Received my TNW Aero Survival carbine today...

jeffreybehr · July 12 2016 11:41:12 PM MDT

...but it's not in 10mm...yet. It came in all-black and 45 Auto because, it seems, that's what I ordered. BUT...I today ordered a 10mm barrel and complete bolt assembly ($192 delivered) so I'll have both calibers. The 10mm barrel I ordered with an anodized-darkbrown barrel nut so I could tell the two barrels apart easily. I mounted a 'BARSKA Electro Sight 1X30 M16 Sight' #AC10984 (from Amazon for c. $70 delivered probably because it was a return with 'possibly damaged' original box). It mounted easily and off I went. Took LOTS longer than I thought it would to sight in the sight, since I wasn't smart enough to take along its instructions, but about a hundred cartridges later it was accurately shooting about a half-inch high and had destroyed dozens of those pesky waterjugs (of which I still have LOTS). ${$default_cheesy_smiley}$

This is my first UBR; it's heavier than it looks and kicks my office-boy-soft-and-tender-and-arthritic-and-worn-out shoulder more than I thought it would, but that may have lots to do with its quite-hard-rubber buttplate. Since the carbine is a good bit shorter than I think it ought to be, two soft, thickish pads, plus a larger grip, are on their way from Midway. On my way north I stopped at Glockmeister and bought three Glock-brand 13rd. mags which functioned perfectly with both my 185g. practice reloads and Federal HST 230 +Ps. The carbine came with one SMG Tactical 24rd. mag which I tried after shooting a bunch with the Glock 13s. With the SMG, the carbine jammed feeding the 2nd reload; I removed it and didn't touch it again.

I think this will be enjoyable to shoot in both calibers. Next time out I'll chrono my practice and Federal HSTs in both this carbine and my S&W M&P 45C pistol and report results...and try the 10mm combination. I have two Glock 15rd. mags just dying to be used in it.

PCFlorida · July 13 2016 12:55:02 PM MDT

Nice! Another range report when you get the 10MM barrel in I trust.

jeffreybehr · July 13 2016 02:15:07 PM MDT

You bet! I was going out today, but something prevented that. Tomorrow!

Funny little thing. The barrel is NOT stainless-steel, so I must actually clean it often! Imagine that! So I went out to my little toolroom, grabbed my guncleaning tote, and guess what?...no rod long enough for a 16" barrel. Problem solved this morn by spending another $43!

jeffreybehr · July 15 2016 06:47:01 PM MDT

Got it out again Thursday after mounting the 4X scope included with the carbine*. I've read opinions that its optical quality is poor, but it looked fine to me. But probably I wasn't paying great attention to its optical quality because I was--again--consuming lots of ammo getting it sighted in; seems its adjustment instructions are backward. I left with it shooting dead on at 10 yards with my 180g. practice ammo and about a half-inch left with the Federal 230g. HST +Ps. I'll be shooting this with only the inexpensive Winchester 10mm, 180g. PD bullets...
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1390103549/winchester-bullets-40-s-and-w-10mm-auto-400-diameter-180-grain-jacketed-hollow-point
...and I'll final-adjust it with them.

Had lots of trouble with my chrono registering any velocities due apparently to sun glare--and it got blown over in a gust--so ended up not using it. Came home and ordered a LabRadar that should solve those problems. ${$default_grin_smiley}$

Am and will be using genuine-Glock mags in it--13rd. 45s and 15rd. 10s--and had NO jams or other failures in about 200 rounds of reloads and Federal-factory stuff with the 45.

Still haven't heard from TNW about my barrel-and-bolt order of Tuesday. ${$default_sad_smiley}$

* The BARSKA red-reticle sight was barely bright enough to see in Tuesday's bright light...and the sunlight is virtually always bright in the Arizona desert.

jeffreybehr · July 16 2016 03:08:41 PM MDT

jeffreybehr · July 18 2016 11:12:43 PM MDT

Haven't been out with my carbine for a few days, so maybe tomorrow I'll go destroy some of those pesky waterjugs. TNW did not have 10mm barrels in stock last week so had to make some; hence my barrel and bolt assembly in 10mm was shipped just today; they'll be here Thursday.

Have decided to get rid of my 40S&W stuff--M&P pistol, supplies, ammo, etc., and keep and reload only 45 Auto and 10mm Auto; I have limited amounts of patience and space and just don't want to keep one more pistol and a bunch of supplies I wouldn't ordinarily have. Two calibers will be plenty of fun for me. ${$default_smiley_smiley}$

Without the benefit of receiving or having shot the 10mm barrel for the Aero carbine, for 10mm I've settled on the Winchester JHP180* for all reloads for the 10mm carbine, Montana Gold plated-HP155s for the Witness Polymer 10 practice, and the 155g. Barnes TAC-XP handloads for EDC PD ammo. For the 45 Auto, I'm keeping the Federal factory HST 230 +Ps for PD and the MG or other plated 185s for practice including blowing up waterjugs for both pistol (an M&P compact) and carbine.

