What are the specific M1S problems?

[mooster1223]

I'm ready to put together a 300/221 or buy a bonified 300 whisper. I've already found out that J&T won't thread the barrel 5/8 24, M1S has a questionable reputation and SSK uppers are PRICEY!

I really don't want to "waste" money on the M1S upper if it's going to be nothing but trouble. Are they truly unreliable? There is nothing worse than getting a new toy only to find out that it's going to take lots of tinkering to get it to run. I want reliability with subsonics.

Are SSK uppers totally reliable and worth the extra money?

Any help would be great.

Jim

[cav_scout_tj]

The main thing is get the gas port set up right. I believe M1S places the gas port in the carbine position. If you want to run subsonics, you need the port in the pistol position.

If you do your homework on the port diameter. You can open the port up and use an adjustable gas block to close it down as needed or you can pick a port size carefully to your needs. I think like 0.079" is

A few people have bought barrels from M1S and specified NO port be drilled, and then had that part done themselves to their specs.

As for where to get barrels, Noveske is always a good choice. They do runs now and then. Any good rifle smith can turn a 30 cal blank in to a nice 300 barrel. I got mine from Marty @ Teppo.

The barrel is the main thing to worry about. The rest of the parts are standard AR-15 parts which you can find just about anywhere, and putting it all together is pretty easy.

[mooster1223]

M1S told me that they would port in the pistol position for me. I have been reading the posts on here for about 2 weeks and have found more than one poster that would not choose M1S again. If the port position is the ONLY issue, that seems to be an easy one to remedy.

I don't see an actual reason that posters are unhappy, just that "I won't do that again". I just talked to SSK again at lunch. They are about 2.5 months out on producing AR uppers. The cost is $1100 and I am an ohio resident so I get wammied with tax as well.

So my original question once again is, if I can get a M1S upper ported properly, will that take care of all the "M1S issues" and will it run properly or should I just bite the bullet and buy an assembled upper from the "master" JDJ at SSK. Does his product carry a premium price for a substantiated reason?

Jim

[interceptor]

My MAIN issue with my M1S upper was the chamber was not cut correctly and I had to borrow a reamer from another shooter. Once I got it to where I could actually chamber a round then the accuracy sucked for about the first 75 rounds or so, then one day it just cleaned up and started grouping well. Barrel finally broke in, and there are several threads about this subject going so we won't go there right now.

I've worked out my issues with my M1S upper, but I'd already filed a new SBR request with ATF by the time it started grouping well. At that same time I purchased parts and gave them to my fav gunsmith to have a Rem700 in 300 Whisper built so I could have an accurate one. Oh well.

IMO, M1S's QC leaves something lacking. There is no way my upper was checked before it left their place of business and not even be able to put a round all the way into the chamber (like 0.300" out, IIRC. it's been about a year and a half now so don't hold me to those numbers)

[hugginsvilleH&A]

I have had no problems with my M1S upper they are "er shaw" barrels like all the other ar upper out there, I think you need to look at the reloading aspect first and foremost, the subsonics are a very finicky round to load, but once you find a sweet load all is good ,,,,,,,,,,till the temps changes,,, nah it aint that bad all the time but it is tricky, shoot one and you will love it

[nwcid]

I had a barrel made by Lilja but they are not cheep either.

Does JT have a NON threaded barrel they sell or just threaded 1/2x28?
If they sell them non threaded send the barrel (or whole upper) to http://www.tornado-technologies.com/ and they will thread it however you like. TT has a huge following on the silencer boards. I had him do 3 barrels for me a couple weeks ago. I did it in person and Mike is a hell of a good guy with a very fair price.

.

[Spook]

My M1S barrel ran great from the first shot, sub or otherwise. Took 'em two try's to get the twist right though.:eek:

[Colohunter]

My M1S upper still shoots about 3", so I am hoping to improve that still, but I have figured out the loading to the point that they are cycling fine with 220gr. And my gas port is in the original carbine position.

[Stephen J.]

colohunter. Could you give me some detail on how you are loading? I'm still trying to fine tune for the 220s. What powder, how much, other mods, suppressed? Thanks.

[mooster1223]

Thanks for all the replys. I guess I never thought of spending the extra money and getting a non threaded barrel threaded to my specs. I'll probably call Paul at M1S when he gets back in on monday and get the upper ordered at least. My reading dies, 221 brass and 220 gr bullets showed up today. I'm going to put together some of the recipies listed hear on the fourm, that way i'm ready to go. Ordered my can yesterday, so the LONG wait has begun.

Jim

[kurtz]

Thanks for all the replys. I guess I never thought of spending the extra money and getting a non threaded barrel threaded to my specs. I'll probably call Paul at M1S when he gets back in on monday and get the upper ordered at least. My reading dies, 221 brass and 220 gr bullets showed up today. I'm going to put together some of the recipies listed hear on the fourm, that way i'm ready to go. Ordered my can yesterday, so the LONG wait has begun.

