Thread: Utas .223

Originally Posted by dogmatix

And the pistol grip screw is a smaller size than milspec!

What... I guess they used M6 or something like that?

Originally Posted by magiccube

What... I guess they used M6 or something like that?

The thread is 5.7mm in dia so I guess that's the M6.

Originally Posted by Beavis

I took mine for a hoon last Friday. I found it's pretty fussy and didn't give very good accuracy with what I had, except for Belmont bulk 77gr SMK, which has very acceptable accuracy. I will need to do some handloads I think with 69-77gr pills to get the best out of it. The 55 and 62gr stuff I tried had "govt acceptance" accuracy. Would still be fine for shooting goats at closer ranges.

Fwiw, if you plan on changing the stock, order a mil spec buffer tube with the gun. The one it comes with is some weird pattern I've never seen before.

The stock trigger is a milspec style trigger. It's not bad at all for what it is. I have pulled much worse stock triggers on American rifles.

The thread on the buffer tube was poorly cut. The diameter for the buffer tube is 1.164 which is obviously not a milspec dimension.

I got some field test result from my local range yesterday:

PMC 55gr FMJ and XTAC were shooting really bad on UTAS516. Around 3moa at 100yd and chronoed at 3015fps.

PMC 77gr XTAC works slightly better. Scored around 1moa at the same distance and chronoed at 2475fps.


Here are the list of modifications and encountered some issues:
* The buffer tube is not milspec. The thread was poolrly cut. I have to bring my gun to the gunsmith to get the castle nut removed.
* The pistol grip screw seems using the M6.
* The magazine latch is not milspec neither. The magpul enlarged mag catch can't be fitted directly.
* There is wobble between upper and lower. The upper doesn't seems to mate well with the lower horizontally.

Here are something good:
* This is an AR. I can put most of the AR parts on it.
* Using the slient captured buffer spring eliminated the buffer spring sound.
* Trigger is not bad. My finger likes it.

The buffer tube is some random thing. If you want to change out the stock, order a milspec tube with the gun.

I swapped handguards on mine as well. I couldn't use the Bravo Company one I wanted, as the chamber area of the barrel is a couple of thou too fat for the barrel nut to fit over. I ended up using an ALG handguard and the barrel nut fit no problem.

That's two of us now that have found they shoot like crap with 55gr loads but fine with 77gr SMK.

I will try some Hornady 55 and 62gr soft points to see if I have any luck, but I am leaning towards running 73gr ELD's or 77gr TMK's. Might even try 65gr Game Kings.

As I said before, even with 3moa with 55gr, if you are just shooting goats out to 100m, it will work fine. We used to use AK's and SKS's with often worse accuracy for that and they worked. If I'm being honest, most of my AR15's back in the day didn't shoot brilliant with lighter bullets.

I dont mind the butt stock design, so am happy with the buffer tube as is.
My late Spikes and Aero ARs had wobble between the upper and lower.
I've put a Magpul pistol grip on and kept the factory screw after cutting a slot to use a normal screw driver.
I wont be using 55gn ammo.
Only 62gn and up.
Yes the factory trigger is pretty damn good. Better than the ALG QMS I put in. Might swap them around again.

Note, the bottom of the upper receiver and the top of the lower are angled at the join, not perpendicular.
This will be one of the reasons why NZPHQ permitted the rifles, as due to the angle, they won't line up and fit milspec receivers.

shot mine today with my 55grn reloads. shot 1moa which is good as I have 1000 odd left over from mini action I just sold. also shot with 69grn hpbt which was sub moa

forward assist doesnt seem to be working well, doesnt anyone feel the same?

The forward assist is pretty redundant on a straight pull, as the BCG won't be getting full of carbon from the gas like the semi auto AR.

I think I only ever used it once or twice on my 6.5 Gre AR when hunting pre Chch.
When I slowly and gently chambered a round and used the forward assist to insure it was chambered properly.

Originally Posted by holdover

forward assist doesnt seem to be working well, doesnt anyone feel the same?

Yeah the forward assist doesn't really engage with the bolt carrier when the round is not fully chambered.

How come you guys are using the forward assist? Are you riding the bolt home?

Originally Posted by dogmatix

The forward assist is pretty redundant on a straight pull, as the BCG won't be getting full of carbon from the gas like the semi auto AR.

I think I only ever used it once or twice on my 6.5 Gre AR when hunting pre Chch.
When I slowly and gently chambered a round and used the forward assist to insure it was chambered properly.

noisy loading has always been the major downside to semi autos for hunting.

Originally Posted by GDMP

Saw one (or the lower half of one at least) today....it seemed a bit better quality than I had expected....trigger seemed Ok also for a standard type trigger.The hammer and trigger pins remove just as on a standard AR however the hammer pin is held in very tightly indeed compared to ones I have experienced in the past on various AR rifles....it needs to be given a very hard smack with a correctly fitting punch in order to drift it sideways and out of the receiver.

Yep, there is a wire clip in a slot in the hammer that hold the pin in real tight.
The after market ALG QMS trigger has the same.
Use plenty of lube when you get round to reinstalling.