yugotprblms
01-12-12, 22:44
INTRODUCTION
Hey guys, first time building an AR, and with all of the knowledge and reading available on this forum, I think I was able to assemble what should be a pretty awesome set up. I will break this down into various sections so as to make it less confusing.
To start things off, lets have some naughty gun pictures:
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3047/20120112175448.jpg
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3673/20120112175918.jpg
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/5194/20120112175739.jpg
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/8803/20120112175930.jpg
MISSION/GOALS
As this is my first AR build, I wanted to make more of a "general purpose" type of rifle. I hate that term though, because it gets thrown around more than a dime store hooker. Let me explain more. I wanted it to be something light weight for when I may do longer backpacking trips up here in Northern Utah. I wanted it to be fairly accurate, but does not need to shoot MOA at 600m or anything. I wanted it to be reliable as well. I was thinking of this as more of an outdoor type of rifle. I am tempted to use the term "SHTF", but that one also gets thrown around too much as well. It could be used to describe this rifle, as this would be one of the first things I grab in that type of scenario.
LOGIC/THINKING
My logic/thinking behind this build is that I wanted a good rifle that didn't have to do with diving into the SBR route as my first build. Every part was thought out and has a great reason for it, which will be discussed in the proper part. I may use this for classes, if I can find them, but I did not intend this to fill a HD role. My handgun is right next to my head when I sleep and my shotgun is close by as well. This could of course be used if I needed to, as with most any firearm, but it was not the primary design.
PARTS
LOWER
Spikes Tactical Stripped Lower - I purchased this one mainly because I like the roll mark and it was a good price. After reading that most lowers were made by a few companies, I did not see any harm with going the Spikes route for this part. The finish seems pretty good, I can not find any blemish or anything. The fit is also pretty good, with one exception, and that may have to do with the upper. The pivot pin is ridiculously hard to push either direction unless the upper is held at just the right angle. Not sure if this is normal or not, but it does not happen on my dad's RRA (I know, I know, it's an RRA) or my friends Ruger SR556.
I did notice that part of the grooves, where it appears the magazines ride, do not match up on the upper, as show below.
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2715/20120112175508.jpg
I am not sure what the technical term for that area is, or which company is out of spec. Whatever the reason, it is not a big deal to me at all.
G&R LPK - This should be fairly self explanatory. I did not want to deal with crap ass parts, and Grant's stuff seems to be lauded on these forums. I like quality stuff, so I buy quality parts. It all fit into the lower receiver without any issues, save from the pivot pin detent/spring, which is always a pain. It also came with the Magpul Aluminum Trigger guard, which is a nice addition and really aids to the look of the rifle.
Geissele SD-C - I am sure I could have done fine with a nice mil spec two stage, but I wanted to try a Geissele out. They always get good marks, so I thought I would give it a try. It reminds me of my Kimber's trigger, what with it being flat and the nice, clean break and all. I think for my next build I will maybe start out with a quality two stage, maybe from a G&R or Colt LPK.
B.A.D. ASS 45 Degree Ambi Safety - I wanted an ambi safety, as it seems one of the ambi parts that people recommend most, and B.A.D. was suggested as the way to go. With the quality construction, the interchangeable levers, and the short throw capability, it made this purchase a no brainer. I really enjoy this selector and have recommended all my friends get it.
On a side note, these people have the best customer service I have ever received, hands down. I originally purchased a regular safety from them, but then decided I wanted to try the short throw. I asked Roger what he thought, and he thought he would send me one, free of charge! I purchased a patch to cover the shipping, and then it was off the next day. Such an amazing company as this is a complete joy to work with, and will have my business in the future.
Magpul MIAD Grip - I liked the idea of the ability to "customize" the size of the grip, but it turned out that I just used the most common sizes of front/back straps, which are standard on another Magpul grip. The grip is nice, but unless you have bigger hands or something, I think the not changeable grip would be totally fine.
BCM Receiver Extension, H Buffer, Carbine Spring - This all came with the LPK from Grant. BCM of course makes great stuff, so the receiver extension is top notch, no issues at all. The H buffer seems to be a great starting point as far as buffers go, as well as the USGI spring. No real special reason for going with these, they just seems the most commonly used. I did my best to properly stake the castle nut.
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/6694/20120112175649.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/8369/20120112175714.jpg
That second one gives a view of the other stake, as well as the SLAP Plate, which I will talk about next.