Will be trying my third optical sight, this time an Aim Sport 2X-7X by 32mm pistol scope...
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/aimsports-2-7x32mm-pistol-scope-matte-black?a=762855

We'll see how that does. ${$default_smiley_smiley}$

* 51 pounds of which arrived yesterday. Hmm...2000 times 180 = 360,000 grains, divided by 7000 = 51.4 pounds!

Oh ya...my LabRadar will be arriving this week. No more sensor screens and tripod blown over nor shots with no velocity readings due to glare from the sun. ${$default_grin_smiley}$

The_Shadow · July 19 2016 07:27:24 AM MDT

Jeffrey, are all of these TNW carbines left hand eject? ${$default_huh_smiley}$

Azrckcrawler · July 19 2016 09:17:10 AM MDT

Quote from: The_Shadow on July 19 2016 07:27:24 AM MDT
Jeffrey, are all of these TNW carbines left hand eject? ${$default_huh_smiley}$

User selectable.

The_Shadow · July 19 2016 10:58:01 AM MDT

That cool! I thought I had see some with right side ejection.

jeffreybehr · July 20 2016 07:53:34 PM MDT

First, the original grip was too small, mostly front to back; I could operate the trigger with the 2nd joint of my index finger. I found an inexpensive larger grip at Midway...
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/417866/tapco-saw-style-pistol-grip-ar-15?cm_mmc=se_service-_-shippingconf-_-shippingconf-_-ProductShippedTodayLink

It's just right for my medium-sized hands, looks good, and has a small storage compartment.

Required a little filing of the opening to get it to slide on.

Also ordered a couple recoil pads. One's a slide-on...
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/480595/limbsaver-recoil-pad-snap-on-ar-15-universal-6-position-1-4-step-down-rubber?cm_mmc=se_service-_-shippingconf-_-shippingconf-_-ProductShippedTodayLink
It's quite soft, has plenty of stiction, fits adequately...

...but looks plenty-good-enough to me. ${$default_smiley_smiley}$

One quick tip for owners who have not yet changed the bolt in one of these--the trigger assembly must be removed first. That's merely implied by the instructions. The whole thing is quite easy to field strip and clean.

TOMORROW the 10mm barrel and bolt and the LabRadar arrive.

jeffreybehr · July 22 2016 05:08:46 PM MDT

Well...

The 10mm barrel and bolt arrived yesterday and I got them installed, but somehow apparently I fouled something, because now the trigger assembly's hammer won't engage the sear of the trigger, so the carbine no longer goes BANG. I called TNW this morning; they wanted the rifle back to repair and make absolutely sure everything was right, but I offered to buy a new trigger assembly and return the old one for repair. The new one will be in the Priority Mail Monday*.

Meanwhile I'll get out with my pistols and LabRADAR Sunday and report.

* TNW is so back-ordered on this ASR that they have NO stock and have to build a trigger assembly to mail to me.

The_Shadow · July 22 2016 09:30:23 PM MDT

By changing the grip, did that screw go too deep possibly???

jeffreybehr · August 05 2016 09:12:29 PM MDT

Only a week late*, the new 10/45 trigger assembly arrived today. Without breaking anything, I managed to get everything assembled and got it out for a quick shoot just to be sure it goes bang; it does. I took along maybe a half-dozen different reloads assembled for it and my pistol, and except for a couple first singles, it functioned perfectly with all of them and all-four Glock-20.4 mags I have. Recoil was mild shooting from the hip--I hadn't installed the sight for this shake-down--and it definitely sounds different than my pistol. I'll take it along tomorrow for chono'ing and sighting-in and report.

FWIW, the original carbine was all black; I ordered the 10mm barrel and the new trigger assembly in dark-brown, and it looks quite good, even if the trigger frame is golden, not dark, brown.

* TNW is VERY back-ordered on this carbine

jeffreybehr · August 06 2016 02:08:21 AM MDT

...2-7x32 pistol Scout Scope mounted.

Might even get it sighted in Saturday. ${$default_smiley_smiley}$

jeffreybehr · August 07 2016 02:14:44 AM MDT

I shot it with maybe a half-dozen reloads and some PPU factory 180s and it functioned perfectly except for several top-cartridge-in-the mag instances when it failed to feed the cartridge into the chamber. If I cleared that 1st cartridge, the next 1st cartridge failed to feed. If with the bolt locked open I single-fed a cartridge into the chamber, closed the bolt, and inserted the mag, it worked perfectly every time. Today I loaded a few dummies to 1.26" OAL, and they fed perfectly, but the 'regular' reloads, too, did. So...maybe tomorrow I'll get the 1.26"ers out to see how they do.

Anyone else have this problem?