Optimized Suppressed Upper build

[mtdawg169]

I look forward to hearing your results. For me my right eye is so sensitive to gas now, I have to wear goggles and so any gas reduction is a good thing. I run the LMT eCarrier on my 10.5" LMT, and it's been 100% with just the stock buffer using any type of ammo, and the eCarrier does a good enough job on reducing the gas.

I also recently setup the Rubber City Armory carrier with the adjustable gas key on my hunting AR. It does a good job of reducing the gas, and the upside is it's easy to adjust. The downside is you may have to adjust with other ammo sizes, although this will not be an issue with my hunting AR, but I still want to test on other ammo sizes. And the unknown is reliability, but all the reports I have seen have been good.

I was hoping you'd chime in, because I knew you used the e-carrier too. I almost pulled the trigger a while back on the adjustable gas key. But I'm just hung up on having a set screw adjustment in the gas system. My memory fails me, does the RCA have a lock screw too?

 

[batoncolle]

I was hoping you'd chime in, because I knew you used the e-carrier too. I almost pulled the trigger a while back on the adjustable gas key. But I'm just hung up on having a set screw adjustment in the gas system. My memory fails me, does the RCA have a lock screw too?

Yes lock screw and you loctite it in. Unfortunately it's never going to get too much abuse on my hunting AR, but at the very least it can fill the roll of a cheaper gas reduction/niche setup like that very well. I'll probably pick up another at some point just too to put it on a gun that will get more use.

 

[mtdawg169]

Yes lock screw and you loctite it in. Unfortunately it's never going to get too much abuse on my hunting AR, but at the very least it can fill the roll of a cheaper gas reduction/niche setup like that very well. I'll probably pick up another at some point just too to put it on a gun that will get more use.

Yeah, it's certainly a cheaper, easier to install method than replacing the gas block.

I often wonder what the long term effects are of restricting gas flow at the carrier or at the rear of the tube (WAR upper) are? Maybe none, but it still makes me wonder. I'd also like to see a side by side comparison of how much gas is expelled from the receiver on different set ups. Oh well, maybe one day, when my jeans are sewn from hundred dollar bills and I can afford a fleet of experimental test mules...

 

[batoncolle]

Yeah, it's certainly a cheaper, easier to install method than replacing the gas block.

I often wonder what the long term effects are of restricting gas flow at the carrier or at the rear of the tube (WAR upper) are? Maybe none, but it still makes me wonder. I'd also like to see a side by side comparison of how much gas is expelled from the receiver on different set ups. Oh well, maybe one day, when my jeans are sewn from hundred dollar bills and I can afford a fleet of experimental test mules...

Well I have had a chance to shoot most of the options on the market. I think the adjustable gas block probably still does the best job, but I just don't care much for them. I prefer to keep my front sight as is or shave it. And I like the KISS approach which is why I prefer dropping in the LMT eCarrier with no adjustments/additions needed. That's why I'm interested to see how this barrel works out for you.

As for the reliability stand point. Outside of dealers or manufacturers banging on these products, like the WAR upper, it's mostly just casual shooters as you mentioned in the OP. And I've seen very little in the way of long term reliability reports of how these things hold up.

 

[mtdawg169]

Well I have had a chance to shoot most of the options on the market. I think the adjustable gas block probably still does the best job, but I just don't care much for them. I prefer to keep my front sight as is or shave it. And I like the KISS approach which is why I prefer dropping in the LMT eCarrier with no adjustments/additions needed. That's why I'm interested to see how this barrel works out for you.

As for the reliability stand point. Outside of dealers or manufacturers banging on these products, like the WAR upper, it's mostly just casual shooters as you mentioned in the OP. And I've seen very little in the way of long term reliability reports of how these things hold up.

Yeah, I've fooled around with pretty much all the options, except for the gas key and the WAR upper. I'd love to have something like 6 identical guns to swap parts on and test side by side. Never going to happen though.

And I agree, the AGB is probably the best option based on where the gas restriction occurs. But I've seen plenty of reports of screws and detents getting carbon locked, falling out, etc. Not my thing.

Short of a custom gas port, the BRT inserts seem like the simplest solution. And they'll work with a shaved FSB, lowpro GB, etc.

 

[mtdawg169]

It's alive!

 

[KERTWOOD]

In for range report. I've got a SBR lower reciver in the safe and looking for 556 supressed build ideas for the near future.

 

[mtdawg169]

In for range report. I've got a SBR lower reciver in the safe and looking for 556 supressed build ideas for the near future.

I'll be test firing later today. One thing I did notice during assembly, is that the bore of the LMT carrier was very tight. From a gas seal perspective, that's a good thing. But the gas rings will have to be broken in with a few hundred rounds of full pressure 5.56 ammo.

 

[Tactical Beaver]

I'm also in for the range report. I must have missed this post a few months ago. I really like the fact that you're into "quality" parts BTW. I also saw that the Gemtech BC was mentioned in this thread. I actually run a 10.5" LMT; it actually has a smaller gas port; I simply put a heavier buffer and it ran pretty good suppressed. I recently bit the bullet and bought the Gemtech suppressed BC just because I liked the fact that it helped blow some of the gas out the ejection port away from your face. Since this upgrade, I have ran the gun pretty hard during some of my training and it has performed flawlessly for me. Just my quick two cents on the LMT and Gemtech BC. I look forward to your range report.

 

[mtdawg169]

The gemtech definitely seems to do what it is supposed to. My only issue with it is that if you remove the can, the gun won't function unless you pull the carrier out and flip the switch. But guys that I know who are using them for dedicated suppressed guns have been very happy.