KAC 11.5 upper or standard 12.5 CHF upper

[Archibald Nastyface]

Is the bolt/ barrel life significantly better with the KAC to warrant the proprietary parts over the standard M4 bolt group in a 12.5 for a hard use gun? Also curious about recoil impulse between the two platforms. Anyone have firsthand experience with both?

Thanks.

 

[Dpvaz56]

Yes.

I don’t even own a KAC but purely from my limited exposure to them Knight’s is hands down the best example of “buy once, cry once.”

 

[SmElly]

Is the bolt/ barrel life significantly better with the KAC to warrant the proprietary parts over the standard M4 bolt group in a 12.5 for a hard use gun? Also curious about recoil impulse between the two platforms. Anyone have firsthand experience with both?

Thanks.

Value is subjective. Ask yourself the hard questions. Decide what price point is best for what you want/need.
Check out gundeals. com, and look around for KAC uppers. You can find some pretty good prices.

 

[Archibald Nastyface]

Not so much concerned about price. I've got a factory colt mk18 and I'm looking for something that doesn't beat itself up so much. I've heard the KAC is very soft shooting but I've also heard the 12.5 is very close to a mid 14.5 in smoothness. I have not shot either so no frame of reference.

 

[SmElly]

Not so much concerned about price. I've got a factory colt mk18 and I'm looking for something that doesn't beat itself up so much. I've heard the KAC is very soft shooting but I've also heard the 12.5 is very close to a mid 14.5 in smoothness. I have not shot either so no frame of reference.

Depends on which 12.5" barrel, which buffer system, etc.
What 12.5" barrel have you been considering?

 

[Archibald Nastyface]

DD/Centurion most likely but I'm open. I guess I could cut the Colt 14.5 SOCOM I have too for that matter. Just listened to a podcast on the Hodge stuff last night as well but it sounds like availability might be an issue.

 

[Dpvaz56]

DD/Centurion most likely but I'm open. I guess I could cut the Colt 14.5 SOCOM I have too for that matter. Just listened to a podcast on the Hodge stuff last night as well but it sounds like availability might be an issue.

Weapons Outfitters and I think OPD Source have (or will have soon) 12.5” FN-produced Hodge Barrels btw.

https://www.weaponoutfitters.com/hodge-12-5-barrel.html

 

[pointblank4445]

DD/Centurion most likely but I'm open. I guess I could cut the Colt 14.5 SOCOM I have too for that matter. Just listened to a podcast on the Hodge stuff last night as well but it sounds like availability might be an issue.

You can get a Hodge RIGHT NOW from OPTactical or Weapon Outfitters. Good luck funding a new Centurion 12.5" at the moment; a dude on M4C bought up the last of those suckers and Monte is only doing (having FN do) 14.5 carbine and 16" Middy barrels in CHF.

So at this moment the Hodge is more attainable than the Centurion...what a time to be alive.

 

[SmElly]

You can get a Hodge RIGHT NOW from OPTactical or Weapon Outfitters. Good luck funding a new Centurion 12.5" at the moment; a dude on M4C bought up the last of those suckers and Monte is only doing (having FN do) 14.5 carbine and 16" Middy barrels in CHF.

So at this moment the Hodge is more attainable than the Centurion...what a time to be alive.

What's so desireable about the centurion 12.5s over, for example, DD or BCM?

 

[pointblank4445]

What's so desireable about the centurion 12.5s over, for example, DD or BCM?

Don't know... It's an FN and Monte has a decent reputation? I may be completely wrong but I'm to understand that while FN will adhere to a minimum standard, there are certain steps/checks that can be skipped so their spec'd barrel is a little cheaper. I think it's assumed in many circles that the Noveske and Centurion FN barrels have had a little more TLC than say their Spikes/Palmetto counterparts. Again, not sure if this is fully accurate, but it's not an uncommon belief.

If anything, the gas port sizes on the Centurion barrels run a little big compared (not sure where the 12.5 stands as I don't pay attention to those) to the other companies for their respective lengths. I think it boils down to preference....my ranking of the 3 would have less to do with group size than it would do to with personal experiences.

 

[patriot_man]

My latest idea was to pair a Hodge 14.5" with an LMT enhanced bolt to potentially see if that set-up would be equal or surpass the durability of an SR-15 MOD2.

