Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

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aries14482
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Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by aries14482 »

I've got an interesting endcap strike, an idea that it was a particle or fragment that made it, and wanted to get opinions from you all here.

The AR in use used a 5.56 16" BCM CHF lightweight barrel with 1/7 twist. The suppressor was tightly installed, was well Rocksetted in place, and has been in place without removal for about 800 rounds. Quite a bit of force was necessary to remove using a strap wrench, so the strike didn't occur because the can was loose. The rifle has been re lubed, and the bolt and receiver swabbed, but neither the bore nor chamber have been cleaned since installation. Ammunition used has been exclusively Barnaul (Brown Bear) 55gr .223. Over 1000 rounds have been fired since attaching the can. This strike occurred in the last two range sessions, which were no more than 100 rounds combined. None of the other baffles show any sign of damage.

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I've seen a similar type of strike in the forward most 'baffle' of a Romanian AK-74 type compensator that was mounted on a 5.56 WASR-3. Whatever it was struck squarely just to the side of the aperture, but only 'dented' the metal, making a rounded crater- much less damage than I would expect had the strike been caused directly by a bullet. It happened once and never again in thousands of rounds of (mostly) Wolf.

It seems to me that if what struck the end cap on my can had been any part of a whole bullet, it would have fully penetrated, would have bulged that part of the end cap outwards, leaving a partial bullet-silhouette-shaped hole and bulge, and would have been larger in diameter. Perhaps this was caused by some lead squeezed from the base of a round or by a chunk of debris free in the can or barrel?

Do you all concur this looks like a particle/fragment and not a direct bullet strike?

Have any of you noticed similar impacts in your own cans? Is this kind of thing to be expected over the life of a can?

Since there is now a slight projection into the endcap aperture, it seems like the best course of action would be to carefully remove the protrusion with a small file to reduce the possibility of a bullet striking it, since it seems likely removing the protrusion is what AAC would do anyway (I don't think they're going to cut the weld and reweld a new endcap). Do you all concur?
mashjax
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by mashjax »

A couple of weeks ago I had a endcap strike on a new M42K. Although my strike was different from yours I wanted to say that I received fantastic customer service from AAC. I sent an email to them and shortly after received an email reply and then a phone call from them. They emailed me a shipping label. Five days after they received it back I received an email that it had been evaluated and the endcap was being replaced under warranty with no charge. Repairs are done and it is on the way back to me.

They should change the name of the customer service dept to "customer helping dept". They responded to my question about my can quickly and professionally. Treated my problem as if it was the most important thing that they had to do that day.

Photo of mine Image
aries14482
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by aries14482 »

Wow. They *replaced* the endcap? That's really incredible. Personally, I don't think mine needs replacing, but may shoot them an email just to see what they think.

Thanks for the info and picture man!
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Bendersquint
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by Bendersquint »

Looks like the bullet fragmented and a chunk hit it. Keep shooting it, I wouldn't even call that a baffle strike.
aries14482
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by aries14482 »

I was thinking it might be best to carefully file that little protruding bit back even with the rest of the hole. That way, a round can't catch it and go flying who-knows-where. What do you think?

Thanks for your input Bendersquint.
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Bendersquint
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by Bendersquint »

aries14482 wrote:I was thinking it might be best to carefully file that little protruding bit back even with the rest of the hole. That way, a round can't catch it and go flying who-knows-where. What do you think?

Thanks for your input Bendersquint.
The bore on my M42K is .295" If yours is similar it will take quite a bit for the bullet to hit it, you aren't talking too much projection on that scratch.

If it makes you more comfy then by all means takes is slow and file away, but there really isn't any need especially on a Rocksett'd can like the Ranger.

I would leave it, forget about it and dump some mags to teach it a lesson.
aries14482
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by aries14482 »

Haha thanks man. :) Your input is always appreciated.

My endcap aperture measures .275"
Last edited by aries14482 on Thu Dec 13, 2012 2:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Bendersquint
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by Bendersquint »

aries14482 wrote:Haha thanks man. :) Your input is always appreciated.
No problem glad to help.

If I can find the picture I will post it to show what a REAL endcap strike looks like, most of the endcap is gone!
aries14482
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by aries14482 »

Oh yeah, I was pretty sure this wasn't caused by a bullet striking. In that case, I'd have expected at least a bulged part of the opening. I was thinking it was more like lead squeezed out the back of an open-base round or something that found its way into the can or barrel.
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Bendersquint
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by Bendersquint »

aries14482 wrote:Oh yeah, I was pretty sure this wasn't caused by a bullet striking. In that case, I'd have expected at least a bulged part of the opening. I was thinking it was more like lead squeezed out the back of an open-base round or something that found its way into the can or barrel.
More likely is that some fouling broke loose or a fragment of the bullet hit it, not lead out the back(you would see the lead residue).
imyomama
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by imyomama »

I don't think it's a baffle strike .. looks more like erosion ...
my m4-1000 does the same thing .. I sent the pic to Mers and the response was that it's normal..

this is what mine looked like after a few hundered or so rounds through a 12.5" pws

notice the baffle inside is even worse ..

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mefly2
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Re: Endcap strike. Ranger 2. 16" BCM lightweight barrel.

Post by mefly2 »

Excellent pics; thanks for posting.
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