Nearly finished with my new AR build

[The Annoyed Man]

I want to learn how to build firearms from kits and such. However, I am not familiar with any books that would be appropriately titled "Armorer Techniques for Dummies" or "Gunsmithing for Dummies."

Maybe one of the experienced builders in the forum could submit a manuscript to a publisher?

dlh

YouTube is your friend: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... d+an+ar+15

[ghostrider]

I want to learn how to build firearms from kits and such. However, I am not familiar with any books that would be appropriately titled "Armorer Techniques for Dummies" or "Gunsmithing for Dummies."

If you like printed material, plenty of good info online:

http://www.ar15howto.com/how-to-assemble/
http://www.thenewrifleman.com/how-to-bu ... -receiver/
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=362116

[The Annoyed Man]

FINISHED!!!

[The Annoyed Man]

Very nice indeed

I assume, of course, you're putting your other ARs up for sale at a very low price? :)

Keep dreaming.

BTW, I'm down to only three, so........... no.

[jb2012]

That thing is sharp!

[FL450]

VERY NICE!

And building it makes owning and shooting it a whole lot more fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed building mine.

Yep! This is the 4th or 5th one for me. I've only ever bought one store-bought AR, my first one, and I've had much more enjoyment from the builds than I ever had from the store-bought. Plus.....I got the rifle I wanted each time, rather than having to compromise on something.

Agreed- When I decided to get into the AR game I had only shot two rounds out of a friends AR much less ever owning one so I dove in head first and built my first one for all the reasons TAM mentioned. I am up to two that I built and own.(556 and 22).
I did buy an Silencerco rim fire suppressor for ease of cleaning purposes but have tax stamp in hand and am going to build my 556 suppressor.

[The Annoyed Man]

OK..... here is the final configuration:





Upon further consideration, the Bushnell Elite Tactical 1-6.5x24mm scope just added too much weight. I set out to build a light SBR, changed my mind for a carbine, but still wanted reasonably light weight. The finished carbine sans optic or suppressor is 7 lb., 3-1/2 oz. The Bushnell scope with the American Defense Manufacturers mount weighs 1 lb., 11-3/4 oz. The T2 Micro with the BOBRO mount weighs 3-1/4 oz.

Let's see......

1. 8 lb., 15-1/4 oz., OR.....
2. 7 lb., 6-3/4 oz.

It was a no-brainer.

[Bitter Clinger]

TAM or Andy,

I have a question for you both. I have a couple of those AAC flash hiders that I would like to install but lack the proper tools for an AR install (I installed on my Remington 700 bolt gun successfully but as you know that is different). I do not have reaction rods or the adapter for the torque wrench (I probably have a coupla torque wrenches somewhere). Can you recommend a resource (e.g., local FTW gunsmith) that could help me out?

I was really motivated by your postings and want to get these done.

THANKS!

[Abraham]

TAM,


What a fine looking AR.

A few questions: I see a IWC Keymod QD sling attachment on the rail, but can't see a QD attachment on the stock.

Can you point it out?

Also, what make and model stock is that?

I'm interested as I just installed a Bravo B-5 Sopmod stock on my LE6920 (not the Enhanced with battery compartments) and love it. Plus, both Bravo items are decent quality without costing an arm and a leg.

And finally, I know there's a school of thought that free float rails are considered better for greater accuracy vs. the snap on type (I have a Bravo B5 keymod handguard on my AR) but, I do wonder, if the accuracy difference is significantly greater...?

I get pretty good (no, not competition quality good, but quite good enough at 50/100 yards) accuracy with what I've installed.

Thanks!

[longhorn86]

OK..... here is the final configuration:





Upon further consideration, the Bushnell Elite Tactical 1-6.5x24mm scope just added too much weight. I set out to build a light SBR, changed my mind for a carbine, but still wanted reasonably light weight. The finished carbine sans optic or suppressor is 7 lb., 3-1/2 oz. The Bushnell scope with the American Defense Manufacturers mount weighs 1 lb., 11-3/4 oz. The T2 Micro with the BOBRO mount weighs 3-1/4 oz.

Let's see......

1. 8 lb., 15-1/4 oz., OR.....
2. 7 lb., 6-3/4 oz.

It was a no-brainer.

That is PURTY!!!!

[The Annoyed Man]

TAM,


What a fine looking AR.

A few questions: I see a IWC Keymod QD sling attachment on the rail, but can't see a QD attachment on the stock.

Can you point it out?

Also, what make and model stock is that?

