First, I am not a “rifle guy”. I have shot less than 1000 rounds through my AR and simply dont know much about upkeep on rifles so bear with me.
What is the preventitive maintenance schedule for the MSAR or an AR for that matter. I know that I replace recoil springs every 3k on my pistols as well as certain parts every 10k ect. Is that standard for rifle or are they supposed to work the life of the rifle.
Also I would like to purchase an MSAR E4. My plan is to purchase an extended rail to put where the standard one is in front of the ejection port. I plan on it extending over the port. I will then mill out where the port is, put a KAC “facestop”(handstop) behind the port for protection and gut the rail so it doesnt extend further back. Now cough cough I have a airsoft aug and this seems feasible.
I also plan on putting an extended rail in the over-the-trigger-guard position that should extend beyond the pistol-grip and allow me to mount a X300 on it. I will be mounted at an angle but it is a light so who cares. Again using my airsoft aug thies seams feasible.
Please no airsoft jokes lol I have wanted an AUG for considerable longer than I could purchase guns so
With regard to maintenance schedules I have a couple pre89 import 901 series AUGs that I haven’t replaced a single part or spring on and they run fine. For that matter I have an all original first year Colt 1911 that has seen three wars (possibly 4) that is still running strong although it does shoot a bit low and left (and by a bit I mean more than a foot at 25 yards).
I doubt you will see enough action to require regular replacement of parts on any quality rifle.
Not sure about the rail questions you asked, obviously you want a lot of clearance near ejection ports.
As for off hand shooting, it is possible. There are a couple ways to do it that are safe but sorta scary. And they really require something of a demonstration and a guy standing there to make sure you are doing it right so I don’t really want to try and describe them on the net.
The width of a standard or extended rail is the same as the clearance needed from the ejection port to operate properly, therefore you would not be able to mill out a slot in the rail you intend to install, and have empty brass pass through. As far as off hand or weak side shooting goes, take you off hand off the vert grip and lay it on top of the ejection port. Cup your hand and leave enough space between your hand and the stock so your palm acts as a brass defelctor. You can even lay your cheek on top of your off hand like a cheek rest and the brass will be deflected down. Just make sure you are not wearing baggy long sleeves or they will fill up with hot brass.
Make sure you don’t get your right hand (assuming you’re right-handed and you’re switching to the left shoulder) too close to the ejection port. If you aren’t careful, you’ll induce a stovepipe.
fair enough
I was definately hoping to be able to get some physical barrier to use when off hand shooting that stayed on the rifle, it stinks that is a no-go. I wish someone just made something that could be mounted on-gun or off the rail infront of the port.
The closest thing to using MSAR rifle “offhand” without burning your face or causing malfunctions would be to buy a brass catcher made for the rifle. However, that will still make the rifle unwielding on your “offhand” shoulder so I would just advise an israel lean if you want to shoot around corners and still minimize your profile. Having an “ambidextrous” rifle was not the intent of the designer (which is true of most bullpups). If you want a bullpup rifle that you can shoot “offhand” I would look at the FS2000 by FNH since the brass is ejected at the front of the rifle and not the stock (though I personally feel you would be better off with an AUG/MSAR style of rifle…
Your right to replace your springs on handguns after 3-5k especially if you shoot them a lot. Since you are not a rifle guy, I would just buy a replacement parts set from Ratworx (if you go with the MSAR) and try to find someone that will sell a replacement parts set for the A3 AUG (PJ’s Steyr Investments would be the first place I would look). Parts on most rifles will not wear as fast as a handgun unless you shoot them a lot (barrels and bolts).
An interesting fix to the topic question but I don’t think it tackles the tactical issues when you are trying to shoot “offhand”. The shots are also very slow and may induce malfunctions when firing becomes more rapid.
Is this technique perfect? No. But it seems to be about the best route unless you want to get hit by brass. It is easy to induce a failure to eject if you get your hand too close to the ejection port. Just swapping shoulders and zipping up a jacket or buttoning up a collared shirt is also okay but it’s not the most pleasant.
I’m actually shooting at an IPSC target that’s 100 yards away, hence to slow rate of fire.
I need to play with this some more but a slight alternative might be to grab the magazine with my right hand and use my right thumb as a case deflector.
I applaud your ability to think outside of the box to address this issue but I think we are trying to make a mountain from a molehill…
Short of attaching a brass catcher to the rifle, I don’t think their is a practical way to shoulder this type of rifle using your support side without causing pain/and or malfunctions to the shooter. That is why I was abdicating the “Israeli lean” if you have to shoot this type of rifle from a support side position.
This isn’t my technique. It is one I’ve seen discussed on TOS and USAAUG a number of times. I’ve played with it a little and can see that it would take a goodly amount of practice to use effectively.
Tilting the AUG works okay and is simple enough. The problem with this technique for me is the factory optic. The field of view is too small and the eye relief makes tilting the gun impractical for anything other than extreme close range.
Here is some pics of what I mean about using the Iseali lean when you have to egage a target from your support side. It will not cause you to loose your sight picture at any range.
Here is also a video clip of me at a local ISPC match using the same technique from behind a barricade. The first part of the stage was horrible because the operator (me) did not properly secure the new lower rail to the rifle and it was causing my shots to vary 6-8 inches at 100 yards because the rail was “flexing” as I shot. The CQB work is at the end and shows me using the Iseali lean. Interesting enough, even most AR shooters use this technique instead of transitioning from right to left shoulder because it costs time nor does it cause you to expose much more of yourself.
That is pretty much the preferred method I arrived at, kinda puts your melon out there but given most people have an eye dominance issue that is hard to avoid.
threeheadeddog, not that this is your concern, but try shooting the weapon from the oppsite side shoulder without changing your hand placement. I.E.- Right handed shooter, keep right hand on the pistol grip and left hand on the fore grip, then transition the buttpad to the left shoulder.
If your main concern is the brass eating go with what alaskacop is suggesting. It also seems faster.
Also if you are shooting short distances when transitioning to the non-dominant firing hand then try rotating the weapon top 90degrees inwards. The profile of the AUG Stock still allows for a nice cheek weld but you lose your sights and it is really akward with the 30rd and 42rd mags.
I have played around a bit with MSARS at the local fun store and it does seem there is room enough to shoot it off the support side shoulder(though I have never shot one). My main concern is that I need a repeatable reference point and a face protector. If I decide to go this route I may just try and make a wooded block to place in ejection port and mold a piece of kydex around it(then remove the block). There is a pice on the net somewhere of a guy who did something similar with a piece of clear plastic on a canada TAVOR.
Just to make things clear I believe that I should be able to shoot the rifle…
right handed right shoulder
right handed left shoulder
left handed left shoulder
left handed right shoulder
The reason for this is that for a fast transition I simply keep my rifle(AR at the moment)in the same hand and transition from one shoulder to the next, this would be used if I needed to shoot now but not keep coming out from same position. I do not know what shoulder I may be using when forced to do this. For a more diliberate transition that the purpose would be to get in a better position to shoot with less of my body out I would switch hands and shoulders.
Then AUG style may simply not be a viable option for me but lets face it for many of us there was that moment watching the first DIE HARD movie that we said “one day”.
I tried this modified technique this afternoon. It is easy to find a good reference point by grabbing the magazine with the right hand and transitions are fairly easy to accomplish.
I did induce one failure to eject with my thumb, however. The thumb needs to be placed against your mouth and nose to keep it from covering the ejection port too much.
