grater affect going on.

Was there ever a measurement given on the flat wire spring?

Good question. Assuming if it’s stronger than a carbine spring than it would have to be shorter than what they said to cut it to. I’ve still cut a few more coils off beyond that and everything still functions fine. Even backed out the tube a bit. Still a pain to try to lock the bolt back and use the bolt release. Considering just removing the bolt release and calling it a day.

Let me rephrase...is the flat wire spring the same length and compression rate as the “cut” carbine spring? I’m asking because I’ve been trying all kinds of springs to see what if anything works better. Using the taccom buffer I’ve cut more coils off the carbine spring then taccom recommends, I’ve tried the jp silent captured spring, I’ve tried the Odin works buttstock that has an additional spring built into the cap of a rifle length tube, and all combinations above with the stock spring. I’m wondering if this spring is going to be worth trying if it is a different compression rate or if it’s just the same rate as the cut spring but made of flat wire instead. Thanks