The R18 Mk2 Review Pt 2 Live Fire Reliabllity and Accuracy Results

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beltfed said:
The WK barrel measured .75" in front of the chamber shank out to just before the gas port journal, then flared out to form a shoulder for the gas block. Gas block was standard .75", then tapered again to .65" to just short of the muzzle. I fear they cut too much out from the chamber to the gas block, and that was a carbine length gas system. Quite light, and yes, the rifle was nose heavy. I don't think there really is much to be able to mitigate that other than balancing the overall weight of the rifle out.
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Perhaps Mark IV (two years out let's say) can use Stoner style pseudo piston impinging against the 180 system from a gas tube?

In the meantime, strengthen the barrel enough to get it working properly through thickening or fluting to the amount needed. Best wishes to the producers on finding what is required!
 
Bartok5 said:
My concern with going to a DI system is that the whole rifle begins to very closely resemble the banned AR15....
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A firearm that matches my description had its FRT cleared back in July, and build kits with the receiver and internals finally cleared customs after being brought in by a Canadian retailer and started being sold in Octoy. Full rifles are to follow. I know an FRT change could wipe this out, but the same could be said for a piston AR180 if someone squints at it wrong. Another local Canadian manufacturer is working on a gas tube fed BCG to work with the WK and MCR, but primarily to work with their own upper.

Whether these examples are enough to have the developers consider a pseudo-piston impingement against 180 recoil system variant of R18 some day is up to them.
 
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While I do hope the gasblock contact doesnt turn out to be an issue I cannot wait to get this in hand.
Already have an optic, grips, stock , tape switch and light and Wellsmade sling all set aside waiting for this.
 
Some people using the WWSD with suppressors were using Faxon Gunner profile barrels. Perhaps something similar would be a good compromise for the the R18? I also read of flyer shift with suppressors on pencil barrels with rapid fire, which they called "whipping"; this sounds similar to the issue with R18, so something like the gunner profile may help. Again, best wishes to the makers of the R18 in the quest!

Faxon on YouTube said:
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The latest update is as follows. SAI recently placed an order for some medium and heavy-weight AR Barrels from IBI. The intent is to conduct further accuracy testing when the Barrels arrive. Therein lies the issue - the revised Barrels (and reduced-diameter, adjustable Gas Blocks) will not be delivered until early in the New Year, so we must wait for further accuracy testing.

Speaking with JR Cox yesterday, TSE may sell R18s with the Pencil-profile Barrel in order to exhaust their stock of those tubes. Parallel sales will feature the Revised barrel (subject to acceptable accuracy testing). Sales of the Pencil Barrel (with the revised, Adjustable Gas Block) will be made with the proviso of 2.5 MOA accuracy with X-Tac 55gr Ball ammo. Those who want the 7.9 lb R18 Mk2 with the Pencil Barrel will be able to obtain one until such time as the existing supply of Pencil Barrels is sold out. Concurrently, those who would prefer the Revised Medium-weight Barrel at the expense of an additional 1 lb of weight will be able to order the 8.9 lb version of the R18.

I ordered the Midwest Industries "Fixed Folding Stock" with Picatinny interface approximately 2 weeks ago from Brownells. It arrived today in good order, with no CBSA interference. It is a very compact solution for those who desire a side-folding stock and don't mind a fixed Length of Pull (LOP). The LOP feels good to me and the folding mechanism (the "Knuckle") is very low-profile. I should note that the folded stock does partially block the ejection path and may cause spin-back stoppages if fired 1980s style, folded from the hip.


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Bartok5 said:
The latest update is as follows. SAI recently placed an order for some medium and heavy-weight AR Barrels from IBI. The intent is to conduct further accuracy testing when the Barrels arrive. Therein lies the issue - the revised Barrels (and reduced-diameter, adjustable Gas Blocks) will not be delivered until early in the New Year, so we must wait for further accuracy testing.

Speaking with JR Cox yesterday, TSE may sell R18s with the Pencil-profile Barrel in order to exhaust their stock of those tubes. Parallel sales will feature the Revised barrel (subject to acceptable accuracy testing). Sales of the Pencil Barrel (with the revised, Adjustable Gas Block) will be made with the proviso of 2.5 MOA accuracy with X-Tac 55gr Ball ammo. Those who want the 7.9 lb R18 Mk2 with the Pencil Barrel will be able to obtain one until such time as the existing supply of Pencil Barrels is sold out. Concurrently, those who would prefer the Revised Medium-weight Barrel at the expense of an additional 1 lb of weight will be able to order the 8.9 lb version of the R18.

