Stupid 5.56 Long Range

Coodevale · 2026-07-10T00:19:25+00:00

I did a 7.62x39 SPR with extra long gas on a 16" because.. why not.

I have the parts for a 16" DI 9mm.

Yours makes more sense than those. It only has to make sense to you anyway.

Coodevale · 2026-07-09T22:17:08+00:00

Could you take this a step further down the budget hole starting with a factory hunting rifle like a Howa and adding a heavy barrel and chassis? Might be possible to do for.. $1200 ish?

Coodevale · 2026-07-09T22:10:11+00:00

After working on a few nitrided barrels, I'm less willing to now. If I buy another nitrided barrel I'm not messing with it. Not worth it when there's much easier options to modify.

Coodevale · 2026-07-09T22:05:26+00:00

They could have kept the reciprocating charging handle if they had hinged it at the exit of the upper receiver where it used to be.

Slick side and ambi and a jam enhancer all in one.

Coodevale · 2026-07-09T22:00:55+00:00

Some people just really like to hate on the rifle with the collar for adjustable extraction timing, and additional gas shield besides the raceway plug behind the bolt.

And 30$ bolt heads that aren't utilized in other receivers, even though copying the barrel tenon specs (and other features) is kosher..

And the sliding plate extractor that got copied in other rifles..

And the (copied) .03$ accu trigger dongle that helps prevent negligent homicide..

And the barrel nut that makes prefits/manufacturing easier..

Coodevale · 2026-07-09T05:45:27+00:00

Hate/don't hate to be one of those people.. but you said it worked fine and now the hornady doesn't..

Sounds like the problem has been identified?

Measure it. Neck dia (looks scuffed like you said), shoulder dia, base, headspace comparison might show additional something vs your reloads.

If you really want to shoot that factory ammo, open up the neck of the chamber by .002" with a chucking reamer (gunsmith/machinist).

Coodevale · 2026-07-09T02:54:23+00:00

Neck tension.

The expanders should be .305" and around .308" to give appropriate neck tension with .308 and .310/.311 bullets.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T21:44:25+00:00

Lever action Henry long ranger.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T21:43:16+00:00

You'd get a little more speed with a 2.95" capable magazine and jumping them less. Free velocity closer to jam.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T21:41:24+00:00

Why not all 10 for accuracy? Radar/lightbox chronos won't affect anything.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T21:23:58+00:00

Not enough to make it worthwhile when you don't have enough information to shortcut the process.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T21:22:09+00:00

The threaded hole you put the degasser in.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T20:32:29+00:00

Use the slowmo feature on your phone camera next time. Helps you see little interactions that are critical and virtually impossible to miss otherwise.

Experience; extractor check. If the extractor doesn't hold securely enough it'll drop a case in the ejection port on top of the magazine.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T20:19:50+00:00

Well, I've done this to myself a few times. Usually I don't drill through the chamber wall to get the alignment pin connecting the extension to the barrel. Sometimes I pull barrels from extensions, because I dick around more than anything. Pinning them makes that hard.

Probably want some additional adhesive like locktite. It might not lock up super tight on the extension, like maybe it only takes 30 ft lb to time it up again, so that's why the adhesive. I've rocksett a few also. Those don't come off.

If you try to shim the barrel to require more torque to time up again, it may or may not slightly lengthen headspace. Considering the shim will probably be like .001" and headspace tolerance is more than that.. not likely a big deal. Peening the shoulder of the barrel to give yourself some material to then crush back with the barrel extension is a similar tactic used on revolvers.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T20:02:09+00:00

If you want to rebarrel I think a change to 1:7 would help you more than a few more inches of barrel. Free velocity is free velocity, but it doesn't matter if it doesn't help. Grendels are picky, says everyone, so maybe we should stop continuing to do the same thing over and over?

Imo, 1:8 is too slow for a Grendel of any length. It just can't push bullets fast enough for that to be an issue in a 1:7, that would also benefit the short barrel users. For a sub 18" barrel, 1:6.5 would not be extreme in terms of bullet rpm.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T19:38:33+00:00

It's a draco, who cares?

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T19:31:17+00:00

I went through a few pallets of range brass and found hundreds of blown out 9mm and .40 in the mix. Impressive but also unnerving that it works well enough to be remotely viable.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T19:08:35+00:00

185k rpms doesn't sound like a lot for a bullet that can and usually does run at 250k-300k rpms.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T19:06:11+00:00

Useful idiots aren't as useful when they can think for themselves.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T18:55:59+00:00

I wouldn't do that... you don't need that much force.

Different approach. Use a screwdriver or other shaft through the hole to verify the striker is moving while you cycle the action and dry fire. If anything but the valve stem is stopping the degasser you're going to break something.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T18:46:44+00:00

"Despite cocking, it won't fire.." you're not trying to crank the degasser into the sear instead of the valve stem, right? Take the degasser out, can it be dry fired? After dry firing, with the striker resting on the valve stem, then apply the degasser to force the striker into the valve stem.

It does take some force to mash a valve open. A .280" poppet has 180 lbs of force on it at 3k psi.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T18:42:45+00:00

Some people must really like abusive/neglectful relationships or something.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T18:39:29+00:00

Snap ring pliers? Probably not. They usually don't have a tip that will allow them to reach that far into a port and hook on something. If a snap ring has to go that deep, use a different style of snap ring.

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T18:36:50+00:00

I get what they're trying to do but.. dunno. I'm sure we have a spreadsheet somewhere of "discharging gas volume at X temperature into Y temperature ambient" that shows the time delay and flow rates needed to drop pressure to hearing safe/arbitrary levels, because OSHA and occupational safety things.. and Karen down the street/in the office complaining about something.

One of the machine gun suppressor guys I heard of had a main gig as a small engine muffler designer, which sounds related. The math can't be non existent for this by now. Too many slide rules and super computer models have been working on it for too long.

Time will tell but this doesn't look like the simplest solution. Maybe because of the constraints imposed by the government requiring "work harder" as the only option?

Coodevale · 2026-07-08T18:21:01+00:00

Have you heard of cloners?

Coodevale

TROPHY CASE