I’m having trouble finding the exact information I need.
I’m looking into 14.5" uppers from BCM. Specifically midlengths. Will have a perm’d A2 flash hider if that matters.
I’m coming from a 16" middy that ran ok with PMC and wolf, but had problems with Tula, and ran like a dream with 5.56. My goal is to get this rifle to run fine even on the Tula fodder. Even though throwing the 14.5" middy into the equation doesn’t help, I’m sure.
Lower this is being matched with has a Vltor A5 with a standard A5 buffer ( A5H2?). So in a nutshell my questions are:
Should I bump the buffer down to an A5H0 or A5H1?
Should I just leave the heavier A5H2 in and use a carbine gas system?
Are the buffer weights in the A5 buffers interchangeable with regular carbine buffer weights? To the point that I could make my own A5H0 or A5H1 using a different steel/tungsten weight combination? Basically rob some weights out of a reg AR buffer.
Help is much appreciated gentlemen. My goal here is to make a reliable carbine that will eat everything and not be so finicky.
14.5 mid with a5h1 here. It was the only config that would consistently work with PMC. 100% bolt lock now. Was it worth it to me in hindsight? No. Car gas with h3 feels the same and is 100% with every flavor. That being said, there is a mondo thread about the 14.5 with LMT enhanced carriers, and that user has no issues.
I would like it to run with Tula, but if it doesn’t I won’t be butt hurt about it.
My main concern is PMC bronze. I have a case sitting here and it won’t do me any good if I can’t run it.
It’s good to hear the A5 buffers use a standard weight. Finding an A5 buffer right now is next to impossible and nobody wants to give them up. I can seem to find regular CAR buffers all day.
I found a couple of good deals on BCM middys lately in the EE. But if its worth it to go with a carbine gas I’ll spend the extra money and get an upper from BCM direct.
I have two 14.5 guns. One is a DD. The other a BCM. IIRC they are both .076.
The BCM barreled upper has an LMT e-carrier with a standard LMT bolt and McFarland gas rings.
The DD barreled upper has a BCM BCG w/McFarland gas rings.
On a lower setup with an A5H3 with green Springco it will run Tula and Bronze fine. Your question is ironic b/c I did have a few short strokes with Tula yesterday in the BCM gun. Took the gun apart and the bolt would not hold the carrier’s weight. Gas rings were shot. Weird because I had just replaced those McFarland gas rings only about 4 months ago. After replacing the rings it ran perfect again.
Buford T (who got me interested in the whole heavy buffer/14.5) has the guts to run a similar setup with a A5H4. I want to try this myself but the first buffer weight in an A5 has a spring in it and obviously I can’t just pull a random tungsten weight from another buffer and make an A5H4 because of the spring. When they come available again I will buy one.
Not saying yours will work with an H3 or 4 but mine has been great and is super flat when shooting.
Here is Buford’s thread (a lot of great info in it) about his rifle with the heavy buffer with 14.5 barrel.
I have owned 14.5 mid uppers from BCM, DD, and Centurion. All have functioned 100% and locked back every time with everything from full power 5.56 to Walmart Tula when paired with H buffers. At one point I tried the BCM and Centurion on an A5 lower. I did not notice a change in recoil or sight picture disturbance but I had a few issues with the weaker ammo. My personal takeaway is that the 14.5 mid is best matched with a standard buffer system, as it is extremely soft shooting already.
I am confused. If your goal is to run more reliably with the weakest factory ammo out there, why would you go from a 16" mid-length to a 14.5" mid-length, when the 16" was already giving you trouble w/ Tula? (genuine question)
I just got a BCM 14.5 mid that I put on a lower with a Vltor A5 H2. I just ran 300 rounds through it. It was mostly 5.56, but I got some off brand .223 and some Tula just to see what happened.
It fired everything with ZERO problems. I intentionally tried to acheive a failure to lock back, and could only get that if I shot Tula while holding the buttstock off my shoulder and resting the forearm lightly on my support hand.
I was hesitant to get the 14.5 mid before, but now I am converted for life.
Yeah, I have spent many hours pondering how Jaxman and BufordT’s guns run like they do, they definitely seem to be pushing the threshold. Conversely it is rather puzzling that Markm’s 14.5" BCM middy used to run with an H3 buffer new but after a few hundred rounds started to choke with the heavy one (referencing an old thread).
Also, I remember ToddK commenting in one thread that he has run an A5h2 buffer on every configuration Noveske makes without problems. The context was speaking of 14.5" mid-lengths and seemed it indicate Noveske 14.5" mids had bigger gas ports than BCMs 14.5 middy.
I want to try this myself but the first buffer weight in an A5 has a spring in it and obviously I can’t just pull a random tungsten weight from another buffer and make an A5H4 because of the spring. When they come available again I will buy one.