AZR-15 FRT TECH MANUAL

Setup Methods: 

Conditions that allow drop in AZR-15 function, no AZR-15 lower cam leg length adjustment needed.
Setup 1 Mil-Spec trigger in loose tolerances gun. Setup 1 Geissele SSA trigger in loose tolerances gun. Setup 3 Mil-Spec trigger in loose tolerances gun. Do not adjust or modify the upper cam during any Setup process. Modifying the upper cam can create function and timing issues.

 

Setup Method 1 - We recommend the Original Setup Method 1 which is printed on the inside of the packaging where the lower cam leg lands on the trigger bar. This is also outlined in the 5.56 Tech area below. This setup method gives you the most flexibility. Can direct swap from Mil-Spec to Geissele SSA.

 

Setup Method 2 - Another AZR-15 setup method for those who only want to use Mil-Spec triggers. When using this method you can still use it in multiple compatible ARs with Mil-Spec triggers. The basic process for Setup Method 2 is almost the same as the process for Setup Method 1. Setup Method 2 with a Mil-Spec trigger can also be used as a fix if too much was taken off the lower cam leg during Setup Method 1.

 

Setup Method 3 - A third way to setup your ARIZONA REGULATOR AZR-15. This is for running a Mil-Spec trigger in a dedicated FRT only rig. Setup Method 3 will only run with the AZR-15 in the receiver. Basically the same as Setup Method 1, less Disconnector and Spring removed from Mil-Spec FCG. 

 

Mil-Spec Triggers Specific – Setup Method 1 remove Disconnector and Spring prior to Setup. Replace after function check. Setup Method 2 remove Disconnector Spring prior to Setup. Replace after function check.

 

Geissele SSA Triggers Specific – The pics of Setup Methods do not show Geissele SSA triggers. Geissele SSA triggers are a different animal. Geissele SSA triggers do not need a disconnector mod to use them. If you are only going to use a Geissele SSA trigger look at Setup Method 1 for an idea how it functions. Except that the disconnector tail on a Geissele SSA gets pushed all the way down into the trigger body by the lower cam leg when the lower cam leg pushes down on the trigger bar like in Setup Method 1. Remove Disconnector and Spring prior to Setup. Replace after function check.

 

LaRue MBT Triggers Specific - The MBT has a tall pillar at the rear of the trigger body. This is where the lower cam leg will land. You have to take +/- 0.300 off of the lower cam leg length to run with LaRue MBT triggers. Start long and work your way to function. See Setup Method 2 for an idea of how it interacts. Instead of landing on the Disconnector the lower cam leg lands on the pillar of trigger bar. Once setup you can swap your AZR-15 to other guns with MBT Triggers only.

 

LaRue Specific Setup 2 Note: 

For the LaRue MBT you will have a gap and receiver will not close yet. The gap to close receiver will be fairly large. Slowly work your way removing material from tip of lower cam leg until receiver closes. Then go to the Setup Method 2 process and finish getting your gun functioning smoothly.

 

 

AZR-15 Mechanics / Function: 

The AZR-15 is engineered to be tough and durable it will force and torque its way thru the operation even if not set up properly and slightly binds / drags when you fire your AR. When properly set up you should not feel resistance from the AZR-15 in the gun when you slowly pull charging handle to rear without touching trigger.
Requires full auto BCG - 5.0+ oz buffer (H3) for 5.56 – 10.0+ oz buffer for 9mm. 

You fire one shot by physically functioning the trigger.
The BCG moves to the rear and engages the cams of the AZR-15.
The AZR-15 cams move your trigger into the safe position where the hammer and trigger are able to reengage ensuring your gun cannot fire out of battery while also regulating your firing cycle to one shot per single function of the trigger.
The BCG moves forward, once safely into battery the BCG disengages the cams of the AZR-15 allowing you to physically function the trigger again to fire the next single shot.

AZR-15 Method 1 Instructions:
Verify safe condition, mag removed, chamber empty
Verify Buffer weight
Selector in Fire position
Tip Reciver open
Mil-Spec and Geissele SSA remove Disconnector and Spring
Manually cock Hammer
Top Cam vert position
Insert AZR-15 into Upper Reciver Pocket
Tip reciver closed
Very slowly pull charging handle to rear while tapping trigger
Feel trigger travel shorten then lengthen as BCG moves rearward
If BCG stops or trigger goes solid prior to BCG full travel remove a couple thuo of material at the AZR-15 to trigger bar contact area
Perform Function Check

AZR-15 Method 1 Function Check:

Lock BCG to rear
Hit bolt stop to release BCG
BCG goes forward and disengages AZR-15
Allows you to pull trigger
Hammer drops
Mil-Spec clearance rear of disconnector to 0.040 +/- 0.010 behind and above rear of spring well, reinstall Disconnector and Spring.
Geissele SSA reinstall Disconnector and Spring.

