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.
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”
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.
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- Gas Rings Seal Test - April 17, 2017
