Obviously an older video, but I love this mindset. I have never used adjustable gas blocks or BCG on AR-15's. I just buy properly gassed barrels. Thanks! And I'm glad to be one of your new dealers. Brandon
I’d like to think I contributed to the making of this video because I harassed Mike at Criterion with incessant questions about this very topic. Glad to help. - David
@@jubalgilbert7681 Generally I avoid the A5 System as it is not necessary for properly gasses rifles. It can be used and I would still recommend using the heaviest buffer that reliably cycles in your rifle.
Dude that has got to be the best no bs video!! I wish they would keep making more to cut through all inter web operators!! I have to know what mount is that with canted reflex?!?
@@TylerJames-gf8ms You should be fine without an adjustable gas block. Ultimately it will depend on your specific suppressor and the characteristics it presents. My 22'' 6.5 runs very well with a fixed gas block.
Superlative Arms adjustable gas blocks. I have about 7 over the last 3yrs. Legit good. Adjustable gas blocks also come in handy when shooting different grain ammo. So, yea you need one. Apparently you don't but they are worth the $100 investment.
I'm starting to look more and more towards a 12.5" system using a Core barrel. At one point I think I need to play around with different weight buffers H2/H3.
@@jayboy9124 really a h3? I just had a 11.5 build out together with criterion core barrel with vltor a5 tube and a5h2 buffer and was having issues, gunsmith recommended to try the a5h1 or a5h0. I did notice absolutely no gas to the face at all so possibly my barrel is under gassed.
Eric, I run both the H2 and H3. Generally the H2 will suit your needs just fine. I do like to run an H3 if the rifle is suppressed for the majority of the time as many of my rifles are. Ultimately which one is optimal will depend on your particular setup and the amount of back-pressure generated by your suppressor.
@@CriterionbarrelsInc I just got the 13.9 core...same suggestion as for the 16"? I will be running 99.9% of the time suppressed with a dead air sandman k
@@bensmith9164 a little late but i have this setup. i run vltor a5h2 with a green sprinco spring. works with the a5h3 too but does not lock fully with 223 unspressed. h2 does everything
Yes, lots. Typically I stick with a standard mil-spec carbine length receiver extension, mil-spec carbine action spring, and the heaviest buffer that will run reliably. I typically like an H2 weight. I like common parts as I travel a lot with rifles and frequently break parts on the road. There are advantages to being able to stop into any gun shop to replace springs and other parts.
most likely wont run with an H2 buffer.....at least not enough gas. I had an H1 in mine and it was on the low end....didnt run steel case at all. was a bit bummed.
@@rickypickles2219it’s because you’re using very underpowered steel case ammo. Get some better .223 brass case or 5.56 for increased pressures. There’s a reason why steel case is the cheapest.
Thank you for the information! Would a white Sprinco buffer spring be closest to the mil spec unit you're running in this rifle? Also, if you're using an A5 system, would a green spring and H2 buffer be optimal for the mid length system?
For a mid length gas criterion barrel build would you run a carbon spring and tube with h3buffer or would you go with a rifle length spring and tube with h3
Adj gas blocks need maintenance and can and do fail..I have not had the leaf spring problem with their up-dated versions.., The new rifle speed adj gas block looks like a game changer for durability and ease of maintenance. A .003 spread is perfect from a 1.4646 and a .001 difference with an AR bolt is also excellent..Having a tight gas ring bore is good but I find the bolt tail to bolt tail bore clearance more important for an optimum gas seal...Just ordered my first Criterion barrel and looking forward to testing it. Your barrels must be good as they are months on back order..
Why do y’all use a .080 port for your 16” mid barrel? That’s definitely not ideal for Shooting suppressed, and now I have to get a freaking BRT tube to bring it down to about .073
Yes, with the rifle in this video I typically see impact shifts of less than 1/2'' at 100 yards. The CORE Series barrels have a contour that is specifically designed to support the weight of suppressors while maximizing consistent harmonics and absorbing heat.
With the Badger Ordnance TDX gas block did you dimple the barrel deep enough for the screws to seat flush with the bottom of the gas block or leave some screw sticking out of the bottom? I installed my TDX on a Core 16" barrel and was worried about dimpling so it has a bit of threads showing still.
Hey Mike, I am running a 8“ .300 Blackout with can rated for subs only. So I am trying to strike a balance between subs w/ can and supers without can. I did go the adjustable gas block route (wish this video was out during the build) with an H2 buffer. Some subs run awesome. Some will not run at all. Should I go to H3 for everything?
Yes, try to add a fresh action spring and an H3 buffer. This will improve the timing of your rifle as it will increase your "lock time" or locked chamber dwell time which will likely improve performance with higher pressure subsonic loads, increase accuracy, reduce wear and tear and many other benefits. Also, I would recommend going through and checking your gas rings, ensuring that you are using a full weight BCG, ensure proper (tight) head-space, and I am willing to bet that performance will increase. Feel free to give us a call and let me know whos barrel and suppressor you are using and we can get it to run more smoothly for you.
