Due to an overwhelming response to our product we are going to attempt to answer your most common questions here.
Q. What handguards/rails can I use with this system?
A. This is the list of handguards we currently know will work with our system without any modifications, this list will be updated as more handguards are discovered
to work with our system:
- The Free Floating or Drop In rails available on our website manufactured by Samson for us
- Samson Manufacturing Star-M-EX-P
- Daniel Defense
Omega Rails
- Daniel Defense
Lite Rails
- Daniel Defense
Omega X Rails
- Daniel Defense
9.5 FSP Lite
- Daniel Defense
EZ Car 7.0
- Ergo Grip AR Z Float
- Ergo Grip AR Z Rail
- Midwest Industries Gas Piston Carbine Two Piece Free Float Forearm
- Arms #50
Bi-Level S.I.R. System
- Troy
Industries MRF-DI
- PRI
Gen III Delta Carbon Fiber Forearm
- The modified
M4 style handguards provided with our standard system
Q. Can I modify a set of handguards/rails to work with this system?
A. Most handguards/rails on the market can be modified to fit. If you do not see the rail you want use in the list above or in the category below then it can be modified to fit. For a diagram of the proper way to modify these rails
click here.
Q. Which handguard/rails will not work with this system?
A. Any tubular free-floating handguard (or rail that uses these handguards for their base). Any handguard that covers or extends over the gas block or in front of the gas block will not work with our system. Any handguard that uses a barrel nut longer than a standard milspec barrel nut. These are examples that have been found to not work:
- YHM rails - use a tubular handguard as a base
- GG&G free-floating rails - use a tubular handguard as a base
- Vltor VIS - modular upper/rail that can not be modified
- Daniel Defense FSP (Except the 9.5 FSP Lite)
- LaRue Rails - uses oversized barrel nut
- MI Two Piece Forearm Extended Carbine Length - continues in front of the gas block
- MI One Piece Forearm T Series - uses oversized barrel nut
- Troy Industries 10” MRF-MX - extends over a low profile gas block
Q. Will my barrel work with this system?
A. Our system will work with any barrel that has a shoulder diameter (where the gas block sits) of .750” or ¾”. It also requires a shoulder length of 1” (preferably 2”) toward the front of the barrel.
Q. How high does the gas block sit?
A. The gas block is a picatinny style gas block and sits at the same height as the upper receiver. We developed it this way so the average user can use his or her choice of flip up iron sights.
Q. What are the adjustable gas settings for?
A. Our gas block is set up with 3 different gas setting that are easily adjusted by pressing down the detent pin and rotating the gas plug either clockwise or counter-clockwise. The 12 o’clock position is the full or open position and
should be used with normal fire. The 1 o’clock position is the low or suppressed position and is best used with a suppressor on the firearm. The last 3 o’clock position is the off position and allows your AR to fire without cycling the action.
Q. How do I know which length system to buy?
A. Our system comes in 4 lengths: pistol, carbine, midlength, and rifle. The most common listed measurements for these are: pistol – 4”, carbine – 7”, midlength – 9”, and
rifle – 12”. These measurements can be found by measuring the distance between the front of the upper receiver and the shoulder where the gas block sits. These measurements are not exact but are rounded to the nearest inch for ease of terminology and for quad rail compatibilty.
You can get a more accurate measurement by measuring the barrel extention in the upper receiver and the back of the gas block, where the shoulder starts on the barrel.
Click here to for an illustration of exact measurements.
Q. How do I know I spaced my gas block properly?
A. While installing the system remove the bushing and spring from the drive rod and slightly loosen the gas block screws. Remove the upper receiver and place the bolt carrier
(with our carrier key installed) into the upper pushing it completely into battery. While holding the back of the bolt carrier into battery place the
drive rod and gas plug into the gas block and turning it to the 12 o’clock position. The drive rod should not touch the carrier key when this takes
place. If it does gentle tap the gas block forward on the barrel with a rubber or plastic hammer until the drive rod is no longer touching the
carrier key. Once you have the drive rod and plug installed you should see a gap between the drive rod sleeve and the gas block wide enough to fit two
business cards in. If you do not have a business card available measure the gap and make sure it is between .015” and .025”. Once this is accomplished
tighten the gas block down.
Q. What kind of warranty comes with this system?
A. All of our systems comes with a lifetime warranty provided you have not modified any of our
parts or used them for anything other than their intended usage.
Q. I have a welded on flash suppressor; can I install your system?
A. In order to install our system you will need to remove the flash suppressor/muzzle brake from the front of your firearm. If your state
requires this to be welded on or permanently attached you will need to find a reputable gunsmith or armorist that is capable of removing the flash
suppressor/muzzle brake and legally reattaching it.
