Archive author
Joe Carlos
50 indexed articles · 2013–2023
Published work
Articles by Joe Carlos
AR-15 Barrel Extension Fitting
An updated look at improvements and new products for barrel extension fitting precision AR-15 rifles.
Muzzle Attachments
From humble beginnings, here is a history of muzzle attachments for the AR-15 and other firearms.
AR-15 Fliers, Part 3
Let’s move on from basic AR design flaws and ammunition into other contributors to fliers. The first of these are iron sights that fail to track, have lags in tracking, or dead spots. I have been shooting Stoner firearms ever since the…
AR-15 Fliers, Part 2
Ammunition-related causes of fliers.
AR-15 Fliers, Part 1
Stoner design flaws that contribute to fliers and how to address them.
.224 Valkyrie
While my initial tests with 90 grain bullets had some problems, improved performance with this cartridge may be fixable.
.22 Nosler
are the pros and cons of this new cartridge.
Straight Bullets
Having cartridges straight and inline is critical for accuracy. Gunsmith work and customer education to ensure this happens is vital.
New AR-15 Products
It sometimes seems like new goodies for the Stoner platform are appearing on nearly daily basis. So by the time this appears in print I am sure there will be dozens and perhaps hundreds of new products that haven’t been covered. With…
Gas Tube Alignment, Revisited
The never-ending saga continues. Here’s an update on gas tube alignment for AR-15 builds.
Maximizing The AR-15
A former military armorer reveals his secrets for cutting AR-15 group sizes in half.
Sierra’s New Match King
Evaluating the second generation 90 grain .224 Match King bullet.
Barrels For Custom AR-15s, Part 2
How barrel characteristics influence pressure, shooting military ball ammo, and determining optimal twist rates.
Barrels For Custom AR-15s, Part 1
Barrels are the foundation rifles are built upon. Due to no fault of the barrel maker, AR-15s often don’t deliver their accuracy potential.
Encyclopedic Error
Debunking old wives’ tales in gunsmithing the AR-15.
Combating AR-15 Bolt Carrier Tilt
Eugene Stoner never designed his AR-15 to be a tack driver. It was intended to be a lightweight battlefield weapon but by good fortune it happens to be easier to work on than its predecessors. In spite of certain design elements, it…
The Accu-Wedge
Can a $5 piece of red bubble gum cure a fifty-year-old design flaw?
Gain Twist Barrels For Palma
The first Palma Trophy Match was held on September 13- 14, 1876 at Creedmoor Range, Long Island, New York with competing teams from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, and the United States. Since then, 27 official competitions have been held, along with three…
AR-15 Barrel Harmonics
Physics Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman once said, “If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you probably don’t understand quantum mechanics.” I believe most shooters, handloaders, and gunsmiths could substitute “barrel harmonics” for “quantum mechanics” here for an accurate assessment. Although I had…
AR-15 Barrel Treatments For Maximum Precision
Barrel treatments can improve accuracy but are not a guaranteed cure. Here’s the chilling truth about cryogenic barrel treatment and fluting.
Precision AR-15 Ammunition
As a former military armorer, I was in a position to conduct many studies on the AR-15. Meticulous record keeping helped. I have passed along many of the results of my research in these pages and they helped cut average group sizes…
AR-15 Diagnostics
Most semi-automatic firearms lock the bolt or slide to the rear on the last shot. Here we’ll discuss what to do with an AR-15 that doesn’t.
Bullet Seating Sweet Spot
Determining ideal loading maximizes ammunition effectiveness.
AR-15 Build Problems
As a military armorer for over a decade I conducted many studies on the AR-15. Meticulous record keeping helped. I have passed along the results of my research in these pages over the past couple of years. The techniques described helped me…