 

AZR-15 Method 2 Instructions:
Verify safe condition, mag removed, chamber empty
Verify Buffer weight
Selector in Fire position
Tip Reciver open
Mil-Spec remove Disconnector Spring
Manually cock Hammer
Top Cam vert position
Insert AZR-15 into Upper Reciver Pocket
Tip reciver closed
Very slowly pull charging handle to rear while tapping trigger
Feel trigger travel shorten then lengthen as BCG moves rearward
If BCG stops or trigger goes solid prior to BCG full travel remove a couple thuo of material at the AZR-15 to trigger bar contact area.
Perform Function Check

AZR-15 Method 2 Function Check:
Lock BCG to rear
Hit bolt catch to release BCG
BCG goes forward and disengages AZR-15
Allows you to pull trigger
Hammer drops
Mil-Spec reinstall Disconnector Spring.

 

AZR-15 Method 3 Instructions:
See Mil-Spec 1 with no Disconnector
Dedicated Forced Reset Trigger Function Only 

 

AZR-15M2 Instructions: 

Verify safe condition, mag removed, chamber empty Verify Buffer weight
Selector in Fire position
Tip Reciver open 

Mil-Spec and Geissele SSA remove Disconnector Spring Manually cock Hammer
Top Cam vert position
Insert AZR-15M2 into Upper Reciver Pocket 

Tip reciver closed
Very slowly pull charging handle to rear while tapping trigger
Feel trigger travel shorten then lengthen as BCG moves rearward
In Spec ARs BCG will function smoothly with no adjustment
If BCG stops or trigger goes solid prior to BCG full travel AR is out of Spec. Remove a couple thou of material at the AZR-15 to trigger contact area Perform Function Check

 

AZR-15M2 Function Check:
Lock BCG to rear
Hit bolt stop to release BCG
BCG goes forward and disengages AZR-15M2
Allows you to pull trigger
Hammer drops
Mil-Spec and Geissele SSA reinstall Disconnector Spring 

 

 

AZR-15 9mm Tech:
For General Tech details see 5.56 Tech
AZR-15 9mm Configuration specifics are covered below.

This is how we did it with what we had on hand. Every 9mm blow back setup is different.
Upper brand should not make any difference as long as its machined to Colt Mil-Spec upper specs which the majority of AR uppers are to Colt specs.  Another brand bolt or buffer/spring should not matter as long as the bolt has the same or very similar bottom profile as a normal 5.56 FA BCG and the buffer is heavy enough to eliminate bolt bounce.

 

How we made the ARIZONA REGULATOR AZR-15 run with 9mm:
We used the same standard 5.56 A2 rifle lower that we had been using for the 5.56 development.
Pulled the 5.56 Colt upper, buffer, and buffer spring.
Pinned on a 16" Colt 9mm upper with a Foxtrot Mike Colt style mag BCG part # FMC-9BCG.
Dropped in a Kaw Valley Precision 10 oz tungsten carbine buffer part # KVP-10oz and Kaw Valley Precision XP carbine buffer spring part # KVP-PCC-XP- Spring.
Installed the proper length spacer configuration to take up the extra space in the rifle buffer tube to accommodate the shorter carbine buffer and get the bolt catch to work properly without having excess rearward travel when the bolt locks to the rear when the mag is empty.
Ran a Mean Arms Endomag 9mm mag conversion kit with built in ejector in a PMAG 30 marked AR/M4 GEN M3 part # MAG557-MCT.
Shot Federal 115g brass case bulk ammo.

