AR upper Question

[Donka]

If I were to purchase a new 6920 upper to have as a back up, could I slap it on my current 6920 lower and be all set or is there more to it?

Thanks,
Donka

[Iraqgunz]

Is this for real or a joke? You already own Colt 6920, but don't know if an extra upper will just drop on. Do you have any knowledge of the AR series at all? If not, I suggest you keep it simple and stick with one gun and forget the extra upper.

Now to answer a little more direct.

1. If the upper is a complete assy. and the pin holes are the same size then yes you can just drop it on.

2. If it is just an upper w/o bolt carrier group and chraging handle you will need to put those parts in first. Of course, you should also check the headspace, but based on you post you probably won't know how to do it.

My advice is to K.I.S.S.

[Donka]

As you can tell, this is my first time owning an AR rifle, so yes, this question is real.

I was just curious if there was anything more to it than the normal reassembly. I figured there wasn't, but wanted to be 100% sure.

I appreciate your patience and knowledge.

Thanks.

[rob_s]

You may find that locating a 6920 complete upper alone can be problematic, and costly if you do.

If you're just concerned with having a spare, I would strongly recomend an LMT complete upper from www.gandrtactical.com or www.rainierarms.com, or check the equipment exchange on arfcom for dealers offering them with charging handles or handguards as incentives.

[Donka]

Thanks for the help and links rob_s

[Army Chief]

I'm not entirely sure what the motivation might be in seeking a "spare" upper, since uppers are neither restricted, nor difficult to obtain later on. If I was to keep a "spare" receiver assembly laying around, it would be a complete lower -- not another upper -- because those may not always be so readily available.

If, on the other hand, you're looking for a spare upper in order to get a different barrel (i.e. length, profile or configuration), then another upper might make perfect sense. As to the mechanics of changing it out, as mentioned previously, so long as you have a bolt/bolt carrier group for the upper -- or have validated the headspace of your existing bolt/bolt carrier group -- then yes, it's usually a simple two-pin snap-in. Modularity is one of the AR design's great strengths, and this is a perfect illustration of the point.

Still, given these uncertain times politically, I would probably feel a lot more comfortable spending my money on a "spare" LE6920 -- in other words, a complete rifle. Cost-wise, you aren't apt to save nearly as much as you might think if you go after a Colt LE6920 upper by itself, unless you opt for a non-Colt component, as completed Colt uppers tend to command fairly high prices.

Chief

[rob_s]

I could see having a complete spare upper for toting to training classes etc., especially if packing space were constrained. That way no matter what part of the upper might fail (optic, squib, popped primer, bolt crack, carrier key loosen, misc. gremlins, etc.), you just take 5 minutes to swap out the complete upper and keep going. Track down the details of the problem at the next break.

The "spare" could also be made up of lower-cost options than your primary. Your primary might be a 6920 with an Aimpoint M4 in a Larue mount, a Surefire Scout light, and a Larue rail, whereas your spare could be an LMT with an Aimpoint C3, Surefire G2, and a Surefire 2-piece rail. The "spare" could be as much as $1k less than your primary. ($250 savings on the optic, $200 savings on the light, $100 savings on the rail, and God knows how much on the uppers, not to mention potential savings on BUIS)

I also agree, however, that you might as well just buy the complete 6920 and if space is a concern just break out the upper to take with you. If cost is not a consideration.

[Army Chief]

I could see having a complete spare upper for toting to training classes etc., especially if packing space were constrained.

That's a very good point, Rob -- I guess I sort of glossed right over the obvious there.

Granted, I don't really get the sense that Donka is quite at the point where the training/operational advantage is playing into his thinking yet, but it's quite true that something is more likely to to go awry with an upper (or something mounted on an upper) in a hard-use/training course situation than with a lower.

I just always have likely changes on the political landscape on my mind, as one of my recurring nightmares relative to being stationed overseas is that, by the time I return home, we'll be back in another AWB situation. I think that is why my response to a question like this one (unless you're going the SBR route) is always going to be "why not just buy a whole new rifle ... while you still can?"

Chief

[Jay Cunningham]

If I were to purchase a new 6920 upper to have as a back up, could I slap it on my current 6920 lower and be all set or is there more to it?

Thanks,
Donka

Yes, you'd be all set. I see 6920 uppers for sale all of the time - they usually go for around $700. I just sold one w/o the BCG myself.

[Iraqgunz]

Here is a good piece of advice for all the new owners/ shooters. Spend the money and go to an armorer course. I highly recommend Colt, but if not then Bush-hamster so you can at least understand more about the gun and know how to fix it. I also suggest investing some money in spare parts and basic tools. If a forward assist breaks it's a lot cheaper to fix it then replacing an upper. If however as some of stated you want it to just swap out during a training SNAFU then by all means get it.

When the next draconian AWB comes, you can bet your ass that they learned from their past mistakes and they will do everything they can to make it more comprehensive.