New S&W 5.45 Questions

AR/M4 Beyond 5.56/.223
1

I sold my Waffen Werks 74 mainly because of the ergos - short stock and grip, felt front heavy. But I found a NIB Smith 15R upper I’m picking up tomorrow. I have lowers, buffers, tubes and have ASC mags enroute.

Questions:
How is the gas pressure compared to 5.56 carbine/midlength? Carbine buffer GTG? Is the recoil force more than 5.56? I have buffers up to H3. Would the Vltor A5 system be as worthwhile an upgrade as for 5.56?

Are the exterior upper dimensions standard carbine with FSB? I will probably just go with a Magpul hand guard if it fits.

How do you go about cleaning the gas tube? When I use non-corrosive should I clean same as 5.56?

Thanks.

2

I would probably read several threads in this section which will answer almost all your questions.

3

I’m pleading brain cell depletion from a mis-spent youth. I posted here, but have run all my searches in the Other Semi Autos section with no joy. Habit from my AK. First try here: bing, bam, boom. Mea Culpa

4

H3 in mine works great. Pressure is actually less than 5.56 I believe. Yea all 5.56 rails, accessories are interchangeable. Gas tube is best to upgrade with melonited one from BA or Spikes. It corrodes fast depending on conditions of course. If I shoot 1 mag then hang up in my room in the garage, it’s rusting by the following weekend. If you spray liquid down your gas tube, dry thoroughly.

I break mine down and dump boiling water over every part. That’s my .0545 cents.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

5

This thread might be of help with cleaning, they even stickied it- https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?87949-How-I-clean-my-S-amp-W-5-45-AR15

I’ve started tinkering with a S&W M&P15r as well, here’s that thread- https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?149571-S-amp-W-M-amp-P15r-(5-45x39)-mods

Beyond giving you these threads to look at, I’m not much farther than you in the 5.45 scheme of things.

6

Thanks for the links. Since I started looking in the correct section, I’m finding lots of good info. I got the whole gun together today. I went with the A5 since at least some of the early barrels sound over-gassed. I put an H1 in to start. Also got a BA Fail Zero bolt in a FZ carrier from my spares box. Purely for ease of cleaning.

7

You had a BA FZ bolt just laying around?

8

Heh, heh. Not likely. I had the carrier.

9

Ah… That makes a whole lot more sense. That said, I have a spare BA FZ bolt rattling around and a spare FZ carrier, and I was trying to make sure I was the only one…