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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: It would actually be interesting to make a 5.56 belt fed for an ar10 lower, which would allow more bolt carrier travel, perhaps as much as the m249. I'd have to check the math on that. View Quote |
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Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I'm reading every post even if I dont respond to it directly. Some really good suggestions so far.
My plan is to stretch the upper receiver, bolt carrier, and firing pin, and use an AR10 buffer which is shorter than an AR15 buffer. This will increase the travel by nearly 3/4", or almost double the extra travel of the Surefire OBC. If this works, which I think it will, this may be one of the smoothest shooting AR15's ever made. |
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If you use a rifle buffer tube, you could probably get to constant recoil if you shift things forward enough. One of the expensive A5 tubes might be enough.
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Death to quislings.
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Spent 3.5 hours today working on the stupid cam path. It was surprisingly difficult to get my CAD software to cooperate, but I got it done. I should have a bigger update on Saturday.
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Death to quislings.
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As an original SHRIKE owner, I am rooting for you!
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I am not to be confused with -JC- who changed his nick from whatever it was to be like mine - for whatever reason.
Life - What a waste of time. (Me) |
Originally Posted By backbencher: Elongated, shallower angle cam path? View Quote So for now its the standard ar15 path (although its mirrored and the bolt will rotate the opposite direction of an ar15). However, I did model it in a way that it can be changed relatively easy (up to this point the cam path in my model was just roughly done, and now its actually correct). Now I can alter it with just a few mouse clicks, IF I have a need to. I'm really, really hesitant to change the cam path which has been proven for 60+ years. Not that I doubt it could be improved, I just don't think I'm the guy to figure out how to improve it. The belt feed mechanism itself and even changing the stroke length are both things I'm much more comfortable with. If it makes sense later in the process I can change it; it will not require any changes to the upper, bolt, or any other parts. |
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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: So for now its the standard ar15 path (although its mirrored and the bolt will rotate the opposite direction of an ar15). However, I did model it in a way that it can be changed relatively easy (up to this point the cam path in my model was just roughly done, and now its actually correct). Now I can alter it with just a few mouse clicks, IF I have a need to. I'm really, really hesitant to change the cam path which has been proven for 60+ years. Not that I doubt it could be improved, I just don't think I'm the guy to figure out how to improve it. The belt feed mechanism itself and even changing the stroke length are both things I'm much more comfortable with. If it makes sense later in the process I can change it; it will not require any changes to the upper, bolt, or any other parts. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By Type7SOT: Originally Posted By backbencher: Elongated, shallower angle cam path? So for now its the standard ar15 path (although its mirrored and the bolt will rotate the opposite direction of an ar15). However, I did model it in a way that it can be changed relatively easy (up to this point the cam path in my model was just roughly done, and now its actually correct). Now I can alter it with just a few mouse clicks, IF I have a need to. I'm really, really hesitant to change the cam path which has been proven for 60+ years. Not that I doubt it could be improved, I just don't think I'm the guy to figure out how to improve it. The belt feed mechanism itself and even changing the stroke length are both things I'm much more comfortable with. If it makes sense later in the process I can change it; it will not require any changes to the upper, bolt, or any other parts. You're just increasing dwell time of the case before extraction, allowing the brass more time to relax off the chamber wall, slowing the rotation & increasing the torque to break a stuck case free before extraction finally starts. As soon as you moved the gas key, you were into a custom bolt carrier; as soon as you moved the feed path forward of the magazine well, you created space for an elongated shallower angled cam path and a longer bolt carrier travel. You can stick w/ the stock AR length of travel & sharp, short cam path design, but those were intended to feed from a magazine within the confines of the AR lower, and you are not confined by the AR lower, nor are you feeding from a magazine. |
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Death to quislings.
