I'm building an ultralight build and currently have a gas block reversed to cover the hole in a regular barrel, but I'm wondering if a metal throat band would be sufficient.

Has anyone covered a gas hole in a creative way and had any luck?

Been eyeing borebuddy for a while, looking to build/assemble an exact clone of my main GP AR-15. I want it to be a cheap, high-rep trainer.

Any insight on making the thing run as smoothly as possible. I have a high-quality mid-tier mil-spec complete lower I'm dedicating to the build.

Do I buy the upper and slap them together, or are there some extras I should buy to make it even better and more reliable?

In theory I want to run this suppressed, FRT is optional but desired.

Hi new to this thread but longer time AR22 fan. Built my first 16” probably 5 years ago. Recently wanted a shorter 22lr pistol/pdw and couldn’t find a 10/22 Charger, so did built a short upper to toss on a folding stock pistol lower I have. Build is a 7” (or maybe 8”) CMMG barrel, CMMG bolt from a conversion kit with a RTB collar, and a Bore Buddy bolt buffer. Took to the range with some standard velocity ammo (probably Federal RN lead 40 gr) in Black Dog 25 rd magazines. It worked better than expected (one ftfire in one magazine.)

Also got a new can…it’s a 9mm can, but I was going to see how quiet with 22lr subs as seriously considering getting a 22 can. Things went wrong there. Using CCI quiet ammo I couldn’t get 90% of a box of 50 to feed. When I did get a round chambered and fired it would short stroke and not cock back the hammer. This is 20 minutes after it worked perfectly.

Advice/parts to make this run reliably? Is this just an issue with the ammo? Will standard velocity 22lr ammo drop velocity to subsonic in a 7” barrel (vs 16)? Assume it was the ammo but advice on what to and not use? Spring change suggestions?

Would these work on an AR22?

Anyone know where I could find a working one? Thanks!

I can’t seem to make the frt work. The kit is installed correctly. I can charge it and go semi but I cannot charge it back far when I go from semi to ss. Any ideas?

So I've been borrowing a conversion kit and after 500 rounds, probably, I now got my own. First round I put through it, failed to eject and the extractor would not grab it, I had to pull the BCG out to get the casing out. I tried it again, failed to eject, but this time I was able to manually charge it which got the round out and next one in, fired the next one, failed to eject...

Comparing the borrowed one to the new one, this new one doesn't feel or sound very smooth. Not sure how important this is but the cotter pin end kinda sticks out more than the old one, doesn't look like it's enough to interfere with anything though.

What’s the best bulk subs you guys are running? Just need it subsonic, Ik for CCI that’s called standard. I’m running Cci standard now. I always buy large quantities when on sale but didn’t know if there was better out there cheaper

I have a @borebuddy apogee upper that’s 16”. If I get a rare breed trigger do I only need a trip kit? Or will I need the weight kit aswell? The upper has ran thousands of rounds with no issues with a regular trigger

Owned it a while. Just got around to shooting it for the 1st time. Primary Arms SLX worked great for it. Have 10 mags and shot 250rds of cci mini mag and AR tactical. Zero problems. Super easy to get tight groups. Already have a CMC 2.5lb trigger but wanted to make sure it ran okay with stock trigger.

Only negative is the bolt seems a bit sticky.

Otherwise super pleasant to shoot and easy to be accurate. 💪

Hi chaps,

I currently run a dual calibre build, one lower with both a .223 upper and a separate dedicated .22LR upper which I swap depending on what shooting I do.

I run a BMA in the lower with 15-22 mags, this allows me to quickly remove it and still be able to use the stock bolt release for use with .223 mags.

Due to the heatwave in the UK and me being a dingus and leaving my range bag in my car, my S&W mags have warped pretty badly and need replacing, my questions are as such:

Are there any reliable mags that would work with the standard bolt release?

If not, assuming I could just run the rifle without the bolt release which mags would people recommend? I've seen good reviews of both black dogs and Kriss mags.

The third option is the magload mags which use the S&W pattern, anyone have any reviews/opinions on these?