AZR-15 Short barrel 9mm Pistol Upper Note:
When running a short barrel 7.5 inches with a suppressor we had to go to a standard weight carbine buffer spring.
7.5" Yankee Hill Machine 9mm Upper
Foxtrot Mike Colt Mags 9mm BCG
Kaw Valley Precision 10 oz tungsten carbine buffer
Standard carbine buffer tube
Standard carbine buffer spring
Bowers CAC9 Suppressor

AZR-15 9mm BCG Note:
Ensure whichever std FA compatible BCG you use does not have an additional pinned in weight in the tail of it that extends forward past the trip release surface. Notably the Colt pinned in weight does exceed forward of the trip surface. When the pinned in weight exceeds forward it interferes with the upper cam and the receiver will not close.
You can either mark the weight, unpin it, and relive a bit of material so it clears the upper cam. Or use the Foxtrot Mike BCG that has a pinned weight that does not exceed forward of the trip surface. 

 

 

ARIZONA REGULATOR Notes:
Trigger “tap”
It is a lot simpler and easier than it may seem. Key point is to get enough trigger face “tap” movement at the apex of the mechs travel so it does not bind or create drag on the BCG. Normally we setup to just clear the bind / drag point but a little more will not hurt you as noted below in the interchangeability note. The AZR-15 is engineered to be tough and durable it will force and torque its way thru the operation even if it is not set up properly and it slightly binds / drags when you fire your AR.
When properly set up you should not feel resistance from the AZR-15 in the gun when you slowly pull charging handle to rear without touching trigger.
Do not stress about keeping it as close to the bind point as we normally do. Get your AZR-15 to not bind or feel drag on BCG when you very slowly pull charging handle all the way to the rear while you do not have your finger on trigger and you are good to go.
This is where tapping the trigger comes in, if the trigger taps and moves at the apex of the AZR-15 travel then you are not binding. Thus tap trigger constantly while slowly pulling charging handle to rear, you will feel the trigger travel shorten as the mech reaches the apex of its operation then trigger travel will lengthen as mech continues past the apex of its operation.
To get an idea of what too much “tap” would be. With AZR-15 out of receiver, pull charging handle to rear and release it to set hammer. Put gun on safe then pull trigger and feel how far the trigger moves until trigger tail hits bottom of the safety. If you shoot for less than a quarter to half of that distance max you are good. There is some breathing room in the travel. See video where J.D. gets dones setting up an AZR-15 tight like we normally do. Then he takes a file to it and removes a good bit more. If you go to far on Method 1. Go to Method 2 on Mil-Spec Trigger. Shit the bed twice then go to Method 2 Larue MBT.
When we set one up in ours we stay tight, the face of the trigger “taps” about the thickness of a playing card. We take off a couple thou at a time .002 / .003 which for us is a couple very light strokes with a 4.00 long .500 wide fine double cut file followed with a fine stone to smooth out the filed surface, try it in gun again, if it binds or drags take another .002 / .003 off, try it in gun again. In slow increments till we get smooth full travel feeling the trigger tap with zero
bind. Once we feel zero bind while tapping we slowly pull charging handle to rear while not touching trigger to ensure we feel zero drag on BCG for its full rearward travel.

 

Interchangeability:

We had to shorten the lower cam leg a little extra for our 9mm config than we normally have do when setting one up in our A2 5.56 config. The same AZR-15 still worked in the 5.56 setup afterwards when we changed back over to the 20” A2 config. There was a good bit more trigger “tap” movement at the apex of the AZR-15 travel than we normally setup up to in the A2. Which subsequently shortened and lightened the trigger pull a bit when doing rapid fire as described above in the trigger pull weight and trigger tuning section. Your results for interchangeability may vary from ours.

 

BCG / Buffer:
Standard full auto BCG is required to disengage the ARIZONA REGULATOR. Smooth edged well made BCG's work best. They function smoother overall. But all standard FA BCG's we have tried functioned. If your BCG is sharp and or rough at the release area smooth it out and polish if need be. Sharp and or rough BCG's can create wear on the AZR-15 top cam above and beyond normal break in and parts seating together from use. No different than anything sharp or rough would do to another surface. We have never had wear issues with the original BCG in our 20" A2 or with the 9mm BCG in that setup, both of which are smooth edged well made parts.
Buffer weight does factor in during rapid fire. We use a 5+ oz buffer with 5.56. We have found that in 20” A1 / A2 guns with a regular rifle buffer there are zero issues. Everything runs perfect. Once we went to another AR in true carbine config with carbine buffer tube, shortened up the barrel length, and or threw on a suppressor we had to go to an H3 buffer that weighed in at 5+ oz to eliminate bolt bounce. It has nothing to do with slowing the bolt down and everything to do with mitigating bolt bounce.
How do we know this. Simple. With a lighter H2 carbine buffer in the suppressed 12.5 SBR Carbine we ran into a last round light strike situation. Did not matter if we ran 5rds 10rds 20rds 30rds. The mag would run perfectly then last round would light strike. This was due to there being no drag on the bottom of the BCG from the empty mag after it chambered the last round. That slight bit of drag from a round in the mag pressing up against the bottom of the BCG was enough upward force and drag to counteract the last bit of bolt bounce while using a lighter H2 carbine buffer. Ran perfect thru the mag then light strike last round every time with the lighter H2 carbine buffer. Swapped to an H3 carbine buffer that weighed in at 5+ oz and never had any problems after that regardless of barrel length or adding a suppressor on that AR Carbine.
Thus for the reasons above is why we require a 5+ oz buffer. Bottom line is if you are getting light strikes it is due to bolt bounce. Increase the buffer weight till the bolt bounce goes away. 

