Gas Rings Seal Test

There are three gas rings as part of your AR bolt and they function a lot like the piston rings in your car’s engine. If the rings do not create a good seal, your rifle may not function properly, so it’s important to make sure they provide a good seal. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to check this.

Remove the bolt from the bolt carrier group and make sure the gaps in the rings do NOT line up. This is important because if they do line up, it creates a channel gas blows through. If you need to rotate the rings, it’s easy enough to do with a small screwdriver.

Next, thoroughly clean your entire bolt carrier group and reassemble.

Stand your bolt carrier group on end. If the carrier stays up, your ring seal is good. If gravity pulls the carrier down, you need new rings.

Finally, pull the bolt out as far as it will go and stand the bolt carrier group on end with the bolt facing down. If the carrier stays up, it’s all good. If gravity pulls the bolt carrier down the bolt, however, then the rings aren’t sealing and you need to take the bolt to a gunsmith to have the gas rings replaced.

 

 

Scott Mayer

www.John1911.com

“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”

Scott Mayer

Scott Mayer

Writer at John1911
Mayer began his outdoor industry career in 1993 on the NRA Technical Staff where he became American Rifleman magazine first Shooting Editor. Mayer left NRA and entered the business end of publishing in 2003 as Advertising Account Executive for Safari Club International SAFARI Magazine and Safari Times newspaper. In 2006, Mayer was named Publisher of Shooting Times magazine where he was also tasked with launching and leading Personal Defense TV, the first television show of its kind.

In 2008, Mayer returned to the editorial side of publishing, this time in the digital field, as Editorial Director for Guns & Ammo, Shooting Times, Handguns and Rifleshooter online magazines. After a brief stint in 2011 as the Digital Media Director for an ABC TV affiliate, Mayer returned to the outdoors industry and Safari Club International where he is currently Assistant Publisher and Multi-Media Communications Editor.
Scott Mayer

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