Hello, what is the barrel length on your AR -15 in this video? Thank you. And what is the best barrel length and gas system for suppression? I have now 12.5 carbine gas.
The barrel in this video is a 14.5'' CORE Series barrel. The second question... books have been written. "Best" has entirely too many variables to consider.
I just purchased several H2 buffers to replace the carbine & H1 buffers (prior to seeing this video), for running suppressed. Should I seek an exchange (pain in ass) or do you think the H2 will be fine?
You should be ok with the H2 buffer. There are a lot of variables, like the amount of back-pressure your specific suppressor generates. Personally, I always like to run the heaviest buffer that will reliably cycle in my rifles to increase locked chamber dwell time. Run it!
Do you find that this setup is pretty gassy towards your face? Are you running some kind of vented charging handle or just a solid charging handle? Thanks!
With this set-up, gas to the face is minimal and using a vented charging handle like the Radian SD helps to reduce gas flow to the face even more (there is one in this rifle). Increasing ones locked chamber dwell time (The unlocking step in the 8-step cycle of operation) helps to keep gasses consistent behind the bullet and going down the barrel instead of escaping rearward into the shooters face.
Would your setup change if you used a 12.5 core series vs a 14.5? Wish i saw this before picking up an adjustable gas block, blue springco spring and an h2 buffer lol.
No, I have several 12.5'' rifles and use mil-spec action springs and an H3 buffer. 12.5" barrels with a carbine length gas system are extremely smooth, very similar to a rifle length 20'' barrel. The gas ports on all of our barrels are tuned to the specific barrel and gas system length. We test all of them with a wide range of ammunition (both high and low pressure) and suppressors. At the end of the day you are looking for performance (accuracy and reliability). This means that your rifle needs to be properly built and timed (meaning each of the steps in the 8-step cycle of operation takes place when and how it is supposed to. Try your blue spring and H2 buffer. If it works for you, awesome. If not take it as an opportunity to learn about your rifle. If you have questions, give us a call and we can get into the details.
@@tech6263 Everything fails eventually. With guns, I personally like to eliminate failure points, especially when they are not needed... If someone chooses to use an adjustable gas block that is entirely up to them and it is perfectly fine. We shoot industrial quantities of ammunition and because we have broken nearly every adjustable gas block that gets pushed hard, we choose not to use them. Again, this is simply personal preference based on the experience of breaking dozens and dozens of adjustable gas blocks. Your mileage may vary and I encourage people to disagree with me... or better yet, run your favorite adjustable gas block on a machine gun suppressed and see how long it lasts for you.
Sounds like something is off and we can assist with getting it dialed in. Feel free to shoot an email to mike@criterionbarrels.com and we can ensure that everything is within tolerance as well as dial in all of the other parts and pieces you are using in your build.
Criterion Barrels, Inc. looks great! I’m trying to find out the right barrel and handgaurd length. I want it to look similar with not much barrel sticking out and still be able to attach a suppressor.
How dirty does it get after a full combat load 210 rounds? Has it gummed up where you needed to use your forward assist? I was looking at building a slick side for less gas in the face as a lefty.
We have tested rifles with thousands of rounds suppressed without cleaning or lubrication. A properly built AR-15 is one of the most reliable weapons on the planet.
I have a question, I just replaced my Ballistic Advantage Hanson series Barrel with a Criterion 16” 416r Nitride barrel and replaced my old Midwest BCG with a BCM BCG, now the Gun feels more snappy, and the ejection moved from the 3-4 o’clock up to the 1:30-2:30 position. Why? I was hoping the gas port would be on the smaller side of spec. The gun still has the same H buffer and Sprinco Blue spring.
Did you check head-space? If not you will get chamber pressure fluctuations and inconsistent seating depths... Also, I would recommend using a standard mil-spec action spring and a heavier buffer. The Sprinco spring has an increased tension to slow the cyclic rate but the H buffer is still pretty light and it wont delay unlocking as well as an H2 or H3 buffer. Regardless, something seems off with your build so feel free to give us a call and we can get your rifle dialed in.
@@CriterionbarrelsInc It’s been some time now with the barrel and I have now fixed the issue. I originally verified the headspace with .223 spec gauges and ordered an H3 buffer. I tried a myriad of springs and found the Red Springco was the best option. I tried different extractors and ejectors with different extractor and ejector springs. Nothing worked because the system was getting way too much gas. The ejection pattern and recoil never changed. I then decided to order a restrictive gas tube from BRD Gunworks called EZTUNE gas tubes. I gave them the specs of my rifle and they picked the appropriate port size and sent it to me, the gun is now the way it should be. Low recoil and perfect 4 o’clock ejection unsupressed. The gas port was too big as I suspected.
