AR-15/M-16 Platform set-up for extreme COLD......Question(How To)

[AGL4now]

Reliability of the AR-15/M-16/M4 type tools in severe cold......This thread is NOT to debate if these platforms have merit and/or any useful arctic application.

This thread asks, "If your life depended on the above platform functioning in severe arctic winter cold/snow/hore-frost, etc. "WHAT" is the best method for preparing the firearm for these conditions.

 

[strangerinastrangeland]

Great accuracy in that platform, but some are great, some cruddy. If your not sure of its reliability, your best bet is to make the first shot count, and if it cycles and dosent stay back in the tube or just shy of locking up, you'll get a back up.
Very clean with solvents and graphite lube will generally get one motivated to do its job in -40, but when youve dedicated your body, warmed and slowly rode your ride or walked any distance at all in that weather to get "fur",or just hunt (maybe self defense?) a gun that "usually works" is never as good as a gun that "Always works".
There are a great many companys building these, and they can range from most Excellent to most Shiddy, and alot in between. The military inspects and correct before and after issue, but when you buy an "AR platform", you are in the realm of Cavet Emptor........You rarely can call on an Armorer with vast experience and spares to correct your problems. Studying the Tool, is a good start, before buying, and know the variations inbetween.

I have delt with an Colt H-bar, a regular Colt and a Bushmaster target grade, The Bushmaster being the most down to earth POS in the cold, due, Im sure to close tolerances that made it exceedingly accurate. It was effectively a single shot 1/2 the time.It's bolt loved staying back in its tube, and easing itsself forward, just oh so slow........ The other two were finicky, and the most common malfunctions were failures to lock up, though sometimes a failure to hit the primer hard enough. The H-bar is still in active use with a guy in the village, I think he runs it dry, carrier and firing pin too. One BIG help, I have seen with the couple of guys who still use their AR's is shooting it ALOT. Like a couple cases to get familiar, as well as a break in period, like any machine, and find out what kinda ammo runs it best. Unlike the military, the optimum stuff isnt being given to those who are shooting, truly almost anything can be found.

Cheap and easily available Russian ammo is 'sooty' and can really build up in the carrier/receiver and sludge up quickly.In reality, no ones being issued Military ammo to hunt with, perhaps seeking some of such would be a help tward reliability. Ive also used other .223 brands unknown, some shoot dirty, some shoot clean.

Mismatching bullet weight to the barrels rate of twist can mess with accuracy too.........severely in some cases.

Clean clean clean again, since were all not in the military with no better option, its as easy as looking at whats working for the other guys, and if its a semi on a Wolf Hunt at -40 (they can't run, they cant sit still, its almost too easy ) and they use Mini-14's, or like I did, a Bolt action. When its deeply cold, leaveing a few rounds out of any semi-auto's mag can help alot too, like 25 in a 30 rd mag seems to help the stovepipes from coming on.
When its deeply cold, a Rem700 tends to do light strikes, and before going out in deep cold, I had to advance my fireing pin to maximum on my Mosin, and return it to its mid setting when it warmed up, or peirce primers...... (Vince would remember Ox hunting at -39' and oh what our fun guns could be)

If its above -25, Id say your gonna have a good weapon to get it done with. Below that, keep it clean and try to find ammo thats both clean firing and accurate, and ,hopefully, a good from the start set up, with some looser tolerances, that you shoot to adnauseum, preseason, for breaking the machine in and to get familiar for quick and accurate use, you might get happy.

 

[AGL4now]

None of mine have an adjustable gas block, but I should think that would be a good arctic option. A better option might be to set one up with a larger gas hole for winter. It would then be "Over-Gassed" for summer. But just have a summer AR that exspells the spent cases to three o'clock. Running a light weight Nic-cadium coated M-16 carrier might help also. I am setting up a 6.8SPC for winter use.

Where I live now, and plan to live till I die, it rarely gets below -25 for very long.

 

[Lowrider]

Graphite after you clean all the goop off.

 

[Nitroman]

Adjustable gas block. Gotta turn up the gas when in the deep cold.

 

[strangerinastrangeland]

Yes. I see.....actually Ive seen a couple of old and well used Korean M-200 Dawoo's, around , I think they are still in near daily use....... they are basicly the AR system with an adjustable piston and gas block. Hmmmmm, good idea that gas block. Might make a very accurate rifle into a reliable semi......another thingamajig that civilian have the opportunity to use or misuse, but a + if its the cure.I'm gonna quiz 'em good when I bump into 'em again. Nothing like first hand evaluations , in any given situation.

 

[Nitroman]

Check out the FN-FAL.