Need 5.45 AR advice

[Uffdaphil]

Specs: S&W 5.45x39 upper, built Mega lower w/extra power hammer and buffer springs, H1 buffer.

First round fires and ejects, but bcg chambers then will not fire second. Snapping the charging handle back a couple inches will again allow a single round to fire. Does this sound like a too light Buffer? I tried 3 types of ammo, 2 different bcg’s at the range yesterday, but didn’t think to bring a heavier buffer. I have a spare H2.

Also have a couple spare Vltor A5 kits with A1, Standard, A3 and A4 buffers. Not sure if Springco green spring is stiff enough for 5.45.


How about best dedicated mags? I have ASC. C-products look to be the same. Any others out there with good reps?

[gatordev]

Can you be more specific with your ammo?

I know the S&W has a good rep with this ammo, so not immediately blaming the upper. But for comparison's sake...

I'm running a Spike's middy with either a H-buffer with standard spring (or H2 in a different lower) and it's been problem free (and the H2 is like listening to a sowing machine, one-handed) with 7n6 and Silver Bear. I did have mag issues with several of my ASC mags (2/5), so I switched to Pmags with a mod to the follower. That worked great and they've been problem free, even select-fire. Sometimes the next round won't pop up in correct alignment if the follower is not right.

For the PMag mod, you can try here: https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/Mo...=bottom#bottom

Basically you cut off the bottom of the front portion of the follower. Not saying that's your problem, but it fixed all of mine.

[Uffdaphil]

Good info Gator. I have plenty of new gen2 pmags. Not sure how many windowed though. The mod looks simple so I will experiment to see if the std works too. If the round is chambering and it’s a mag issue, I’m assuming the second round is binding hence slowing down the bcg to where it does not hit hard enough to engage the case rim. Makes sense to me. Even with a fresh cleaning and spring lube the followers are not as free moving in the ASCs as pmags. Thanks a heap.

Hope we get a warmup post deer season when the range re-opens. It may be awhile before I report back on
the results if we are in the deep freeze.

Ammo tried was 7N6 (stamped 270 76), Wolf Mil Classic, and poly tipped Hornady.
Attachment 4495

[Uffdaphil]

P.S. If I were buying an upper today, it would not be the S&W, but I got a good deal on two of them during the ammo scare. Originally bought my ammo for an AK, but did not like the plarform near as much as the AR.

[gatordev]

Edited my post as I said the wrong portion of the follower.

I've been very impressed with my Spike's upper. I've tried to kill it and it refuses to die. It's probably a 3 MOA gun now, but still able to hit a 4" plate at 100y, so I can't in good conscience get rid of it yet, especially when I'm sitting on a bunch more 5.45.