Mega Rad Gun Thread

[Puff]

What do I need to buy in order to check headspace on 5.56 and .223 Wylde rifles?

Is that two different gauges, or is there a set that will cover both chamber types?

My GUESS is that you get one for Wylde, which, if I'm remembering correctly, is a trick chamber geometery to do 5.56 and .223 without POI change. Listen to the other guy.

Printed a UBAR 2 lower over the last two days. Excited to see if I can get a working bolt hold open on a printed lower.

Photo not mine. I've got some custom graphics that would possibly in the future dox me.

I want to print at much of it as possible, so going to print the grip, buffer tube, and stock. The buffer tubes are sketch, but for a gun that the real point is building it, it doesn't really matter. Might even do a printed upper. I can get the beta files, but I'm going to let them test it first. Not really wanting to buy another barrel and handguard right now for a meme gun, but might by then.

 

[BONE_Buddy]

My GUESS is that you get one for Wylde, which, if I'm remembering correctly, is a trick chamber geometery to do 5.56 and .223 without POI change.

Printed a UBAR 2 lower over the last two days. Excited to see if I can get a working bolt hold open on a printed lower.

Photo not mine. I've got some custom graphics that would possibly in the future dox me.
View attachment 3254847
I want to print at much of it as possible, so going to print the grip, buffer tube, and stock. The buffer tubes are sketch, but for a gun that the real point is building it, it doesn't really matter. Might even do a printed upper. I can get the beta files, but I'm going to let them test it first. Not really wanting to buy another barrel and handguard right now for a meme gun, but might by then.

Nice. You doing any ECM stuff, or limiting it to the 3D printed stuff for now?

 

[Club Sandwich]

What do I need to buy in order to check headspace on 5.56 and .223 Wylde rifles?

Is that two different gauges, or is there a set that will cover both chamber types?

.223 Wylde is largely to .223 Remington but with 0.036" additional freebore (non rifled portion of the throat) before leade (the engagement of the barrel's rifling). you would use whichever gauge your barrel is cut for and add 0.008" to the leade, which would result in the correct headspace with a standard .223 Remington barrel extension shoulder. there are some minor differences in chamber forgiveness for thicker brass for reloaders that want to do something like .22-250 in a .223 case or something weird which is popular with reloaders and wildcatters.

below is a diagram illustrating the differences for .223 Remington, 5.56 NATO, and .223 Wylde. L is the length of the throat, T is the length of taper (the throat is conical and has a straight section and an angled section). the .223 Wylde has 0.006" additional freebore length than 5.56 NATO and 0.036" additional to .223 Remington. this additional length in a military chamber accounts for variations in ammunition as well as debris and fouling and the ability to reasonably work with longer bullets such as ones used in tracers. measurements are typically +/- 0.001" for new chambers. if the bore will be plated, an additional 0.001" should be taken to account for that.

because of this additional length, the straight section of the throat is narrowed slightly and the taper increased over the 5.56 NATO so that .223 Remington can reliably and repeatably engage the rifling in the remaining space before the bore (although this limits .223 Wylde to bullets under 68gr typically).

the angle of the throat in this area is where you get into trouble with peak pressure of 5.56 NATO in a .223 Remington barrel, to a dangerous spike once the bullet clears the mouth, but hasn't jumped freebore into the rifling yet - all that gas has to go somewhere and the volume of the area is what is pressurized in that moment of peak pressure.

PTG also makes a .223 Wylde specific gauge, but that seems pointless to me.

generally, unless you want to confirm headspace for the barrel assembly + a specific bolt, you are better off using a 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington go/no-go gauge and doing the math, and if you are trying to correct throat angle it may be impossible to do so with typical homegamer tools after the chamber is plated.

My GUESS is that you get one for Wylde, which, if I'm remembering correctly, is a trick chamber geometery to do 5.56 and .223 without POI change.

sort of. .223 Wylde is .223 Remington with additional freebore before leade to allow 5.56 NATO 55gr (OAL 2.255") to feed and chamber correctly without having so much leade as to cause poor or off-center rifling engagement (good for military ammunition that is mass manufactured and needs to tolerate some debris and variation and handle peak pressures from cheap powder vs a tuned competition or varminting rifle that has a narrower pressure envelope and generally doesn't see hard use).

 

[Puff]

Nice. You doing any ECM stuff, or limiting it to the 3D printed stuff for now?

