gas ring fail

[kingfamous]

Im new to the AR platform. I built my AR. C3 lower with a mostly yankee hill upper. Palmetto state bolt carrier. I went out and shot this weekend and I noticed tonight when I was cleaning the bolt that one of the gas rings had a piece broken off and the rest was bent. What would cause this?

What is the normal items that I should have on hand for spare parts for the AR?

[BBB114]

Was it lubed prior to shooting it. It could have overheated and galled. Or maybe was installed incorrecly in the first place. Usually these wear and do not break.

[kingfamous]

Yes it was lubed. I was not shooting that fast either. Looks like it caught on something. anyway, got some new ones on the way.

[FeuerFrei]

Usually bent when first installed by factory. Not your doing unless you installed the rings.
Gas ring supply is a "have to have" in your shooting bag.
Just make shure the metal to metal contact area inside the carrier is still smooth. Gouges/scrathces will jack up your new rings.

[Mail Clerk]

Kingfamous,

On your next outting try wet-patching the inside of the carrier where the gas ring rides with oil and reassemble. Then put a drop of oil in each hole from the outside the carrier. That should lube well enough for your gas rings. In either case gas rings are easy enough even for me to replace myself and are considered to be cheap enough even in these high price days.

Mail Clerk

[kingfamous]

When replacing the rings, should I replace all three at once, and not just the messed up one? Is there a right and wrong way to do the install?

[Sonic_mike]

Don't mean to thread jack, but is there a set round count figure where you have to change the rings?

[Mail Clerk]

When replacing the rings, should I replace all three at once, and not just the messed up one? Is there a right and wrong way to do the install?

Kingfamous,

Yes replace all three as it's considered to be a set. There is no wrong way to replace them...just be careful when mounting them. Make sure the rings are staggerd otherwise gas will escape during the firing cycle. Whyle you at it oil the rings.

Mail Clerk

[Mail Clerk]

Don't mean to thread jack, but is there a set round count figure where you have to change the rings?

Sonic_mike,

To my knowledge there is no set amount of rounds before you change them. However there is the bolt test you perform to determine if the rings should bechanged.

FYI on of the rings on any of my AR rifles has every needed to be changed. I do perform the bolt test no and them on my rifles.

Mail Clerk

[Omega13device]

Make sure the rings are staggerd otherwise gas will escape during the firing cycle.

MYTH

They move around on their own anyway.

[Josh3239]

The gas ring myth is one of the many AR myths that won't go away. Like most of them it is just a huge logic fail. The rings are going to rotate on their own anyways. Not only will the AR operate fine with lined up/non-staggered gas rings but it will operate fine on just one. Feel free to try it if you don't believe.

[akjunkie]

Sonic_mike,

To my knowledge there is no set amount of rounds before you change them. However there is the bolt test you perform to determine if the rings should bechanged.

FYI on of the rings on any of my AR rifles has every needed to be changed. I do perform the bolt test no and them on my rifles.

Mail Clerk

What bolt test? U mean the "whipping action"?

[Mail Clerk]

akjunkie,

Assemble the bolt and carrier as usual and turn place it on it's end standing up on a stable table. If the carrier drops on it's own power then it is suggested to change the rings. I admit I only do this occassionally.

[akjunkie]

akjunkie,

Assemble the bolt and carrier as usual and turn place it on it's end standing up on a stable table. If the carrier drops on it's own power then it is suggested to change the rings. I admit I only do this occassionally.

Thanks for the tip. Gonna try this tonite.

[BigNick]

Get the one peice coiled gas ring and you wont have to worry about that happening again.