Anyone have feedback running with a 16" carbine gas system - as these are all ‘overgassed’, how is this helpful?
http://www.vltor.com/emod-a5.html
I suppose you eat some weight.
The A5 buffer system will help almost every carbine gas upper. Not all 16s are overgassed, but many are.
You don’t need to run the EMOD to run the A5 buffer system. Any carbean stock works.
Sample of one…
I recently built a lower with the A5.
The upper I tested it with was a Battlecomp equipped S&W MP15. The gun is likely overgassed, but it normally runs very well with a H2 buffer and a Brownells CS carbine action spring. I didn’t notice any significant recoil differences when shooting this upper with different lowers side by side. The A5 was definitely smoother throughout the cycle and the lower with the H2/standard carbine RE was a little harsher initially, but smoothed out after the spring started to compress. However the recoil was similar.
Well, I like to tinker, so I opened up the A5 buffer and exchanged a steel weight for a tungsten weight. The tungsten weight was of the lighter and cheaper tungsten alloy (not mil-spec) so the resulting buffer is probably not as heavy as a true A5H3, but man, this combination made this gun feel smooth and light in recoil. I didn’t have any shortstroking issues at all and it locked back on 10 different empty mags, multiple times.
So to a complete novice, what does one order to make “it” an A5? Just longer extension, different buffer, spring? Thanks.
I have an upper. Have a lower except for stock, so if this is a better system, I’d like to consider it.
Hell yeah it’s better. If you have a stock, just go to Bravocompanyusa or Vltor’s site and order the RE (tube), end plate, castle nut, spring, and buffer.
I think it comes in a kit… but it’s been a few months since I ordered one. Then you can put whatever Stock you want on it.
How do I know if my gun is “overgassed”? I run a Colt 6940.
You need the Vltor A5 receiver extension:
http://www.vltorstore.com/products/A5-Receiver-Extension-Tube.html
The A5 spring and buffer kit:
http://www.vltorstore.com/products/A5-Spring-and-Buffer-Kit.html
The A5 has a longer than carbine receiver extension, uses the rifle length spring, and has the A5 buffer which is longer than the carbine buffer, but shorter than the rifle buffer.
You can put any stock on it you want. If you prefer the Emod Stock, then get this:
http://www.vltorstore.com/products/A5%3A-The-M16%252dA5-Stock-Kit.html
I don’t believe it’s possible to know that your gun is “overgassed” unless you pull off the gas block and measure the size of the gas port.
Most commercial grade guns are given larger ports to enable them to cycle reliably with lower powered .223 ammo. However, if one is shooting predominantly 5.56, this will cause the gun to cycle more violently.
Colts are generally going to be made correctly, adhering to the TDP, so it isn’t as likely that your gun is “overgassed”, if it still has the original 6940 barrel and hasn’t suffered any port erosion.
One is a DD M4, the other a BCM LW. Don’t expect they are necessarily overgassed, but DOES the A5 compensate for added recoil and wear as some report?
It’s just a smoother, more reliable cycle. The wear on the gun is negligible.
edit uwe1 already posted the same info.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njaLucvpEV0
But, I suppose you gain a few ounces from the larger buffer, longer SE.
Overall, compared to a stock CTR setup , the VLTOR EMod A5 would be about 7-8 oz to weapon weight?
And the same effect cannot be obtained with just a heavier buffer - the added length and spring really make the difference?
Thanks.
Sorry for the dumb question, but I want to make sure I’m understanding this correctly…
So I can put a “normal” M4 collapsible stock on the longer A5 receiver extension, but then it won’t collapse all the way (so that the front of the stock is flush with the back of the lower receiver).
Right?
Any stock will go onto the A5 extension.
I believe only the Vltor Emod and the Magpul ACS will collapse down all the way, for the stocks with rubber pads.
The normal M4 stock has a hole in the back where the receiver extension sits so it will collapse all the way, but a small part of the receiver extension will stick out.
How much?
Sorry to be particular, but if it’s only 1/8" or so, then my comfy and tacky rubber butt pad will still fit. If it’s 1/2" or more, then that’s a problem…
I’d check myself, but I’m overseas for another six weeks and my rifle is 8,000 miles away.
You can probably achieve a very similar recoil characteristic using an H2 buffer and either a Brownells CS action spring or Springco blue. I haven’t tried Springco blue springs so I really can’t comment from personal experience. The A5 is smooth. From my extensive reading on the topic, what I’ve gathered is that the rifle length spring, is longer, therefore has more coils, and the spring tension is more consistent under compression when there are more coils. This explains why the A5 affects the recoil the way it does. Smooth.
One of the main reasons for adding more weight and tension in the buffer system, is to further delay the unlocking of the bolt so that the chamber pressure will decrease. This allows for more reliable extraction, and the carrier moves at a more consistent velocity without bouncning off the back end of the receiver extension. The downside of course is that if you have too much weight, the system behaves more sluggishly, you get short-stroking and failure to lock back on empty mags with weaker ammo, and less reliability if the system gets too dirty/less lubricated.
The reason I don’t like Emods is because they are much heavier compared to the other stocks and I choose not to use them. You can still use the A5 system with another stock. For the time being, I’ve been using an MOE and it’s been perfectly fine.
I really don’t recommend you dicking around with the gun unless you are really sure what you are doing because you will end up with a much less reliable gun. Before I started experimenting with anything, I google searched the A5 (and Springco blue springs) and read everything I could. The A5 system, if you install it as is, should be good to go. Don’t mess around with the buffer weights and springs unless you know what you are doing.
I read this thread, TWICE:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=56043
If you already have a standard receiver extension and don’t feel like disassembling everything, I would get a H buffer, H2 buffer, and a CS spring/Springco blue, and take all of this out to the range with different types of ammo and TEST it out. I couldn’t stand the powdered tungsten buffer that came with my DDM4.
More explanation of the system:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=88723&page=3
BUT… two questions:
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If I HAVE to mortar a round, would it be better to have the Emod or ACS (with added weight) to prevent busting the stock? I am trying to watch weight also, Emod vs. Imod vs. CTR…
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I have another gun, (DD M4) which has had a few hiccups with 20 round mags. I do believe that the greater bolt velocity/acceleration could present the BCG in a way that leads to nose-ups occasionally - maybe the A5 system could help. [20 round mags have a short leg, unlike the magpul 30s. My theory is that with greater bolt acceleration, this can work to make the 20s cause a ‘nose up’ when 2-3 rounds are left].
Seek (orange “Search” button near the top of the page) and ye shall find:
It’s more than an half inch. I can’t collapse my Imod all the way flush. The number 2 position on the A5 receiver extension is the shortest it will go and still lock.
Just pulled out the gun from the safe and checked…
On my gun, once again sample of one…
Vltor A5 receiver extension, S&W marked M4 buttstock, collapsed down as far as it will go, will have the bottom end of the RE protruding out roughly 1/2" or slightly less and the top end about 1/8". The M4 stock is angled. On mine, there is still a slight gap between the castle nut and where the stock begins.