I decided to go up the hill and take my retro pair plinking in the woods tomorrow

[imarangemaster]

Well, I decided to go up the hill and go plinking in the woods tomorrow. There is an advantage to being less than 1/2 hour from the Tahoe National Forest!

The Saiga AKM retro build, I want to shoot it for the first time since I "restored it" to intended condition. I should not have to adjust the zero at all, as I did not mess with barrel or sights. I had it dialed in absolutely dead nuts on. I'll probably just do some snap shooting of pop cans, off-hand.

The SP1 carbine clone, I need to sight in with my MK262 MOD1 ammo. For now, I'll do a 25 yard sight-in for a 50/250 yard zero with both iron and red dot sights. Then I'll do some pop can bouncing with it too. I'll use my 55 grn FMJBT reloads for that! Damn MK262 is too expensive to plink with, even though I got a deal on it last year at $0.60 a round. I'll dial it in all the way next time I get to a regular range.

Being behind enemy lines in The Peoples Republik of Kalifornistan, I decided to run the AR with a bullet button and the AK with the mag-lock, and just use 10 rounders for two reasons. One, I really want to enjoy the feel of shooting them with the pistol grips. The second reason is, I don't know how knowledgeable the local USFS LEO is. I know he is new, but don't know anything else. Rest assured, though, both will be back to California compliant "Featureless" with Solar Tactical paddles and 30 round mags, as soon as I get home.

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[WarPig1976]

Solar Tactical paddles

Marketing at it's finest!!

Hey, don't feel so bad about being behind enemy lines. Your gonna have more fun then I could ever have at my fudd club and I'm in a free state. Plus you have TACTICAL paddles....

[Bill Hollinger]

Two beauties right there! How did your shoot go?

[imarangemaster]

Range Report:
I set up in a clearing with about 50 yards, which is fine. My eyes suck at 62, and I was just using irons....

The Saiga ran like a champ. Even though I had it dialed in before in the stock configuration, I was wondering if a different grip would change anything. It was dead nuts on. Shooting off-hand, standing, I nailed every pop can and pine cone from 35 to 50 yards, even nailing some in the trees at maybe 60 yards. What a trooper. Ammo was 122 grain FMJ Tulammo from Wally World.

The new KISS Carbine build, was another story. First, It hated my two handloads I brought, both of which worked well in other AR builds. One was 21.5 grains of IMR4198, and one was 25.5 grains of IMR4064 . Both loads used 55 grain FMJs and CCI #41 primers. Every shot short stroked, and would not pick up the next round! I checked gas rings, key staking, etc. All parts are Colt, including the chrome 601 BCG. I tried a standard 3.0 oz. buffer and a 3.6 oz H buffer. No difference.

The MK262 MOD1 77 OTMs, functioned fine, picked up rounds, and locked the bolt back. It was not until later I figured out what was wrong...

The second problem with the AR was I had to have the sight all the way to the right to center it on target. I am sure that is from using a barrel vice instead of receiver block, and have to torque the hell out of it to line up the barrel nut. I plan on removing the barrel and resetting it. At a visual glance, I can see the barrel slightly canted from the torque. Not a big deal, and an easy fix.

So, what was wrong with the cycling????? A little background. I have two complete Carbine lowers for the upper. One is a Nodak Spud 601 that I was running with a bullet button and no kydex paddle. The other one is an Anderson forged with a pinned stock and a Solar Tactical paddle for "featureless" running with high caps. When I went to the range, I put the upper on the NDS bullet button lower with the H buffer so I could feel the grip. The Anderson has a Colt 3.0 buffer and M4 spring.

When I broke the AR I was shooting down, I was looking at the spring. IT WAS A D@MN RIFLE LENGTH SPRING I was using in the NDS bullet buttoned lower! I must have grabbed a rifle spring out of the parts box when I was assembling the NDS lower. That explains why these loads had worked when I used them in the M4gery upper I gave my son, as I used the Anderson lower with Colt M4 spring on it!

I feel like such a DUMBASS!

[Bill Hollinger]

Please keep us posted with picture updates on the repairs to the AR carbine.

[imarangemaster]

Sure will Bill! I already broke down the upper and reset the barrel. There was a bit of play, so when I torqued the first time, the upper twisted clockwise with the barrel held in the vise. I shimmed the barrel index pin in the notch, so there was no play. It already looks better. I put a USGI M4 spring in it (which is what I thought I did in the first place!)

Boy, that MK262 MOD1 77 grain OTM 5.56 is snappy, considering it functioned the carbine with a rifle spring in it!!!!! The impulse, even with an H buffer, rifle spring, and muzzle brake, was almost like the AK! I'll go up next week and try it again.

[WarPig1976]

Murphy's law, sounds like you got'er ironed out though.