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"That pistol just kept saying, let go of my ears, you don't know what you're doing." - thehellbringer
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Made huge progress today, although it might not look like much. I figured out how I'm going to attach the roller to the bolt carrier. I came up with a "roller carrier" part and a method for retaining it and orienting it in the receiver:
Attached File This "roller carrier" doubles as a firing pin retainer. Which is hugely helpful, because of my gas key position there was no room for the OEM firing pin retaining pin. My next goal is to come up with a top cover latch. I'm considering figuring out how I can utilize a standard AR15 magazine release to do this (inexpensive, easy to source, and one less thing I need to make). It's a shame I don't have the time or money to patent any of these ideas. I've been down the patent road before, and it hugely expensive in terms of time and money. I would end up spending more time talking to lawyers than actually designing stuff. |
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I'm not too far away from making a prototype. I'm just debating on whether the first prototype should be AR15 length or the stretched version. Part of me thinks that I should get a standard length version functioning first, fine tune everything, and then stretch it.
If I make the stretched version first, it may be more forgiving to poor design elements. Hence why maybe doing it the "hard way" first would have an R&D benefit. Also, a stretched version will require a longer firing pin. I was really hoping to use a standard AR15 firing pin during the R&D stage. A firing pin requires specialized equipment (probably swiss turning center) and heat treatment. The other parts will be a little easier to make. I thought about using an AR10 firing pin, but its not actually long enough, and the tip has larger geometry that will not work in a AR15 bolt. |
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With the side located gas key, I think you’re going to need to shorten the rear length of the key, as the AR lower at that location will further limit the rear travel due to the radius of the rear tang/receiver extension boss. Maybe the key could be located more anteriorly and the rear shortened.
Can the cam roller be located further forward to give more bolt travel, while still allowing it to retain the firing pin? Could you modify a G3 or HK33 firing pin for R&D? |
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Originally Posted By JoshNC: With the side located gas key, I think you’re going to need to shorten the rear length of the key, as the AR lower at that location will further limit the rear travel due to the radius of the rear tang/receiver extension boss. Maybe the key could be located more anteriorly and the rear shortened. Can the cam roller be located further forward to give more bolt travel, while still allowing it to retain the firing pin? Could you modify a G3 or HK33 firing pin for R&D? View Quote These are great points/suggestions! The roller will likely hit the lower before the gas key does. Unfortunately I can't move the roller forward, because it will actually run into the feed tray/cartridges when the bolt is forward. There is JUST enough room to accomodate the roller. This is probably why the MCR comes with a buffer tube spacer to shorten the travel (not sure how thick it is). I will look into the G3 and HK33 firing pins, I'm not currently familiar with them. |
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Go long. Use AR firing pin & a lightweight aluminum extension.
Hammer hits extention, extention hits AR firing pin. Gas key & roller can't hit buffer tube boss, LONG carrier travel in rifle buffer tube, plenty of length to extend cam path. |
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Death to quislings.
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Originally Posted By backbencher: Go long. Use AR firing pin & a lightweight aluminum extension. Hammer hits extention, extention hits AR firing pin. Gas key & roller can't hit buffer tube boss, LONG carrier travel in rifle buffer tube, plenty of length to extend cam path. View Quote Yeah I considered making a firing pin extension, I'm not sure aluminum would hold up though. I'll give that some thought. |
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I just had a thought. Cut down 2 firing pins to make one long one. Dont even need to weld them together, because it will be retained on both ends.
Eventually the joint will probably peen and cause it to bind up, but should work for long enough to do some testing. |
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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: I just had a thought. Cut down 2 firing pins to make one long one. Dont even need to weld them together, because it will be retained on both ends. Eventually the joint will probably peen and cause it to bind up, but should work for long enough to do some testing. View Quote Since you are making your own bolt carrier, you are free to do all sorts of things - like add a firing pin spring, which in particular would make using a heavier mass of firing pin safer, as well as adding a firing pin block/safety, which could make your gun drop safe. |
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Death to quislings.
