My New Toy: AR-15

D

damiano

New member
Just got my new AR-15 kit. I'm pretty familiar with AKs, MAKs and most East Bloc stuff but never have put together a AR15. Does anyone have any suggestions/hints/stories, etc to share and help me along with this. Seems pretty straight forward but I could use some help.

Thanks in Advance.


------------------

----------
damiano
 
Damiano,
I envy you for being able to get an AR-15.

As for experts, I think you will find them in the rifle forum. So I'll move this thread from the General Forum to The Art of the Rifle.
 
Sure, we can help you out. What is it that you need to assemble? Is the top end already done or do you need that information too?
 
Check out ar15.com everything you need to know about the black rifle can be found on that site, including detailed instructions on proper assembly. Built my first AR last year about this time.. Took me slightly more than half an hour to build the rifle from a Bushmaster lower and kit. Mark /FL
 
Thanks, just printed out the instructions from AR-15.com

Looks pretty simple. Tell me something, if you don't mind. Once I've gotten the lower together (already did the upper) how much oil/grease should I use on everything. On my pistols I tend to overdo it. I prefer to have to wipe my gun down before shooting it then to have feed/rust problems. Is it the same with the ARs?

I thought about just greasing up everything or is it a bad idea? Also, I know my MAK-90 is totally oblivious to what mags I use. It eats it all. Are AR's the same or is there one type of mag I should look to? Someone told me that the 20 rnders are more reliable. I don't care about high capacity, just reliability.

Thanks.
 
follow the TM http://www.ar15.com/books/
TM 9-1005-319-10 (3MB PDF)
Operator's Manual w/Components List M16A2, M4, M4A1
TM 9-1005-319-23 (2.6MB PDF)
nit And Direct Support Maintenance Manual M16A2, M4, M4A1

or : http://www.ar15.com/docs/maintenance/
or this guide: http://homes.acmecity.com/thematrix/one/40/da1.html

ARs are great!
i just sighted in my Bushmaster
at 50 yards 20 rounds in a 2 inch circle, fast fire! watch out though...
soon you will buy an extra bolt, then another upper then you will buy a lower for the upper...

dZ


------------------
"walk softly and carry a big stick, one that goes bang in .308 is fine"
 
I have been looking for a new trigger for my AR-15's and the one I am about to build. A lot of people like the JP enterprise single stage trigger set at like a 2.5-3 lb pull.
I have also heard a lot of good things about the jewell (sp?) two stage.

Some AR lowers are picky about the mags they will accept, like the older Bushmaster lowers don't take Orlite (israeli plastic ones) that were made before a certain date, and the Olympic Arms lowers seem to have a tight mag well so some mags don't drop free as easy as they will from other lowers. I have never had any problems using USGI surplus mags in an AR lower. and I talked to the guy from ASA and he liked the thermold mags (Candian plastic mags)

------------------
It ain't mah fault. did I do dat?
 
Okay, lets see.... lubrication. Generally speaking, you won't damage the rifle by over lub-ing it, however, the AR is a gas-operated weapon. If there is excessive grease/oil in it, more junk will tend to stick to it. It will make cleaning it a lot harder, and if left to cake up on parts within the receiver, will lead to reliability problems. Most Mil-Spec AR's are finished in a mil-spec teflon parkerized type finish and are fairly resistant to rust and corrosion as is. Your best bet is to put a drop of CLP on each of the moving parts in the lower, a drop on the bolt where it meets the carrier, and a half-a-drop on the extractor. Most new barrels as well as A-2 milspec barrels are chrome-lined, so a light coat of CLP for storage is all that is needed. As far as the 30 round mags being unreliable, that came from the early M-16 during Vietnam. The army had problems with them due to weight and stuck with the 20 rounders. Since then the design has been improved and with an A-2 spec rifle and current style 30 round mag, you should have no problems. I use 30 rounders exclusively in both of my bushmasters and I've yet to see a jam or failure to fire at all. Make sure to do it right, and use quality parts, and it will serve you well. They are fun to shoot, and the platform is highly addictive. Good luck.
-Spyderman
 
Chink, I've used both the Compass Lake and Jewell two stage triggers for my AR. I like both of them a lot with a preference toward the Jewell. However, it is about $60 more than the Compass Lake.

If you prefer a single stage, the JP trigger is said to be excellent.

As far as lubrication, I tend toward using less lube. I wipe the bolt and bolt carrier down with BreakFree then put a thin film of Tetra gun grease on the obviously worn spots on the bolt lugs and the bolt carrier. Put "too much" BreakFree on the recoil buffer spring to quiet it down. Fulton Armory has a page that describes this basic process at http://www.fulton-armory.com .
 
The good Thermolds are made in North Carolina, not Canada. The Canadian Thermolds are made from an inferior plastic.

------------------
Shoot to kill; they'll stop when they're dead!
 
Where would an interested party find information on ordering an AR kit, and what sort of price range are they found in?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top