Years ago I put together a 22 Rimfire AR15. I used a Tactical Solutions M4 Upper, and the lower build used a CMMG lower with DPMS internals. Colt M4 handguards to match the ones on my Colt M4. I got 2 plastic lip Black Dog Magazines with the upper, and ordered another 5 of the then brand new X Form stainless Steel feed lip 25 rounders.
Over the years it has had it's ups and downs on function. Last week I did a sponge bath cleaning job and was not happy with the jams.
I did a search on curing jams when using a 22 AR Dedicated Upper.
Several areas were identified to work on:
Polishing the feed ramp with a Dremmel Tool with a white buffing wheel, and polishing compound.
Run a Brass Cleaning Brush chucked up in a drill to smooth out the chamber. This required cutting off a brass cleaning rod.
Reduced Power Springs in the lower was another possible cure for it not cocking the hammer all the time. Brownells had the JP Reduced Power Spring Kit designed to improve the trigger pull.
The next thing I discovered was that my old RED FOLLOWER Black Dog X Form Magazines have a new replacement follower to improve feeding. I contacted Black Dog and got 5 of the improved followers, and a new X Form 10 round magazine in the mail. The new short 10 round magazine should make shooting off the bench work much better.
With Springs and Followers on order I started on the other tune up work. I started with a good cleaning, and not a sponge bath. I found a clump of crud in the extractor cutout on the barrel. I am sure that was not helping anything. Running a cleaning rod through the barrel, I got lots of carbon and fouling on the first several patch's. That was another area that I should have not let get that dirty. I went to polish the feed ramp, and my first few minutes looked to be polishing lead off the feed ramp. I did not expect that either. Running the Brass Brush in the chamber did not tell me much.
The lower needed a good take apart cleaning, and not just hosed out with Power Blast. I decided to put that off until the spring kit came in from Brownells. I took the Bolt Carrier out and cleaned it last week. Yesterday I took it apart further. I did not get the Firing Pin out, but I plan to. My supply of small punch's needs tuned up again. I did not have the size I needed.
I will have another weeks wait on Springs and Followers before I have all the Tune Up Work completed.
I think the Full Cleaning Job will have cured about 50% of my jamming. With luck the other work will have cured another 45%. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Some are probably thinking why not get a S&W M&P 15-22? For a start I got this Tactical Solutions Kit way before the M&P 15-22 came out. The other reason they still sell the Dedicated Uppers is that they feel more like a real AR15/M16 which is important when used for training purposes.
Bob R
Over the years it has had it's ups and downs on function. Last week I did a sponge bath cleaning job and was not happy with the jams.
I did a search on curing jams when using a 22 AR Dedicated Upper.
Several areas were identified to work on:
Polishing the feed ramp with a Dremmel Tool with a white buffing wheel, and polishing compound.
Run a Brass Cleaning Brush chucked up in a drill to smooth out the chamber. This required cutting off a brass cleaning rod.
Reduced Power Springs in the lower was another possible cure for it not cocking the hammer all the time. Brownells had the JP Reduced Power Spring Kit designed to improve the trigger pull.
The next thing I discovered was that my old RED FOLLOWER Black Dog X Form Magazines have a new replacement follower to improve feeding. I contacted Black Dog and got 5 of the improved followers, and a new X Form 10 round magazine in the mail. The new short 10 round magazine should make shooting off the bench work much better.
With Springs and Followers on order I started on the other tune up work. I started with a good cleaning, and not a sponge bath. I found a clump of crud in the extractor cutout on the barrel. I am sure that was not helping anything. Running a cleaning rod through the barrel, I got lots of carbon and fouling on the first several patch's. That was another area that I should have not let get that dirty. I went to polish the feed ramp, and my first few minutes looked to be polishing lead off the feed ramp. I did not expect that either. Running the Brass Brush in the chamber did not tell me much.
The lower needed a good take apart cleaning, and not just hosed out with Power Blast. I decided to put that off until the spring kit came in from Brownells. I took the Bolt Carrier out and cleaned it last week. Yesterday I took it apart further. I did not get the Firing Pin out, but I plan to. My supply of small punch's needs tuned up again. I did not have the size I needed.
I will have another weeks wait on Springs and Followers before I have all the Tune Up Work completed.
I think the Full Cleaning Job will have cured about 50% of my jamming. With luck the other work will have cured another 45%. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Some are probably thinking why not get a S&W M&P 15-22? For a start I got this Tactical Solutions Kit way before the M&P 15-22 came out. The other reason they still sell the Dedicated Uppers is that they feel more like a real AR15/M16 which is important when used for training purposes.
Bob R
Last edited: