Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles So, whatever happened to SI Defense?

That's pretty much where we've gone with it. The only parts that have not been removed are the ejection port door, the mag catch, the bolt catch, and the take-down pins. Those all function as advertised. The one major component I cannot positively identify is the BCG...but I knew the guy who built it so well I could predict what he'd do in situations with about 97.8% accuracy and based on that I know it's a high quality bolt & carrier, but there are no markings. Maybe I should weigh it to compare to what's typically used and make sure I have the buffer weight in the ballpark. If that's where it needs to be then I think the new buffer spring will have it hitting on all eight.

Update:

Things are getting much better.

I replaced the buffer and spring and that corrected two problems---one being that the BCG would not travel far enough into the buffer tube for the bolt catch to operate, and the other being that the rifle would not feed correctly. Oddly enough, or maybe not so odd is the fact that the P-mags now seem to work reliably whereas the ASC mags appear to be complete pieces of schidt. This runs counter to my experience with ASC mags for 6.5 Grendel and 6mm AR, which is the reason I tried the ASC magazines for this rifle. If there's a fix for the ASCs I'd like to know. I am a fan of mags that work, but I'd much rather they be made of metal than any polymer. Yes, I AM pretty much a luddite at times.

What has NOT worked [completely] thus far is the Odin Works buffer which I set up for its maximum weight (4.6 oz. as received). The rifle now feeds, chambers, locks, fires, unlocks, extracts, cocks, and ejects (again, seemingly reliably) but ejection is too vigorous with brass bouncing off the deflector and traveling in the 2 o'clock direction. At least it's not smashing one side of the case mouth flat anymore, but I want the ejection to be correct. I have an additional tungsten weight for the buffer on the way which will bring the buffer weight up to about 5.6 ounces. Hopefully that will be all I need, but there may be an adjustable gas block in my future.

More good news...my first handloads were a bust with almost everything being too hot, owing to the fact that I was experimenting with powders for which I had no published data for my chosen bullet in the .260 Rem. Between sheer nervousness and all the functional failures I experienced on that day, nothing good was accomplished other than finding out quite a few things that would not work and which therefore were taken off the table. When I shot a couple of days ago (Sunday) it was a completely different story. I had a total of 16 different handloads using five different powders. All groups were five shots fired at 100 yards, and of those 16 different loads 9 of them turned in sub-MOA performance. Several of those were under 3/4 inch.

So...I will declare (and I hope not prematurely) that this rifle is a winner in the making, and all I have to do is tame the ejection. Hopefully the cure won't induce some other malady, sending me in circles.

I think I'm gonna love this rifle.

Update to the update...I received my extra tungsten weight today and installed it in the buffer. I fired one test round to check ejection, and the empty flew in the 3 o'clock direction. I'll take that and run.

Some guy on the youtube says that the set screw that holds the plug screw secure on these adjustable buffers won't stay put. I'll be watching for that. I have several types of threadlockers available should that become necessary.

I'd say this rifle is ready to rock, and it's going hunting with me very soon. I may fire a couple of ten-round groups at some point to satisfy my curiosity. I think the rifle will hold MOA for ten rounds, and even twice in a row...but I'm not sure the shooter is up to it. I've fired good groups with ARs and I've fired not-so-good groups with ARs, and I really can't tell (almost always) when I've done something right or something wrong. I don't know whether I'll ever be comfortable with the ergonomics, but I do know I can kill stuff with one.

Last update...the rifle shoots like a dream. It gets credit for three of five hogs killed over the weekend, and it never missed a lick. The total would likely be much higher if my night gun (the 6.8 this time, my 6 AR stayed in its case) had been feeding correctly...gotta look into that, but the 6.8 accounted for two pigs anyway.

All I need now is for Magwell Ind. to come out with the Brass Goat for large frame ARs.

Truth is, I'm getting these crazy ideas that I don't need an AR15 at all for hunting and I might need to do a QD thermal on the .260. I'm also beginning to wonder if there's such a thing as a stationary goal post.