Jim

If I'm reading correctly you are going to load up some ammo before you have the barrel/ upper in hand.....please don't take this as pouring water on your enthusiasm.....I recently spoke to a gentleman that set his dies and loaded close to 300 rounds of ammo based off his friends 300 whisper die/chamber setting anticipating the arrival of his Model 1 300-221.....when he got his Model 1 upper the loaded ammo didn't headspace correctly in the chamber, that's a lot of bullets to pull...If I'm reading wrong, sorry...

Talking with a few guys on the forum, It's pretty common to have to make up several action proving dummies to find the die setting that best headspaces to your specific chamber...

[mooster1223]

Yep , you read correctly. Now that I read what I was going to do, doesn't seem to be the brightest idea. Thanks for saving me the time.

Jim

[Colohunter]

colohunter. Could you give me some detail on how you are loading? I'm still trying to fine tune for the 220s. What powder, how much, other mods, suppressed? Thanks.


I'm not by my reloading info now, but I think I posted it else where. I started with H110 but had mixed results. I switched to AA 1680 and was able to get full function with the 220gr subsonics, that is with just a plain vanilla M1S upper, no suppressor (unfortunately).

I also loaded up some Hornady 150gr FMJs, that are much cheaper. That load info is at the end of a thread I started about 147gr FMJs. Eventually I found a load for the 150grs that cycled all rounds, though it didn't lock the bolt back after the last round. I can live with that, considering I don't have an adjustable gas block or tube.

[mooster1223]

Well, I finally got Paul at M1S on the phone today and found out that there is up to a 16 week wait to get the upper built and shipped to me. I'm looking forward to trying some of the loads listed here. Finding the perfect load for a rifle is really where most of the fun is. :grin:

Thanks for all the help, and saving me $600. By the time spring gets here, I should know if it was money well spent.

Jim

[Spook]

Jim, I have an extra Model 1 barrel if you can come up with the rest of the components.....

[pud-knocker]

has anyone tried taking a model 1 barrel and re-chambering it....it seems most of the problems are related to having a shallow chamber....they look like they are a good value considering the cost of some of the other 300-221 barrels I've looked at.

[interceptor]

Uh, yeah. Me for one.

[GaryM]

I used a M1S barrel on my own build. The only trouble I had was poor accuracy (4-5"@100yds). I lapped the barrel and now have a rifle damn close to 1MOA. So that I could fire both super and subsonics I used an adjustable gas block.
It took some time at the range but it does run reliably and accurately now.

[Pitt300]

I have a M1S & am VERY happy.
2 things to address!
JD Jones has patent on 300 whisper. Period. End of story!
No one else is going to (should) cut the chamber to JD's exact dimensions or they stand a good chance of getting sued.
M1S cuts their leade a little shorter (therefore 300 Fireball).
SIMPLY seat your bullets a little deeper.
NO ISSUE!

If you want to load EXACTLY to JD's dimensions then have someone chase out the throat w/a .308 reamer.

Accuracy-I've addressed the Fire Lap issue before & everyone that has done it seems VERY happy or else break in the barrel the way you like.

PORT position - M1S will put the port wherever you want it but if it's not in the carbine position then YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN (w/them) & don't bitch about it-you make it work.

I originally asked Paul to do mine in Pistol position & he explained this to me & by changing the A2 spring to a CAR spring life has been good. (You can also use CAR Buffer & Paul has a very light 300 Fireball spring & buffer that will run subsonics 100% of the time but DO NOT shoot supers w/it as it will beat the receiver.

Attached is a sub 1/2" group w/mine & 220g SMKs.

I have a lot of EXCELLENT groups both subsonic & supersonic.
Check out my photos @ Pitt300 in this Forum.

QUIT slamming M1S & look @ the value you are getting for the $ & they have EXCELLENT Customer Service!

http://www.quarterbore.net/forums/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=452

[hugginsvilleH&A]

pitt do you run a car spring w/subsonics or a car buffer and spring?

[Pitt300]

I'll check.
I have the CAR spring & buffer & I think I'm running IN the gun:
CAR spring & the A2 buffer.
I have an AAC 762SD can also.
I don't think it holds open on last shot w/subs but not sure.
I can shoot supersonics w/it & it doesn't seem to "slam" anything.
I almost always shoot subs but carry a 20 round mag of 125g Nos BT in case I see a doe I want while hog hunting.

[mooster1223]

Pitt300, did you have the port placed in the pistol position? I also have the same can waiting on my form. Any tips or things to watch out for using the can?

Jim

[hugginsvilleH&A]

I looked at model1 site and did not see the 300 lite spring ,was that a special request thru paul? with the stock gas block everything cycled fine but I could not leave well enough alone and went and put a 3 position (low/full/off) gas block on it and it started having cycling issues , may just take it off and go with the stock block, just tinkering ,,,,,,,still

[Pitt300]

Carbine Position!

Paul has a "special" 300 Whisper package made up that you have to ask for.

I'm running just the stock CAR spring.