WK 180 - gas blow by from gas port area?

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diegocn

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I grab my rifle at the end of the hand guard with my left hand naturally. This is where the gas port is. Every time the rifle fires there's gas blow by. Most of the times it's tolerable with bare hand, but it does get painful after shooting a while, especially on my pinky.

For those of you have an WK 180, do you feel the gas blow by when the rifle fires? Is there any hand guard cover I can put on to mitigate the issue?
 
Ya, the gas bleed off can get annoying. It gets warm for sure but so far most of my shooting has been outside in the cold and I've had gloves on so it's been tolerable.
 
I have never experienced this, not sure if normal? But I did use MLOK Covers from the start (on the sides initially, but thought they felt nice so I put them on the bottom too after).
 
kaiu said:
I have never experienced this, not sure if normal? But I did use MLOK Covers from the start (on the sides initially, but thought they felt nice so I put them on the bottom too after).
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Completely normal. The gas has to exit the gas cylinder somewhere. When the piston reaches full stroke, remaining gas pressure releases through vent holes in the cylinder.

Original AR18 vented gas through holes in the top and bottom of the hand guard at the front end. They also used heat shields. Additionally, the forward C Clamp grip wasn't common.
 
According to AT3Tactical.com, the gas port is further along the barrel the length the longer the barrel. Would the same apply to the WK? If that is the case, and the pressure-relief port is next to the gasport, RWA is going to rifle-length gas system for their Grendel upper. If the rife-length system still works properly with the NATO round, you could probably get a rifle length op-rod and barrel from them, and that would put the gas venting past your hand. It would be an expensive fix, but it might do the trick.
 
Ustauk said:
According to AT3Tactical.com, the gas port is further along the barrel the length the longer the barrel. Would the same apply to the WK? If that is the case, and the pressure-relief port is next to the gasport, RWA is going to rifle-length gas system for their Grendel upper. If the rife-length system still works properly with the NATO round, you could probably get a rifle length op-rod and barrel from them, and that would put the gas venting past your hand. It would be an expensive fix, but it might do the trick.
Click to expand...

I got a mid length op rod from RWA and installed that and a mid length Maple Ridge Armoury barrel on one of my WK180-C's. I found it made a good improvement having the gas block moved 2 inches forward.

The gas block is now right at the front of the handguard and the gas bleed off ports are right where the access hole is. With the ports now being located at the access hole cut out, less of the venting gas blows directly against the handguard and as a result things don't heat up as much. I have a small piece of rail on the bottom of the handguard which also (kinda) works as a handstop.

I've found just going to the mid length system to be an improvement. With the original carbine length system there wasn't much option on where to hold the handguard so that you could get your hand away from where the gas was bleeding off and things were getting warm.

View attachment 255425
 
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Ustauk said:
According to AT3Tactical.com, the gas port is further along the barrel the length the longer the barrel. Would the same apply to the WK? If that is the case, and the pressure-relief port is next to the gasport, RWA is going to rifle-length gas system for their Grendel upper. If the rife-length system still works properly with the NATO round, you could probably get a rifle length op-rod and barrel from them, and that would put the gas venting past your hand. It would be an expensive fix, but it might do the trick.
Click to expand...

Correct, the Grendel will have a rifle length system. But wanted to clarify a little...we also have our 223 calibre uppers available in a rifle length system. Our full production is now mid length but the first production run was rifle length, and we still make those.

Cheers
 
RWA-Sales said:
Correct, the Grendel will have a rifle length system. But wanted to clarify a little...we also have our 223 calibre uppers available in a rifle length system. Our full production is now mid length but the first production run was rifle length, and we still make those.

Cheers
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Cool! So for those who really hate the gas hitting their hand with the WK and have money to burn, you can buy the RWA upper, solve your hand discomfort and get all the other goodies like the IBI barrel, and on-spec Pic-rail. Would a rifle-length .223 upper ordered today have the goodies shown from your 7.62 upper, like the bolt release, steel reinforced side panels , and integrated brass deflector?

Edit: read jiffx2781 post, and the mid-length system mostly does the trick. So you could buy the mid-length op-rod and barrel like he did, or just by the default mid-length RWA upper, as well :)
 
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For those interested...here is some pics of the Grendel that we just assembled for a customer...kitted out DMR style. Sending out shortly with a separate 223 Upper to go with it. Cerakote in olive green.

Also, in response to Ustalk:
Yes the upper would have the steel panel and the brass deflector, but not the bolt release (that goes in the lower and would need to be ordered separately).
IBI Barrel and true picatinny rail.

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Doh! Wasn't thinking when I added the bolt release to the list. Though if someone is gong to the trouble of buying a new upper anyways, they might as well add it as an additional item on the order :)

That looks like a sweet rifle; great work, RWA, and congratz to the new owner!
 
RWA-Sales said:
For those interested...here is some pics of the Grendel that we just assembled for a customer...kitted out DMR style. Sending out shortly with a separate 223 Upper to go with it. Cerakote in olive green.

Also, in response to Ustalk:
Yes the upper would have the steel panel and the brass deflector, but not the bolt release (that goes in the lower and would need to be ordered separately).
IBI Barrel and true picatinny rail.

View attachment 255626
Click to expand...

Any chance of getting a bolt head and rifle length piston? I have a Grendel barrel I would love to put on my WK180C.
 
RWA-Sales said:
For those interested...here is some pics of the Grendel that we just assembled for a customer...kitted out DMR style. Sending out shortly with a separate 223 Upper to go with it. Cerakote in olive green.

Also, in response to Ustalk:
Yes the upper would have the steel panel and the brass deflector, but not the bolt release (that goes in the lower and would need to be ordered separately).
IBI Barrel and true picatinny rail.

View attachment 255626
Click to expand...

That looks fckin awesome .
 
kwiebe said:
I like the looks of that hand guard. Who make them and where would I find one?
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We make them :) and it is fully licenced with Magpul. However, to forestall the question, it does not fit onto the WK180C. It is designed for use on our proprietary barrel lock system for our rifles and uppers. It comes in 12", 14", 16" and 18"
 
diegocn said:
I grab my rifle at the end of the hand guard with my left hand naturally. This is where the gas port is. Every time the rifle fires there's gas blow by. Most of the times it's tolerable with bare hand, but it does get painful after shooting a while, especially on my pinky.

For those of you have an WK 180, do you feel the gas blow by when the rifle fires? Is there any hand guard cover I can put on to mitigate the issue?
Click to expand...

Found another potential solution on a video about the BRN-180, the handguard of which can apparently get burning hot from venting gas when you run Yankee-capacity magazines through it. They mentioned in the video that KE Arms makes an insulated handguard wrap, the SHTF+ wrap. Wolverine may be able to bring this in, or people up here may be able to home-make there own version. It might be useful in the winter, too; holding metal at -40, even with gloves, can get pretty cold :)
 
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