SPRONG sound in ARs?

[mj2evans]

OK, I shot an AR15 for the first time today (thanks to a guy at the range). It was a nice Rock River with freefloat tube, NM sites, and buttstock weight. Rifle shot well, easy to hold 2" for 10 shots at 100yds. My question is about the sound this thing made when I shot it.....SPRONG......every time it cycled. Is this normal? It appeared to be a very nice set up but the sound was annoying. Friends have complained that AKs make that sound but I have never noticed this on my AKs or any AKs that belong to my buddies. I was seriously considering a AR build but really put off by that sping noise.

[W.E.G.]

You can never get rid of it completely, but I find that a coating of Tetra white grease on the spring changes the timbre of the vibration substantially for the better.

Sounds like shit for sure if the spring is completely dry.

Don't go nuts with the grease though. Maybe half a thimble's worth spread over the entire spring.

[TerryN]

Absolutely normal. After a while you get to where you can tell from the 'sproing' when you just fired the last round in the mag! :wink:

[diana-ar15]

hey gary/WEG

where do you buy the white Tetra grease?

[Celtic warrior]

MJ2evans:
It's the nature of the beast, the shock absorbing piston/spring in the stock doing its job.
HOWEVER: (and this is not a plug for Armalite) If you ever get a chance to shoot an Ar180 or 180b, or some other mfr's of 5.56 shooters, you'll notice there is no sprong noise at all, as all that work is done in the front section of the rifle.

JMHO


Greg O

[mj2evans]

So the RRA is worse about the sound? I had heard that RRA in NM was the cheapest way to get into highpower and be competitive (I currently shoot M1 and like it but want to win!). I am currently thinking Del-Ton on a Stag receiver just to get familiar with the set up, can step up the barrel in the future if I compete with AR. Thanks for the feed back.

[diana-ar15]

what he is saying is that an Armalite AR-180 completely different design that is still 5.56 and evil and black .. doesn't make the sproing noise

[mj2evans]

aahhhhh...ok, thanks for the info

[owlcreekok]

:rofl:

I deleted it. (my smartazz explanation)

But it is still funny.

:tongue:

[GW870]

What about that Olyarms pneumatic piston thingy? Or does that
just change the sound from a 'Sproing' to a 'Wheeze'?

GW

[ratas calientes]

Buy a Daewoo. http://chilirat.com/emoticons/chilirat.gif

[Para Driver]

springs make noise on all guns, the AR just has it right up against your ear...
it's probably due to the 3rd harmonic as the sping oscillates around after the bolt closes..

[Survey Punk]

Any grease will do. I use ol' Grease, Rifle of 1963 vintage. Sometimes you can find cans at gunshows but almost always you can get the little grease pots that fit in an M1 or M14 buttstock. Dosen't take much.

JB

[mhg]

Originally posted by GW870
What about that Olyarms pneumatic piston thingy? Or does that
just change the sound from a 'Sproing' to a 'Wheeze'?

GW

We tried the pneumatic buffer.

It does eliminate the noise, but hasn't proven to be reliable.

Matt

[rcnpthfndr]

I have an Oly Adj. pneumatic buffer. i really dont here any noise from it but with almost 20 years of active duty i dont hear the spring much either unless its during grouping and zeroing, or some other slow fire.

that being said the adj. pneumatic buffer is time consuming to dial in.

[Bangz]

I use a wolff x-tra power action spring ($14.95) and there is no sprooooinnng.

[O'Possum/TX]

I used "Majic" brand Teflon/Silicone grease for pool filter "O rings". It is water proof, clear, nearly odorless and is slicker than snot!

The first time I shot an AR I noticed that definite pogo-stick spring sound. I asked about the noise and was told that if it bothered me I could grease the spring to quiet it some. I put some Majic grease on the standard spring and it helped so I put more, then MORE! I don't hear the sproing sound any more but I can still hear it slithering around in there.