IKICKHIPPIES SLAP Plate - I actually saw this on ITSTactical, and it appeared to be a trim down ASAP Plate. Without having that extra ring like the ASAP, there is potentially less noise (which is not a big deal in my situation) as well as possibly less hang ups, not sure though. Since it is also smaller, it logically saves weight and looks a little cleaner than the ASAP. I will still have to evaluate it, but it seems like a solid sling adapter.
B5 SOPMOD STOCK FDE - I had always heard that the SOPMOD was a great stock, and seeing that B5 had received a contract really piqued my interest. After reading that they were nearly identical, save for a few small things and the buttpad, I decided to go with it. The 100$ price tag did not hurt either! This stock works really well on my extension, and does not get overly tight towards positions 1 or 2. The cheek weld is nice and the texture aids in the use of the stock. My only complaint is the goofy butt pad. The color is way off from the stock itself and it is super glossy, enough to make it slippery on most clothing. I think proper placement in the shoulder should alleviate this, but stocks should not have a slippery butt pad.
UPPER
BCM BFH 16" Mid Length (LIGHT WEIGHT) Upper Receiver Group (.625FSB) - The choice to go with BCM should be fairly obvious to everyone, as they are a great company with top notch products. I went with the .625 profile because it shaved some weight off, without really being an issue as far as barrel life. I do not intend on dumping mags through this thing or getting it ridiculously hot, but even then I bet it could deal. I went for the BFH because it apparently, depending on who you ask, gives you a longer barrel life. No idea if that is true or not, but I figured it wouldn't hurt.
I went with the 16" barrel, because for 1" more than a 14.5" with pinned muzzle device, I can have a removable muzzle device. I will end up SBRing a lower sometime in the future so I can of course go the shorter barrel route, but this seemed like a solid way to go. I have no complaints and it does not feel overly long at all to me.
Centurion Arms C4 Midlength Cutout - I chose this rail mainly because I wanted a rail longer than 9 inches that could accommodate a FSB. I wanted to keep the FSB just because many people here recommend it. It is always there, there is no flipping it off, it is much harder to break than a back up front sight, etc... I had initially been looking at the DD 12.0 FSPM, but it just had way too much extra rail in front of the FSB. I found this on, and it looked much cleaner and was more to my liking. The rail itself, with screws, but no barrel nut, weighs 12.4 ounces. Pretty damned light. The build quality is excellent, and the features are great. I think they are two QD sockets on each side of the rail, one forward and one aft, and there are of course the anti rotation tabs. They do not perfectly match up with the upper receiver, so there is a small gap in between them, but I assume that is to account for the possible variations in upper dimensions.
So far, I am pleased with the rail. It looks really nice, is pretty damned light, is solidly made, and originates from what is growing to be a great company. I have dinged it up a bit doing various things, but they are small and I don't really care. It is not meant to be a show piece, but a tool to use in situations when I need it.
BCM Gunfighter Mod 4 - Should be fairly obvious as to why I chose this. Extremely well thought out, designed, and made charging handle. The medium latch is not too big, nor too small.
BCM BCG Auto - Also a fairly obvious choice. BCM makes great parts, and this is no exception. I had to pick it up from Grant because BCM was all sold out of their own stuff. Haha.
Troy Industries Rear BattleSight in FDE - I was torn between this an the KAC 600. I didn't really have a reason to chose this one over the KAC, nor would I have a reason for the other way around. I read great thoughts and opinions for both, and I just decided to give this one a try. I hope I will not be disappointed, but then that means I will get to go buy the KAC.
Battlecomp 1.0 - I heard great reviews on this as well, so I thought I would give it a try. I liked the notion of it not being much louder than a normal A2, but also redirecting the recoil straight back instead of letting the muzzle pop up a bit. The extra flash that is has does not bother me, as I do not plan on doing any night shooting on a two way range any time soon.
Magpul RSA - This was bought on a whim more than anything else. I wanted a forward mounting point for a possible MS3 sling, and I figured I would give this a try. It will be under constant scrutiny and testing until I decide I like it or not.
Larue Tactical Index Clips & Handstops - I got these because they seemed to be the lowest profile type of rail cover out there. The single piece nature of them allows them to cover the entire rail section without having to cut anything up, as well as make some pretty awesome patterns. :jester: I thought I would give them a try, and I do like them so far. They could use a little more grip, but that is no big deal.
