223/5.56 rifle build

[JeepsAndGuns]

I got in the mag. I ordered one from MDT, since magpul does not make one yet, and the accurate mag is significantly more expensive than the MDT.
Mag looks good, I go to test fit and it is very snug going in, I push a little and it never goes in far enough to lock. I go to pull it back out and I can't! I pull and pull but it will not budge. I have my girlfriend hold the stock and I pull on the mag and just play tug of war with her! I ended up having to take the bottom metal off completely and the while holding the bottom metal, hitting the rear of the mag with a soft face hammer to finally get it out.
I looked at the mag and it appears to be contacting at the rear sides. I guess for some reason it is wider than other mags. I test the 3 different magpul 308 mags I have any they all fit perfectly. Not sure if should just sand the mag to fit, or contact MDT.
It would not be the first time I have had to sand a mag. I have had to do it to a AR10 p-mag. The 20 rounders fit perfectly and drop free, but the 10 round was tight and had to be pushed in and pulled out firmly. I had to sand on the front and rear of it to make it smooth.

[JeepsAndGuns]

Well I got a few min this weekend and decided to try and work on the mag. I took and sanded the sides of the rear. It fits now and locks into place normally. I had to take a good little bit off.
Now I need to make me up some dummy rounds and test it. I do not like using live rounds to test functions.

[JeepsAndGuns]

I had some time and finally made some dummy rounds to test. I had about 5 reloads someone had given me. Since I do not shoot other peoples reloads, I pulled them down. I kept the primed brass, and reloaded the bullets into some random mixed brass I had. I did not weigh the bullets, but they were fmj and looked like 55gr. I had one random bullets in my parts bin that was a soft point and must be either 45-50 gr. I loaded it into a dummy too.
I tested out the mag, and it is kinda hit and miss. It feeds pretty much ok unless I try to go slow. If I go slow, the round will pop up and go nose up, and get caught between the top of the receiver and the breech. If I go at a normal rate, it seems to feed ok. However that one random soft nose bullet does not like to feed. Every now and then it does, but usually it will catch on the bottom edge of the feed ramp. I do not think that is going to be much of a problem, as the bullet is very short because it is so small, and 55gr fmj is the smallest/lightest bullet I ever plan on using.
Not sure when I will be able to shoot it, as I will be moving soon, and that will take some time.

[JeepsAndGuns]

Forgot all about labor day and that the place I work at was closed. So I took that chance to break in the barrel.
I had a 50 round box of prime 55gr "match +" I got from target sports. https://www.targetsportsusa.com/prime-ammunition-223-remington-ammo-55-grain-match-plus-7425240050-p-109367.aspx
It's 55gr FMJ, so I doubt the name of "match" and I am pretty sure it is just re-boxed/re-branded Geco ammo.

Anyways, I fire one shot and clean for the first 5 rounds. Then 5 shots and clean for the next few, for a total of 25. I have never shot any of this ammo before, so I do not know how it groups in other rifles. And I have never fired this rifle before, so I do not have any other ammo to compare to. But I was getting a average of 1-1/4 inches at 100 yards with it.

I had the muzzle brake off for the first 20 rounds to make cleaning easier. I put it on for the last 10 shots. It made a small but noticeable difference. It is more for looks than anything. It does look pretty good on there. I did notice my group raised about 1 inch after putting on the brake. Size did not seem to change, it was just about a inch higher. Funny, but it does not bother me, as that is why scopes are adjustable. I will leave the brake on there until I one day get a suppressor.

The mag seemed to feed fine and I did not have any hiccups or feeding issues. The bolt lift after firing was nice and smooth/easy, and you can just about open the bolt and cycle it without holding the rifle with the other hand. The time and true service pays off again. Trigger was nice and light.

Scope zeroed in pretty easy. But I do want to upgrade some time in the future when money allows. I have been spoiled by the sightron and higher end vortex scopes I have on other rifles.
This one is not a bad scope, I just want paralex adjustment, and a little more magnification and a larger objective.

[PhilC]

Working on a build myself, last item is the barrel which has been ordered from X-Caliber. Read this post a couple times, which Vortex is on your rifle?

[JeepsAndGuns]

which Vortex is on your rifle?

It's a diamondback tactical 4-12x40

[Texas10]

Looks great, nothing like when it started life. Nice conversion, and very well done.

Now, if you really want to have some fun, replace that brake with a Harrells Tuner/Brake. Once you go tuner, you never go back!

[JeepsAndGuns]

I finished out the box of 50 rounds of the prime 223 yesterday. Accuracy was still about the same, but it was starting to get a little better. was around 1 inch groups. Some were better, but then there would be a flier and it would take to group size up.
Today I decide to try out a box of Magtech/CBC 77gr OTM I had. https://www.targetsportsusa.com/magtech-fd-sniper-556-nato-ammo-77-grain-otm-556c-p-82712.aspx
I have shot one box out of my heavy barrel AR15 with pretty good results.
I will say this. For the price, this seems like to be a heck of a deal. It seems like this rifle and this ammo seem to like each other.
On the following target, the very center was the first cold clean bore shots (5 shots). The one just below it was group 2 (5 shots), the one above the center was group 3 (10 shots). Upper right was group 4 (10 shots), upper left was group 5 (10 shots), lower right was group 6 (5 shots), and the lower left was group 7 (5 shots).
Distance was 100 yards, front bipod, rear bag. I let the rifle cool between groups, with the exception of the last 20 rounds, which were all consecutive. I wanted to see what, if any, the group size or poi changed when hot. It actually did not seem to effect it much, if any at all. By the time I was done with the last round, the barrel was very uncomfortable to touch. I usually never shoot a barrel till it gets that hot, but I just wanted to see how it performed.

So far I am really enjoying this rifle. Now I know that I really really want to upgrade the glass, but that is going to have to wait a while.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48817237371_a7e1039523_b.jpg