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Bender's Big AR-15 & Semi Auto Shilling Thread

546,940 Views | 2919 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by robstrom
Naveronski
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AG
quote:
I need to get muzzle devices on two uppers swapped/timed, and a Law folder installed on a lower.

Anyone have suggestions in Dallas/Plano?

Anyone?
CactusThomas
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AG
Buy crush washers and use a wrench to swap muzzle devices. I'm not familiar with the law folder.
Naveronski
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AG
quote:
Buy crush washers and use a wrench to swap muzzle devices.

Bad idea for suppressor use.
CactusThomas
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AG
quote:
quote:
Buy crush washers and use a wrench to swap muzzle devices.

Bad idea for suppressor use.


OK
CharlieBrown17
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AG
quote:
quote:
Buy crush washers and use a wrench to swap muzzle devices.

Bad idea for suppressor use.


To be fair I was trying to figure out why you wanted a Smith for that as well from your first post.
tlh3842
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AG
I'm thinking hard about getting into a suppressor. Forgive the ignorance, but why does a gunsmith need to do it? Just to make sure the devices are torquedoing properly?
Naveronski
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AG
quote:
I'm thinking hard about getting into a suppressor. Forgive the ignorance, but why does a gunsmith need to do it? Just to make sure the devices are torquedoing properly?
They don't have to do it, but they have the tools (which I do not have), practice, and time to ensure my brake is timed & torqued correctly.

You don't want to use a crush washer as it can lead to the muzzle device being slightly off to one side - not really an issue with just the brake/flash hider itself, but the degree of cant will affect the relationship between the suppressor and barrel, possibly leading to baffle strikes.


I realize my question was initially vague, so I apologize if I came off harsh in my reply.
maverick2076
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Don't use crush washers. You can get a shim kit that works just fine. It's a little tedious, but it isn't difficult.
dr_boogs
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What do you mean by timed correctly? Just that the muzzle device is oriented so the gas disperses laterally? I had mine installed by a smith who used the shims that came w the quick attachment and I'm still having grouping and POI issues, which is why I ask.

Another pro-tip is to not use lock tite on your muzzle device bc the heat from the barrel will cause it to fatigue and fail.
Naveronski
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AG
quote:
What do you mean by timed correctly? Just that the muzzle device is oriented so the gas disperses laterally? I had mine installed by a smith who used the shims that came w the quick attachment and I'm still having grouping and POI issues, which is why I ask.

Yes.

Any dings or issues on the crown itself?
dr_boogs
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AG
It's a Saker 7.62 with the quick attach MAAD set up. The MAAD seems to be intact. No sign of baffle strikes but when you look down the bore I swear you can see more baffles on one side of the bore than the other when you move your eye off perfect center. Gunsmith was supposed to shoot it today and let me know what he thinks this week. You have any recs for a gunsmith around Houston that specializes in cans? All I'm looking for is 1.5 moa out to 200 yards w the can on. It shoots 1 moa w the can off. I want to stick w quick attachment system so I can quick swap between 3 rifles.
dubi
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AG
quote:
It's a Saker 7.62 with the quick attach MAAD set up. The MAAD seems to be intact. No sign of baffle strikes but when you look down the bore I swear you can see more baffles on one side of the bore than the other when you move your eye off perfect center. Gunsmith was supposed to shoot it today and let me know what he thinks this week. You have any recs for a gunsmith around Houston that specializes in cans? All I'm looking for is 1.5 moa out to 200 yards w the can on. It shoots 1 moa w the can off. I want to stick w quick attachment system so I can quick swap between 3 rifles.


I have a 22 can and just unscrew it to change guns. Do you really intend to swap them that quickly and often?
BenderRodriguez
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AG
Is there anything worse than waiting on parts to get back in stock?
AgEngineer72
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AG
quote:
Forged for your first, for sure.

Free float is the way to go for several reasons. Specifically, lightweight free float is the way to go.

The standard AR-15 handguards don't allow you to attach anything. Things like lights and bipods are incredibly useful. A free float tube will also allow you to attach iron sights further out that a conventional carbine gas block/sight set up, and increased sight radius is a good thing....and as the other guy mentioned, free float means that weight/pressure on the rail from accessories/sling/being put on a rest doesn't interfere with your accuracy. It's small, but it can affect poa/poi.

Quad rails also let you attach accessories, but many of them are not free float and all of them are heavy.


Bender- thanks to you & Agfan for taking the time to answer. To take this further please explain about rails. For a first time build I'm thinking about buying EyeGuy' s free float build package. It includes a keymod free float handguard. For accessory mounting I also see references to other rail systems such as Picatinny and M-LOK. In general what are the advantages of the types and how interchangeable are accessories?

BenderRodriguez
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AG
That package is fine.

The long and short of it is that picatinny rails have been the standard for a very long time, and the vast majority of accessories are set up to attach to picatinny, which is a good system.

The problem with picatinny is that it is heavy.

So, several different companies developed new methods of attaching both short sections of picatinny to their lighter rails, or attaching accessories directly to their rail without picatinny.

In general, people tend to choose one or the other with keymod/mlok just for ease of using one standard. Rails are made in both designs that are very good, and you can attach most any accessory to either one using adapters.

I'm personally sticking with mlok, given the company backing it and some of the advantages I see to their design...but I don't think keymod is garbage or anything.

