308 AR-10 Progress Update

Published on April 14, 2019
Duration: 15:23

This video details a year-long, frustrating journey building a .308 AR-10, highlighting significant challenges with barrel performance and a catastrophic stuck case incident. The creator, Johnny, shares his experiences with multiple barrels, including an 18-inch Ballistic Advantage, a 20-inch JP Super Match, and two Krieger barrels. The primary issue revolved around achieving consistent accuracy and a particularly difficult stuck live round in a Krieger barrel, which resisted removal attempts by the creator and a gunsmith. The video emphasizes the importance of proper handloading techniques, specifically case resizing and headspace management, to avoid similar issues.

Quick Summary

A year-long .308 AR-10 build faced significant challenges, including a catastrophic stuck live round incident caused by improperly sized handloads. Attempts to remove the round by the owner and a gunsmith failed, highlighting the need for meticulous handloading practices and proper case resizing with a small base die for AR-10 platforms.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction & Project Overview
  2. 00:13Initial AR-10 Build & 6.5 Creedmoor Success
  3. 00:38.308 AR-10 Nightmare Begins
  4. 00:41Barrel #1: Ballistic Advantage (Aaron's)
  5. 01:04Barrel #2: JP Super Match 20" (1:10 Twist)
  6. 02:04Decision to Try Krieger Barrels
  7. 02:23Barrel #3: Krieger 20" M110 (1:11 Twist) - The Stuck Round
  8. 03:04Analysis of the Stuck Round Incident
  9. 04:18Gunsmith Attempt to Remove Stuck Round
  10. 05:20The Cost of the Mistake & Decision to Buy New
  11. 06:21Barrel #4: Second Krieger Barrel (Order Mix-up)
  12. 07:14Range Test: Krieger vs. JP Barrels
  13. 07:39Krieger Barrel Wait Times
  14. 08:10Frustration with the Destroyed Barrel
  15. 08:43Ideas for Dealing with the Stuck Round Barrel
  16. 10:54New Handloading Practices: Small Base Sizing Die
  17. 11:41Powder Performance: Reloader 15 vs. Reloader 17
  18. 12:50Promising Bullet Testing: Lapua Scenar, Hornady Interlock
  19. 13:29Sierra Match King & Federal Gold Medal Match Performance
  20. 14:10Future Plans for JP & Ballistic Advantage Barrels
  21. 14:47Resuming 6.5 Creedmoor AR-10 Content
  22. 15:10Conclusion & Viewer Engagement

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused a live round to get stuck in the AR-10 chamber?

The live round became stuck due to handloads being too tight for the AR-10's chamber body dimensions. The creator used handloads from a Tikka bolt-action rifle without fully accounting for the AR-10's chamber tolerances, causing the brass body to wedge tightly.

What methods were attempted to remove the stuck live round from the Krieger barrel?

Attempts included beating on the charging handle, using a cleaning rod and hammer, and a gunsmith using a solid steel rod. These methods were unsuccessful and risked damaging the barrel and tools.

What are the key lessons learned from this .308 AR-10 build experience?

Key lessons include the critical importance of proper case resizing with a small base die for AR-10s, careful headspace management, understanding chamber tolerances, and the potential for expensive mistakes with barrel selection and handloading.

Which barrels performed best in the .308 AR-10 build?

The JP Enterprises 20-inch Super Match barrel showed potential but was inconsistent. The Krieger 20-inch M110 barrel, despite the stuck case incident, demonstrated good accuracy with specific loads like the 167gr Lapua Scenar and 165gr Hornady Interlock.

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