Used to have an H Buffer in my 12.5" SBR. Had a new 12.5" upper built by ADCO, and installed a Vltor A5 buffer system. Came with standard A5 buffer. My understanding is that it’s 5.3 ounces. Fail zero auto BCG, Fail Zero upper, Centurion Arms 12.5" light barrel.
I’ve put about 300 rounds through it. A wide variety of rounds and no malfunctions. However, I’ve shot a lot of XM193F throughitlately. Lots of it around and it’s cheap. It ejects at 1-2 o’clock. I expected the A5 through them out at 3 o’clock or so. My H buffer had practically the same ejection pattern. I wonder, a little bit, what I got the A5 for.
PMC .223, Honrady .223 match, and Hornady TAP .223 are all about 4 o’clock, 5.56mm ammo (Q3131A1 & SSA) are 2 to 3 o’clock. Most at 3. I know that the XM139F is supposed to be really hot so maybe it’s no thing. Like I said,no malfuctions and I’ve done some rapid fire.
BYW: Have the vittono-ring in, BCM extractor spring, and CS ejector spring.
Ejection pattern is not worth your time, as long as it is functioning properly, and the A5 system isn’t just about the weight of the buffer, but the spring as well.
So if ejection pattern is a red herring, what is important?
What does your dot bounce look like?
What does recoil feel like?
That’s where the system really pays.
When I tried out my first A5 I felt like I put on a decent brake as far as direct to rear recoil was concerned.
ETA: You can pop that O ring out and set it aside in case of emergency.
F2S makes very valid points. Too many people are getting wrapped up in shit like ejection patterns. I can tell the difference when I went from an H3/ Springco spring to the A5.
Everyone who shot my set up and then shot it with the A5 said the same thing.
I agree. I’m not sure where the “ejection pattern means something” rumor got started, but too many people pay too much attention to where their brass is falling and less attention to more important things.
When I used the A5, it was great. I only went away from it because I now use a UBR on my AR. If I were to build another AR, it will get an A5.
I should clarify that I tune my guns based on feel once reliable operation has been established. The point is not go have ‘perfect ejection’…as we saw that the BCG’s rearward speed varies greatly using cheaper buffer springs (basically, non CS buffer springs) per the write-up by Andrew over at Vuurwapen Blog.
If you gun runs perfectly with an H2 buffer and a std strength spring…rock on. If you need to go to an A5-H4 to get that smooth shooting setup, then do it.
I personally have found that the distance of ejected cases is a much more reliable indicator of reliability than the angle of ejection in AR’s. The guns I have issues with are always the ones that either fling the brass into the next county or have it dribbling off my knuckles (there’s a lot more of the former than the latter).
I have several buddies who’s guns run perfectly, despite NONE of them having a similar ejection angle. They are mostly Colt 6920’s. Same buffers (H buffers) and Brownells CS buffer springs with roughly the same round count. Some throw it at 5, others at 1, and the rest in between. All 100% reliable.
Some Douche Nozzle made an MS paint chart showing the clock and where ejection patterns “should” be. I hope to find that idiot some day and punch him in the balls.
Rather than direction… just good positive ejection. And how the gun recoils compared to other ARs.
Ejection direction CAN be a part of the equation… but too many guys start installing shit they don’t need based on direction alone… brass ejection at 2 o’clock or some such.
I’m looking to put an A5 with standard buffer in my Noveske Light Recce (midlength gas, 16 inch barrel). I’m shooting PMC Bronze. I see a lot of info on other rifles with carbine gas systems, or info on 14.5 midlengths, but I’ve been looking for A5 experience on my particular setup. I’m certainly not averse to experimenting with buffers but I have a course coming up and don’t have a lot of time to tinker beforehand. I can wait til after the course, but if experience indicates that it’s a reliable drop-in, I’d go ahead. The rifle functions perfectly as is, although I confess I’m not sure where the shells eject to.
Any experience? A5 on 16 inch midlength with relatively low-power ammo, Noveske gas port?
I recently installed an A5 on my BCM 16" midlength, and I’ve shot everything from M193 and M855, to Remington and Federal 223 loads, down to my handloads, some of which are really low-powered, and I haven’t had any issues reliability wise; such as short stroking or a sluggish BCG.
I emailed Noveske, they responded promptly and reassured me that all Noveske uppers are designed to work with rifle stocked lowers including the A5.
So, I just installed a standard A5 in my Noveske Light Recce…straightforward RE install as expected. The Hammerhead wrench is a great tool - broke that Noveske 2-point staking no problem and I was interested to see that the staking dimples lined back up on the notches on re-tightening the castle nut. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at that, but I was. I’m a little inhibited about going out to shoot it since bow season is open, gonna wait until I can get to the range.
As expected from a longer RE, a standard VLTOR iMod on the A5 doesn’t close all the way to the endplate, which is no big deal since I never shoot it with that short a length of pull anyway. Like all the VLTOR receiver extensions, the A5 extension has numbers on the top that indicate stock position through the little window on top of the iMod. Silly little thing, I suppose, but I like that.