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Originally Posted By backbencher: Since you are making your own bolt carrier, you are free to do all sorts of things - like add a firing pin spring, which in particular would make using a heavier mass of firing pin safer, as well as adding a firing pin block/safety, which could make your gun drop safe. View Quote Good point about the extra mass being a potential safety issue. Another possible solution is to make it out of titanium, which may have other benefits as well. Today I made some great progress, I got the rear portion of the receiver modeled as well as the top cover latch: Attached File I'm REALLY happy with the top cover latch, because it uses a standard AR15 mag release button, and the rest is off-the-shelf mcmaster carr parts. It also secures the top cover with two points of contact (compared to one on the Shrike/MCR). And lastly, being in the back of the top cover it is truly ambidextrous, being able to activate it with a right or left thumb. It should be easy to get to even if you are running a scope that extends past the end of the receiver. |
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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: Good point about the extra mass being a potential safety issue. Another possible solution is to make it out of titanium, which may have other benefits as well. Today I made some great progress, I got the rear portion of the receiver modeled as well as the top cover latch: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/490765/top_cover_latch_transparent_jpg-3213633.JPG I'm REALLY happy with the top cover latch, because it uses a standard AR15 mag release button, and the rest is off-the-shelf mcmaster carr parts. It also secures the top cover with two points of contact (compared to one on the Shrike/MCR). And lastly, being in the back of the top cover it is truly ambidextrous, being able to activate it with a right or left thumb. It should be easy to get to even if you are running a scope that extends past the end of the receiver. View Quote What is the thread pitch for the mag release button? Wooden AR lowers need a longer mag catch screw, and I'd like to make one someday. |
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Death to quislings.
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That release has a very high chance of unlatching during firing.
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If God didn't want them sheared, he would not have made them sheep.
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Death to quislings.
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How much god dammit
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Originally Posted By backbencher: You don't even know how much spring tension he's putting on it. As long as someone doesn't shoot NTCH I don't see how it's going to get bumped. View Quote This is not my first rodeo dealing with gun designs. |
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If God didn't want them sheared, he would not have made them sheep.
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Originally Posted By sgthatred: True but if the design uses a spring that is sized so you don't hurt your finger on the button grooves then there is a good chance it will unlatch due to the cam path pressure from the feed roller, the upward pressure of the round hold down pawl, cover flex and the recoil of the gun combined with the lock mechanism inertia. This is not my first rodeo dealing with gun designs. View Quote Thanks for your feedback. You may be right, I wont know until I test fire it. But look at the MCR latch. Its the exact same concept, but only on one side, whereas mine locks on both sides. The MCR latch has a very small button and moves in the same direction as mine. The button even has sharp looking groves on it. If I have any issues I can change the spring pressure, size/shape of the locking rod, or shape of the locking notches in the upper. Lastly, you could flip the button around if the grooves hurt your finger. There are also extended releases available which increase the surface area greatly. |
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Originally Posted By sgthatred: True but if the design uses a spring that is sized so you don't hurt your finger on the button grooves then there is a good chance it will unlatch due to the cam path pressure from the feed roller, the upward pressure of the round hold down pawl, cover flex and the recoil of the gun combined with the lock mechanism inertia. This is not my first rodeo dealing with gun designs. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By sgthatred: Originally Posted By backbencher: You don't even know how much spring tension he's putting on it. As long as someone doesn't shoot NTCH I don't see how it's going to get bumped. True but if the design uses a spring that is sized so you don't hurt your finger on the button grooves then there is a good chance it will unlatch due to the cam path pressure from the feed roller, the upward pressure of the round hold down pawl, cover flex and the recoil of the gun combined with the lock mechanism inertia. This is not my first rodeo dealing with gun designs. Fair nuff. As I said before, I am but a liberal arts major. I've shot a handful of Uncle's machineguns in my career, and while I put together the 5.7 Lyndon, I've never really fooled w/ belt feds. |
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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: Thanks for your feedback. You may be right, I wont know until I test fire it. But look at the MCR latch. Its the exact same concept, but only on one side, whereas mine locks on both sides. The MCR latch has a very small button and moves in the same direction as mine. The button even has sharp looking groves on it. If I have any issues I can change the spring pressure, size/shape of the locking rod, or shape of the locking notches in the upper. Lastly, you could flip the button around if the grooves hurt your finger. There are also extended releases available which increase the surface area greatly. View Quote Here is a Stoner 63A rear trunion where the top cover locks into it. You can see it has lugs that go into the top cover and fit against mating surfaces in the top cover as well as the latch is flat giving plenty of friction for the locking detent. The Stoner has the same locking direction as you have designed and it was an issue in the early prototypes with the cover locking as well as the cover deforming. Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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If God didn't want them sheared, he would not have made them sheep.