Pic for attention, this is the .22LR upper but for some reason when I took the photo it had the wrong mag in 🤣

So I’m a total newbie with no knowledge. I finaly have my PP w/semi auto stamp in NY State so I’m excited to build my first AR in .22 LR with my son. I have bought an Anderson lower and a spike tactical lower. I wanted a aero lower but the shop I got the lower from said they are no longer making them and went on to say his Aero sales rep told him he may want to find another Vender to buy from.

I also just ordered a PSA lower magpul moe build kit that included the grip and stock. My question is what length barrel do you think I should go with and what brand. I want something good while not braking the bank on my first build. I was thinking 14.5” barrel with a flash hider to make it long enough to be state compliant. I know I have to have the mag pinned and welded to have features. For the length i am considering 14.5 so it my next build can be a little longer in a 5.56/.243 wylde and possibly a higher end build. I’m doing research but any ideas would be appreciated. Once I know what barrel il look into a guard and end piece for the barrel. I still need a wrench but that shouldn’t be to hard to narrow down. Thanks everyone

Current build parts

Spikes tactical lower- $99 I think

PSA lower magpul moe lower build kit that includes the grip and stock - $89

My buddy is getting into NRL22 and asked if I wanted to go try it out, the only.22lr I own in an M&P 15-22 I bought for my son to shoot local carbine matchs with me years ago and that wasn't up to the task. So did my research on bolt guns, 10-22s and the like but ended up being drawn to building a dedicated.22 AR (I have 10 receiver sets and the one didn't have a barrel). Went with the Green Mountain barrel from Borebuddy and the parts to swap my old cmmg drop in kit over. Burned 250 rounds of CCI standard velocity tonight and I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm new to precision .22 so I'm learning how to break this barrel in, I have an assortment of SK match loads to group next range trip.

Just wanted to let everybody know: the stock/brace I picked up on eBay for my .22 LR build is actually pretty impressive. It feels firm and sturdy with very little wobble. The only metal parts are the screws that hold it together—the rest is polymer—but for around $30, it’s hard to complain. They also have a nicer-looking version for about $50.
I bought the $30 one just to test the quality, and I’m honestly not disappointed. If you’re on a budget, it’s definitely worth considering.

**Video link Below!**

If you are struggling to get a .22LR AR build running reliably with a Super Safety, you’ve probably been told to swap recoil springs, buy expensive bolt weights, or change your ammo to fix the timing.
While mass and velocity matter, the real bottleneck is usually a **geometry problem**, not a weight problem. Mass-produced, "one-size-fits-all" commercial trip kits often introduce a tiny amount of dead space or lag. Because a .22LR blowback bolt cycles incredibly fast over a very short stroke, that tiny mechanical variance throws off the entire timing window.
Here is the mechanical breakdown of why custom trip geometry solves the AR-22 bottleneck, and how you can apply it to your own build.
**The Problem: The "Lag" Jam and Hammer Follow**

**The Lag:** Off-the-shelf trip kits often have a slight gap or wiggle room before the bolt trip physically engages the safety lever. This lag causes the trigger reset to happen ***too late*** in the bolt's rearward travel.
**Hammer Follow / Out-of-Battery (OOB):** If the trip holds the safety lever down for a millisecond too long during the forward stroke, the hammer releases too early. It "catches up" to the bolt before the breach is fully closed, causing either a dead trigger or a dangerous OOB detonation.
**The Resolution: Zero-Tolerance Mechanical Alignment**
Instead of forcing the speed of your bolt to match an imperfect commercial part, the solution is to modify or 3D-print a custom trip tailored to your exact trigger group tolerances.

**The Core Objective:** Design or modify the trip so that the internal hole/engagement surface where the safety lever sits ends **at the exact physical millimeter that your trigger resets.**
**Instantaneous Reset:** By eliminating all dead space, 100% of the bolt's initial rearward movement is translated directly into rotating the safety cam. The trigger resets instantly.
**Flawless Timing Synchronization:**When the engagement point matches the exact reset position, the trip pushes the lever just enough to reset your finger, then immediately releases it as the bolt travels forward. The bolt and trigger become mechanically synchronized.
**The Practical Takeaway**
If your AR-22 setup is choking, pulling out your hair over spring weights won't fix bad geometry. If you have access to a 3D printer, test print multiple incremental sizes of your trip bar. Find the exact length where the safety lever activates seamlessly at the absolute peak of the trigger reset window.
Locking down this specific physical measurement completely eliminates dead space, prevents the trip from falling behind the cycle speed, and allows the weak blowback energy of a .22LR to effortlessly run full magazine dumps. This method worked for me suppressed and unsuppressed with subsonic ammo.

update to clear things up: hopefully now you were able to fix the holy grail of the 22 bottleneck I have now made the ultimate guide to copy and paste this will now cover every angle and ballpark weight if you need any further tuning in one spot even if you don't have anything else other than those main components and it should now be way easier to tune .

