Feeding issues. Doesn't wanna eat.

[User170512]

You can try standing the BCG up on the bolt face and see if it supports its own weight. Dead giveaway for bad rings, iirc.

 

[Peterjf]

Whether she runs or not, swapping the BCG to milspec or better would be a great upgrade. That thing misses several of the check boxes for milspec.

Any suggestions for a quality/decently price milspec BCG?

 

[Peterjf]

You can try standing the BCG up on the bolt face and see if it supports its own weight. Dead giveaway for bad rings, iirc.

I tried this. Gas rings seem to be fine.

 

[Peterjf]

So far, every Ballistic advantage barrel I have used required opening up the gas port. They seem to be under gassed by design.

Was watching a couple of their videos on youtube and that does seem to be the case.

 

[cmshoot]

Any suggestions for a quality/decently price milspec BCG?

Microbest, phosphate, M16 cut. MSRP is $150 or so. OEM manufacturer for SOLGW, BCM, and more.

AO Precision, phosphate, M16 cut. MSRP is about the same. OEM for the FN military contract M16's.

We're out of stock on the Microbest phosphate, and have a shipment of the AO Precision in bound. We do have the Microbest hard-chrome plated in stock, which is what I consider "milspec +". They're $40-$50 more than the phosphate versions.

 

[cmshoot]

If you can measure the gas port, a 16" with a midlength gas system should have a port of .076".

I do see a lot of BA barrels with undersized gas ports nowadays, as CTS Tactical mentioned. Better too small than too big! I have the reamers in my shop and can open them up readily.

 

[JDUB]

Don’t worry much about spending 100-150$ on a bcg. It sounds like a lot but it’s the heart of it all. You’ll want to trust me. Maybe take the gas block off and see if there is any carbon build up around the port hole in the barrel in a particular fashion, offset, ring around the hole, what have you. Then you’d know if it was not alighned correctly.

 

[JBWJr]

Before throwing parts at it, maybe a contact with S&W? Warranty work, maybe? Just a suggestion.

 

[Allsmiles]

I had a gas block that was misdrilled once. Gun ran fine with suppressor; but would short stroke without. Gas block port was drilled in wrong place. Try a suppressor if you have one and see if it cycles.

 

[Peterjf]

If you can measure the gas port, a 16" with a midlength gas system should have a port of .076".

I do see a lot of BA barrels with undersized gas ports nowadays, as CTS Tactical mentioned. Better too small than too big! I have the reamers in my shop and can open them up readily.

How much to have you open up the gas port and when would be a good time to bring it up there?