I don't know what pool filter gasket grease would do in cold temperatures. I don't think I would use it where it is subject to dust/sand. It works fine for a target gun though.

This grease is handy stuff. I have used it in a lot of places where I needed to lubricate plastic or rubber parts. You can get it at nearly any pool supply place.

[MichonRAFW]

The sproing left my ar when I switched from full length A2 stock to a collapsable carbine one. Don't know if it was the different spring or maybe I lightly oiled the new spring and the old one was dry but it doesn't sound like a toy anymore.
Ryan

[BRONZ]

Thays what I use. A little Tetra and almost of the sproing is gone. I got more sproing nosie in my A2 stock than my tele stock anyways.

[TerryN]

Way back in the olden days when I was going through Basic Combat Training, our Drill Sergeant (a 3-tour Vietnam Vet) taught us to listen to the SPROING sound, and to discern when the noise subtly changed. This indicated that either the magazine was empty, or the rifle had jammed. Bad juju, either way.

This was with well worn Basic Training M16A1s, and I still listen for that one-way SPROING the buffer spring makes when the bolt locks back. It doesn't really bother me, because it indicates that the rifle is functioning properly.

After 33 years, its kinda hard to change old habits. :cool:

[1stSSPZ]

mj2evans, if you want to win service rifle class in Highpower then believe me, you WANT TO PUT UP WITH THE SOUND! I have been trying to tame a NM M1A for the last 18 months (awesome shooter, just way better than I can hold it!) Picked up a USED RR NM A2 and the second time I even fired the thing I beat my best score last weekend across-the-course by 30 POINTS! Shot my first 100 in rapid sitting!

[mj2evans]

Yeah.......that is what I keep hearing. The AR is just easier to shoot and is darn accurate cheap (well, compared to tuned M1/M1A). I am going to keep working on my M1 but it looks like an AR is in my future.

[Nitram68]

Originally posted by MichonRAFW
The sproing left my ar when I switched from full length A2 stock to a collapsable carbine one. Don't know if it was the different spring or maybe I lightly oiled the new spring and the old one was dry but it doesn't sound like a toy anymore.
Ryan

Same here. I've been shooting carbine's so long now I almost forgot about the noise. A few weeks ago we went to a local shoot up in the hills and I had a go with a vintage SP-1 that a friend had. I about shit the first round as it startled me. Then I remembered way back in the day when I had an 20" w/A2 stock and then settled back into the cheek weld...

[ftierson]

I've fixed the 'problem' in a different way...

I've just convinced myself that I like the SPROING...

Works for me...

:)

Forrest

[Mebsuta]

I thought I heard more a dry rattle from my 2 ARs, like the maracas. I don't hear it anymore 'cuz I sold 'em. I miss them some but not enough to spend $5-600 putting together another just yet. Lots of people say the AR is very accurate, but I never shot very well with mine.

[BigSwede]

Originally posted by mj2evans
OK, I shot an AR15 for the first time today (thanks to a guy at the range). It was a nice Rock River with freefloat tube, NM sites, and buttstock weight. Rifle shot well, easy to hold 2" for 10 shots at 100yds. My question is about the sound this thing made when I shot it.....SPRONG......every time it cycled. Is this normal? It appeared to be a very nice set up but the sound was annoying. Friends have complained that AKs make that sound but I have never noticed this on my AKs or any AKs that belong to my buddies. I was seriously considering a AR build but really put off by that sping noise.
Too funny...I just shot my "new" AR yesterday and noticed the same thing. I figured it was normal because it functioned perfectly, but I was going to post about the "sproing" here. Never mind!

[Ssarge]

Originally posted by TerryN
Way back in the olden days when I was going through Basic Combat Training, our Drill Sergeant (a 3-tour Vietnam Vet) taught us to listen to the SPROING sound, and to discern when the noise subtly changed. This indicated that either the magazine was empty, or the rifle had jammed. Bad juju, either way.

