kitty kat ar pistol issues

[cofi]

Just bought my first ar pistol!!!! was playing around with it on (cheap tula ammo)and had some problems with FTExtract and im thinking this thing is a bit under gassed is there anything i should try to play around with before having the gas ports opened up??? and if not what size should i poen them up to???

[Delfuego]

Try brass ammo first. Then diagnose issue. Tula is steel, steel ammo is not always great.

[BPTactical]

I would strongly advise against opening up the gas port. Like Del said-dont shoot steel cased ammo in an AR. Brass casings will expand to the chamber and then shrink a touch, steel casings expand and are not as elastic. You will stick a case eventually.
Put at least 3-400 rounds through it before you pass any judgment on its reliability.
They are also a bit sensitive to your technique, make sure you are not "limp wristing" it.
Is this a factory complete pistol or a build? If it is factory whose is it?

[cofi]

I would strongly advise against opening up the gas port. Like Del said-dont shoot steel cased ammo in an AR. Brass casings will expand to the chamber and then shrink a touch, steel casings expand and are not as elastic. You will stick a case eventually.
Put at least 3-400 rounds through it before you pass any judgment on its reliability.
They are also a bit sensitive to your technique, make sure you are not "limp wristing" it.
Is this a factory complete pistol or a build? If it is factory whose is it?

factory dpms.......there is no way i wont shoot steel case if a gun doesnt shoot steel but will function with brass then it is barely working with brass imo..... all my other ar's only get a diet of steel

po put 100 rounds through it ive got like another 200 or so ill try shooting it some more but do you have any buffer weight/ spring combos i can try?\
why not open up the gas port???

[CareyH]

its your AR, get out the uni-bit and open'r up.

My SBR has a Kitty kat 7 1/2in upper on it and it works great the way I got it, but I dont shoot steel case ammo out of it.

[ray1970]

+1 on steel case ammo junking up an otherwise perfect gun. Many years ago I had an AR that always gave me extraction/ejection/cycling issues. Turns out when I quit trying to run the steel case stuff all of my problems magically disappeared. Needless to say, I now reserve the steel stuff to use in AK rifles.

But, do what you wish as it is your weapon. Over-gassing an AR by making the gas port too large will cause issues as well. If the chamber isn't chrome lined i would recommend doing some serious polishing of the chamber to start with and see if that helps.

[BPTactical]

Generally I prefer to eliminate variables when diagnosing an issue.
Ammo first. Opening up the gas port is a last step. In between fall springs and buffers
As mentioned over-gassing creates its own set of issues with number one attempting to open the bolt while chamber pressures are excessively high. Can you say sheared lugs and ripped off case heads?
Make sure the weapon is lubed well and keep it held as firmly as possible.

Is this a brand new pistol? If so contact DPMS. But they are going to yap at you for shooting steel cased ammo. Some warranties are even voided by steel case.

Steel cased ammo works in AK and SKS type firearms for one reason. They have a tapered chamber which makes it somewhat self ejecting. AR's are pretty much straight walled chambers which adds to the problem.
BTW-my CMMG gas port is .079.

[bobbyfairbanks]

If you got to shoot steal case try silver bear. It think it is pretty good stuff and have never had any issues with them.

[Circuits]

Don't shoot Tula, or pre-WPA wolf. If it works with Barnaul or the bears, or brass, the rifle is fine, it's the ammo that's falling short.

Some rifles are able to run the underpowered Tula/Wolf. If yours won't, get over it, it's $10/1000 difference.

[DOC]

Have you tried tightening the gas key? A lot of the time FTF or FTE is caused by a loose gas key leaking pressure.