View Full Version : Would you trust a complete upper and lower slapped together?
SouthwestAviator
06-23-19, 15:38
Recent talk about how many rounds it takes for one to trust their AR has gotten me thinking, because some have said that it takes them more rounds fired to trust a home build than a factory rifle.
I recently bought a complete BCM lower and a complete BCM upper w/ BCG and put them together. I have about 220 rounds through it with no issues, but would you trust this as much as a factory built rifle? Everything in the rifle is bone-stock, it's just that the complete upper and complete lower were purchased separately and mated together.
I've been considering making it my home defense rifle, but should I use one of my ARs complete from the factory instead?
No worries mate. Just use whichever gun you like best. My BCM is a complete lower and upper “slapped together “ and it works fine. And 200 flawless rounds is probably a good enough indication that the rifle is good to go.
That IS a factory built rifle.
Sure, putting together isn't that difficult and as long as you used quality parts it should be fine.
The most common mistakes are putting the hammer springs backwards and the gas block coming lose.
Most manufacturers over gas their systems to make sure they run reliability so they don't have much of an advantage over the home builder who put it together properly.
Just keep running it and inspecting for damage or issues. If it continues to run without issues I'd say it's GTG.
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Spend more time shooting and less time thinking about the IF-THEN flowchart of what MIGHT happen.
The military rebuilds M4/AR weapons all the time. If you think that pieces / parts 'stay together like they came from the factory', you are smoking crack.
ViniVidivici
06-23-19, 15:56
That IS a factory built rifle.
Exactly. Use with confidence.
That IS a factory built rifle.
This.
Manufacturers, even those who do test fire their rifles or uppers, do not really have a way of knowing besides using quality parts that their rifle will run after 100/500/1000 rounds. There is always something which can break. With ARs in particular there is very little difference who assembled the rifle - an individual or a company, as long as (and this is critical) proper assembly methods and quality parts were used. Do you think any of the companies check dimensional tolerances besides upper/lower fit of assembled rifles?
With AKs that's a different story and I would never trust any home built AK or a smaller company. I would trust only with the currently unavailable Russian made (Tula/Izhevsk/Molot), Bulgarian Arsenal, or Rifle Dynamics one. I don't have any experience or knowledge with AKs from other countries (China/UAE/Egypt/etc.)
Same with the pistol: among larger brands Glock, Sig, HK, and some CZ are the only ones I would trust out of the box with little rounds to familiarize. I'd stay away from anything custom, 80% milled, or 1911 for professional use.
Recreational/Competition use is different story.
Recent talk about how many rounds it takes for one to trust their AR has gotten me thinking, because some have said that it takes them more rounds fired to trust a home build than a factory rifle.
I recently bought a complete BCM lower and a complete BCM upper w/ BCG and put them together. I have about 220 rounds through it with no issues, but would you trust this as much as a factory built rifle? Everything in the rifle is bone-stock, it's just that the complete upper and complete lower were purchased separately and mated together.
I've been considering making it my home defense rifle, but should I use one of my ARs complete from the factory instead?
What do you think the they do all day at BCM? :cool:
I wouldn’t worry, OP. You should be fine.
What do you think the they do all day at BCM? :cool:
That was my thought when I read complete BCM upper and lower. A complete factory BCM may *may* have a better fit between the upper and lower than your gun does, but functionally there is nothing to worry about.
I effectively built an LMT SPM14 with a lightly used complete LMT upper and a complete LMT Defender lower. Saved a pretty penny doing it and ended up with a gun I can be rightfully proud of https://lmtdefense.com/firearms/spm14
The only thing you and I cannot do is honestly sell them as complete factory guns.
Andy
The only thing you and I cannot do is honestly sell them as complete factory guns.
AndyBut lets be honest, who here really has a 'complete factory gun' after owning an AR for more than a week?
New stocks, triggers, sights, buffer system, BCG, muzzle device, safety, rails, etc, etc, etc.