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Originally Posted By sgthatred: If I were you I would change the latch to be flat sided on the load side to increase friction resistance. The round that you have is easy to make and machine but you might be underestimating the uplift from a feed cover. I would also make sure you had lugs in the rear to take the side to side load of the top cover (it looks like you do, so I think that will help). This will help keep the load on the front top cover hinges low and keep them from cracking. Here is a Stoner 63A rear trunion where the top cover locks into it. You can see it has lugs that go into the top cover and fit against mating surfaces in the top cover as well as the latch is flat giving plenty of friction for the locking detent. The Stoner has the same locking direction as you have designed and it was an issue in the early prototypes with the cover locking as well as the cover deforming. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/220681/2005-Bracket-Rear-Receiver_JPG-3215113.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/220681/2005-Bracket-Rear-Receiver2_JPG-3215116.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/220681/2005-Bracket-Rear-Receiver3_JPG-3215117.JPG View Quote Thanks for the input! Yes I was thinking the same thing about making the round part flat where it engages. I may actually increase the diameter and mill a flat into it. I do expect certain things like this may take some tweaking. I think the concept can work after some testing and adjustment. I really like the button shape and location, so I'm hoping it can work! |
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OP, what if you put the button into the upper itself, and have both arms and the button itself lock into the feed cover? Might get a little pinchy, but then both the latches and the button itself is holding the feed cover closed.
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Originally Posted By backbencher: OP, what if you put the button into the upper itself, and have both arms and the button itself lock into the feed cover? Might get a little pinchy, but then both the latches and the button itself is holding the feed cover closed. View Quote I considered something like that, but then you need to depress the button past flush, which would be difficult with gloves on. If the button surface was ramped, it might resolve that issue. But I'm not sure that it would be any more secure than what I have. Keep the suggestions coming! |
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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: I considered something like that, but then you need to depress the button past flush, which would be difficult with gloves on. If the button surface was ramped, it might resolve that issue. But I'm not sure that it would be any more secure than what I have. Keep the suggestions coming! View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By Type7SOT: Originally Posted By backbencher: OP, what if you put the button into the upper itself, and have both arms and the button itself lock into the feed cover? Might get a little pinchy, but then both the latches and the button itself is holding the feed cover closed. I considered something like that, but then you need to depress the button past flush, which would be difficult with gloves on. If the button surface was ramped, it might resolve that issue. But I'm not sure that it would be any more secure than what I have. Keep the suggestions coming! If you really want to lock it down using mostly stock parts, use the oversize taper pins PSA uses on their FSBs. |
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Originally Posted By backbencher: If you really want to lock it down using mostly stock parts, use the oversize taper pins PSA uses on their FSBs. View Quote I honestly considered using a takedown pin for the prototype. It would be secure as shit lol. But a button is way slicker. Tomorrow I'm going to dial in the feed lever geometry, and possibly start stretching the upper receiver and components. After that, its mostly just weight relief and optimizing the parts for machining. I'm hoping to start 3D printing prototypes by saturday, but we'll see. By the way, I havent bothering modeling the feed pawls because they will be from an M249. |
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Just sent the upper receiver and top cover to my 3D printer
It's the stretched version. Don't get too excited, the upper receiver is horribly un-optimized for 3D printing, so I'm not sure how its gonna turn out. There are a ton of supports which will need to be removed. But hopefully I can get something together that at least feeds rounds manually with no major issues, and then I can move on to actually machining a prototype. |
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You going to machine from prehardened steel for the bolt carrier, rollers, etc?
