Smaller LX carrier

[GoatBoy]

Just out of curiosity... was there a reason why the smallest LX o-ring carrier size was chosen?

The reason I ask is that once you hit the smallest carrier, the o-ring seems to last a pretty long time... So if you were to continue reducing the carrier size, the next one might last even longer...

[aerosaaber]

go too small and you'll be fighting the oring to move the bolt forward (making your non-gas efficient mag even less efficient), the oring's job to prevent a leak without causing too much drag. People have told me "if it leaks go smaller, once it doesn't leak you're done."

[athomas]

You need to use the largest carrier size that does not leak. The next size smaller than that will cause too much friction on the bolt stem and will cause bolt stick issues where the bolt will not always reset quickly or won't fire after sitting idle for a bit. Sometimes with new orings, the inner sealing edge will wear a bit and you will need to go down a carrier size to reseal. This is normal and can't be avoided. If the oring is exceptionally well made, you might not have this issue because the inner sealing edge will be smoother from the factory.

Not all orings are created exactly the same. This is why the carriers vary in size. They allow you to adjust the size of the oring itself. Some people have had to use the smallest carrier size, which is why they are included in the kit.

[GoatBoy]

I don't think you guys understood my point.

All o-rings that I've used have eventually worn themselves down to where I'm using the smallest carrier. At this point, the o-ring seems pretty happy for a while and doesn't leak, however, with continued use, it will continue to wear down. Eventually, this o-ring will wear down to where it won't seal anymore even on the smallest carrier.

At which point, I could use a smaller carrier. If one were available. Which it's not. I'd like to know if there is a reason why.


Again, the smaller you go in the carrier, the longer the o-ring seems to last.

[SockMonkey]

my assumption would be it just wasn't made because at that point people would just use a new o-ring.

But I doubt there was any specific reason that the smallest carrier size was chosen to be what it is, other then they thought that was a good place to stop.

[athomas]

I've never had that issue. I have used the same sized carrier forever, and my oring seals the same now as it did when I put it in. I dare say the gun has 100000 shots fired through it.

Perhaps your bolt stem has some machine marks in it that act like sandpaper on the orings.

[GoatBoy]

I've never had that issue. I have used the same sized carrier forever, and my oring seals the same now as it did when I put it in. I dare say the gun has 100000 shots fired through it.

Perhaps your bolt stem has some machine marks in it that act like sandpaper on the orings.

The other explanation might be variance in LX stem size. Yours might just happen to settle in on one carrier size, and mine on another.

Curious... what size carrier are you using?

I have two LX bolts and they both do the same thing... eventually I wind up at the smallest carrier. Once there, admittedly, it lasts a long time... but why stop there?


Unless AGD had calculations or lab data that said, "stop here," it would be unusual (and unfortunate) for them to make a decision without supporting data...

[athomas]

The carriers are used to tighten the inside diameter of the orings. I suspect they obtained size and tolerance data on the orings they were using in the level 10 system. With the minimum inner diameter spec they would have determined the carrier size to tighten the inside diameter to a value smaller than the diameter of the bolt stem. Once the oring wears flat, I guess it is considered worn out and should be replaced.

The carrier size I use is 1.5. I actually used the 2.0 until it was worn in, and then switched down in size to the 1.5 where it has been ever since.

[stevewar]

^^^ The king of lx