As for the hand stops, I figured I would give those a try out as well, see how they worked and if I would like them or not. I have the one on the side (FDE) mounted in the traditional sense, so that I place the webbing between my thumb and index finger on it. The one on the bottom is placed just a little forward of the side mounted one and in the opposite direction, and I hook my index finger around it as an added method of control. Not sure if it helps or not, but I figured I would try it out. It isn't hard to change things around. The added benefit of the bottom one is that I could use it as a barricade stop if I ever needed to, as that side is flat enough to prop up against something.
Here are some pictures showing the hand stops and the grip I use with them.
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2356/20120112175752.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7673/20120112180010.jpg
OPTIC
I have not purchased an optic yet, as shown in the pictures, but have a few in mind. I have been thinking about the TA33, in whatever variation of reticule and color. ACOGs are renowned for their toughness and clarity, and the 3x option seems a great way to go for this purpose.
I also have looked at various 1-4x models, and only the higher end ones stand out at me. I may end up holding out for a used Short Dot, but that would be a stretch. I have researched the Trijicon models, but the reticules are not to my liking. The triangle is great at fast stuff, but the post beneath it sucks nuts for long distances.
This is something I would like some input on, so feel free to throw some my way.
CONCLUSION
This build was fun to plan and assemble. Like I said, this was my first time assembling one, but I have experience with working with small parts and assembling stuff. I used to build computers for a living, so the ability to grasp the concept of how to do something and then do it fairly easily is one that I developed pretty quickly. I watched a few videos and read articles related to ARs, and then for the most part was able to do it on my own. I went back for reference a few times to make sure I wasn't being stupid, but I think everyone does that.
I have not had a chance to shoot it, but I am hoping that will happen this weekend. A friend and I hike a few miles above an outdoor range up here, but only because it is closed for the winter season, and then we have close to 1000m of shooting distance. We even went to the City Recorder's Office to make sure that it was public land, and it is. Utah is pretty awesome that way. I think like 600 feet away from roads and residential areas, and if it is public land, then go for it.
I have a couple different kinds of ammo I will put through it, and will give a range report when I get back and have a chance.
As always, thanks for reading and feel free to throw any feedback/ideas/advice/opinions my way, it always helps. Thanks!
P.S. - Also, forgot to add some simple specs. The parts for the rifle ran me $2,023.32. The weight as you see in the picture, no mag, is 7lbs 1.2 oz.
Hey guys, first time building an AR, and with all of the knowledge and reading available on this forum, I think I was able to assemble what should be a pretty awesome set up. I will break this down into various sections so as to make it less confusing.
To start things off, lets have some naughty gun pictures:
http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/3047/20120112175448.jpg
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3673/20120112175918.jpg
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/5194/20120112175739.jpg
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/8803/20120112175930.jpg
MISSION/GOALS
As this is my first AR build, I wanted to make more of a "general purpose" type of rifle. I hate that term though, because it gets thrown around more than a dime store hooker. Let me explain more. I wanted it to be something light weight for when I may do longer backpacking trips up here in Northern Utah. I wanted it to be fairly accurate, but does not need to shoot MOA at 600m or anything. I wanted it to be reliable as well. I was thinking of this as more of an outdoor type of rifle. I am tempted to use the term "SHTF", but that one also gets thrown around too much as well. It could be used to describe this rifle, as this would be one of the first things I grab in that type of scenario.
LOGIC/THINKING
My logic/thinking behind this build is that I wanted a good rifle that didn't have to do with diving into the SBR route as my first build. Every part was thought out and has a great reason for it, which will be discussed in the proper part. I may use this for classes, if I can find them, but I did not intend this to fill a HD role. My handgun is right next to my head when I sleep and my shotgun is close by as well. This could of course be used if I needed to, as with most any firearm, but it was not the primary design.
PARTS
LOWER
Spikes Tactical Stripped Lower - I purchased this one mainly because I like the roll mark and it was a good price. After reading that most lowers were made by a few companies, I did not see any harm with going the Spikes route for this part. The finish seems pretty good, I can not find any blemish or anything. The fit is also pretty good, with one exception, and that may have to do with the upper. The pivot pin is ridiculously hard to push either direction unless the upper is held at just the right angle. Not sure if this is normal or not, but it does not happen on my dad's RRA (I know, I know, it's an RRA) or my friends Ruger SR556.
I did notice that part of the grooves, where it appears the magazines ride, do not match up on the upper, as show below.
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2715/20120112175508.jpg
I am not sure what the technical term for that area is, or which company is out of spec. Whatever the reason, it is not a big deal to me at all.
