From the little info on this I’m able to find, it appears that Daniel Defense midlength gov’t profile 16” guns use a .072” gas port diameter. Can anyone confirm this? I assume DD doesn’t disclose that information like most manufacturers.
If it is .072”, doesn’t that seem a bit small? BCM uses .076” for the same setup. Would the DD 16” midlength have less reliability especially with weaker ammo?
I have a Daniel Defense M4v7LW that has a mid-length pencil barrel, and it has eaten everything I have fed it.
According to BRT’s web-site: it is but not by much, looks like they’re showing the same as BCM, a .076", I guess it could depend upon what they’re (DD) is using for Buffer and Buffer Spring, BCG?
I have been running a DDM4v5 as my “go-to” since 2012 time frame. It had a 16 inch mid-length barrel on it until I switched it out with a 14.5 mid-length about three years ago. I have primarily run Federal ammunition since swapping barrels, however, I ran a multitude of different ammunition brands and power through the 16 inch. I have had no issue what so ever with either barrel.
Afaik the DDM4V5 (the one I’m looking to get) uses a GI buffer spring and H buffer. Probably identical to what BCM uses.
It sounds like with good ammo in optimal conditions the undergassing isn’t an issue, but I wonder if it’ll start to hiccup in harsh/cold conditions and low power ammo.
Those of you with midlength 16” gov’t profile DD’s, specifically the M4V5, how many trouble free rounds do you have through it and what kind of ammo do you use?
I might go with a carbine length 14.5” but am considering the mid.
My DD 16" mid runs Wolf Gold and various 5.56 at temps down to -5F. A5H2 and Tubbs AR10 spring. Standard M4 BCG, A2 FH. 4-5K rounds over the years and no problems.
When did you get your’s? It sounds like they may have shrunken the gas port since 2017 or so.
2015-ish… I measured mine at about .072. I used drill bits, and a 1.8mm (.0709") fit, but a #49 (.073") would not.
As additional info, my DD barrels are quite accurate. MOA 10-shot groups with the right ammo. They shoot 75 Gold Dots and 77 SMKs particularly well. 64 Gold Dot doesn’t group nearly as good. I cut down a 14.5 to about 10.75 several years ago and it continues to impress, with north of 10k rounds through it, mostly suppressed.
Here is the 16". Bi-pod, rear bag and 2.5-10x NF.
AFAIK they run 0.076" on their midlengths.
AFAIK they run 0.076" on their midlengths.
I like the new avatar, Viscious.
The midlength 14.5" is 0.076, maybe Daniel Defense determined that .073" is optimal for 16".
One of my shooting buddies has a DD M4V5. Shoots mostly steel cases Tula and Wolf. No issues that I’ve seen.
I don’t have exact numbers on how much of each brand of ammo that was run through my 16 inch mid-length. However, I do know that my limited resources at the time dictated that I shoot what I could get my hands on. I do know that it had 1,000 round cases of Federal M193, Lake city M855, and Privi partizan. The rest were various amounts of Freedom munitions, Aguila, Matech (I think), some Winchester, and some local .223 remanufactured. The only stipulation that I had was “not steel”, sorry for not being specific. The 14.5 is also a DD CHF barrel and has only had Federal run through it. As far as buffers go, I ran the standard spring with H2 until I replaced it with a Geissele super 42 spring and buffer. The carbine is going on seven years old now and the only problems I ever had were magazine related.
As an aside, I recently bought another DD CHF 14.5 mid-length barrel for another build that is still a work in progress. That does not have enough rounds through it yet to make any kind of judgement, but there have been no problems with it yet.
That’s plenty specific enough. Sounds good.
I’m wondering if I should go with the midlength 16" or carbine 14.5".
This is the only source I’ve been able to find gas port diameter measurements: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tXunBDX5Gaz87BqxwNxDUlWNK9nEv-cZEQoLq2JXXrk/edit#gid=766121382
My DD 14.5 that I chopped is .067" and runs very well suppressed (and not) at 10.75".
It’s most likely just fine.
Differences with the chamber and bore can affect the required port size somewhat.
14.5" MID is a great configuration.
Would the 16” midlength with the .072” be as not picky on ammo as the 14.5” carbine length?
Did we not already go through this a month or two ago?
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Well, right now I’m talking about the gas port size of the DDM4V5 specifically. I’ve pretty much already determined that a properly-gassed midlength has reliability and durability advantages over carbine. Up until this morning I assumed Daniel Defense used a .076" gas port diameter for their 16" mids just like their 14.5" mids and BCM’s, but from that google doc data it appears that they use a smaller gas port than normal. I’m just wondering if anyone’s had undergassing issues with current production DD 16" mids.
Your last question was whether a DD mid be less reliable than a DD carbine. I’m almost positive at least one of your threads in the last few months had pages of discussion on the same question, not to mention all of the other threads on here. DD, while not my preference, makes good guns.