The 16-inch BoreBuddy No-Tune AR22 Upper is designed to run most .22 LR ammunition without manual tuning. Manufacturer photo courtesy of BoreBuddy.
Dedicated AR22 uppers are supposed to make rimfire shooting simple. Pin the upper to a compatible AR lower, add a magazine, and enjoy inexpensive practice without the noise and expense of centerfire ammunition. In practice, many AR22 owners spend at least some time experimenting with springs, bolt weights, triggers, and ammunition before their setup runs the way they want.
BoreBuddy says its upcoming No-Tune AR22 Upper is designed to remove that part of the process. According to the company, the new upper should pin onto a lower and run with most ammunition without the usual adjustments. The 16-inch version is expected first, with a planned MSRP of $499.
That is an appealing promise, especially for shooters who want to spend more time shooting and less time diagnosing a rimfire build. It is also a claim we plan to test rather than simply repeat.
What “No-Tune” Means for an AR22 Upper
A dedicated AR22 uses a simple blowback action, but reliable function still depends on the entire system working together. Ammunition has to generate enough energy to cycle the bolt. The recoil spring and bolt mass influence how quickly it moves. The hammer spring and trigger geometry add resistance, while the magazine has to present each cartridge at the right height and angle.
A change to any one of those variables can affect the rest. An upper that runs high-velocity ammunition on a standard lower may struggle with standard-velocity or subsonic loads. A trigger intended for centerfire use may add enough resistance to cause cycling problems. Suppressed and unsuppressed configurations can behave differently as well.
BoreBuddy has addressed those variables for years with recoil spring kits, adjustable bolt weights, pressure plugs, upgraded firing pins, extractors, and other AR22 reliability parts. The No-Tune Upper takes a different approach. Instead of asking the customer to select and adjust those parts, the company says the complete upper has been configured to work without that process.
Designed to Run More Types of .22 LR Ammunition
BoreBuddy says the No-Tune AR22 Upper should run most ammunition as delivered. That includes standard-velocity and subsonic .22 LR when it is paired with the proper hammer spring.
The hammer spring qualification matters. Rimfire ammunition needs a reliable firing-pin strike, but a stronger hammer spring also creates more resistance for the bolt as it cycles. BoreBuddy recently introduced a reduced-power hammer spring kit intended to balance those competing needs, particularly when an AR22 is paired with a specialized trigger.
We do not yet know how broad the upper’s ammunition compatibility will be in every lower and magazine combination. “Most ammunition” is also different from “all ammunition.” Bulk .22 LR varies considerably, and even well-sorted rimfire loads can behave differently across firearms. Our upcoming testing will include several ammunition types so we can see how close the production upper comes to the no-tune promise.
A Suppressor-Friendly AR22 Upper
The new upper also uses BoreBuddy’s suppressor-thread-cleaning barrel geometry. Carbon and lead buildup can collect around the muzzle threads during suppressed rimfire shooting. That fouling can make a direct-thread suppressor harder to remove and may cause some suppressors to begin separating at their own tube threads instead of unscrewing cleanly from the barrel.
BoreBuddy designed the new barrel geometry to help clear fouling from the suppressor threads during removal. It is a small detail, but one that could be valuable on an upper likely to see a high volume of suppressed .22 LR.
This feature also helps distinguish the No-Tune Upper from a generic complete AR22 upper. BoreBuddy is not merely assembling readily available components. The company is incorporating solutions based on the problems rimfire shooters encounter after thousands of rounds.
How It Fits Into BoreBuddy’s AR22 Line
The No-Tune Upper is not a replacement for every other BoreBuddy upper. Shooters choosing a precision-focused setup may still prefer the longer barrel and accuracy emphasis of the BoreBuddy AR22 Apogee Match Upper. Short, tucked configurations also serve a different purpose, particularly when overall length and suppressor integration are priorities.
The new 16-inch model appears aimed at the broadest part of the market: shooters who want a dedicated .22 LR upper that fits a standard AR15 lower and works without turning reliability into a separate project. BoreBuddy has also said it expects to offer a 12-inch version later.
Our Upcoming BoreBuddy No-Tune Upper Review
BoreBuddy is sending us a production No-Tune AR22 Upper along with the reduced-power hammer springs. We will test the upper as a conventional semi-automatic rimfire first, using multiple ammunition types and magazines in both suppressed and unsuppressed configurations.
It will also become the upper for a complete AR22 project built around an AS Designs ARC-Fire Trigger V2 90-180 ambidextrous kit. Forced reset and similar high-cadence rimfire systems place greater demands on timing and reliable cycling than an ordinary semi-automatic setup. If the new upper works well in both roles, that will say much more than a few magazines of high-velocity ammunition through a basic lower.
Our review will cover setup, compatibility, reliability, ammunition sensitivity, suppressed use, and general handling. Video may follow once the system is running reliably, but the first priority is enough range time to separate a product issue from a lower, magazine, ammunition, or trigger variable.
For now, the BoreBuddy No-Tune AR22 Upper is an interesting response to one of the most common questions from new AR22 owners: “Can I just pin it on and shoot?” BoreBuddy says the answer is yes. We will find out how well that promise holds up once the upper arrives.