Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[Jimbee]

I have 20 rds through my build. Here are the last 10. I can't believe that all this garbage I glued and screwed together shoots so well. I know it's a small sample size but it sure looks promising. These are some lower velocity, 77gr midway second bullets that I loaded with range brass and CFE223.

 

[Trackselk]

I have 20 rds through my build. Here are the last 10. I can't believe that all this garbage I glued and screwed together shoots so well. I know it's a small sample size but it sure looks promising. These are some lower velocity, 77gr midway second bullets that I loaded with range brass and CFE223.View attachment 826756View attachment 826757

That's a BCA barrel right? If so, I hope mine is that good!

 

[Jimbee]

That's a BCA barrel right? If so, I hope mine is that good!

Yes.

 

[Jimbee]

I know it was discussed previously, but can someone bring me up to speed on how to modify a magazine to maximize cartridge length? And best mag? I bought a 5rd stainless duramag and have a few others laying around.

 

[packgoatguy]

Has anyone else tried the Phantom Defense NAS3 brass ammo?

I got a box of the 69gr TMK "Wasabi" variety in the mail today.

Velocity out of my 8 inch BCA 5.56 1:7 barrel was 2268fps. My regular stand1 armory 77tmk was 2215fps.

Honestly I was expecting a bit more velocity.

But the real problem was... I could not cycle the bolt (straight pull solo300) after each shot. I had to literally whack my charging handle with a hammer a few times to get the bolt to retract. Then, just to compare... I shot with the regular brass 77tmk ammo, and it cycled smooth as ever.

Is there something about this Nickle alloy case that is causing it to stick in the chamber?

 

[Trackselk]

Has anyone else tried the Phantom Defense NAS3 brass ammo?

I got a box of the 69gr TMK "Wasabi" variety in the mail today.

Velocity out of my 8 inch BCA 5.56 1:7 barrel was 2268fps. My regular stand1 armory 77tmk was 2215fps.

Honestly I was expecting a bit more velocity.

But the real problem was... I could not cycle the bolt (straight pull solo300) after each shot. I had to literally whack my charging handle with a hammer a few times to get the bolt to retract. Then, just to compare... I shot with the regular brass 77tmk ammo, and it cycled smooth as ever.

Is there something about this Nickle alloy case that is causing it to stick in the chamber?

No, but I spoke to someone who has. Those are only loaded to around 60k, I think for liability purposes, so there's a lot to be gained for us handloaders.
You've just crushed my dreams if they're hard to extract. They expand less so I wonder why also.
*supposedly stay expanded less...some measurements are in order

 

[sebastian.cassell]

Has anyone else tried the Phantom Defense NAS3 brass ammo?

I got a box of the 69gr TMK "Wasabi" variety in the mail today.

Velocity out of my 8 inch BCA 5.56 1:7 barrel was 2268fps. My regular stand1 armory 77tmk was 2215fps.

Honestly I was expecting a bit more velocity.

But the real problem was... I could not cycle the bolt (straight pull solo300) after each shot. I had to literally whack my charging handle with a hammer a few times to get the bolt to retract. Then, just to compare... I shot with the regular brass 77tmk ammo, and it cycled smooth as ever.

Is there something about this Nickle alloy case that is causing it to stick in the chamber?

I hope that you just had a bad batch or something. Sucks that they didn’t extract well. Really was banking on those nas3 cases being the shortcut to a 223 with 22 arc capabilities in the solo rifles. Have you had issues with any other standard steel case ammo? My solo runs the hornady cheapo steel stuff without a hiccup.

 

[packgoatguy]

I hope that you just had a bad batch or something. Sucks that they didn’t extract well. Really was banking on those nas3 cases being the shortcut to a 223 with 22 arc capabilities in the solo rifles. Have you had issues with any other standard steel case ammo? My solo runs the hornady cheapo steel stuff without a hiccup.

No, I haven't had any other sticky cases

 

[Trackselk]

No, I haven't had any other sticky cases

These cases are also slicker than brass, so maybe the extra pressure makes these a bad fit in a strait pull regardless.
Has anyone ran any really hot reloads in a strait pull yet?
I'll have a ladder test from the new cases and brass cases from the same barrel in about 2 weeks, depending on when my nas3 cases get here

 

[Trackselk]

@packgoatguy
Will the fired cases fit easily back into the chamber with a closed bolt?

