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I have an AR...  It shits where it eats; I have to clean it every few hundred rounds or it stops working.  About half the time at the range I have to dump CLP into the bolt to get it working again.

Funny... all of mine just seem to keep running, as did the M16s I was issued.

Hundreds of rounds at a session and not one problem.

Proper maintenance goes a long way towards reliability.

Don't over-lube, use the right ammo, make sure your gas system is up to spec, and you're good to go.

Cheap, dirty ammo will cause issues. Steel case especially. ARs weren't designed for steel cased ammo, and the powder they use in steel cased is some dirty stuff.

Edited by patriot
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I have and love multiples of both ARs and AKs.  All are reliable.  And I don't clean any of them obsessively.

 

If someone says their AR is unreliable I will not claim they are lying but that just hasn't been my experience. 

 

Take this example:  Not long ago I was in a rifle class.  14 students, 12 of whom had ARs.  The course involved over 500rds fired per student so over 6,000 rounds through 12 different ARs.  Not a single failure that I saw.  Fluke?  Last year I was in a different class with 14 students, 13 with ARs.  Only 1 AR had problems and those were traced to a bad magazine.

 

If I had an AR that was unreliable I would fix it.  They are simple to work on and parts are cheap and available everywhere.

Edited by Darth Saigus
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My first passion lies with AK's, although I have built several ARs. I have a buddy that builds 4-5 ARs to my one. He uses top of the line components as well. What I have seen is that even with top of the line components some AR parts just don't like other AR parts. He has had problems resolved with something as simple as replacing K&S anti walk pins with standard mil spec, while I can install those same pins in my build and have zero issues. Doesn't make a bit of sense to me, but my point is if you have issues, you just need to do a little troubleshooting. Both are reliable rifles. Both are excellent rifles.

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I have an AR...  It shits where it eats; I have to clean it every few hundred rounds or it stops working.  About half the time at the range I have to dump CLP into the bolt to get it working again.

Funny... all of mine just seem to keep running, as did the M16s I was issued.

Hundreds of rounds at a session and not one problem.

Proper maintenance goes a long way towards reliability.

Don't over-lube, use the right ammo, make sure your gas system is up to spec, and you're good to go.

Cheap, dirty ammo will cause issues. Steel case especially. ARs weren't designed for steel cased ammo, and the powder they use in steel cased is some dirty stuff.

 

 

I think the problem is the expensive, dirty ammo I am running.  And also maybe something to do with back pressure.  lmao.gif

 

300ar-3.jpg

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I own and love both, and I actually find the AKs to shoulder better than ARs for me. The modularity of the AR platform finally won me over though.

 

Not to mention I can build a good AR for way less than it costs me to buy a good AK these days. AR mags are also DIRT cheap when you can get them on sale.

Also, ironically enough, I've had fewer FTFs from my ARs than I have from my AKs ( 0 vs 3 total). In the AKs defense, two FTFs were pre-bullet guide installation, and 1 was from a badly bent mag.

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All my ARs have been AK reliable so far. I started with AKs so obviously they are still my favorite. Been shooting the ARs alot lately though and I can't find anything not to like.

 

Anyone see the Daniel Defense torture test series from a few years ago? They literally had to blow it up to make it quit working. The Aimpoint was still good though.

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Kind of stuck in limbo atm since I recognize the growing need for lighter weight firearms, some of the Saigas hit 13+ lbs in field dress, so I am actually doing something I would never have imagined...

 

Looking at ARs in 556 and 308.

 

Plan on keeping one x39 Saiga as it is ok but the 308s are going to go just due to weight. May even decide to get out of 308 entirely save what I need to support the boltie.

Reason is my left side has continued to slowly weaken since the unpleasantness of 2012 no matter how hard I try to keep those muscles up to par and having to evac out of my home in the middle of the night has left an impression about previously held positions.

 

Any feedback on the new Colt Expanse? Seen most of the reviews but they never seem to cover what I find important like performance in the field.

Edited by Rhodes1968
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Kind of stuck in limbo atm since I recognize the growing need for lighter weight firearms, some of the Saigas hit 13+ lbs in field dress, so I am actually doing something I would never have imagined...

 

Looking at ARs in 556 and 308.

 

Plan on keeping one x39 Saiga as it is ok but the 308s are going to go just due to weight. May even decide to get out of 308 entirely save what I need to support the boltie.

Reason is my left side has continued to slowly weaken since the unpleasantness of 2012 no matter how hard I try to keep those muscles up to par and having to evac out of my home in the middle of the night has left an impression about previously held positions.

