Setting Gas System on L1A1

[gryphon]

I have posted other threads here about the L1A1. I have gotten some excellent links and they have been most helpful.

I was looking at the sections on some web sites that have instructions on setting the gas system. All of them are assuming that the rifle has the hold open catch active.

How am I to know when/if the gas system is adjusted properly? Even the FN/FAL manual assumes the hold open is active.

HELP

 

[C.R.Sam]

I look for bout ten or fifteen feet of throw on the empties. That gets you in the ballpark where you are going to get reliable operation and not pull case heads off from opening too violently. Best to try with gas vent out around 9 and it shouldn't extract, then close it down a notch at a time till you get reliable operation.

Sam

 

[ronin308]

I'm going to be picking up my new DSA rifle on Monday here so I'm curious of the responses on this thread. It is my understanding that you should do what C.R. Sam says to do. Except I also heard that you should click it open one more notch for combat (after it is set to be reliable). Is this true?

Dan

 

[Coronach]

Caveat: I'm no expert

Ronin: Yours will have a hold-open that works. Just start with the gas system turned down and insert an empty mag. Load one through the ejection port and fire. Likely it won't hold open. Crank the gas reg one click, pull upon the bolt, load and fire. Repeat until it holds open. Open it one more click and you should be good to go for range use. If you were to be expecting trouble, open it one more notch (or, keep it open two clicks and when at the range back it off one click).

Also, be advised that your gas system setting can and probably will change after the gun is broken in a little. So once you have a few 100 rounds through it repeat the procedure.

Gryphon: You want to reach the point of reliable functioning, right? So load up a couple of full mags and do the above procedure until it consistently feeds. At first you be doing a lot of manual racking and possibly clearing feed failures (a guess- my rifle has a hold-open), but evenually it should start working. then open one more notch for range use, two for 'combat.'

Mike