What are the port sizes on the 12.5" hybrid chrome lined barrels? Mine's undergassed and doesn't cycle steel w/o a reduced weight carbine buffer, and can cycle hot m193/m855 very comfortably with a h2 with ejection at 3:30 - 4:00' dependent on manufacture
When you said you had issues with adjustable gas blocks, was one of them from seekins? I have their normal adjustable block and the one with the lever. I am building an sbr and was thinking about installing one of them on my suppressor build
I have broken most adjustable gas blocks (especially when running them on machine guns). They do work and some designs are better than others, I have just found them to be unnecessary if ones rifle is properly built and timed and they are also a common failure point that I would rather not have on my personal rifles. If you don't shoot industrial quantities of ammunition, you may never experience a failure. We tend to shoot more in a day than many do in a year and see things fail at a much higher rate. I would encourage you to try it for yourself.
@@CriterionbarrelsInc appreciate the response. Currently i am building a AR and have both adjustable gas blocks. Also ordered geiessele’s super spring buffer and h3 weight
@@Stoicexpression Excellent. You may not need the increased spring tension of the Geissele braided spring. It will likely work when suppressed but may result in failures to lock to the rear when unsuppressed. I recommend standard mil-sec action springs as our barrels feature tuned gas ports and are not over-gassed. Give us a call if you have any questions.
I see you have a nightforce 1-8 in this video and some others you have a razor 1-10. Which do you like better? I have a bcm that I just but a criterion 14.5 core barrel on and trying to decide which optic between these 2. Thanks
I really like both scopes. All things being equal, the Nightforce is likely a little better on 1x without the illimitation. With the illumination on, both are very fast at 1x. The new Nightforce reticle is more precise but if I could only have one it would likely be the Vortex. You really cant go wrong with either one and both will take your 14.5'' gun to its max effective range (I take both optics out to 1,000 yards on 14.5'' AR's on a routine basis).
@@CriterionbarrelsInc thanks for the info. That’s what I’m looking for is a do it all rifle that’s accurate and able to shoot 800-1k yards. I’m thinking from all the videos and reviews I’ll be happy with the 14.5 core barrel.
Although we make 10.3'' barrels for several OEM rifle manufacturers, we only produce 10.5'' barrels as stock models. Oh, and although I would argue that function is greater than form every day of the week... aesthetics matter, so no judgement.
I highly recommend the Badger Ordnance Condition One Modular Mounts (COMM). I have tested the 1.54'', the 1.7'' and the 1.93'' heights and all of them are awesome. I am particularly fond of the 1.54' as it affords the best cheek weld and improves the speed and accuracy I am able to obtain from the prone due to more solid points of contact.
I have a 13.9 Core which i like but it doesnt like running some ammo...I usually like more reliability in gassing but anyone see this? or maybe should i use a H buffer with lighter spring? Doesnt like steel case and some others.
You should have no reliability issues with a properly built rifle. We would happily take a look at your complete upper to get any issue resolved and your upper running like a sewing machine. Feel free to reach out to our customer service department and we will take care of you.
@@CriterionbarrelsInc that would be cool. its a complete upper i got from adm. my buddy has one too its just not a Core. his runs whatever. mines a CORe. wont run steels which i just use to test for reliability anyways. also doesnt like reggie 55 ball with an H2 which i thought was wierd. where can i send that in?
@@rickypickles2219 Feel free to shoot an email to contact@criterionbarrels.com and we can send out a pre-paid UPS return shipping label to cover the cost of bringing in your upper for a detailed inspection and testing. Looking forward to it.
It's not just about running reliably, an over gassed gun will run, but it is also about pounding the crap out of your internals and heavier recoil. The idea is to tune it with the least amount of gas that will reliably run the gun. Of course, that goal post moves depending on if you are building to strictly run one particular cartridge (such as 220 grain 300 Blk subs with a suppressor), or you want reliability with multiple bullet weights, loads, both suppressed and unsuppressed, etc. Ejection pattern isn't subjective, it's a decent indicator of your gun's gassing. In the video above, you notice when he put on the suppressor, ejection moved forward, which is to be expected with the extra gassing from the increased back pressure. It's still within acceptable limits, but if that gun were to be fired exclusively suppressed, I'd be looking to reduce gassing. Over gassing means harder wear on the internals, more recoil, and more crud and carbon blowing into the receiver (and your face). There are multiple ways to adjust things, adjustable gas block (and I'm sorry, I will disagree with him concerning those, good brand versions today are very reliable and don't wear out any faster than fixed ones), adjustable BCG, and buffer weights and springs to name a few. Heavier buffer and springs should only be used when you can't adjust anything else, or have run into limits as they will mitigated the pounding and timing when over gassed, but do nothing to reduce the extra crud and carbon blowing into the receiver. The lego gun is great in that it will run in less than perfect tune, but if you want it to last longer and shoot better, tune it.
No, the 13'' MCMR is a little longer than 13'' and will not provide clearance when using a suppressor in conjunction with a 13.9'' CORE Series barrel. The barrel on this rifle is 14.5'' long.
I have a voodoo witch doctor ar-15 what barrel that will take a suppressor permanently or one that has a thread would you recommend ? I’ve never built a gun before just bought it and put small shit on it
