An update on what's happening, but first let me address the Levang comp quesiton.
It may also mean the diameter.
If you put it on a .270 don't be surprised if it gets torn off first shot.
Yeah, but the we're talking about a comp made for .22lr and putting it on a .223. I checked before I did this and there's plenty of clearance, so dimensional-wise it fits an 5.56. Put 40 more 5.56 rounds through it this weekend with no problem... other than it got hot. Oh and yes sir, wow, yousers, that Levang on a 10" barrel gives of a really great flash strobe effect. Fireworks. Light up the room. I'll take a video next time.
BUT NOW BACK TO OUR FEATURE SUBJECT:
Three weeks ago, having all the parts, I took this new 10" AR to the range. Problem: Bolt doesn't go back far enough to strip a new round from the magazine. It ejects the spent round and cocks the hammer, but fails to go back far enough by a fraction of an inch.
So two weeks ago I took my 12" AR to the range, along with the 10" and exchanged parts. The offending part was the buffer spring. Most on-line places don't give you any details other than "Pistol", "Cabine", or "Rifle". They don't give length, or turns, or even a measurement of force when compressed. SO. Since they are less than $5ea I order 4 different ones.
THIS WEEK: Starting to get impatient, my springs not having arrived, so "Have Pliers Will Travel". Went to the range and started snipping off part of the spring. YES, I know there are a lot of dynamics involved here, but it's the only "adjustment" I could affect. And I'm getting impatient, because due to work & personal issues, I won't be able to get to the range for another two weeks.
AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE: Sort of like loading up squibs just to see what they would do. I got close to the sweet spot with the spring. It would cycle 2 out of 3 times. But then I took off just a bit too much. I didn't damage the buffer tube, the buffer or the bolt, but, uh, let's say the operation took a swing in the other direction and the disconnecter didn't have the opportunity to, uh, disconnect.
So, I'm putting it away for the time being and will await the replacement springs. At the last small gun show, nobody was selling springs separate. What I really want is the stainless spring that came with the buffer tube on my 12" AR, but the retailer isn't selling springs separate.
Slowly but surely.