(Note: This may be a bit of a rant, but I'm seeking a sanity check before I direct my rant elsewhere. It is also 6.5 Grendel content since Geissele states that their ARC mags are 6.5 Grendel compatible).
I've been troubleshooting some feeding issues in my 6 ARC. I initially thought they might be related to worn bolt internals but I don't think they are. Rumours abound on the world wide web of feeding issues with 6ARC and, well, some of them seem justified. The platform was designed for 223/556. That's a long narrow cartridge. The Grendel/ARC case is fatter. A 6mm bullet is sleeker than a 6.5. I never had any issues with Grendel. I never had any issues with 243 LBC. I never had any issues with 6ARC through a few thousand rounds. Nonetheless, I think that my trusty old 20 round Duramag Grendel mags circa 2020 may have gotten a little "tired". And maybe Hornady outsmarted themselves a bit when they bumped the shoulder back 0.03".
The mag companies gave up the ruse that the followers on their "6ARC mags" were any different than 6.5 mags in anything but the follower color a while ago. All of their mags are 6.5 Grendel/6mm ARC mags now. Except for one company who has a follower and feel lip designed for 6mm ARC. A company that I have had great experience with and likes to toot their horn about how their products are designed for military use. So I bit the bullet and ordered a 6mm ARC magazine from Geissele. The cost? NINETY dollars! Troubleshooting takes time and money, so why not buy the best I thought to myself. This will be a mag I'll never thing twice about bringing to the firing line at a match. Even if the total cost was $112.42 with tax and $15 shipping. I'll also note that between the time I ordered it and received it, the price went up to ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN DOLLARS!
So I load up 20 rounds to break it in and there is a very loud rattle inside. Like, a really loud rattle. A round about halfway down is just jiggling around like your private parts would be if you were going commando. I call up Geissele and they actually answer the phone pretty quickly. I explained the issue and after talking to me like I was a 12 year old trying to build an AR as a science project, I was told to send them a video with my concerns and that their "tech team" would review it.
So I did. And here is the video:
This is the response I recieved:
Good Afternoon Stone,
Thank you for sending that video. We shook one empty and it was silent then we put in 6 rounds but when we loaded it up with 20 rounds the full weight of the rounds does cause the same rattle. We also loaded a 30 round 5.56 mag and that rattled as well so this is typical of a fully loaded mag.
If you have any other questions, please let me know.
Thank you,
Yikes! This is their "tech team"? The tech team at a company that claims to do rigorous R&D and testing for products sold to elite military units? So I spent $90 dollars for a "typical mag" so I could have a Geissele floorplate and the four stickers they included in the box? If I buy another SSA-E and its gritty and sloppy, should I not b disappointed because a typical AR trigger is sloppy and gritty? If I were to spend over $300 on another Geissele scope mount, should I expect that it won't hold zero because a typical AR mount may not hold zero?
I bit my tongue and didn't fire back that a typical 20 round Grendel/ARC mag costs $18 - not $90 or $115.
In the meantime, I've loaded:
- A $18 20 round Duramag Grended mag with ARC. No Rattle.
- A $20 20 round Duramag .308 mag with 6.5 Creedmoor. No rattle and my 2 have never failed me in a PRS match.
- A $14 20 round ASC 5.56 mag (blem even!). Very slight rattle when I shake it side to side - none rear to fore.
- A $12 20 round Magpul 5.56 mag. Same as the ASC but more muted - likely do to polymer vs steel.
I intend to send them videos of each in comparison to theirs and am frankly ready to share them with the world on YouTube, but first want to make sure that my frustration isn't off base here.
Rant over. Thoughts appreciated!
I've been troubleshooting some feeding issues in my 6 ARC. I initially thought they might be related to worn bolt internals but I don't think they are. Rumours abound on the world wide web of feeding issues with 6ARC and, well, some of them seem justified. The platform was designed for 223/556. That's a long narrow cartridge. The Grendel/ARC case is fatter. A 6mm bullet is sleeker than a 6.5. I never had any issues with Grendel. I never had any issues with 243 LBC. I never had any issues with 6ARC through a few thousand rounds. Nonetheless, I think that my trusty old 20 round Duramag Grendel mags circa 2020 may have gotten a little "tired". And maybe Hornady outsmarted themselves a bit when they bumped the shoulder back 0.03".
The mag companies gave up the ruse that the followers on their "6ARC mags" were any different than 6.5 mags in anything but the follower color a while ago. All of their mags are 6.5 Grendel/6mm ARC mags now. Except for one company who has a follower and feel lip designed for 6mm ARC. A company that I have had great experience with and likes to toot their horn about how their products are designed for military use. So I bit the bullet and ordered a 6mm ARC magazine from Geissele. The cost? NINETY dollars! Troubleshooting takes time and money, so why not buy the best I thought to myself. This will be a mag I'll never thing twice about bringing to the firing line at a match. Even if the total cost was $112.42 with tax and $15 shipping. I'll also note that between the time I ordered it and received it, the price went up to ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN DOLLARS!
So I load up 20 rounds to break it in and there is a very loud rattle inside. Like, a really loud rattle. A round about halfway down is just jiggling around like your private parts would be if you were going commando. I call up Geissele and they actually answer the phone pretty quickly. I explained the issue and after talking to me like I was a 12 year old trying to build an AR as a science project, I was told to send them a video with my concerns and that their "tech team" would review it.
So I did. And here is the video:
This is the response I recieved:
Good Afternoon Stone,
Thank you for sending that video. We shook one empty and it was silent then we put in 6 rounds but when we loaded it up with 20 rounds the full weight of the rounds does cause the same rattle. We also loaded a 30 round 5.56 mag and that rattled as well so this is typical of a fully loaded mag.
If you have any other questions, please let me know.
Thank you,
Yikes! This is their "tech team"? The tech team at a company that claims to do rigorous R&D and testing for products sold to elite military units? So I spent $90 dollars for a "typical mag" so I could have a Geissele floorplate and the four stickers they included in the box? If I buy another SSA-E and its gritty and sloppy, should I not b disappointed because a typical AR trigger is sloppy and gritty? If I were to spend over $300 on another Geissele scope mount, should I expect that it won't hold zero because a typical AR mount may not hold zero?
I bit my tongue and didn't fire back that a typical 20 round Grendel/ARC mag costs $18 - not $90 or $115.
In the meantime, I've loaded:
- A $18 20 round Duramag Grended mag with ARC. No Rattle.
- A $20 20 round Duramag .308 mag with 6.5 Creedmoor. No rattle and my 2 have never failed me in a PRS match.
- A $14 20 round ASC 5.56 mag (blem even!). Very slight rattle when I shake it side to side - none rear to fore.
- A $12 20 round Magpul 5.56 mag. Same as the ASC but more muted - likely do to polymer vs steel.
I intend to send them videos of each in comparison to theirs and am frankly ready to share them with the world on YouTube, but first want to make sure that my frustration isn't off base here.
Rant over. Thoughts appreciated!
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