This was with well worn Basic Training M16A1s, and I still listen for that one-way SPROING the buffer spring makes when the bolt locks back. It doesn't really bother me, because it indicates that the rifle is functioning properly.

After 33 years, its kinda hard to change old habits. :cool:

Same here, (BCT at Ft. Knox, Ky. with a worn out Hydra Matic Division M16A1)I've been shooting them so long that if I didn't hear the sprong, I would think something was wrong!

[Bug Tussell]

Sproinnnnggggggg = something's going down range.

Sproinngg = empty magazine.

Music to my ears. :love:

[AzDak]

Interesting....

I prefer the A1 stocks on my ARs and I had the same impression the first time I shot it. I've read some bits on the internet that have said greasing it isn't a good idea, but I've also heard first hand from some of the AR manufacturers in Arizona that a dab of grease is the answer....

After awhile I kind of quit noticing it....

But, the gentlemen above who filled his stock with shot made me think about another option. It seems to me it's not really that the sprong is really that loud, it's more pronounced because your ear is right next to a big hollow plastic sounding chamber that amplifies the noise.

Instead of using shot, how about that expanding foam insulation in a can? It would deaden the sound, not add much weight and insulate your ear from the noise of the spring....

I might just have to go give that a try...

[Dakota FAL]

Interesting discussion. I guess I took it for granted that the sound was a useful tool in telling you if the rifle was functioning properly.

I have noted the sound is reduced with the cleaning kit in the stock (and I preferred to shoot highpower with the cleaning kit in the butt due to the extra weight.) This is no surprise as the stock is basically the hollow body of a guitar without the sound hole and if you stuff something in it you will reduce the resonance.

With regard to high power competition, I switched from a match grade M1A to an Olympic Arms AR-15 HBAR in the late 1980's- early 1990's.

At that time .223 heavy match bullets were not available and you lost ground at 600 yards. But the increased accuracy of the AR-15 on the 200 yard sitting and 300 yard prone rapid fire stages offset lower scores on the 600 yard slow fire prone stage. The 200 yard slow fire standing stage was almost a wash with a slight edge going to the better balanced M1A.

I never shot a 198 in the 600 yard slow prone stage with an AR-15, but the rapid fire scores were consistently better. And in practice, since I shot many matches on reduced courses, the loss of the long range wind bucking properties of the 168gr BTHP or M118 FMJBT Match bullets was often a moot point.

At the time I could get about 1.5 MOA accuracy out of the issued match ammunition in my match grade M1A. However with the AR-15 I could use handloads that produced .75 to1.0 MOA accuracy.

Today, with heavy 69-75 grain match bullets, legal free float tubes that allow M1A style sling pressure, and high quality match AR-15's at 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of a Match grade M1A, I'd shoot an AR-15 with no second thoughts - as much as I still love the M1A.

[mj2evans]

I certainly have gotten a lot of good info from one small question. I have now ordered a Stag Arms receiver and will be ordering a Whiteoak top end after I sell a few items. I love my M1 but I need every accuracy advantage I can get.

[TerryN]

Originally posted by shlomo
That spring sound is like the voice of a spouse. Give listen to it long enough, and ya learn to filter it out.

LOL! True, but don't tell the wife/significant other that!

:bow: :bow: :bow:

[GUN SNOB]

I can hear the spring in the Saw stock on my .45 fal much more than the foam filled pebal grain on the SLR or the wood on the Frankenfal carbine.

Just functioned tested the AR pistol with a bare tube. Seems like I could feel the spring threw the cheak bone not just hear it. Been awile since shooting an AR.

[NineHotel]

A light coating of moly wheel bearing grease on the spring makes it go completely away. Mine make the "rap-rap" sound of an M14 almost with the grease coating. Zero BOING on my lowers. Basically the inside of the tube and the spring need a light coating.

Be sure and test your setup in cold weather though - too much grease will bind it up. The buffer and spring come out with a simple depression of the retaining plunger and a wipe of the grease with a rag to restore it to working if too much grease was used.