G&R LPK - This should be fairly self explanatory. I did not want to deal with crap ass parts, and Grant's stuff seems to be lauded on these forums. I like quality stuff, so I buy quality parts. It all fit into the lower receiver without any issues, save from the pivot pin detent/spring, which is always a pain. It also came with the Magpul Aluminum Trigger guard, which is a nice addition and really aids to the look of the rifle.
Geissele SD-C - I am sure I could have done fine with a nice mil spec two stage, but I wanted to try a Geissele out. They always get good marks, so I thought I would give it a try. It reminds me of my Kimber's trigger, what with it being flat and the nice, clean break and all. I think for my next build I will maybe start out with a quality two stage, maybe from a G&R or Colt LPK.
B.A.D. ASS 45 Degree Ambi Safety - I wanted an ambi safety, as it seems one of the ambi parts that people recommend most, and B.A.D. was suggested as the way to go. With the quality construction, the interchangeable levers, and the short throw capability, it made this purchase a no brainer. I really enjoy this selector and have recommended all my friends get it.
On a side note, these people have the best customer service I have ever received, hands down. I originally purchased a regular safety from them, but then decided I wanted to try the short throw. I asked Roger what he thought, and he thought he would send me one, free of charge! I purchased a patch to cover the shipping, and then it was off the next day. Such an amazing company as this is a complete joy to work with, and will have my business in the future.
Magpul MIAD Grip - I liked the idea of the ability to "customize" the size of the grip, but it turned out that I just used the most common sizes of front/back straps, which are standard on another Magpul grip. The grip is nice, but unless you have bigger hands or something, I think the not changeable grip would be totally fine.
BCM Receiver Extension, H Buffer, Carbine Spring - This all came with the LPK from Grant. BCM of course makes great stuff, so the receiver extension is top notch, no issues at all. The H buffer seems to be a great starting point as far as buffers go, as well as the USGI spring. No real special reason for going with these, they just seems the most commonly used. I did my best to properly stake the castle nut.
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/6694/20120112175649.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/8369/20120112175714.jpg
That second one gives a view of the other stake, as well as the SLAP Plate, which I will talk about next.
IKICKHIPPIES SLAP Plate - I actually saw this on ITSTactical, and it appeared to be a trim down ASAP Plate. Without having that extra ring like the ASAP, there is potentially less noise (which is not a big deal in my situation) as well as possibly less hang ups, not sure though. Since it is also smaller, it logically saves weight and looks a little cleaner than the ASAP. I will still have to evaluate it, but it seems like a solid sling adapter.
B5 SOPMOD STOCK FDE - I had always heard that the SOPMOD was a great stock, and seeing that B5 had received a contract really piqued my interest. After reading that they were nearly identical, save for a few small things and the buttpad, I decided to go with it. The 100$ price tag did not hurt either! This stock works really well on my extension, and does not get overly tight towards positions 1 or 2. The cheek weld is nice and the texture aids in the use of the stock. My only complaint is the goofy butt pad. The color is way off from the stock itself and it is super glossy, enough to make it slippery on most clothing. I think proper placement in the shoulder should alleviate this, but stocks should not have a slippery butt pad.
UPPER
BCM BFH 16" Mid Length (LIGHT WEIGHT) Upper Receiver Group (.625FSB) - The choice to go with BCM should be fairly obvious to everyone, as they are a great company with top notch products. I went with the .625 profile because it shaved some weight off, without really being an issue as far as barrel life. I do not intend on dumping mags through this thing or getting it ridiculously hot, but even then I bet it could deal. I went for the BFH because it apparently, depending on who you ask, gives you a longer barrel life. No idea if that is true or not, but I figured it wouldn't hurt.
I went with the 16" barrel, because for 1" more than a 14.5" with pinned muzzle device, I can have a removable muzzle device. I will end up SBRing a lower sometime in the future so I can of course go the shorter barrel route, but this seemed like a solid way to go. I have no complaints and it does not feel overly long at all to me.
Centurion Arms C4 Midlength Cutout - I chose this rail mainly because I wanted a rail longer than 9 inches that could accommodate a FSB. I wanted to keep the FSB just because many people here recommend it. It is always there, there is no flipping it off, it is much harder to break than a back up front sight, etc... I had initially been looking at the DD 12.0 FSPM, but it just had way too much extra rail in front of the FSB. I found this on, and it looked much cleaner and was more to my liking. The rail itself, with screws, but no barrel nut, weighs 12.4 ounces. Pretty damned light. The build quality is excellent, and the features are great. I think they are two QD sockets on each side of the rail, one forward and one aft, and there are of course the anti rotation tabs. They do not perfectly match up with the upper receiver, so there is a small gap in between them, but I assume that is to account for the possible variations in upper dimensions.
