The weather is warming up, the snow is melting off and I was able to make it up the road to the local shooting spot to test changes made to the Big Smith.
First, I pushed the scope forward so I could shorten the stock up a bit. When I first got an AR with an adjustable stock my first thought was "I can finally extend the stock to fit my length of pull!" With my longer than average arms, factory stocks have always been too short. I set the scope on the Big Smith (and my precision AR) with the the stock set to fit my length of pull. That meant the stock was fully extended. However, I found the shooting position uncomfortable. Turns out, I needed to shorten the stocks and push the scope forward. I guess I'd been shooting rifles with stocks too short for so long, they feel normal.
Second, I removed the long & heavy factory flash suppressor and replaced it with a BABC.
Third, I replaced the S&W trigger with the trigger out of my PSA carbine which has been well broke in with almost a thousand rounds and countless dry fires. (It's been said the bolt release needs to be removed to install the trigger. I found that if the bolt release is pressed as if locking the bolt back, it raises the bar inside the receiver and the hammer can then easily be slid forward into place.) The trigger is still has plenty of travel but the pull is smoother and more predictable. It's a much welcome change until I can afford another G trigger.
All the changes are working. Shortening the LOP and adjusting the eye relief to match has resulted in a more comfortable, natural shooting rifle. The BABC goes a long way towards reducing muzzle climb and softening recoil. The Big Smith is much more pleasant to shoot and I can keep the target in the FOV of the scope during recoil and get back on it quicker. Double and triple taps are doable. Having a smoother, predictable trigger makes it easier to make hits. All three changes really make the rifle much better.
When I first got the rifle, the recoil felt harsh, especially compared to a FAL. I tried a heavier buffer but the rifle started short stroking with milsurp. (I haven't been able to run but one or two rounds of commercial ammo through it.) Today, I took the rifle out along with a carbine, H & H2 buffers. With German MEN and an application of oil through the vent ports of the carrier, the rifle ran fine with the carbine buffer. When I switched to the H buffer, it wouldn't lock back on the last shot. I put the carbine buffer back in and ran a couple mags through without trouble. Only more shooting will tell, but it looks the carbine buffer is needed in the Big Smith.
I also tried an H2 buffer in my 20" precision 5.56 with a rifle length gas system. It ran great and it softened recoil quite a bit. Next I'm going to try an H3 as it's pretty close in weight to a rifle buffer. With the H2 buffer, it was much easier to keep target in the FOV of the scope during recoil and that is with an A2 birdcage, not a comp.
Another thing that helped with felt recoil is shortening the LOP. I started shooting when I was small and rifles & shotguns with stocks too long for me seemed to kick harder than stocks that were too short. This is why I'm a firm believer of cutting down stocks to fit young shooters. Something as simple as length of pull and correctly setting eye relief made a difference in shootability and recoil control.
None of the changes were big, but added together, they made a noticeable difference.
Couple of things that were impressed upon me today-
Don't stand in the middle of a mud puddle if you're going to be ham fisted while loading ammo into your mags.
Don't forget your sling. When you need both hands, the ground is muddy and no benches are around, you'll figure out quickly just how valuable a sling is.
If you're going to take your 1911 out to test fire it, don't leave the ammo at home
Still need to fire the Big Smith with good ammo to find out how it groups, but it shoots consistent enough with milsurp that I can easily hit pieces of clay pigeons out to a hundred yards
First, I pushed the scope forward so I could shorten the stock up a bit. When I first got an AR with an adjustable stock my first thought was "I can finally extend the stock to fit my length of pull!" With my longer than average arms, factory stocks have always been too short. I set the scope on the Big Smith (and my precision AR) with the the stock set to fit my length of pull. That meant the stock was fully extended. However, I found the shooting position uncomfortable. Turns out, I needed to shorten the stocks and push the scope forward. I guess I'd been shooting rifles with stocks too short for so long, they feel normal.
Second, I removed the long & heavy factory flash suppressor and replaced it with a BABC.
Third, I replaced the S&W trigger with the trigger out of my PSA carbine which has been well broke in with almost a thousand rounds and countless dry fires. (It's been said the bolt release needs to be removed to install the trigger. I found that if the bolt release is pressed as if locking the bolt back, it raises the bar inside the receiver and the hammer can then easily be slid forward into place.) The trigger is still has plenty of travel but the pull is smoother and more predictable. It's a much welcome change until I can afford another G trigger.
All the changes are working. Shortening the LOP and adjusting the eye relief to match has resulted in a more comfortable, natural shooting rifle. The BABC goes a long way towards reducing muzzle climb and softening recoil. The Big Smith is much more pleasant to shoot and I can keep the target in the FOV of the scope during recoil and get back on it quicker. Double and triple taps are doable. Having a smoother, predictable trigger makes it easier to make hits. All three changes really make the rifle much better.
When I first got the rifle, the recoil felt harsh, especially compared to a FAL. I tried a heavier buffer but the rifle started short stroking with milsurp. (I haven't been able to run but one or two rounds of commercial ammo through it.) Today, I took the rifle out along with a carbine, H & H2 buffers. With German MEN and an application of oil through the vent ports of the carrier, the rifle ran fine with the carbine buffer. When I switched to the H buffer, it wouldn't lock back on the last shot. I put the carbine buffer back in and ran a couple mags through without trouble. Only more shooting will tell, but it looks the carbine buffer is needed in the Big Smith.
I also tried an H2 buffer in my 20" precision 5.56 with a rifle length gas system. It ran great and it softened recoil quite a bit. Next I'm going to try an H3 as it's pretty close in weight to a rifle buffer. With the H2 buffer, it was much easier to keep target in the FOV of the scope during recoil and that is with an A2 birdcage, not a comp.
Another thing that helped with felt recoil is shortening the LOP. I started shooting when I was small and rifles & shotguns with stocks too long for me seemed to kick harder than stocks that were too short. This is why I'm a firm believer of cutting down stocks to fit young shooters. Something as simple as length of pull and correctly setting eye relief made a difference in shootability and recoil control.
None of the changes were big, but added together, they made a noticeable difference.
Couple of things that were impressed upon me today-
Don't stand in the middle of a mud puddle if you're going to be ham fisted while loading ammo into your mags.
Don't forget your sling. When you need both hands, the ground is muddy and no benches are around, you'll figure out quickly just how valuable a sling is.
If you're going to take your 1911 out to test fire it, don't leave the ammo at home
Still need to fire the Big Smith with good ammo to find out how it groups, but it shoots consistent enough with milsurp that I can easily hit pieces of clay pigeons out to a hundred yards
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