 

 

Questions and Answers:

Q: How do I use the full range of function of the ARIZONA REGULATOR.
A: It is an easily developed skill. It is all in how you function the trigger for each shot. For slow fire quickly function trigger. For rapid fire slowly function trigger.
Q: When setting lower cam leg length the charging handle / BCG stops and trigger goes solid.
A: This is typical. Remove a couple thou from lower cam leg length or contact surface of trigger bar. Either method works. Removing from lower cam leg is easier. Removing from trigger bar allows you to use one mech in multiple guns regardless if one is a loose setup and another is a tight setup.
Q: When setting bottom cam leg length the charging handle / BCG stops but trigger still taps and moves.
A: This usually means the gun needs a little more Mil-Spec disconnector tail reduction for the bottom cam leg to clear and contact the rear of the trigger bar. Put some dykem or black sharpie on disco then slowly pull charging handle to rear till it stops a few times. This will make a rub mark that lets you see where you need to remove a little more material from the disconnector tail to make lower cam leg clear Mil-Spec disconnector tail.
Q: When setting lower cam leg length BCG doesn't stop and trigger taps the whole travel of charging handle.
A: Gun is a looser setup than others. You do not need to adjust lower cam leg length.
Q: After shooting a while my upper cam has some wear on the tip of where it contacts the BCG to disengage the upper cam. More than normal seating of parts from use.
A: BCG is probably sharp and or rough at the disengagement area. See BCG section above. Swap to a smooth non sharp BCG or smooth your BCG with a fine stone or cratex. Or if BCG is smooth and well made what you are experiencing is a "torquing thru" situation. The AZR-15 is engineered to be tough and durable it will force and torque its way thru the operation even if it is not set up properly and it slightly binds / drags when you fire your AR. You do not have the proper amount of "trigger tap" and the mech is still binding and drags on BCG when slowly pulling charging handle to rear while not touching trigger. Set lower cam leg length per instructions above.
Q: When doing rapid fire I get one shot then a light primer strike on next shot.
A: Caused by bolt bounce. Typical H1 buffer issue. See buffer section above. Is gun running the required 5.0+ buffer weight. If so your gun may need a heavier buffer to get rid of bolt bounce.
Q: When doing rapid fire I get a light primer strike on last round in mag only.
A: Caused by bolt bounce. Typical H2 buffer issue. See buffer section above. Is gun running the required 5.0+ buffer weight. If so your gun may need a heavier buffer to get rid of bolt bounce.
Q: Too much material got removed during Setup Method 1 now it won't reset.
A: See below. Setup Method 2 will get you functioning. Ensure you use a new Mil-Spec Disconnector.
Q: Too much material got removed during the Setup Method 2 Mil-Spec now it won't reset.
A: See Setup Method 2 LaRue specific. A LaRue MBT will get you functioning.
Q: Too much material got removed during the Geissele SSA Setup now it won't reset.
A: Go to Setup Method 2 and use Mil-Spec or Larue MBT. Both of those will get you functioning.
Q: AZR-15 won't fit into pocket in my upper.
A: Upper is not to standard Mil-Spec Print. Swap uppers or see directions inside package for info on how to adjust AZR-15 to work with out of spec uppers. Q: AZR-15 won't fit into my lower.
A: Lower is not to standard Mil-Spec print. Or lower has the Colt block machined into it just forward of the rear take down pin/lug acceptance location. Swap lowers if it has the Colt block in it or see directions inside package for info on how to adjust AZR-15 to work with out of spec lowers.