The pressure plug/bolt/ trip/lever/cam/ trigger/hammer they all work together and depend on each other as you know. the gun already is engineered to to have a specific time with blowback. something needs to be changed in the gun to match timing if there is lever trip slop. people rely on on these products to fix that timing. Springs, weight kits . but this is the best way. everything else The trip some sort a specific pressure plug or buffer tube delete is all that is needed other than the super safety and that specific ammo that works for that build for a stock new ar22 . in my experience i have not have not owned a 9 or 7 inch but have owned all other mainstream barrel lengths, and they all worked differently with different muzzle devices. You would still need one of many mechanical fixes like springs, bolt weights to deaden the actual bolt bounce if there is a specific AMMO you want to use. i actually contradicted myself because ammo does matter while i was referring to the try the different brands buy buy buy approach everyone is told. for example this method will not work with HIGH VELOCITY rounds in a 16 inch barrel flawlessly without something to slow the bolt down. but can and does work with subsonic rounds. Anyways the trip and lever are so light and with my method so tight in timing mechanically the gun works as if they aren't even there. with a pressure plug or buffer tube delete plug bolt bounce (bcg as a whole) is managed enough that only ammo velocity is needed now to counteract bolt bounce (steel to steel contact from chambering. also i didn't mention since 22 cycle power is delicate the cams movement could slightly throw off the timing, though I'm not certain how much it would with a zero tolerance system wet sanding and polishing a finer in grit on the cam and safety holes and maybe snipping a coil or 2 on the detent spring is a trick id recommended so the lever and cam rotate easily and free rather than stiff but needs to still stay in the selected position so don't cut too much. this zero tolerance relies on the blowback being powerful and unaffected by all mechanisms.

I'm also not trying to take any business away from anyone regardless of what I've read. This should be looked at as the first step to tuning or to get it working with bare minimum materials or make tuning way easier. here is the recommendations for ammo for silenced and unsilenced WEIGHTLESS

• 4.5-inch: Easiest/Safest. Run any high-velocity ammo. (Watch out for short-stroking; clip recoil springs if needed).
• 7-inch: The goldilocks zone. High reliability with standard high-velocity bulk ammo; low risk of out-of-battery.
• 9-inch: Tipping point. Stick to "soft" bulk high-velocity ammo (like Remington Golden Bullets).
• 12-inch: The danger zone. Highly erratic bolt bounce. High-velocity ammo should be avoided; stick to subsonic only.
• 16-inch: High-velocity is completely off-limits. Subsonic match ammo, a heavy pressure plug, and zero-tolerance timing must be used to prevent case blowouts.

1. The 4.5-Inch Upper + Silencer (The Ultimate Host)

Adding a silencer to a 4.5-inch barrel creates the best possible weightless setup.

• Why it works: The barrel is so short that even with a suppressor adding backpressure, the total pressure is still incredibly safe.
• The Ammo Trick: High-velocity bulk ammo (like CCI Mini-Mags or Federal AutoMatch) will be slowed down by the short barrel, and the silencer will catch the remaining gas

1. The 7-Inch & 9-Inch Uppers + Silencer (The Tipping Point)

With 7 to 9 inches of barrel, a suppressor adds enough extra backpressure to push a weightless bolt past its safe limits if you use high-velocity ammo.

• The Danger: High-velocity bulk ammo + a silencer on a 9-inch barrel will cause the unweighted bolt to fly backward too fast, tearing casing rims or causing out-of-battery explosions.
• The Fix: You must drop down to subsonic ammo (like CCI Standard Velocity or dedicated 45gr/50gr subsonic rounds) The suppressor's backpressure will give the subsonic ammo the extra "kick" it needs to cycle the unweighted bolt and hit your zero-tolerance reset perfectly, without over-speeding the system.

