BM XM15E2S - FTE's

[Werewolf]

ttbadboy opined that:

I don't _think_ there was ever a 40gr round issued (55gr is the lightest I ever heard of.. 55gr M193)

Could be but the first time I carried and M-16 was 11 years before you were even born. Lots of changes since 1971 I suspect. And the round I fired may have been a training round. I was a tanker and the last time I picked up an M-16 was in basic. After that my personal firearms were a 1911 pistol and an M3 submachine gun (I really miss that M3).

I believe you about the Flash Suppressor suppresing some of the recoil - that makes sense.

As for not liking it - that's still up in the air. I'd like to get a Red Dot optic of some type to mount on the A2 handle. Any recommendations (please don't say a Trijicon TA01 - those things cost as much as the rifle).

 

[ny32182]

Yes, I could be wrong about the ammo.

As far as the optic, if you don't want to spend big money on an Aimpoint or Eotech, the "get what you pay for" risk seems to increase.

However. I have a buddy that has a BSA red dot that he got for (I want to say) ~$50. It is mounted on his SA-M7, and it holds a zero just fine and works great, from what I can see. Many will say BSA is worthless, don't waste your money, etc... but thats my experience with them, and its positive thusfar. YMMV and all that.

 

[Jeff White]

Werewolf,
40 grain ammunition was never issued in the US military. The first ammunition designed to work with the original AR15 was known as a .222 Special that used a Remington 55 garin bullet. Wincehster loaded a 53 grain bullet for their Lightweight Military rifle that was in development about the same time as the AR15. It was not adopted. In 1959 Remington designated the .222 Special that they loaded for Eugene Stoner for his AR15, the .223 Remington. This ammunition was purchased commercially until September 1963 when it was type classified as M193 with a slightly different bullet, but it still weighed 55 grains.

The source of this info is Ed Ezell's excellent book; The Black Rifle

Jeff

 

[vanfunk]

Werewolf,
How many clicks off center do you need to adjust your rear sight to get your shots to point of aim? Bushamster had a problem a while ago (1 year or so?) with "over-torquing" the barrels into the receivers and the subsequent need to crank the sights over to compensate. IIRC, anything more than 12 clicks left or right of center indicates that the barrel may need to be re-indexed.

It's too bad you didn't have Bushmaster take care of it when you sent it in for work. They will take care of the problem for free, if you're inclined to send it back again.

I had two Bushmasters with barrels "over-torqued" to the extent that I could barely keep them on paper at 100 yards with the sight cranked all the way over. Those were produced about a year ago or so.

HTH, vanfunk

 

[Werewolf]

How many clicks off center do you need to adjust your rear sight to get your shots to point of aim?

Haven't counted the clicks but it's a bunch. I've only shot it at 50 yards so far but will check at 100 soonest. If the barrel is over torqued are there any other symptoms besides the sights having to be way left or right. Can a competent gunsmith reindex the barrel?

The rifle is NIB. Can one tell by the S/N when it was built?

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I have a new Model 1 16" CAR upper with chromelined bbl and chamber on a DPMS lower. 2x out of 60 rnds of Spanish SS109 fired I've had FTE. I've not had a chance to fire any other ammo. In both instances, the empty case was stuck in the chamber and the rim was ripped off.

That isn't the gun, it is the ammo. That is a known problem with some lots of Santa Barbara SS109. I've fired almost 2,000 rounds of 1993 Lot 6 with no issues at all; but I know lots of people who have had the same issue you did.

In this case, I'd just switch to a different brand of ammo to correct it.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

If the barrel is over torqued are there any other symptoms besides the sights having to be way left or right.

That is pretty much the only symptom. It won't affect function or use, it will just take a lot of windage to get on target.

Can a competent gunsmith reindex the barrel?

Yes - anybody who knows ARs should be able to do this. It is just a case of trying to get the recommended torque on the barrel while still getting everything lined up right. Bushmaster seems to have a "better too much torque than too little" policy as I see this complaint often with their uppers.

 

[iamkris]

BR --

Thx for the advice. Am going to the Indy 1500 gun show this weekend and will try to pick up several different types.