I'm interested as I just installed a Bravo B-5 Sopmod stock on my LE6920 (not the Enhanced with battery compartments) and love it. Plus, both Bravo items are decent quality without costing an arm and a leg.

And finally, I know there's a school of thought that free float rails are considered better for greater accuracy vs. the snap on type (I have a Bravo B5 keymod handguard on my AR) but, I do wonder, if the accuracy difference is significantly greater...?

I get pretty good (no, not competition quality good, but quite good enough at 50/100 yards) accuracy with what I've installed.

Thanks!

Thank you Abraham. the buttstock is a Mission First Tactical "BATTLELINK" Minimalist Stock: http://missionfirsttactical.com/Product ... Stocks/BMS

The red arrow points to the QD socket on the stock. The stock was cheap. I paid $49.99 for it at RainierArms.com. Rainier doesn't sell junk, but sometimes quality isn't very expensive. I really like the stock. I have a VLTOR E-Mod stock on my other AR, and it is more fully featured, bit it is also a lot heavier and more expensive than the MFT BMS, and I was trying to build a light rifle. But it is well-made, and the curved toe means that it comes to the shoulder readily from a low ready. If I have one complaint about it, it would be that I would like a 2nd QD attachment point further back near the buttpad to make carrying it slung on my back a little easier. I'm going to put a second Keymod QD socket near the forward end of the hand guard, and move the one that's already there back toward the rear end of the hand guard.

As far as floating the barrel goes, I have a friend who is ex-MARSOC who just built himself a AR15 replica of the USMC M16A4 that he had been issued for a while in the corps, with a 20" gov't profile barrel and a rifle length hand guard which is NOT floated, and he regularly hits a 1 MOA steel plate at 700 yards with it using iron sights (but he is also a graduate of the scout/sniper school, and an amazing shot), and he uses it in 5 and 10K run and gun competitions (with either an EOTech or a 4X ACOG). But generally speaking, a floated barrel on most rifles will shoot more accurately than one that isn't. That isn't universal, by the way. Some makers will deliberately place a point of interference between stock and barrel to improve accuracy, but as a general rule, floating improves accuracy. Actually, stated more accurately (hyuck!), floating the barrel will improve consistency by freeing the barrel up to achieve its potential, but it won't make an bad barrel better. As a barrel heats up, pressure from the stock/handguard at 90º to the bore will cause the zero to wander. The barrel will do whatever it is capable of, and floating it will prevent the stock from making it worse by removing the source of any forces occurring 90º to the bore. .......again, as a general thing. But there are exceptions.

When I lose a little more weight, I want to start entering some of those run & gun competitions (old geezer division) just for fun, and I'm told by friends who do it that having multiple sling attachment points can be a huge advantage. The sling mount is pretty cheap at $17.95: http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCMGUNFI ... m-kmsm.htm

[Abraham]

TAM,

I just this moment (3:07 P.M.) came back in the house (been battling the soaked yard with hand mowing as the zero turn would bog down the ground is so mushy & mosquitoes) to find your response.

Great information, much appreciated.

Did you mention the trigger you installed? If so, after scouring your build information, I couldn't find it.

Geissele or ...?

[The Annoyed Man]

TAM,

I just this moment (3:07 P.M.) came back in the house (been battling the soaked yard with hand mowing as the zero turn would bog down the ground is so mushy & mosquitoes) to find your response.

Great information, much appreciated.

Did you mention the trigger you installed? If so, after scouring your build information, I couldn't find it.

Geissele or ...?

Here's what's in it so far:

• Spikes Tactical Gen II Billet Lower w/ all parts except trigger/hammer assembly. Includes anti-walk pins and 100% ambidextrous controls
• Matching Spikes Tactical Gen II Billet Upper assembly
• Spikes Tactical buffer tube and buffer assembly
• MFT Battlelink Minimalist Stock Mil Spec
• Timney single stage 3 lb competition trigger
• BCM Gunfighter ambidextrous charging handle
• Anderson Arms mid-length gas-piston conversion kit with bolt carrier
• Leitner-Wise nickel-boron bolt kit
• 16" Rainier Arms Select 5.56mm medium contour barrel, 416 stainless, mid-length gas port, Wylde chamber, 1:8 twist, 5-R polygonal rifling
• 11" Samson Evo keymod rail
• AAC 51T flash hider / suppressor mount
• AAC 762-SDN-6 suppressor
• Bushnell Elite Tactical SMRS 1-6.5x24 FFP scope (I also purchased an Aimpoint T2 Micro for the SBR barrel when it comes in)

That is a sweet trigger too. Breaks like a glass rod, with a really short reset.