 

[Thegman]

Has anyone else tried the Phantom Defense NAS3 brass ammo?

I got a box of the 69gr TMK "Wasabi" variety in the mail today.

Velocity out of my 8 inch BCA 5.56 1:7 barrel was 2268fps. My regular stand1 armory 77tmk was 2215fps.

Honestly I was expecting a bit more velocity.

But the real problem was... I could not cycle the bolt (straight pull solo300) after each shot. I had to literally whack my charging handle with a hammer a few times to get the bolt to retract. Then, just to compare... I shot with the regular brass 77tmk ammo, and it cycled smooth as ever.

Is there something about this Nickle alloy case that is causing it to stick in the chamber?

Did you try running one in and extracting without firing? That would help check if it's a brass tolerance issue or specific to the fired case. If I run a case that's not sized down far enough it'll stick when extracting, but is also usually difficult to chamber as well.

 

[Thegman]

I have 20 rds through my build. Here are the last 10. I can't believe that all this garbage I glued and screwed together shoots so well. I know it's a small sample size but it sure looks promising. These are some lower velocity, 77gr midway second bullets that I loaded with range brass and CFE223.View attachment 826756View attachment 826757

That's fantastic...great shooting too!

 

[packgoatguy]

Did you try running one in and extracting without firing? That would help check if it's a brass tolerance issue or specific to the fired case. If I run a case that's not sized down far enough it'll stick when extracting, but is also usually difficult to chamber as well.

Loading and extracting an unfired round feels the same to me as a regular brass loaded round.

 

[packgoatguy]

@packgoatguy
Will the fired cases fit easily back into the chamber with a closed bolt?

Nope

 

[packgoatguy]

These cases are also slicker than brass, so maybe the extra pressure makes these a bad fit in a strait pull regardless.
Has anyone ran any really hot reloads in a strait pull yet?
I'll have a ladder test from the new cases and brass cases from the same barrel in about 2 weeks, depending on when my nas3 cases get here

I consider the Stand1 77tmk ammo I usually shoot to be quite "hot" as I get 2750fps out of a 16 inch barrel. But it loads and extracts easily.

 

[Trackselk]

Nope

Hmm, I wonder if this could be a headspace issue, but unfortunately the first barrel I'll be testing is also a BCA. Although it might have different headspace than yours. I'll try it, then a shaw. You feel like firing one in your other ulul real quick? Are you feeling lucky lol

 

[Trackselk]

I consider the Stand1 77tmk ammo I usually shoot to be quite "hot" as I get 2750fps out of a 16 inch barrel. But it loads and extracts easily.

Hopefully this is a one off and I haven't been getting people excited for no good reason, but it's sounding like nope...
This whole thing is starting to make me question the safety of the higher pressures that nas3 cases are supposed to be able to handle. For anyone thinking about rolling your own, proceed with caution, as I was told that you don't see pressure like you do with brass until like 90-100k. They specifically said that even the primers don't show pressure like normal brass as well.

 

[Trackselk]

I consider the Stand1 77tmk ammo I usually shoot to be quite "hot" as I get 2750fps out of a 16 inch barrel. But it loads and extracts easily.

One last request, can you shoot one through a standard AR to verify its not a bad batch? Something isn't adding up here, from the long conversation I had with an industry insider who has seen many thousands of these cases fired around 60k.
And then curious if that fired round will go in your strait pull easily

 

[packgoatguy]

One last request, can you shoot one through a standard AR to verify its not a bad batch? Something isn't adding up here, from the long conversation I had with an industry insider who has seen many thousands of these cases fired around 60k.
And then curious if that fired round will go in your strait pull easily

Sorry, I don't have a standard ar15.

 

[Thegman]

I consider the Stand1 77tmk ammo I usually shoot to be quite "hot" as I get 2750fps out of a 16 inch barrel. But it loads and extracts easily.

Yeah, and your Stand1 is probably faster than these, to boot. Thanks for testing these out. These NAS cases might be a flash in the pan. Will be interesting to see how they do for others.