Federal .223 fusion JSP MSR vs regular + mid length gas guns = reliability?

[DacoRoman]

Hello Gentlemen,

I'm planning on getting some .223 ammo for home defense.

I'm looking at the Federal loads listed in the subject headline, but in fact I'll take any .223 loads that are listed in Doc's article.

Will .223 loads run well in mid length gas guns w an H buffer? I do have a carbine buffer if necessary.

Specifically to the Federal loads, will the MSR work w mid gas better due to higher pressures?

Many Thanks.

[TGS]

Depends on your gun, as not all middy's are gassed the same. I have a BCM, which shoots 223 with an H buffer just fine with the exception of weak Russian ammo which it will hardly cycle.

[DacoRoman]

Depends on your gun, as not all middy's are gassed the same. I have a BCM, which shoots 223 with an H buffer just fine with the exception of weak Russian ammo which it will hardly cycle.

Good point. The gun I have in mind has a DD CHF LW barrel. I am not sure what the difference in port sizes are between DD and BCM.

[SecondsCount]

Out of the 3 midlength ARs that I have run, two 16s and a 14.5 inch, they all shoot 223 just fine, except for some of the really cheap Russian stuff like Herters. Wolf and Tula are okay.

The 14.5 is a DD LW with a carbine buffer.

What does the ejection pattern out of your gun look like with 55 FMJ ball?

[DacoRoman]

Out of the 3 midlength ARs that I have run, two 16s and a 14.5 inch, they all shoot 223 just fine, except for some of the really cheap Russian stuff like Herters. Wolf and Tula are okay.

The 14.5 is a DD LW with a carbine buffer.

What does the ejection pattern out of your gun look like with 55 FMJ ball?

That sounds promising.

Using Prvi 55gr pseudoM193 with a BCM BCG/bolt the brass ejected in the 4:00 o'clock region.

I had gotten the fever to do a bulk buy, but I'm going to use discipline and buy a box or two to try before I buy bulk, even though I probably won't have an opportunity to go shoot for around 2-3 weeks.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Your mid-length will run the Federal loads just fine, whether MSR or not. That cheap Russian ammo is cheap for a reason. It does more than just under gas the gun, it also fouls a gas tube very quickly and then nothing runs in the gun. Word to the wise...

[Byron]

I have a BCM, which shoots 223 with an H buffer just fine with the exception of weak Russian ammo which it will hardly cycle.

Out of the 3 midlength ARs that I have run, two 16s and a 14.5 inch, they all shoot 223 just fine, except for some of the really cheap Russian stuff like Herters. Wolf and Tula are okay.

I thought Wolf already had a reputation for being weak, but my 2 BCM middies will run Wolf without problem. One is using an A5 buffer system, the other is using a regular H buffer.

I've never used Herters. Sounds like it's even weaker than Wolf??

[TGS]

16" barrel?

Mine is a 14.5", so its gassed even less.

[Byron]

One is 16" with A5.
One started as 16" but I had it chopped to 14.5" (before BCM was making a factory 14.5" middy). That one has the H buffer.

Both eat Wolf just fine. Maybe I just got lucky? *shrug*

[SecondsCount]

My BCM is a 2008 era 16" upper with a full auto BCG, and a carbine buffer. To be fair, the temperature on the day I shot the Herters was cold, around the upper 20's if I remember correctly but 223 reloads ran fine. The powder in the Herters may be temp sensitive.

Most of the time I shoot my reloads in these guns which are loaded to mid 223 specs.

This thread from 2012 shows that BCM's middy gas port may be on the smaller side.

BCM 14.5" CHF lightweight profile, .625" gas block: .077" gas port (I just got this barrel from Bravo Co. yesterday)
Centurion Arms 16" CHF, .750" gas block : .079" gas port
Noveske 16" CHF, .750" gas block : .080" gas port
Rainier Arms 16" Ultra Match, .750" gas block : .082 gas port