A Tale of Two Crush Washers, or Two Crush Washers One Barrel, and other AR oddities

[RiverBend]

I had to use 3 crush washers and 3 peel washers the other day, I traded for an AR pistol and didn't like the brake and swapped it but but the dang thing had odd threads not 1/2 x 28 like the brake I wanted on it, it wouldn't screw down all the way so i used 3 crush washers to make up for the thread it just wouldn't screw all the way on to.

 

[Jambo]

I never found the spring, so I’d say someone had the receivers apart at some time.

Castle nut was not staked, and the receiver extension was one turn shy of being screwed in enough. This combination failed to capture the buffer retainer.

It is properly assembled, and staked, now.

Well, to be fair, the retainer WAS installed; just not in the "traditional" place. I mean, come on; in there is in there, right? Maybe want to look for that spring in some hidden spot; my vote is for the gas tube.

In all seriousness, I've heard arguments about not using a retainer at all, just because the tip can fail from repeated buffer strikes and migrate into the trigger group. It seemed reasonable enough at first blush, if a little "out there". In truth, the retainer is only a convenience item, not necessary for function.

But then I thought, "Why would the buffer ever hit the pin unless the bolt carrier is too short?" It just "feels like" there's a problem if the spring / buffer isn't exerting force on the bolt carrier when the rifle is in battery.

I don't know, maybe a better solution is to use parts made to specification? Of course, I do have a couple of Anderson builds, so maybe I'll take the retainer out.....

 

[ReservoirDawg10]

Well, to be fair, the retainer WAS installed; just not in the "traditional" place. I mean, come on; in there is in there, right? Maybe want to look for that spring in some hidden spot; my vote is for the gas tube.

In all seriousness, I've heard arguments about not using a retainer at all, just because the tip can fail from repeated buffer strikes and migrate into the trigger group. It seemed reasonable enough at first blush, if a little "out there". In truth, the retainer is only a convenience item, not necessary for function.

But then I thought, "Why would the buffer ever hit the pin unless the bolt carrier is too short?" It just "feels like" there's a problem if the spring / buffer isn't exerting force on the bolt carrier when the rifle is in battery.

I don't know, maybe a better solution is to use parts made to specification? Of course, I do have a couple of Anderson builds, so maybe I'll take the retainer out.....

There are a number of buffers that specifically instruct the user to NOT use the retainer. The JP SCS being the most notable. Granted, it's a captured system and not gonna fly out when taking apart/assembling the upper and lower

 

[Old_School]

Buffer retainer is not where it belongs, and is wedged against the right side of the hammer.

Gotcha.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

 

[vern1915]

Good info here. Keep it coming.

 

[cmshoot]

If the pocket for the buffer retainer is located and drilled properly, and parts like the bolt carrier are within spec, then having a buffer retainer is a non-issue. I’d be more worried about parts like anti-rotation/anti-walk trigger and hammer pins, and castle nuts that aren’t properly staked.

 

[cmshoot]

DDM4. Guy has had it for a little while, no issues function-wise, but something had started rattling in the rail recently. Everything felt right and tight.

Pull the rail and find a piece of tumbling media that must have been wedged inside the rail from manufacturing. It had finally worked itself loose.

 

[BEREZKA]

DDM4. Guy has had it for a little while, no issues function-wise, but something had started rattling in the rail recently. Everything felt right and tight.

Pull the rail and find a piece of tumbling media that must have been wedged inside the rail from manufacturing. It had finally worked itself loose.

View attachment 3000663

Damnit daniel

 

[cmshoot]

Dwell time? Never heard of her.

 

[Control for Smilers]

Dwell time? Never heard of her.

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Illegal sbr? Factory made?