So far, I am pleased with the rail. It looks really nice, is pretty damned light, is solidly made, and originates from what is growing to be a great company. I have dinged it up a bit doing various things, but they are small and I don't really care. It is not meant to be a show piece, but a tool to use in situations when I need it.
BCM Gunfighter Mod 4 - Should be fairly obvious as to why I chose this. Extremely well thought out, designed, and made charging handle. The medium latch is not too big, nor too small.
BCM BCG Auto - Also a fairly obvious choice. BCM makes great parts, and this is no exception. I had to pick it up from Grant because BCM was all sold out of their own stuff. Haha.
Troy Industries Rear BattleSight in FDE - I was torn between this an the KAC 600. I didn't really have a reason to chose this one over the KAC, nor would I have a reason for the other way around. I read great thoughts and opinions for both, and I just decided to give this one a try. I hope I will not be disappointed, but then that means I will get to go buy the KAC.
Battlecomp 1.0 - I heard great reviews on this as well, so I thought I would give it a try. I liked the notion of it not being much louder than a normal A2, but also redirecting the recoil straight back instead of letting the muzzle pop up a bit. The extra flash that is has does not bother me, as I do not plan on doing any night shooting on a two way range any time soon.
Magpul RSA - This was bought on a whim more than anything else. I wanted a forward mounting point for a possible MS3 sling, and I figured I would give this a try. It will be under constant scrutiny and testing until I decide I like it or not.
Larue Tactical Index Clips & Handstops - I got these because they seemed to be the lowest profile type of rail cover out there. The single piece nature of them allows them to cover the entire rail section without having to cut anything up, as well as make some pretty awesome patterns. :jester: I thought I would give them a try, and I do like them so far. They could use a little more grip, but that is no big deal.
As for the hand stops, I figured I would give those a try out as well, see how they worked and if I would like them or not. I have the one on the side (FDE) mounted in the traditional sense, so that I place the webbing between my thumb and index finger on it. The one on the bottom is placed just a little forward of the side mounted one and in the opposite direction, and I hook my index finger around it as an added method of control. Not sure if it helps or not, but I figured I would try it out. It isn't hard to change things around. The added benefit of the bottom one is that I could use it as a barricade stop if I ever needed to, as that side is flat enough to prop up against something.
Here are some pictures showing the hand stops and the grip I use with them.
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2356/20120112175752.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7673/20120112180010.jpg
OPTIC
I have not purchased an optic yet, as shown in the pictures, but have a few in mind. I have been thinking about the TA33, in whatever variation of reticule and color. ACOGs are renowned for their toughness and clarity, and the 3x option seems a great way to go for this purpose.
I also have looked at various 1-4x models, and only the higher end ones stand out at me. I may end up holding out for a used Short Dot, but that would be a stretch. I have researched the Trijicon models, but the reticules are not to my liking. The triangle is great at fast stuff, but the post beneath it sucks nuts for long distances.
This is something I would like some input on, so feel free to throw some my way.
CONCLUSION
This build was fun to plan and assemble. Like I said, this was my first time assembling one, but I have experience with working with small parts and assembling stuff. I used to build computers for a living, so the ability to grasp the concept of how to do something and then do it fairly easily is one that I developed pretty quickly. I watched a few videos and read articles related to ARs, and then for the most part was able to do it on my own. I went back for reference a few times to make sure I wasn't being stupid, but I think everyone does that.
I have not had a chance to shoot it, but I am hoping that will happen this weekend. A friend and I hike a few miles above an outdoor range up here, but only because it is closed for the winter season, and then we have close to 1000m of shooting distance. We even went to the City Recorder's Office to make sure that it was public land, and it is. Utah is pretty awesome that way. I think like 600 feet away from roads and residential areas, and if it is public land, then go for it.
I have a couple different kinds of ammo I will put through it, and will give a range report when I get back and have a chance.
As always, thanks for reading and feel free to throw any feedback/ideas/advice/opinions my way, it always helps. Thanks!
P.S. - Also, forgot to add some simple specs. The parts for the rifle ran me $2,023.32. The weight as you see in the picture, no mag, is 7lbs 1.2 oz.