Hoot wrote:Though I'm waiting on my upper (4 weeks today) I have read that the front block is non-functional.
Hoot
2x, but can be made functional and why would one do that?
Answer: When trying to ring out the performance one needs to increase the powder volume and use slower burn rate powders. This must not be done by the faint of heart or the inexperienced, there are dangers involved in doing this and if "You" break something, only "You" are the blame!
The slower powders, lower bullet speeds and pressures, allowing you to increase the powder amount, again caution. But much can be gained or lost (like your weapon or health), by looking for that wall.
But there is a Wall that will be reached long before you get to the Speed/Pressure Wall. Long before you get to the end of the trail I'm now describing, the action will start opening way too soon and start ripping off the rims or quit functioning altogether. In order to get pass this, the Dwell Time must be changed. Using the extra gas block on the 20" inch barrel, is the trick. You guys can do the same on the 16", by installing a new rifle length gas block and accompanying gas tube or using the supplied gas block and coming up with a way to block that gas port, pick one they are all pretty much going to work.
But what of the carbine length gas port? Many things and ,methods could be used to block it, but for us 20" guys, we've got a quick little fix. By rotating the Dissipater Gas Block (The name for the carbine length gas block and is the gas block on used on both Factory 20" and 16" weapons.) 180 degrees and then reattaching. I then run the Rifle length tube, right over the upside down Dissipater. Bingo end of that Road and on to another road, which is Speed and we all know Speed Kills, just make sure it isn't you, because you went to far up the powder scale.
By finding a home for the dissipater gas tube on the weapon its self, you can quickly and easily revert back to the dissipater system, if you want to revert back to Factory ammunition.
But here is the Holy Grail for wanting to do all of this. Keep in mind that the shortening of the 45 Pro to be able to use the pointed bullets, pressure curves changed allot. But, in the 45 Pro (not in the 450 Bushmaster ammo), and for years my standard loading was 230gr bullets at 3000fps!