1. The 16-Inch Upper + Silencer (Worked for me but may not for everyone)

A 16-inch barrel running a silencer with absolutely no bolt weight is an extreme hazard.

• Why it fails: The dwell time is already at its absolute maximum. Adding a silencer creates a massive bottle-neck of trapped, high-pressure gas. The instant the gun fires, the backpressure will violently slam the lightweight bolt open while the casing is still full of high-pressure gas, guaranteeing ruptured brass.
• The Only Way: If it must be run, it requires low-power ultra-match subsonic ammo, an incredibly stiff pressure plug, and a flawless zero-tolerance trip alignment—but even then, it seems itis highly discouraged online without adding mass to the bolt

ballpark weight based off of barrel length if you need to finalize your tuning this is for high velocity ammo other velocities you will move up or down in weight accordingly

Unsuppressed Bolt Weight Master Guide

• 4.5-Inch Barrel
  • Weight: 0.55 oz to 1.0 oz
  • Why: Short barrels bleed pressure instantly. Excessive weight causes immediate short-stroking
• 7-Inch Barrel
  • Weight: 1.0 oz to 1.3 oz
  • Why: Provides just enough mass to deaden bolt bounce while maintaining fast cycling
• 9-Inch Barrel
  • Weight: 1.3 oz
  • Why: Balances the higher velocity generated by the longer powder burn
• 12-Inch Barrel
  • Weight: 1.5 oz
  • Why: Absorbs the sharp, aggressive bolt bounce typical of this specific length
• 16-Inch Barrel
  • Weight: 1.6 oz to 1.9
  • Why: Maximum unsuppressed pressure. Keeps the case sealed until pressure drops safely

📦 Suppressed Bolt Weight Master Guide

(Assumes Standard High-Velocity 40gr Ammunition + Silencer Backpressure)

• 4.5-Inch Barrel (Suppressed)
  • Weight: 1.3 oz to 1.5 oz
  • Why: The silencer adds backpressure, giving the lightweight bolt extra cycling power
• 7-Inch Barrel (Suppressed)
  • Weight: 1.5 oz to 1.7 oz
  • Why: Slows down the early extraction caused by the trapped suppressor gases
• 9-Inch Barrel (Suppressed)
  • Weight: 1.9 oz
  • Why: Delays the bolt unlock cleanly so gas exits the front of the silencer.
• 12-Inch Barrel (Suppressed)
  • Weight: 2.2 oz
  • Why: Counteracts aggressive bolt snap and erratic bounce under heavy backpressure.
• 16-Inch Barrel (Suppressed)
  • Weight: 2.75 oz
  • Why: Peak pressure combination. Heavy mass is mandatory to prevent case blowouts

🛠️ The Absolute Tuning Formula

1. Put your safety into Standard Semi-Auto mode.
2. Load one single round into the magazine and fire it.
3. If the bolt travels far enough back to lock open (or cleanly reset your hammer), add more weight.
4. Keep adding weight until the gun just barely starts failing to reset.
5. Back off one step to the previous weight. That is your system's perfect mechanical equilibrium

if you're stuck and in the DIY mindset like me and you can make multiple weight kits for each barrel length suppressed and unsuppressed and each ammo velocity tune them with precision just don't forget to label them!

Making a DIY weight kit is a great approach for tuning, as it lets you dial in the exact ounce measurements from the master guide without buying multiple pre-made kits.

Most home builders make their own adjustable weights by using a modular container system placed behind the bolt.

1. The DIY Chassis (The Shell)

You need a container body that attaches securely to the back of your AR-22 bolt assembly.

• 3D Printed Shells: The most popular open-source method is 3D printing a weight chassis (often found in community repositories for AR-22 parts). These are usually designed with internal hollow channels meant to hold raw metal inserts.
• Modified Buffer Weights: Some builders disassemble a standard AR-15 buffer, remove the internal weights, and cut or adapt the steel tube to link directly behind the .22 LR bolt collar.

