Dipped my toe in PCC

Beef15

B or somesuch
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Built the wife an AR some time ago, she goes to shoot with me sometimes, I never shoot rifle anymore so loaded .223 has dwindled. I had an epiphany, PCC upper, I think they're dumb, but then she can shoot my cheap 9mm loads, so I can remain a lazy loader.

I determine to do this on the cheap, expecting a ton of "tuning".

Specs: existing AR lower; old Bushnell optic, Promag Colt adapter $40; ASC 32 round mags, $16; Foxtrot Mike Colt pattern bolt $80; Anderson Sport upper $40; 9mm buffer I didn't need; ALG V2 handguard $80 blem; I splurged on the barrel with a Ballistic Advantage due to the @Djstorm100 group buy $125. Guess it didn't come out super cheap, $430ish, but aside from weight is a pretty good facsimile of her 15 upper.

Had to tune the mags, they drug on the bolt and were hard to seat even empty, little tapping the rear of the feed lips with a hammer squared them away. Seemed to over travel the bolt catch by a lot so dropped a string trimmer thread adapter down the RE got it to about 3/8".

Met @NKD at the range today to trial run it expecting multiple failures per mag, hand cycling indicated this would happen. Stupid thing ran flawless through a few mags of coated 135s and some factory, recoil was pretty flat, BHO worked, will stack three shots at 25yds from a rest, and was just plain fun to shoot. I may have to take this thing to a match.
 
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Years ago I had the opportunity to shoot a Colt DEA 9mm, which Colt had brought out in order to compete with the MP5 in sales to Govt agencies (same platform as their M4's so the shooters had good familiarity with the weapon). It really shot well, had good balance and excellent target acquisition.

It was basically 9mm M16 in FA. Based on that experience, I always thought that a 9mm upper on an AR lower was a good PCC package.
 
It was basically 9mm M16 in FA. Based on that experience, I always thought that a 9mm upper on an AR lower was a good PCC package.
Everybody that's ever shot mine (semi auto) suppressed wants one. Loads of fun.
 
cMPPTBD.jpg

Pic, along with all it takes to make it full power again.
 
I picked up one that was made in Fayetteville, the damned thing runs flawlessly! Both suppressed and UN suppressed! Great addition to the stable and perfect for throwing in the Jeep and riding mountain trails! And I can off hand 100 meters and ring the steel with it!
 
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Mine ran good, too. They are fun and I might try one in a match as well.

Beef's seemed to be a bit flatter shooting I think. Might try to remove some bcg weight and see how that does.
 
Mine ran good, too. They are fun and I might try one in a match as well.

Beef's seemed to be a bit flatter shooting I think. Might try to remove some bcg weight and see how that does.

I was surprising how close they were. I think it's probably the increased weight out front on mine.
Bet you get it tuned at least as flat and it'll be more lively handling.
I'm still thinking about Steel Challenge on Sunday.
 
I was surprising how close they were. I think it's probably the increased weight out front on mine.
Bet you get it tuned at least as flat and it'll be more lively handling.
I'm still thinking about Steel Challenge on Sunday.

Yeah I have some work to do with it, but I was pleased enough with it. Should have the muzzle device today which should help. Then, gonna experiment with bcg/buffer weight a little.
Im out on steel challenge as I am going to Maine, where I will drown my sorrows in lobster tails and microbrews.
 
Nother 150 trouble free rounds through it at the ol' Steel Challenge today.

Not sure I'll do that again anytime soon. Blew my production times away, missed A class by 3% I think. Good enough for second to last in the division, I think I was getting the hang of it by the last stage or two interesting, but not real fun.
 
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So I ran about 1000 rounds thru this thing without a single failure. Take it to a USPSA match and it won't run six rounds... I was in a hurry so not 100% clear on the failure mode, pretty sure the extractor just wasn't snapping over the cartridge rim, which also meant not in battery and being a meathead I was making things worse trying to clear without dropping the mag. DNF'd first time ever, got home and for the life of me couldn't figure out what had changed, then I notice a roll pin protruding from the bottom of the bolt just a little, think it was dragging the mag lip just enough to intermittently slow things. Drove it back in with little resistance, no idea when I can test fire, not sure on a long term solution.
 
FYI, the metalform 32 round mags can be had for roughly $23-$25 each on sale. Brownells, Greg Cote, and a few others. It's worth the investment. Also Faxon or BA one had clearnace 9mm bcgs this week for under $100. Not sure how they compare to the FXM.
 
FYI, the metalform 32 round mags can be had for roughly $23-$25 each on sale. Brownells, Greg Cote, and a few others. It's worth the investment. Also Faxon or BA one had clearnace 9mm bcgs this week for under $100. Not sure how they compare to the FXM.
Thanks. When/if I confirm the problem I'll contact FM, they appear fairly responsive and interested in product "failures" from reading on Arfcom. If they aren't, peening the bottom of the pin hole will be easy enough.
 
Glad you got it figured out.
Ended up removing the weight on my BCG and putting a short stroke spring in it. Much better!
 
The AR's get super dirty quick. It does not take a lot to stop one when they get gummed up. A match will show any faults in a gun. There is no better testing bed than a USPSA match. The 9 PCC takes a beating, but they keep going. I have a friend that cuts the mags in half and welds them back together for 40 rounds. he is a retired Aerospace cert. welder. He made me a mag that I use 100% of the time.

Tommy Roupe
 
Well almost a month later I finally got to the range.

Knocking the roll pin in fixed the feed problem for sure then it immediately went to failing to eject, must of bumped the ejector screwing around, got it adjusted right, ran 120ish today with zero stoppages. Yay.

Now to sort out the intermittent bolt/CH bind when charging the thing. Waiting to see what FM says.
 
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