.22 conversion for ar-15

[King]

I am wanting to get a .22 conversion kit. Either CMMG or Ciener. Anyone have experience with them. Which is better. Any info would be great.

[Batteriesnare]

I have some experience with the CMMG. Can't really say anything bad about it, easy to install, disassemble, clean ect. Had some reliability issues with the firing, but I always chalked that up to the cheap Walbox ammo we were using. With mini mags it ran 100%. Good way to save some bread!

[Circuits]

I am wanting to get a .22 conversion kit. Either CMMG or Ciener. Anyone have experience with them. Which is better. Any info would be great.

For 20-some years, the "Atchisson" .22 conversion was under patent protection, said patent owned by J.A. Ceiner. Then the patent expired, so CMMG and Spike's Tactical started making the same kit.

So, there is no "better" between the kits as far as the kits themselves are concerned, just the price, availability, available finishes, and customer service issues. I'd recommend CMMG, and hate dealing with Ceiner because their customer service is actually anti-customer hostility.

If you're looking for the "ball detent" mod, spike's kits are pre-machined for it, so they'd be the way to go in that case.

If you want 30rd mags, you have to sell a testicle to Ceiner. 27rd Black Dog mags reportedly work pretty good, and are what CMMG and Spike's supply with their versions of the .22 kit.

[DeusExMachina]

I had a Ciener drop in bolt replacement from Midway. Ran like shit until I fed it Federal Bulk Pack from Walmart. Ran like a TOP! I used it for a combative carbine class and had zero, yes ZERO issues, whereas plenty of people shooting Sigs, .223 ARs (one with an M&P had a stuck case), and even AKs were having trouble.

It hated Minimags, but absolutely loved the Federal cheap stuff.

I also had to clip a couple coils off the recoil spring. It would occasionally double fire before I did that.

Oh and +1 for Black Dog mags, worked great for me.

Edit: Whats the "ball detent" mod?

[King]

Thanks for the input guys. As far as the 30 rd. mags, I think I will stick with the 27 rd. black dogs and keep my testicles.

[beast556]

Ty

[Circuits]

Edit: Whats the "ball detent" mod?

a hole drilled in the conversion bolt, and a notch milled in the .22 kit rail so that a spring-loaded ball bearing pops out of the hole into the notch when the bolt is fully forward.

Basically a new fix for bolt bounce in full auto or rapid semi fire, which can either supplement, or sometimes replace the full auto debounce weight when firing rapidly in semi, or in full auto. I don't have any pics, but a google search should turn some up on uzitalk or ar15.com in reasonably short order.

[Hoosier]

Thanks for this info, I've been planning on buying a .22 conversion kit for my AR.

[MrPrena]

I am seriously thinking about getting a CMMG 22 conversion kit as well.
I hear very good things about it.

Anyone who have/had bad experience w/ CMMG 22 conv kit?

[MichiganMilitia]

I've heard that 22.LR ammo fouls up your barrel and gas tube pretty bad... can anyone weigh in on this?

[Circuits]

If you're switching between .22 and .223 in the same upper, the recommended procedure is to fire a few rounds of .223 for every couple hundred rounds of .22 to blow the gas tube clean of any lead or carbon buildup, and let the jacketed rounds scour most of any lead deposits out of the rifling. Before I switched to a dedicated .22 upper (which has no gas port), I'd fire about five rounds for every brick/milk carton of .22.

Some buildup/blockage does occur, since it would often turn out that the first round or two of .223 wouldn't cycle the rifle at first after shooting a lot of .22. I'd single-load and fire each round of .223 with an empty magazine inserted, and consider it "blown clean" when the bolt locked back.

[MichiganMilitia]

Okay, so there's no known permanent damage or undue wear and tear on the 5.56/.223 upper?

[King]

I bought the cmmg .22 kit and had it out for the first time today. I shot 300 rounds of winchester wildcat. I had 3 FTF and 1 FTE. The kit doesnt like to extract unfired rounds so if you have a dud, it can be a pain to get it out. I am overall pleased with the kit. Its only .22 but it still puts a smile on my face. Definitely worth the investment imo. Only 3 FTF with cheap ammo didnt bother me.

[mutt]

The kit doesnt like to extract unfired rounds so if you have a dud, it can be a pain to get it out.

My Spike's kit (dedicated and conversion) had the same problem. I found replacing the extractor spring with a stronger spring (u can get them from blackdog machine) and slightly profiling the extractor claw to make contact with more of the shell rim really helped. You won't get 100% unfired extraction, but you'll get 90-95%.

[Circuits]

Yeah. The wonderful world of bulk 22LR... where we'd like every round to go "bang" but that often turns out not to be the case.

[WillysWagon]

So what about the little sting it gives you on the cheek when you plink, is it powder residue or what ?? Happens to me using the .22lr conversion on any AR15 I use it in. Does a dedicated .22lr upper do the same thing ?

[Circuits]

A dedicated upper has no gas tube or gas port, so no sting.

You can cut down on it with a gasbuster charging handle.

[WillysWagon]

A dedicated upper has no gas tube or gas port, so no sting.

Thanks Circuits, time for a dedicated .22lr upper then [Beer]

[rl45acp]

I just got a chance to try out my new CMMG conversion today. I got it from Bowers Tactical last week. Only got to shoot 75 rounds thru it. I had however been firing some Agula powderless rounds thru it. Kind of a PIA as they don't eject, and I had to use a cleaning rod to pop out each case. But it was fun being able to shoot the AR in the living room.
First mag was a little touch and go, had a couple of FTC (failure to cock, new term i guess). Second mag, one misfeed. Third mag, no problems what-so-ever while rapid fire. Havent cleaned the rifle yet.
Groups sucked, but I was using a crappy NcStar hallo type sight as I have no Iron sights for my rifle.

All and all, Funner then hell! And cheap too.

[Hoosier]

I just read somewhere that Ceinner (spelling?) has horrible customer service. Sorry I can't provide a source I didn't save the link, and I haven't dealt with them so it's hear-say evidence, for what it's worth.

I also saw CMMG now offers a stainless conversion, so I think that's what I'm looking for.

H.

[rl45acp]

I just read somewhere that Ceinner (spelling?) has horrible customer service. Sorry I can't provide a source I didn't save the link, and I haven't dealt with them so it's hear-say evidence, for what it's worth.

I also saw CMMG now offers a stainless conversion, so I think that's what I'm looking for.

H.

Per SS version: Yes, and Mike Bowers (Tactical) can get them. I went with the steel version, as it was a little less expensive, and my AR has been the "Budget Build" from the get go. And, this way, it stays a "Black Rifle". OOoooo, scary.