Q. Can the Adam’s Arms system be shipped to an APO address?
A. Yes it can, however, it has to be a stateside address.
Q. Can Adam’s Arms ship overseas?
A. Not at this time, we are processing the paperwork required and will update the website when we are capable of doing so.
Q. Does Adam’s Arms make complete uppers and/or lowers?
A. Adams Arms does produce complete uppers. For a list of the current configurations visit the products section of our website.
Q. Does the Adam’s Arms system have to be shipped to an FFL?
A. No, the Adam’s Arms retro-fit system is considered an AR accessory and can be shipped directly to the customer.
Q. Can I send my upper in to Adam’s Arms for installation?
A. We designed our system to be installed by you, the end user, and can easily be installed by anyone with some basic mechanical skills and a good working
knowledge of an AR15. You can also call here and talk to one of our representatives directly if you have a question during installation. If you
do not feel confident in the installation of our system you can take it to a competent local gunsmith or armorist. They should be able to follow the
instructions and install the system for you. If they have any questions they can call us here directly and we will help them over the phone with the
installations.
Q. What should I do if I have a problem with my system after installation?
A. We rely on our reputation in this industry and do everything we can to make sure our customers are happy. Should you need our help call
us or email us directly with a phone number, best time to call, and a brief description of what you are experiencing, and we’ll contact you in a timely
manner to make sure you are taken care of.
Q. What calibers will the Adam’s Arms systems work with?
A. Currently our system will function with the 5.45x39, the 5.56/.223, the 6.5 Grendel,
and the 6.8 SPC without any special modifications needed. We are in the testing stages right now with the .308/7.62 NATO and will update our website
when we have a system that will work to our standards.
Q. What is carrier tilt and should I be concerned?
A. Carrier tilt is a symptom of a problem not the actual problem. The actual problem is
sloppy or loose tolerances in the receiver. Our one-piece carrier combined with our bolt spring eliminates carrier tilt in even the sloppiest of
receivers. For those who have normal mil/industry spec AR’s, the design of our system does not have an issue with carrier tilt. The fact is piston
systems on the market vary from manufacturer to manufacturer we believe that ours has several design features that benefit over the competition in the
market.
Q. What is the purpose of the bolt spring and where does it go?
A. The bolt spring goes behind the bolt in the bolt carrier and eliminates cam pin
wear. Be sure to remove the gas rings from the back of the bolt before installing the bolt spring.
Q. Does the gas block need to be pinned?
A. We researched the advantages and disadvantages of a pinned sight and decided that screws on the gas block
had more advantages to what we were trying to accomplish. The greatest of these advantages being the systems design is to be installed by the average
user without having to permanently modifying the firearm. The screws are more than adequate to hold the gas block in place, and we do not have issues
with its security.
Q. My receiver bushing falls in and out of place, what can I do?
A. Some manufacturers drill out the hole in the upper receiver a few thousands of an inch too big and the receiver bushing doesn’t have the necessary tension
needed to hold it into place. An easy remedy for this issue is to cover the outside of the receiver bushing with the red Locktite provided in the
system. It will need approximately 36 hours to properly dry before shooting. Since this particular bushing is only a guide and has no load
bearing properties, the Locktite will hold and the bushing will not be knocked loose.
Q. Will your one-piece bolt carrier and bolt spring work with my piston driven AR from another manufacturer?
A. Our parts and product are developed to work with each other and are not developed to be used with
other manufacturers systems. If you have another manufacturers piston driven AR you may find our products helpful, however, because they are not
being used for their intended use the warranty and return policy will be void.
Q. How long will it take to install this system?
A. While the time will vary due to the abilities of the installer and type of AR you own,
the average customer installs our system in approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Q. What is required to maintain and clean the Adams Arms Piston System?
A. The Adams Arms Retro-Fit Piston System keeps the hot burning gases from entering the receiver. This means the normal time and energy exerted on cleaning your AR15/M16 will be drastically reduced. To clean our system, simply wipe off the parts with a dry, clean towel.
The areas of the system that see the most dirt is the front of the gas block and the back of the plug and drive rod sleeve. These parts may require some scrubbing with a nylon cleaning brush or old toothbrush and some cleaning solvent.
To access the drive rod for cleaning, simply press the detent button and turn the gas plug knob to the 9 o’clock position. Then remove the drive rod and gas plug. Wipe the outside off with a dry, clean towel and spot clean with your choice of solvent and a nylon brush as needed.
If you find an area that has a heavy build up of carbon which will not come off with solvent, use a knife, pick, or some type of scraping tool to remove the heavy spots. Due to our meloniting process the parts are virtually scratch proof and shouldn’t show any wear.
Once cleaned, replace system and continue shooting. Oiling the piston system is not necessary; however, if you choose to do so, apply only a thin coat over the moving parts.