It's on the list. Need to do an FGC9 and finish up some pistol frames. I'm not poor, but I hate spending money, so I never buy the parts. I have AR parts just sitting around, so the AR lowers are easier to justify.

Also I'm not sure I trust myself to do a barrel. I've got a lot of "eh... close enough" in me.

 

[Pocket Dragoon]

I'm surprised to see people here talking down on the Chinese SKS, I love mine. Picked it up during peak panic buying early last year for $500, and seeing the prices that even the bubba'd ones are going for now, I have zero regrets.

I paid $175. Going rate at the time was $250 and MINE was a pile of shit. They were great rifles for the price. Not so much anymore. I'll pay an extra few hundred and get something more modern with detachable mags.

I didn't even pay for my first SKS; an unfired Norinco imported by Navy Arms (marketed as the "Cowboy Companion"), which completely removed the bayonet & lug, cleaning rod, and filled in the stock cutouts with something like bakelite. I traded a Mosin Nagant for it; an Izvhesk M38 carbine (pre-folding bayonet), which I had also gotten in a trade for an extra set of marine binos. Sure, the Mosin was uncommon; but had a sewerpipe bore, and I had to strip the green paint off the stock before refinishing with plain tung oil.

The guy I traded with had literal piles of AKs/SKSs, enough so he never shot most of them; but was also a late-starter in collecting Mosins, so my ratty M38 was the only one he could find that didn't have a nutty price tag.

I was surprised later when shopping for another SKS, and learned that the Navy Arms imported rifles were pretty much the best quality SKS you could find on the market in those days.

 

[BigDongWarrior]

Not my picture, don't own one of these. It's a Sako Model 85 Bavarian, Carbine version. In my opinion this is the most beautiful gun I've ever seen. Sadly it's like 2000 dollars and I don't have the funds or current situation to be blowing 2k on a bolt action hunting rifle.

 

[Club Sandwich]

View attachment 3256446
Not my picture, don't own one of these. It's a Sako Model 85 Bavarian, Carbine version. In my opinion this is the most beautiful gun I've ever seen. Sadly it's like 2000 dollars and I don't have the funds or current situation to be blowing 2k on a bolt action hunting rifle.

the stock is a modified (low comb/low rise) Monte Carlo Mannlicher International stock. if you like the look, you can get pretty close with a rifle you already own, although as a mountain hunter, the Sako 85 is a fantastic rifle (i use a Sako 85 Hunter Stainless for mountain and dangerous game) though and worth getting. a more modern aesthetic might be the Tikka T3.

 

[1Tonka_Truck]

My grandpa bought a Sako L461 for a truck gun. It's beautiful and the most accurate factory gun I've ever shot. Even after my dad ran way too much surplus 5.56 through it.

I don't have pic of it handy, but heres a pristine one for reference

 

[White Devil]

the stock is a modified (low comb/low rise) Monte Carlo Mannlicher International stock. if you like the look, you can get pretty close with a rifle you already own, although as a mountain hunter, the Sako 85 is a fantastic rifle (i use a Sako 85 Hunter Stainless for mountain and dangerous game) though and worth getting. a more modern aesthetic might be the Tikka T3.

The Tikka T3x Arctic makes my pp hard.

 

[Smoke Manmuscle]

the stock is a modified (low comb/low rise) Monte Carlo Mannlicher International stock. if you like the look, you can get pretty close with a rifle you already own, although as a mountain hunter, the Sako 85 is a fantastic rifle (i use a Sako 85 Hunter Stainless for mountain and dangerous game) though and worth getting. a more modern aesthetic might be the Tikka T3.

Second the Tikka T3. It’s my go to gun for deer season. Thing is a tack driver out to 300yds which is more then enough for me.

 

[TheGreatDodongus]

I went today to do a private transfer for a CZ 82, ended up picking up a TT-33 alongside it.

WTF, I love Stalin now...

(This actually works out perfectly, as I currently have a transfer in the works for a CZ 52 as well)

 

[Pocket Dragoon]

I went today to do a private transfer for a CZ 82, ended up picking up a TT-33 alongside it.

View attachment 3258544

WTF, I love Stalin now...

(This actually works out perfectly, as I currently have a transfer in the works for a CZ 52 as well)

Make sure you pick up a spare retaining spring for the slidestop/pin; they have an unhappy tendency to snap in half from bad luck (my own curse), or being removed incorrectly by some bubba/slav (like using a screwdriver to force the clip apart/off).

