Adjustable gas tube with 22lr AR conversion?

[undecided]

Would having an adjustable gas tube where you can shut off flow of gas into the gas tube help solve the problem of gas tube fouling with an AR with a 22lr conversion? I ask because I am slowly building an AR and am interested in the 22lr conversion for cost and because rifle ranges in the Indy area are scarce. I have heard that with the 22lr conversion you want to shoot a few rounds of 5.56 out of them to blast the fouling out of the gas tube after a few hundred rounds of 22lr so would an adjustable gas tube help solve this problem if you could completely shut off the flow of gas into it? Has this ever been tried before?

 

[SavageEagle]

Basiclly turns it into a bolt action, right? That would be an interesting setup. Not that I know what I'm talking about, but if you did something like that, wouldn't it clog the front part of the gas system that isn't sealed off? There would be no way seal the system from the bore, right?

 

[JcJ]

In my experience, the gas tube clogging with the conversion kit is a non issue. I have fired several thousand rounds of .22 with nothing more than a bore snake and some bolt lubing, then switched back to .223 without issue.

SavageEagle, The conversion kits are blow back, not gas operated so closing off the gas pipe would have zero effect.

 

[SavageEagle]

How do you clean your gas system? Surely there is some fouling in there.

Also, what all comes in the conversion kit and is it all you need? Drop in and go? (Minus those pricy mags that is....)

 

[gunselman]

I am pretty sure that most of the 22 kits operate on a blow-back principle. So you would not need a gas port drilled in the barrel or any of the other associated gas parts.

I know that the Del Ton and Spikes Tactical uppers do not use a gas tube at all. This would be the best way to do 22 on an AR

 

[esrice]

Also, what all comes in the conversion kit and is it all you need? Drop in and go? (Minus those pricy mags that is....)

Yep, its really that simple.

Slide out BCG, slide in conversion.

Snap upper back in place.

Insert mag.

Pull trigger.

Rinse and repeat.

 

[SavageEagle]

What about the buffer spring? It's not too hard to cycle the .22? I figured the buffer and spring would need to be replaced with lighter ones. You change those with 9mm, correct?

 

[esrice]

The conversion has its own buffer spring. See it on the rod on the left?

 

[VUPDblue]

Yes, actually you can run your conversion kit without any spring or buffer in the stock... I have a dedicated .22 target AR that I never put a standard buffer or spring into...

 

[SavageEagle]

The conversion has its own buffer spring. See it on the rod on the left?

Now that you say that I see better how it works. That assembly up front just slides inside the BCG?

Yes, actually you can run your conversion kit without any spring or buffer in the stock... I have a dedicated .22 target AR that I never put a standard buffer or spring into...

I'm guessing the BCG rests back against the Buffer Pin? Would the BCG just sit down on the buffer pin and keep it in place?

 

[esrice]

Now that you say that I see better how it works. That assembly up front just slides inside the BCG?

You got it!

 

[VUPDblue]

No, there can't be a buffer pin without the buffer itself to hold it in place. The square tab on the rear of the conversion kit locks the kit between the upper and lower.

 

[SavageEagle]

I gotcha now. Always wondered how these things work! Now I know!

I'm still trying to figure out why the military would issue guns that shoot a bullet the size of a .22 though... but that's a whole nuther thread!

 

[undecided]

So is gas tube fouling not an issue with 22lr conversions even if I shot say 1000rds of 22lr with no 223 being shot through it? Is there some kind of solvent that should be ran through the gas tube from the receiver end to help dissolve the buildup?

 

[Kingrat]

if you guys are really worried about it, i think the spikes tactical setup comes with a plug you install in the front sight in place of the gas tube

i dont think it will ever really clog up completely but i would think with the dirty powder alot of cheap 22's use it could get a little dirty, few rounds of 223 will probably blow all that crap back out and into the carrier/key/bolt/etc

the 22lr conversions dont need the gas tube to operate