 

Any feedback on the new Colt Expanse? Seen most of the reviews but they never seem to cover what I find important like performance in the field.

I may have misread the first part of your post and I have no experience with the Colt Expanse, but I will say this FWIW based on my own experience. I own multiple AK's and AR's in .308. If you do plan on staying with .308 in a semiauto, I would stick with the AK's hands down if you are not into shooting for groups. I would work on lightening the AK instead. The recoil on the AK .308 is a fraction of what it is with a .308 AR and the impulse is shorter. The piston versus direct impingement really makes a difference in that caliber. You can get really light with an AR, but that lower weight along with the direct impingement will come at the cost of greater felt recoil. That may not concern you, but I just thought I would mention it if it was a factor in your decision making. Tough decision. I am sorry you are at that point where you have to consider letting some of them go.

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Rhodes, since weight is a concern, have you considered an ar in 6.8 spc or maybe 6.5 grendel? More power than a 556, and basically the same weight. I built a 6.8 as a hunting gun and absolutely love it. Its my 2nd favorite in my little collection, only to the x39 saiga.

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Kind of stuck in limbo atm since I recognize the growing need for lighter weight firearms, some of the Saigas hit 13+ lbs in field dress, so I am actually doing something I would never have imagined...

 

Looking at ARs in 556 and 308.

 

Plan on keeping one x39 Saiga as it is ok but the 308s are going to go just due to weight. May even decide to get out of 308 entirely save what I need to support the boltie.

Reason is my left side has continued to slowly weaken since the unpleasantness of 2012 no matter how hard I try to keep those muscles up to par and having to evac out of my home in the middle of the night has left an impression about previously held positions.

 

Any feedback on the new Colt Expanse? Seen most of the reviews but they never seem to cover what I find important like performance in the field.

I may have misread the first part of your post and I have no experience with the Colt Expanse, but I will say this FWIW based on my own experience. I own multiple AK's and AR's in .308. If you do plan on staying with .308 in a semiauto, I would stick with the AK's hands down if you are not into shooting for groups. I would work on lightening the AK instead. The recoil on the AK .308 is a fraction of what it is with a .308 AR and the impulse is shorter. The piston versus direct impingement really makes a difference in that caliber. You can get really light with an AR, but that lower weight along with the direct impingement will come at the cost of greater felt recoil. That may not concern you, but I just thought I would mention it if it was a factor in your decision making. Tough decision. I am sorry you are at that point where you have to consider letting some of them go.

 

 

I am by no means a fan of the AR and you are right with lighter weight comes greater recoil all others things equal thus the dilemma. ARs in 308 have a history of being problematic and the couple of pounds saved may not make all that much difference. Actually very happy with the Saiga, but one must be logical about one's tools and those are just too heavy to ruck about and still be able to use it according to what I have as standards given the nerve damage I sustained.  So 308 is kind of problem child now. Love the round but now growing stronger is not working.

 

Recoil can be managed but weight is always there. 

Right now I can get a very good price on the Saiga and all the gear for it while gearing up in 556 is still very easy, that may not be the case three months from now.

 

 

Rhodes, since weight is a concern, have you considered an ar in 6.8 spc or maybe 6.5 grendel? More power than a 556, and basically the same weight. I built a 6.8 as a hunting gun and absolutely love it. Its my 2nd favorite in my little collection, only to the x39 saiga.

 

Yes I did think on that a good bit but in the end decided sticking with "standard" platforms made sense in a lot of ways.

But when the sight picture of the Saiga starts looking like "shaky cam" after just a couple mags something has to be done.

I am not complaining, just is what it is, at least I know I can pick up a 556 and shoot well enough to qualify all day without that problem.

So things could be a lot worse. Will still be hunting with the 308 that boltie is light and the round does the job well.

 

Just an aging man learning to cope is all. Take that any day over the alternatives ;)

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Rob Ski is Polish.  He served in the Polish army before he emigrated to America.  He is now in the US Army Airborne.

 

His older tests were beyond hardcore.  He blew up rifles with tannerite, shot them with a shotgun, dragged them behind his truck, dropped them from trees...  He's mellowed quite a bit lately.  lol

Edited by Darth Saigus
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My AR15 with an 18" mid profile barrel, scope and empty PMAG weighs 7 lbs 3 oz. With a rifle length gas system and rifle length buffer tube topped with a nice buttpad it is super soft to shoot. No muzzle brake needed.

 

In that regard the AR is the answer. I should be glad it has come a long way since I was a Grunt. 

In the end its hits that count. Not a bad mantra

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