Is yours the 12" handguard (gravel) or 15" (north sylva) import?
Makasi mk15 initial overview and issues
- Thread starter AuntJemima
- Start date
Pmag sticks a little, duramag sticks 80 percent of the time. Pmags have noticeably less spring tension so i suspect the bolt has enough energy after the bounce. The duramags are considerably more stiff and are mostly uncoorporative.
12 inch gravel handguard. I dont think the 15”s are safe from this if thats what you’re wondering lol. This is the first-ish time this issue has been brought up so its likely an issue with the platform itself
Weird as other online GUNtubers (MAC, Small Arms Solutions) show otherwise
Thanks for sharing your experience and it's interesting to see these issues despite being an alleged "QC has been fixed" example. Hopefully it'll rectify itself with a break-in period like my Makasi which took 300 rounds to get working.
Unfortunate to see the extra dwell time of the NR barrel doesn't improve function by adding extra energy into the operating system. Leads me to suspect the lack of BCG mass (buffer weight) being poorly compensated by the dual nested recoil springs is contributing to the failures to feed. The extra mass would help with the BCG's inertia when stripping the round from the magazine and reduce bolt bounce as you have documented.
If you're handy, would you be able to share detailed photos of any proclaimed "fixed issues" compared to my rifle? I think it would be valuable for others to see what changes Brigade Mfg. actually made.
Exactly! Furthermore, there is no question that the degree of bolt-bounce will differ when the rifle is chambering ammo from a magazine, versus the bolt/carrier slamming home on an empty chamber. Bolt travel is slower when stripping a round from the magazine and feeding it into the chamber. I am willing to bet that the result is less bolt bounce when chambering a round.
Can somebody with a new Makasi please test this theory with some inert rounds fed from a P-Mag (to avoid the Dura-mag's apparent drag effect on the bolt carrier), filmed in slo-motion? I predict much reduced bolt-bounce, if any when chambering (dummy) ammo from a P-Mag. In other words, what appears to be a bolt-bounce issue with an empty rifle may not in fact be a problem at all once ammo is introduced to the mix....
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Bolt bounce only becomes a symptom if there is an issue the BGC is running really fast it outruns the magazine feeding. Otherwise for a semi it is not a concern unless you can trigger faster than the bouncing cycling. The BGC is not going to bounce as much once the mass of the cartridge is added.
It looks like it maybe the recoil spring is too stiff like all the previous reviews showed, hence the break in and the early hiccups. The stiff springs create a higher returning velocity with the BGC, so it bounces hard on an empty chamber - when loaded with a mag, the BGC may out run durmag magazine spring so it gets "dead clicks" due to feed failure. The BGC returns faster than the magazine spring can push the round up. Go cycle the rifles and the issue may just go away once the recoil springs get worked over.
Pmag may have a spring with a higher rate than duramag so it keeps up with the returning velocity of the BGC so it feeds fine.
It looks like it maybe the recoil spring is too stiff like all the previous reviews showed, hence the break in and the early hiccups. The stiff springs create a higher returning velocity with the BGC, so it bounces hard on an empty chamber - when loaded with a mag, the BGC may out run durmag magazine spring so it gets "dead clicks" due to feed failure. The BGC returns faster than the magazine spring can push the round up. Go cycle the rifles and the issue may just go away once the recoil springs get worked over.
Pmag may have a spring with a higher rate than duramag so it keeps up with the returning velocity of the BGC so it feeds fine.
So should Brigade say use with PMags for 500 rounds like you need high power rounds to break in the SPAS 12 for the first 500? Brigade may be sharing the Same Columbian marching power as Keltec when it comes to the QC dice
No, because the Makasi most likely feeds just fine from the vast majority of magazine brands once ammunition is introduced into the feeding cycle and bolt-bounce is greatly reduced as a result. Nobody has mentioned testing ASC Mags, Lancer brand, USGI "Surefeed" mags, Magpul T-Mags, CZ Bren 2 Mags, Surefire brand, etc, etc. The only mags demonstrating issues with an empty mag/chamber thus far are Duramags. It therefore stands to reason that the break-in period for the Operating Springs ought to specify avoiding Duramags rather than sticking to P-Mags - at least until the performance with those many alternative magazine brands is confirmed.
All is not necessarily lost. We're talking about sample size of one rifle thus far. Once break-in occurs, your Duramags may function fine. Don't despair until you have a reason to.....
Pmc 223, 80 rounds
I been told. You have to use full power or close to mil spec ammo for break in.
I would suggest phoning brigade and ask
Good thing I'm sitting on a very healthy supply of PMC M855 and Federal 62gr Bonded Law Enforcement ammo then....
How have the next 300 rounds fair? Did you test different mags or ammunition? IIRC, the PMC X-TAC series is a 5.56 NATO loading (apart from their X-TAC 77gr match .223 Rem).
