AR15 10.5" repliable?

Audet

Regular
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
23   0   0
Location
Montreal
What is your experience for reliability in AR15 with 10.5" barrels? It seams there are many issues depending on the manufacturer; Daniel Defence, Stag, NEA... Any makers we should avoid?
 
I never had problems with my LMT 10.5"

Some norinco had weak extractor problem, but it's an easy fix. You also need to have an heavier buffer, but generally carbine buffer are ok.
 
There was a time when problems were common with 10.5 and shorter AR's - these days the specs are well enough known that getting a good one should be easy. Even the Norcs are pretty good these days, and the problems they did have could have happened to any AR barrel length.
 
Most problems with short AR's seem to be when someone takes their 16+ inch rifle and simply swaps to a 7.5 or 10.5 inch without considering anything else. The gas system needs to be balanced with the recoil system. Typically a short barrel with a pistol length gas system needs a heavier full auto style bolt and/or a heavy carbine buffer to slow down the bolt.
I've owned a 10.5 in the past and it just had a standard buffer and semi auto bolt and it functioned fine but was a little harsh, it could have used a little heavier buffer or the heavier FA carrier. I currently have a 6.5 inch AR with a FA carrier and a Spikes heavy buffer, I notice that it is still a little harsh on the recoil impulse but it does cycle well.

You shouldn't have any trouble with your Adams Arms kit. Piston guns are usually self regulating and will bleed off the excess pressure once the system has used what it needs or it will be an adjustable gas system which you can tune to the rest of the system.
10.5 inch is not nearly as finicky as a 7.5 so as long as it's cycling well don't worry about it. If you feel like the bolt is slamming back into the buffer tube and is hitting the end hard then try a heavier buffer or reduce the gas system if possible (I'm not very familiar with the AA kit).

Good luck and don't worry about other people's problems, if your's is working well then just enjoy it and keep shooting.
 
As for "reliable" I have had the same experience as cr5. When getting to the 14.5" and under you need to start balancing buffer weight, buffer spring strength, bcg weight, gas port size. Gets to be an exercise in building patience. I have a 14.5 that runs flawless out of the box but a friend can't get his to gun 100rds without a jam. My three 20" were flawless as well as my 16". Another friend has a 7.5 that runs flawless but man it wants to shake the fillings out of your head.

As for "repliable" ... If I start getting a reply from my M4, I am obviously cracking up and will sell all my guns.

Moe
 
Last edited:
You won't encounter many issues anymore with quality OEM SBR's. More often than not the troublesome SBR's are homebuilt with components not tuned to the rifle / suitable in SBR usage. There is more to building an SBR to just piecing together parts.
 
As for "repliable" ... If I start getting a reply from my M4, I am obviously cracking up and will sell all my guns.

Moe


You mean to tell me your guns don't talk to you?
Hmmm, I may just have a better relationship with my firearms ;)

Audet, if you click "edit post" then click "go advanced" you can go in and fix that. Or leave it for us to have some fun. :)
 
I had the same concerns AFTER I paid for my 10.5 Norc when I read about some issues, my concerns where unwarranted and I bought mine about 18 months ago. It has about 1000 rounds down the pipe and only cleaned the thing once when it was new, and once after the first 200 rounds due to shooting in the snow all day that day. It never jams and it never lets me down with the limited shooting I have done with mine.
 
Stick to a manufactured 10.5" AR and not one somebody pieced together from parts in his basement.

Except when that someone knows what they're ####ing doing.


Yes building a 10.5 AR is about piecing together parts. Probably 95% of a 10.5 AR's potential reliability lies in the barrel and the size the mfg drilled the gas port. Most are way overgassed. A 10.5" barrel gas port should measure right at or around .071", which is the optimal size.
 
Last edited:
Except when that someone knows what they're ####ing doing.

Yes building a 10.5 AR is about piecing together parts. Probably 95% of a 10.5 AR's potential reliability lies in the barrel and the size the mfg drilled the gas port. Most are way overgassed. A 10.5" barrel gas port should measure right at or around .071", which is the optimal size.


I agree with this....buying a quality barrel and researching buffer weights will make building a reliable rifle much easier if one goes that route. I guess you're still taking a chance that the combination you put together may not function as first thought but the good barrel and proper buffer weight will, in my opinion, take away a good deal of the doubt and worry.
 
No issues with my SJ 10.5 build, H2 buffer and DD fa bcg. A little more recoil then my M4 but brass goes flying, no weak ejection.
 
Back
Top Bottom