Barrel Nut Loose

[lurchnp81]

Sometime in August I purchased a PSA 16 inch with a carbine gas system compete upper. First time out to the range shot and fed everything I used (PMC XTac 5.56, Fed Am Eag .223) about 80 rounds or so. Next time out to the range, I used some PMC .223 and was having failure feeds due to what i presume was short stroking. I was upset, but if shot and fed every other type of .223 or 5.56 I used, so I didnt pay it too much attention.

Last week I decided I was going to get around to tinkering with it to see if I could find out why this was occurring and decided I wanted to put a low pro gas block and a free flot rail on.

Yesterday I removed the flash suppressor and washer, A2 post, gas tube, and cut the delta ring off, only to find that the barrel nut was loose. I am still pretty new to this, but talking with my old man who is a mechanic if the nut was properly torqued, I should not be able to remove with my hand correct? Could this have been the reason the rifle was short stroking on the PMC .223? I purchased an armorers wrench and have access to a torque wrench, so I am not too concerned about it going forward...when I am ready to put it all back together I will make sure that the nut is properly torqued but it seems logical that this could have been the problem.

Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated

[bohoki]

yea that is not good but ive heard about psa releasing an occasional loose one

do you mean you were able to spin it free with your bare hand on the gear portion

if so thats not good

[lurchnp81]

Yes, I was able to remove the barrel nut with my bare hand. I guess the saving grace is that I ordered the Samson Evolution rail due to the fact that it uses the existing nut...and thought i would'nt have to worry about messing around with the timing of the barrel nut and the gas port on the upper receiver. But luckily I broke down and ordered the armorers wrench, so i have everything needed get it on there correctly. I just wish i would have known it was loose before cutting the delta ring...oh well!

[TheExiled]

I had a friend ask me about his AR that he bought PPT because it was painfully inaccurate. I tore it down to find basically the same, however it fed perfectly fine but was terribly inconsistent. Its POI would shift by feet depending on how you rested the barrel

The gas tube still held the barrel nut in place for the 300 or so rounds he fired like this before I fixed it

Also, maybe email PSA even though you already took it apart

[Munny$hot]

Was it a PSA upper or PTac upper? IIRC PSA has a life time warranty for manufacturing defects. Not sure if they'll do anything with a cut Delta ring though...

[19K]

WOW. I honestly dont understand why people still have faith in PSA. Drunk monkeys could assemble better firearms. *flame suite on

They aren't CIA rifle where every other rifle is messed up.

I've had 3 different psa uppers and all my friends have multiple psa built ones and they are fine

[tonyxcom]

Next time out to the range, I used some PMC .223 and was having failure feeds due to what i presume was short stroking. I was upset, but if shot and fed every other type of .223 or 5.56 I used, so I didnt pay it too much attention.

A loose barrel nut isn't going to cause this type of malfunction. PMC Bronze is known for being underpowered and when you have a correctly gassed AR it is prone to short stroking. The opposite can be true for AR's that run PMC Bronze fine, their is a good chance they are overgassed.

[Flintlock Tom]

I'm curious, why did you feel you had to cut the delta ring off?

[jb octane]

WOW. I honestly dont understand why people still have faith in PSA. Drunk monkeys could assemble better firearms. *flame suite on

You must find a loose barrel but to be a really heinous case. I would say something like this for receiving a used upper instead of a new premium upper (I still feel bad for that guy), but a loose barrel but? Meh.

[m16]

What buffer were you using?

[bohoki]

I'm curious, why did you feel you had to cut the delta ring off?

probably thought the nit was nice and tight and wanted to make it easy for one of those clamp on rails

[kenl]

The Samson Evo rail clamps to the standard barrel nut Samson recommends cutting off the delta ring on built upper assembles for some of the installs. They have some how-to videos on their site that go into it in detail

[Voo]

is it possible for the barrel nut to come loose like that? doesn't the gas tube prevent it from spinning?

[lurchnp81]

probably thought the nit was nice and tight and wanted to make it easy for one of those clamp on rails

This

[lurchnp81]

What buffer were you using?

Standard buffer and spring from Bravo Company