You should be good to go. But run it hard and clean it before it goes to your bedside. The hard part for me is to clean it.
PB
But lets be honest, who here really has a 'complete factory gun' after owning an AR for more than a week?
New stocks, triggers, sights, buffer system, BCG, muzzle device, safety, rails, etc, etc, etc.
I do. My 1999 Bushmaster M16A2-forgery is box stock after all this time.
And my 6920 that I bought months ago is box-stock, except I pulled off the Magpul BUIS rear sight and put on a carry handle.
So there are a few of us Cavemen.
Use what helps you sleep soundly. That said, I have about 3,800 rounds through my BCM, which is really a complete BCM upper on a complete BCM blem lower. I added a Geissele trigger and an A5 buffer, but not because of any reliability reasons. The rifle has been flawless.
Just buy quality whatever you do.
I do. My 1999 Bushmaster M16A2-forgery is box stock after all this time.
And my 6920 that I bought months ago is box-stock, except I pulled off the Magpul BUIS rear sight and put on a carry handle.
So there are a few of us Cavemen.
I think he was making a funny. You know a brand new Colt, etc won't "run" if you don't put the whizbang parts on it, it is said here. Oh, I meant "slap" them on or better yet, "throw" them together.
thegreyman
06-24-19, 06:38
The AR 15 by design is modular. You can slap an upper and lower together at home or you can have the factory lovingly, gently attach them. :stop::stop::stop:
ViniVidivici
06-24-19, 07:05
The AR 15 by design is modular. You can slap an upper and lower together at home or you can have the factory lovingly, gently attach them. :stop::stop::stop:
As a good friend of mine said, "the Lego set for adults".
Doc Safari
06-24-19, 11:46
I have had one and only one incident where an upper wasn't completely functional with a lower.
I had two identical Colts in the 1990's and decided to swap uppers because I wanted the "nicer looking" components together for a safe queen and the "minor blemmed" upper and lower together for a shooter. Both uppers were 100% with their original lowers but had malfunctions after the swap. I never did figure out why but suspected Colt had "covered up" something out of spec on one of the rifles by substituting a different buffer or something. Back then I didn't know about gas port sizes, different buffer weights, etc., so I just assumed something was out of spec somewhere and put the two back together as they came from the factory.
Ever since then I've made it a practice to shoot 200-300 rounds through and upper/lower combo before calling it good.
That was my thought when I read complete BCM upper and lower. A complete factory BCM may *may* have a better fit between the upper and lower than your gun does, but functionally there is nothing to worry about.
I effectively built an LMT SPM14 with a lightly used complete LMT upper and a complete LMT Defender lower. Saved a pretty penny doing it and ended up with a gun I can be rightfully proud of https://lmtdefense.com/firearms/spm14
The only thing you and I cannot do is honestly sell them as complete factory guns.
Andy
I don't really see why, as you and they put them together, push to pins, and done. If it were to different brands of upper and lower, maybe a consideration and perhaps some brands of uppers and lowers play nicer together than others, but I can't claim I have much experience in that area.
bamashooter
06-24-19, 12:18
I trust my "assemblies". But I don't consider them "slapped together".
SouthwestAviator
06-25-19, 10:59
The upper to lower fit of my BCM is actually on par with all of the factory rifles I've purchased. Good point about the military using different assemblies with no problems.
FromMyColdDeadHand
06-25-19, 11:25
But lets be honest, who here really has a 'complete factory gun' after owning an AR for more than a week?
New stocks, triggers, sights, buffer system, BCG, muzzle device, safety, rails, etc, etc, etc.
I think I have only 1 complete 'rifle', everything else is lowers and uppers. I might get a little concerned if you have an upper that is tweaked- like a JP upper with adjustable gas that was tuned on a specific lower with a capture spring set-up.
I don't think I have 1 completely stock rifle in the whole bunch of them. The closest is my LMT MWS but that has a Geissele SD-C trigger in it now. Other than that all others are uppers and lowers that I've put together on my own. Not worried one bit about any of them.
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