 

[SmElly]

My latest idea was to pair a Hodge 14.5" with an LMT enhanced bolt to potentially see if that set-up would be equal or surpass the durability of an SR-15 MOD2.

At that point you're still fighting KAC's rounded lugs, as well as a gas system that would (presumably) lend itself to better internal component longevity.

Not to say that anything not KAC isnt durable enough.

 

[pointblank4445]

My latest idea was to pair a Hodge 14.5" with an LMT enhanced bolt to potentially see if that set-up would be equal or surpass the durability of an SR-15 MOD2.

I'd love to see some observations at every 5k round increments on that. Gonna take a lotta time and ammo to work that out.

I'm about ready to retire my old Colt/FN franken gun and have considered replacing it with a 14.5 Mod 2 KAC and would happily to be a part in that endeavor.

 

[patriot_man]

At that point you're still fighting KAC's rounded lugs, as well as a gas system that would (presumably) lend itself to better internal component longevity.

Not to say that anything not KAC isnt durable enough.

I could see that but LMT bolts are supposedly made of AERMET100 and the latest USASOC URG-I findings about midlengths giving even a standard bolt more life gives me optimisim that it'd be just as durable.

I'd love to see some observations at every 5k round increments on that. Gonna take a lotta time and ammo to work that out.

I'm about ready to retire my old Colt/FN franken gun and have considered replacing it with a 14.5 Mod 2 KAC and would happily to be a part in that endeavor.

I'd love to use the barrel I have for a Hodge build... But no receiver set. Hoping they'll be coming back in stock soon then I can test it

 

[SmElly]

I could see that but LMT bolts are supposedly made of AERMET100 and the latest USASOC URG-I findings about midlengths giving even a standard bolt more life gives me optimisim that it'd be just as durable.

I'd love to use the barrel I have for a Hodge build... But no receiver set. Hoping they'll be coming back in stock soon then I can test it

Either way, I'd definitely be interested in an LMT/Hodge long term reliability report.
As long as you dont expect me to finance it lol.

 

[Archibald Nastyface]

I guess the question I would have regarding the LMT E bolt and carrier is if the bolt would last at least as long as the life of a CHF barrel. Not sure how you answer that question given that barrel life is very subjective.

 

[patriot_man]

I guess the question I would have regarding the LMT E bolt and carrier is if the bolt would last at least as long as the life of a CHF barrel. Not sure how you answer that question given that barrel life is very subjective.

I believe it should if the materials are what people claim it to be but I'll be testing it out in the near future

 

[Darrell Frady]

I guess the question I would have regarding the LMT E bolt and carrier is if the bolt would last at least as long as the life of a CHF barrel. Not sure how you answer that question given that barrel life is very subjective.

From what I have heard, not substantiated by LMT, is that they’ve never had a broken E bolt. I’d love to see a high round count test, if it is made of the same material as KAC’s bolt it should last. My only concern would be a LMT Enhanced BCG being undergassed if using a Hodge Barrel. There has been lots of experimenting with the LMT Enhanced BCG and properly gassed barrels and A5 systems on m4carbine.net and they seem to run just fine.

 

[patriot_man]

From what I have heard, not substantiated by LMT, is that they’ve never had a broken E bolt. I’d love to see a high round count test, if it is made of the same material as KAC’s bolt it should last. My only concern would be a LMT Enhanced BCG being undergassed if using a Hodge Barrel. There has been lots of experimenting with the LMT Enhanced BCG and properly gassed barrels and A5 systems on m4carbine.net and they seem to run just fine.

I've heard the same as well for 5.56 but I've seen a 7.62x39 bolt broken on a forum.

I've heard the commercial versions of the SR-15 bolt is not made out of the same aermet 100 of the SR-16 or the LMT bolt but it seems plenty strong.

 

[Darrell Frady]

I've heard the same as well for 5.56 but I've seen a 7.62x39 bolt broken on a forum.

I've heard the commercial versions of the SR-15 bolt is not made out of the same aermet 100 of the SR-16 or the LMT bolt but it seems plenty strong.

I haven’t seen a LMT Enhanced Bolt broken, but do recall a couple of their 7.62x39 E-bolt extractors broken.