So far I've had to replace one on every used TT-33 & Norinco clone I've owned, so a couple years ago I bought extras from Marstar. They're not cheap anymore & hard to find, so get them while you can.

The only TT I've owned that hasn't needed anything immediately replaced is a Radom-made (Circle-11 arsenal mark) example; but it was similar to my DDR Makarov, in that it probably never left a holster or armory rack after being issued.

The only other part I can think of that should probably be immediately replaced (or at least have a new spare) on any used TT-33 is a recoil spring from Wolff. Even in a relatively top-quality Polish Tokarev, the combination of hot rounds & age is rough on their springs.

Edit: Somewhere I have a comparison photo of a new Tokarev spring from Wolff, and the old one from my Polish TT; the difference in OAL & spring rate was surprising, and I didn't think the original was particularly worn out. At least it never felt that way, or ever failed to function. If I can't find the pic, I'll snap another for this post next time I come across the old spring in my spare parts box.

 

[Bassomatic]

I went today to do a private transfer for a CZ 82, ended up picking up a TT-33 alongside it.

View attachment 3258544

WTF, I love Stalin now...

(This actually works out perfectly, as I currently have a transfer in the works for a CZ 52 as well)

cz 52s are fucking DOPE.

Fire it with tracers, shit has trails looks like a star wars blaster.

So I made my mind up despite needing 3+ projects finished I must give in and get that new PSA piston upper. I think their new piston pistols are going to replace the AK as the choppa in the hood.

 

[Duke Nukem]

My SKS is a VERY early Sino Sov (under 250k serial) still has a blade bayonet. Good wood most chinks have that shit Yew wood. From what I was told and read Russia showed china how to SKS and few years helped em, then second left China moved to the "type" and thats when you see the pig sticker lower QC etc but early Sino Sovs are really freaking nice.

Frankly having dealt with Chinese SKS they are fine, it's the import ones they made that seem to be shit, but if you'd like to be tismo AF most "sks" from China aren't a "sks". Least my understanding, not that it matters it's still a great rifle.

I do seriously suggest mojo site for the rear, because it's a decent fight gun sight but there's a LOT more in the rifle than it's sight picture gives you. Esp if you live in an area you can hunt with semis.

I am a little concerned about 7.62x39 being less available in the future because of world events and sanctions but SKS rifles are still coming in from Albania I think. At least on occasion. Enver Hoxha sided with Mao Zedong so they might be the Chinese types.

 

[Bassomatic]

I am a little concerned about 7.62x39 being less available in the future because of world events and sanctions but SKS rifles are still coming in from Albania I think. At least on occasion. Enver Hoxha sided with Mao Zedong so they might be the Chinese types.

PSA is making an ammo plant here (US) should be up soon, like sub 2 years by their claims and they do deliver. x39 is one of the rounds they promise.

I really don't think even for the basic go buy at big box store people, x39 will dry up, now finding 5.45 is kinda a bitch and I stare at my krink and don't want to burn my dwindling supply. I say that as a reloader.

 

[Smoke Manmuscle]

I know Winchester is making x39. I’m curious in 5.45 made enough of an inroad in the US that one of the major manufacturers will pick it up.

Edit: spelling.

 

[Duke Nukem]

PSA is making an ammo plant here (US) should be up soon, like sub 2 years by their claims and they do deliver. x39 is one of the rounds they promise.

I really don't think even for the basic go buy at big box store people, x39 will dry up, now finding 5.45 is kinda a bitch and I stare at my krink and don't want to burn my dwindling supply. I say that as a reloader.

You can also get Hornady 5.45 dies or have it converted to 5.56. As a person who prefers AK over AR it's a little concerning about the potential future of certain types of ammunition. Pufgun and other companies still make magazines for 5.56 I think but I don't know how long anything will remain legal or available.

 

[White Devil]

A lot of the big companies make x39, but they're brass cased and insanely overpriced.

 

[wopirish]

Me crying in 7.5 french and 7.7 jap

 

[WhatInTheActualFuck]

cz 52s are fucking DOPE.

Fire it with tracers, shit has trails looks like a star wars blaster.

I got my 52 (with the leather holster and spare mag) from a friend that was almost as insistent on giving it to me as I was about paying him for it. Fantastic shooter and always comes with me to the range if I have 7.62x25 ammo handy.