Well, I’ve had it since right before SHOT and so far I’m really pleased with it. Pretty much a Franken-Gun but the parts are quality:
MSTN Upper & Young carrier from MSTN by way of Chappy over at LMS.
WhiteOak 12.5" barrel (custom M60 flash suppressor/adapter soldered in place)
Daniel Defense Lite Rail 12.0 FSP
Sun Devil Billet lower (unknown parts kit, came with it)
Aimpoint T1 Micro in a LaRue mount (no brainer)
Streamlight TLR-1 with the upgraded CREE LED
Yankee Hill Front/Rear BUIS
Noveske SCF! Ejection Port Cover
Magpul CTR, ERGO Grip rail covers
A2 grip with the finger grove sanded down
I have about 640ish rounds down range. One major failure so far, the buffer detent that came in the Sun Devil lower managed to get out and wedge itself behind the firing pin and down the weapon. Fortunately I had a Bravo Company LPK and my armors kit with me, so about ten minutes later I was back up and running. Odd failure though. No weapons malfs of ANY sort. I am getting a small amount of rubbing at the lip of the buffer extension tube, which arfcommers call “carrier tilt” but the actual term for this is sidewall loading. I’ll monitor this and repost if anything gets worse.
Overall I’m very impressed and enjoying it a lot. I’ll post up more pics this week if I get a chance.
Nothing really to it. I took a DPMS M60 style flashhider that they use for their 308 AR, and turned down a 1/2-28tpi thread protector to an interference fit to the ID of the flashhider and tig’d them together. Then once that was finished it gets soldered/pinned/welded to the barrel.
We’ve now passed the 2k mark, so far no weapons malfs. I have found out that the white oak barrel is very picky about reloaded brass from a 5.56 chamber. Needs to be run thru a small base die. Other than that, no cleaning or lube since I got it in January. I had a bunch of video in prep for the article, but a bad SD card ate it, so back to the range (oh darn) on Tuesday if its not raining.
Well, I passed the 2200rd mark last week. Decided to pull it apart and clean it, the piston was pretty coked up, and it was tough to get apart, but other than that, its run really well.
Not too bad really. The MPT lube long since dried out, but even then it ran fine, no grittiness or dragging. Small amount of rubbing in the receiver extension, but only seems to be on the anodizing for now. Besides, if I hit 10k in this thing, I think one buffer tube isn’t a huge purchase.
Try an H3 buffer with a Tubb flatwire spring to eliminate some of that carrier tilt. I had signs of carrier tilt with my piston gun and after I went heavier with the buffer/spring combo it went away.
KellyTTE,
Did you drill some custom lightening holes down the length of that DD rail? I swear it looks like swiss cheese, and I cannot remember ever seeing a DD rail with that many lightening holes in it.
I absolutely hate the look of the newest DD Lite rail design, which actually OMITTED some of the lightening holes, and has a solid portion down the entire length of the rail. I was going to buy one, and add a bunch of my own lightening holes myself, but never got around to doing that upper build.
Anyhow, just thought I’d ask if you indeed added some lightening holes, or is that the way the rail was made?
IF you did indeed add some holes, then I would be interested in hearing the method you used? Drill press by hand? (not likely if even spacing was desired)
Milling machine? (by hand or CNC?)
Did you refinish the rail?
As stated, I’m wondering this all, IF you actually did add some holes???
I’ll have to go back and re-read Seth’s thread. Is he shipping now? ? ? ?
Last time I checked in, he was revamping a version II for it.
As for the DD rail, I did have about 3/4" machined off in front of the FSB area to get the piston out, but other than that, I didn’t do or have anything else done.
Question about your WOA barrel? You mentioned you had to run your brass through a SB die in order to get it to feed/cycle properly.
Do you think thats just this particular barrel you ordered?
Reason being, I have an 18" SPR WOA barrel on order from them, and am wondering if I’m going to have to do the same thing. All my brass I’m using is LC 5.56 mil-fired surplus I’ve run through my Lee FL sizing die.
I don’t think its just my barrel. The exact same ammo, and even rounds that wouldn’t chamber in my PWS upper would run just fine in my Colt upper or in Heather’s Sabre upper. I posted about the ammo issue here:
A buddy if mine tried to shoot some of this ammo in his upper to see if I was just crazy, his was a PWS conversion was a new / complete Sabre upper, converted as soon as he got it and he had the same issue. Once I went to a small base die, it ran fine in all the uppers. His, all of mine, Heather’s, etc.
The WOA website says the SPR barrel I ordered is chambered for reliability with a wide range of ammo. I construe that to mean its not a Wylde chamber. I guess we’ll find out when I get it. I’ll be sure to report.
