3 Brownells M16-A1 Barrel Physicals
One Barrel had a Chamber Issue and it failed the Front Sight Base Alignment Check.
All three Upper Receivers are 1970 era Colt. After the video I swapped around Uppers and got the same results. The Uppers are worn but pass all Alignment Checks. It’s not the Uppers that caused the FSB Alignment failure.
Since these Barrels are so hard to find, we decided to repair the bad Barrel instead of returning it to Brownells. We repaired the Chamber Issue with a 5.56 Flex Hone and corrected the FSB by re-aligning the FSB, reaming the holes, and fitting oversized taper pins.
We will do a separate video showing the repairs.
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PSA would send me out a new barrel if i sent them pics of a bore scope. Chipping of the chrome lining
I like your perfection 7:46
Where do you get all your tools for this 4:59
Mine was worse than your third one. It was where your rod point was at the “ear” of the sight. I could not figure out why my rear sight had to be all the way to to the left to hit a 12” target at 50 yards. So after just not shooting it for about a year, I bought a long drill bit at my local hardware store and did basically this same test. I ran the bit back and forth on my granite countertop to check for straightness after eyeballing at the store. Luckily got a relatively straight bit. Brownells took the barrel assembly back and replaced it even after I had written it off and left it in the safe for 18 months
Any plans on making the video on distressing the finish?
Is it possible for a viewer to send you their AR to inspect? I have a Sionics patrol rifle zero that i bought in 2016 and have a few thousand rounds through. I know that's not a lot for the lifetime of a rifle, and i have had no malfunctions that weren't ammo related. Just curious to know exactly what shape my primary rifle is in.
They were produced by Ballistic Advantage for Brownells.
Question from an amateur: Is the gas port hole big enough that you can twist the fsb a bit without covering part of the hole?
Could the upper receivers be off and not the FSB? What about swapping the upper that was with the barrel that gauged correctly with one of the barrels that did not gauge correctly and see how that does? I have seen videos of uppers where the carry handle area where your rod sat not being machined perfectly centered.
I want to see a complete. Perfectly guaged rifle.
Concerning your alignment gage for the front sight, a couple of questions. How certain are you the carry handle channel provides that straight of a platform to determine the front sight is that off? Have you ever zeroed the rear sight and fired a group confirming this system is in agreement? Have you ever swapped uppers after using the gage and found a different alignment?
I have a brand new complete upper and while changing the flash hider out I noticed the muzzle is fairly magnetic, enough to pick up a couple paper clips. Should I attempt to demagnetize it or is there a chance it’ll get hot enough shooting it to demagnetize on its own?
I feel like bringing all these tools to a prospective rifle purchase and just nitpicking the hell out of it for a good deal. Like bringing a mechanic to a car sale. 😂 j/k but it would be funny.
Amazing content !
I have one of those barrels and had it mounted on an M16A1 kit. So far so good! Really love the retro build weight compared to my tac'd out AR.
Thought I heard faxon makes the barrel? I could be wrong….
"Can't" tell us who makes the barrels, or "won't" tell us? Curious if you know but are protecting the maker, or genuinely do not know who makes them?
I wish I would have seen this video when I bought my barrel from Brownells… Mine was canted severely maxed out windage and still hit a foot off the target. Great info I love this channel learned alot from it
Your workbench is a beautiful.
You said A1 birdcage with a crush washer doesn't an A1 have a regular split lock washer?
With a front sight alignment issue like that could the barrel extension be clocked to try to alleviate the issue or would that mess with your head spacing
Faxon makes the barrels for brownells if memory serves me right.
how good is delton for there front sight alignments? ive decided im going to buy one of their m4 barrels after my PSA m4 barrel came with a canted and slightly deformed front sight base that they refuse to replace. its been at PSA for "repairs" longer than its been in my own hands
I'd probably call that 2 failed. ANy time you have to repair something you just bought, it's an issue.
It would be very helpful to see a chamber that needs polishing vs. one that’s good to go. I generally don’t follow the “polish it every time” school of thought, but there do seem to be a lot of tooling marks in chambers even in barrels that are otherwise fine.
Chamber may look rough from using steel case ammo??
They must have had a bad run of these. The one I got is canted pretty bad. They have not been in stock since July. Completely SOL.
Telling people in a video how to check their retro AR-15, in your socks, in your personal armory.
Bro, I’m jealous af.
Keep em comin.
Did you make the video on the lower yet??
Thanks for the video. I was somehow blessed with one of these that shoots 1.5 MOA with factory 55gr American Eagle 5.56.
I was so pleased with the performance that I bought another before they sold out.
Seems like they could be hit or miss though.
What's up with the video to distress receivers ?
Knowing how Brownells like to sub out work, I wonder who’s doing the sight install/pinning..
So many canted sights, sounds like TNTE is doin’ ‘em. LOL!
I just finished building my 3rd AR. They are chambered in 223 wylde, 556 and 300 Blk. I want to be able to check headspace on them. I read in the forums and people say just say get the Colt version Field gauge and if it doesn't close your all set. Do I need the GO, NO GO and Field or can I get by with just the Colt spec Field gauge. Also will 556 gauge work on 223 as well? Thank you sir
I would like to see the current Colt 'CR' prefix guns on your bench at one point. Curious if there is any changes and especially curious about your thoughts on those current production guns.
10 rounds fired thru barrel.
Could put a free float hand guard and low profile gas block and have a good barrel set up on out of spec front site
dam shame the parrot sheeple have to resort to their hate label because of difference of opinion . most of you punks wouldn't ever come close to having an original thought .
I currently own a BRN177e2 and would like to have you take a look at it, first 20rds had 2 stick and lock my BCG, had to mortar free, only use m193 55gr in that rifle. Would also like to have it distressed as well. How would i go about it i did not see a "services" on your website
I'd like to know your take on AR parts from White Label Armory (DSG Manufacturing) gonna be using their Billet lower with ambi bolt catch….
👍
Shame the one didn't pass.
These are going to look awesome when finished