I ordered the Midwest Industries "Fixed Folding Stock" with Picatinny interface approximately 2 weeks ago from Brownells. It arrived today in good order, with no CBSA interference. It is a very compact solution for those who desire a side-folding stock and don't mind a fixed Length of Pull (LOP). The LOP feels good to me and the folding mechanism (the "Knuckle") is very low-profile. I should note that the folded stock does partially block the ejection path and may cause spin-back stoppages if fired 1980s style, folded from the hip.


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I came. Welp, guess I know what I'm building next.
 
Bartok5 said:
The latest update is as follows. SAI recently placed an order for some medium and heavy-weight AR Barrels from IBI. The intent is to conduct further accuracy testing when the Barrels arrive. Therein lies the issue - the revised Barrels (and reduced-diameter, adjustable Gas Blocks) will not be delivered until early in the New Year, so we must wait for further accuracy testing.

Speaking with JR Cox yesterday, TSE may sell R18s with the Pencil-profile Barrel in order to exhaust their stock of those tubes. Parallel sales will feature the Revised barrel (subject to acceptable accuracy testing). Sales of the Pencil Barrel (with the revised, Adjustable Gas Block) will be made with the proviso of 2.5 MOA accuracy with X-Tac 55gr Ball ammo. Those who want the 7.9 lb R18 Mk2 with the Pencil Barrel will be able to obtain one until such time as the existing supply of Pencil Barrels is sold out. Concurrently, those who would prefer the Revised Medium-weight Barrel at the expense of an additional 1 lb of weight will be able to order the 8.9 lb version of the R18.
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Thanks for the update, and the options from the maker! Those who want a lighter rifle or who don't want to wait (or maybe just want to swap in their own barrel) can get the pencil barrel now, and those want premium accuracy at the expense of a little weight and time can wait. IBI should be an excellent alternate choice for great barrels, as they have prior experience with the 180 platform with RWA.
 
Im digging my heels in the sand for pencil or bust.
I guess Ill just have to be quick on the draw when they go for sale.

Its very comforting to see the active development and refinement still on going instead of just dumping it on the market as is.
 
How is the state of art carbon fibre doing now adays? Has it advanced to the point where you could make a gas block without it delaminating? Could it handle the stress of being made a piston op rod? If so, those might for interesting, if not expensive aftermarket parts. It would be even cooler if they could be made from Alberta bitumen, as some tech to turn bitumen to less expensive carbon fibre is heading our way eventually.
 
Ustauk said:
How is the state of art carbon fibre doing now adays? Has it advanced to the point where you could make a gas block without it delaminating? Could it handle the stress of being made a piston op rod? If so, those might for interesting, if not expensive aftermarket parts. It would be even cooler if they could be made from Alberta bitumen, as some tech to turn bitumen to less expensive carbon fibre is heading our way eventually.
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I'm not sure that I'd want to be the Guinea Pig for testing a Carbon-Fibre Gas Block! Although the tech exists to create hard-wearing and complex, synthetic and metal parts (eg. 3D-printed silencers), I am guessing that the developmental costs for a Gas Block would be prohibitive, as would the comparatively high cost of the C-F part itself. Maybe I'm wrong and it is entirely do-able in a cost-effective manner. Is it worth all of the effort necessary to shave a few ounces off of the Gas Block weight? I'm not convinced....
 
FraserGreen said:
When did the R18 start to be developed. Has it been able to sit back and learn from the development of the WK and WS?
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Development commenced 18 months ago. The WS-MCR and WK-180 were referenced during the developmental process for issues to avoid (eg. sharp edges, blocky machining, 3D printed parts, etc).
 
Bartok5 said:
I'm not sure that I'd want to be the Guinea Pig for testing a Carbon-Fibre Gas Block! Although the tech exists to create hard-wearing and complex, synthetic and metal parts (eg. 3D-printed silencers), I am guessing that the developmental costs for a Gas Block would be prohibitive, as would the comparatively high cost of the C-F part itself. Maybe I'm wrong and it is entirely do-able in a cost-effective manner. Is it worth all of the effort necessary to shave a few ounces off of the Gas Block weight? I'm not convinced....
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Fair enough, just pie-in-the-skying :)
 
Bartok5 said:
I'm not sure that I'd want to be the Guinea Pig for testing a Carbon-Fibre Gas Block! Although the tech exists to create hard-wearing and complex, synthetic and metal parts (eg. 3D-printed silencers), I am guessing that the developmental costs for a Gas Block would be prohibitive, as would the comparatively high cost of the C-F part itself. Maybe I'm wrong and it is entirely do-able in a cost-effective manner. Is it worth all of the effort necessary to shave a few ounces off of the Gas Block weight? I'm not convinced....
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Especially when Ti is already a thing.
 
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