AgEngineer72
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AG
Ahh got it. Now a bit different question. For a first build I'm gonna start with 5.56. But for an unrelated reason I may want to think about .308 later. Based on the discussion you posted on the first page of this thread, can I build an upper, using the same lower, for .308? In short based on an AR15 rather than AR10?
tlh3842
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AG
Unfortunately not. If you want a 5.56/223 and a 308, they'll have to be completely separate lowers and uppers.
BenderRodriguez
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AG
What the other guy said. AR-15s are one thing, AR-10s are a whole 'nother beast and not nearly as standardized as the AR-15 has become.

There are however, lots of interesting calibers you can shoot out of the standard AR-15 lower. 6.5 Grendel, for example.
CharlieBrown17
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AG
Or you could get into a lot of fun AR-10 calibers too like 6.5CM or 260 or .243
BenderRodriguez
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AG
The AR-15 stuff is overwhelming enough as it is without getting into the large frame stuff...which is why I usually don't recommend or talk about them in this thread.
CharlieBrown17
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AG
Somebody has to be irresponsible
dubi
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quote:
Somebody has to be irresponsible
That would be Mr Dubi!
BenderRodriguez
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quote:
quote:
Somebody has to be irresponsible
That would be Mr Dubi!

Or anyone who didn't buy an AR this year when they were dirt cheap.

Things are still cheap, so it's not too late to be responsible!

CharlieBrown17
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AG
Do you have much AR-10 experience Bender?
BenderRodriguez
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Nope. Just enough to know they're more of a PITA to build than an AR-15.

I prefer my .308s a little more....Teutonic.

CharlieBrown17
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AG
I really want to build a kickass AR-10 in one of the more exotic chamberings...
dubi
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AG
We irresponsibly stockpiled ammo just in case.....
TheEyeGuy
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Sponsor
AG
I have a creedmoor... was a nightmare but I love it.
CharlieBrown17
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AG
Creedmoor and .260 are the two that stick out to me....
HumbleAg04
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AG
quote:
Creedmoor and .260 are the two that stick out to me....

The 6.5 Grendel is shooting the same bullets that make those rounds preferable and is only giving up ~200-300 fps to stay in the AR15 platform.

You haven't lived until you've mag dumped a Grendel into a sounder at 60 yards.
AgEngineer72
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AG
Thanks Bender and everyone else. This thread is a great education for me. I think ill stick with building a 5.56 AR15 as a starter to learn and leave other calibers till later. unfortunately I didn't get in on EyeGuy's group buy but I think I can find a stripped lower here in the DFW area to go with his build package, or similar. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions.
The Wonderer
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AG
quote:
Thanks Bender and everyone else. This thread is a great education for me. I think ill stick with building a 5.56 AR15 as a starter to learn and leave other calibers till later. unfortunately I didn't get in on EyeGuy's group buy but I think I can find a stripped lower here in the DFW area to go with his build package, or similar. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions.
The natural evolution that I have seen and gone through myself will have you building a .300 blk with SBR and suppressor stamps within a year.


This **** is more addictive than crack.
BenderRodriguez
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AG
Postal scales are bad news.

When I went to Cola Warrior and had to shoot standing unsupported at 300 meter targets after doing obstacles/running, I realized that heavy guns suck.

This is the gun I shot there: 16" dissipator, with a 1-4 variable. It's a great gun and I love it...but here is what it weighs unloaded.



8lbs doesn't sound like all that much, but it isn't fun to hold up when you're out of breath, exhausted, and trying to hit small targets way down range.

Just for fun, I weighed a few other guns I have.

A4 clone unloaded, with irons:



Closer to 9 lbs.

My AK that I kept adding stuff to until it got so front heavy it was silly:



Almost 11 lbs with a dot, light, railed handguard and a loaded 30 round magazine. What a dog.

So, that inspired me to start looking at light weight parts and builds. If you want to spend $$$$$, you can get down below 5 lbs with titanium parts pretty easily....kind of like race cars...all it takes is more cash.

Well, I didn't want to spend $$$$ but I still wanted a lightweight build. What I put together should be just over 6lbs unloaded with a red dot. Parts list in the next post so this thing doesn't turn into a Tolstoy novel.

BenderRodriguez
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AG
So, a lightweight build without going full $$$$ and titanium...how to do it?

This is what I will be putting together.

Standard lower is fine, because the lightweight lowers that aren't polymer are $$$.
Aero makes slick sided uppers w/o forward assist. Saves a few ounces and isn't expensive, so picked one up.
Pencil barrel, 14.5" to save weight, I'll weld on an extended flash hider.
ALG rail. There are lighter options, but I really like ALG and it isn't too outrageous.
Lightweight BCG from AIM. These cost barely more than a standard BCG, but weigh less. And are OOS.
Standard parts kit minus an ambi safety because I'm a lefty, and an ambi charging handle for the same reason.
B5 sopmod isn't heavy, and a great stock. Could have gone lighter with a CAR or other minimalist stock.
SSA-E trigger, because I'm spoiled on them.



Zeroed out the scale with an empty box, then threw all my parts into it.



With the OOS BCG, a grip and sights it should be right below 6 lbs complete. If I ditch irons and go with a micro red dot instead (likely), it'll wind up being just a hair over 6lbs I would bet.

But 6lbs with an optic is a hell of a lot better than 8lbs or 10 lbs with one, and it didn't cost any more than a regular AR build would have.

Maybe some day I'll feel like dropping the money to build something in the sub 5lbs club, but this little 6lbs-er should be a nice change of pace from all my heavy stuff.

BenderRodriguez
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AG
Don't know why that picture isn't loading right.

One more try:



Grr.

 
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