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Originally Posted By Amish_Bill: Random thoughts from a fatigue addled brain.... - Use a left handed bolt carrier group. - Rotate the bolt carrier and barrel 90 degrees counterclockwise. - That gives you off the shelf barrels, gas tubes, and only slightly unusual bolt carrier groups, potential ejection through the magwell, and something else I've promptly forgotten. Off to bed with me. View Quote I don’t think this brilliant idea got the recognition it deserves. The only part I don’t want is ejection through mag-well because I have a nutsack lower waiting for this thing. |
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Originally Posted By MemeWarfare: I don’t think this brilliant idea got the recognition it deserves. The only part I don’t want is ejection through mag-well because I have a nutsack lower waiting for this thing. View Quote Its a great idea until you start getting into the details. Biggest issue is when you rotate the carrier 90 degrees, the whole rear section of the carrier doesnt work anymore. You need the opening for the hammer and the ramped area that cocks the hammer. If you try to mill these features into a left handed carrer after rotating it 90 degrees, there would be nothing left. |
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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: Its a great idea until you start getting into the details. Biggest issue is when you rotate the carrier 90 degrees, the whole rear section of the carrier doesnt work anymore. You need the opening for the hammer and the ramped area that cocks the hammer. If you try to mill these features into a left handed carrer after rotating it 90 degrees, there would be nothing left. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Originally Posted By Type7SOT: Originally Posted By MemeWarfare: I don’t think this brilliant idea got the recognition it deserves. The only part I don’t want is ejection through mag-well because I have a nutsack lower waiting for this thing. Its a great idea until you start getting into the details. Biggest issue is when you rotate the carrier 90 degrees, the whole rear section of the carrier doesnt work anymore. You need the opening for the hammer and the ramped area that cocks the hammer. If you try to mill these features into a left handed carrer after rotating it 90 degrees, there would be nothing left. You just need to move the feed tray further forward & use a longer bolt carrier extension w/ a long firing pin extension. You could take a left-hand bolt & carrier, rotate it sideways 90 degrees, then tack weld a standard carrier in standard orientation on the back end. Shorten as needed, or just move the feed tray & barrel assembly further forward to match. Then you don't even have to machine a bolt carrier, just make a longer firing pin extension, and attach your roller cam for the feed arm. |
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Death to quislings.
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I don't give the slightest shit about feeding off a mags, please make this happen, function with forced reset triggers, and not cost 7 grand and I will get one.
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That's fucking sick
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Love it!!!!
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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: Just dropping this here https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/490765/1000006123_jpg-3217232.JPG View Quote Outstanding. So no QC barrel or are you designing a QC mechanism that installs onto a standard upper receiver to use factory barrels? |
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Originally Posted By JoshNC: Outstanding. So no QC barrel or are you designing a QC mechanism that installs onto a standard upper receiver to use factory barrels? View Quote For now I'm just focused on getting it to run reliably. Even without a native quick-change barrel system, there are aftermarket solutions available such as the Dolos which could be retrofitted. Once I get everything else dialed in, I may consider integrating support for quick change barrels. Honestly, I don't think it will be too big of an issue as long as the barrel has a heavy profile. Plenty of full autos have fixed barrels, and they work fine as long as you aren't dumping back-to-back belts. |
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Heres the bolt carrier
Attached File I realized at this point I should have set my 3D printer to the "quality" setting when doing the receiver and top cover. Thats what I used on the bolt carrier and it looks way better. Just takes a little longer to print. |
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Originally Posted By Type7SOT: For now I'm just focused on getting it to run reliably. Even without a native quick-change barrel system, there are aftermarket solutions available such as the Dolos which could be retrofitted. Once I get everything else dialed in, I may consider integrating support for quick change barrels. Honestly, I don't think it will be too big of an issue as long as the barrel has a heavy profile. Plenty of full autos have fixed barrels, and they work fine as long as you aren't dumping back-to-back belts. View Quote I think you should definitely design a QC barrel into this. |
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Originally Posted By JoshNC: I think you should definitely design a QC barrel into this. View Quote The nice thing is that, after I get everything running, a quick change barrel will only require a change to the receiver. The top cover, bolt, carrier, and all of the other internal components will still work. Swapping these parts to a new receiver should only take a few minutes. IF I were to sell these, perhaps there could be a standard version and a quick change barrel version. And they could be swapped/upgraded by the user if desired. |
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Double tap
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Might take a look at Hydra's quick barrel change system, OP. Wouldn't be able to sell it, but if you're making your own, that is perhaps an option.
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Death to quislings.
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