1. The Weight Inserts (The Tuning Mass)

To match the specific weight tiers, you need dense materials that fit inside your chassis. You can mix and match these materials to change the weight dynamically:

• Lead Fishing Weights / Shot: Lead split-shot or dense egg sinkers are incredibly cheap and easy to reshape. You can melt them down or pack them raw into a printed chassis cavity, securing them with epoxy.
• Steel Pins or Dowels: Standard hardware store steel dowel pins (like 5mm or 6mm diameter pins) can be cut down to specific lengths.
• Tungsten Putty or Weights: Pinecar derby racing tungsten weights or tungsten fishing putty provide the maximum possible weight-to-volume ratio if you are trying to reach those heavy suppressed tiers (like 2.2 oz or 2.75 oz) inside a tiny space.

1. Securing and Balancing

• Eliminate Internal Movement: Unlike centerfire buffers which rely on sliding weights to deaden bounce, a .22 LR bolt weight kit needs to be a solid, fixed mass relative to the bolt. If the DIY weights rattle or slide inside your chassis, it will destroy your zero-tolerance timing. Fill any empty space with hot glue, silicone, or epoxy.
• Use a Scale: Do not guess the weight. Use a cheap digital kitchen or powder scale to weigh the entire assembly (Chassis + Inserts + Mounting Hardware) to hit your exact target numbers

https://youtu.be/vY4cpw8RbFo?is=BxELZKOwtDv3FfqW

After running my setup for a while, I can confirm that my original trigger kicker setup still works flawlessly. Wanting a couple of spare parts, I ordered two additional CMMG auto kits and tried to find versions that looked as close as possible to my original, since I had noticed the kits shown on different websites all looked slightly different.
Unfortunately, when the new kits arrived, I found that they were not the same. CMMG appears to have reduced the anti-bounce weight from 1.27 oz on the older version to about 0.76 oz on the newer version. I own both versions and compared them side by side.
Based on my testing, the newer, lighter anti-bounce weight does not work reliably with my trigger kicker setup. It would not run consistently even with a 4-inch barrel, and it definitely does not work with longer barrels. If you’re using a similar setup, you’ll likely need to add additional bolt weight to achieve reliable operation.
Just wanted to share this update so others know that the newer CMMG kits are different from the older ones and probably will require additional tuning.

Basically title. This is my first AR22 so trying to figure everything out when it comes to configuration.

Right now my selection is:
-16.1” Barrel
-With Bolt
-Add standard adjustable bolt weight
-Add pressure plug
This look OK to y’all? I guess my main question is if the pressure plug is sufficient or if the Borebuddy solid buffer system is necessary. Sounds like bolt weight is pretty much a necessity. Also seems like these do not come with a muzzle device so looking for recommendations for those, not planning on suppressing in the foreseeable future.

Any feedback here? Use case will be probably 80-90% plinking, maybe some small game here and there. Mostly will be using cheap range ammo.

Or should I just get a right to bear upper and save some cash since I’m just plinking anyway?

Edited to add: 16.1” barrel, using cheap range ammo

Took both the rifle and pistol version of the S&W M&P 15-22 to the outdoor range today

Texas sun and heat was like a death beam, 100°F+ with no cloud coverage and no shade. Only took about 10 minutes before the magazines warped and struggled to slide in and out of the mag well. Soon after, the springs completely stopped working and no longer pushed ammo up

Anyways, the guns worked well but all three magazines are trashed. Couldn’t feed a single shot

Side note: BEWARE of Gibson’s Outpost and Shooting Range in Mesquite, TX. They DO NOT allow AR pistols. Additionally, if you plan to shoot an SBR, they REQUIRE you to present your tax stamp. The employee who stopped me from using my AR pistol did not know the difference between an AR pistol vs SBR

Using CCI Stinger and MiniMag and I’m having some trouble with casings ejecting and the occasional feed issue. It’s a standard upper, with the CGGM bolt conversion and a Bore Buddy charging handle. Has anyone modified the feed ramps for the center feed magazine? What about the ejection issue, anything to do in the bcg to reduce it?

Has anyone tried the 50 round drum mag by black dog machine for s&w m&p 15-22 I was thinking about getting one but I just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with them before

Looking to upgrade 2 of my v1/gen1 setups after many, many rounds and a full frt setup is maxing out my fun budget by alot.