Maritime Environment project

[Hammered_Pair]

So being near the ocean and lots of bayou/swamp areas I have been pondering building an AR specifically resistant to this environment, as a new work gun, we do various shipboard security/anti-piracy contracting.

Looking at major components in QPQ (Melonite) finish, NP3, and possibly cerakote, trying to eliminate as much ferrous to ferrous metal contact as possible so the idea is in making the rifle fairly amphibious.

I'm not new to building AR's, just first time I have contemplated something more specialized.

Currently running a Mk18-esque pistol build with melonite barrel and bcg, either thinking upgrade or start from scratch.
I've got time for further research I am putting in for a stamp on a lower next month for either this or another project.

Thoughts?

[mack7.62]

Back in the mid 80's I was living in Austin Texas, one day I was heading out of town up to Belton and stopped at McBrides and wound up buying a Colt CAR15 for $365. On the way out of town I stopped at a couple of North Austin pawn shops, one had a Colt factory nickle SP1 made for the Italian market and chambered in .222 (military caliber not allowed) for about the same price. To this day this is one of the deals I regret passing on. Oh and the other pawn show had a paratrooper FNC for about the same price, having just bought the CAR I talked myself out of the other two even though I had the money in pocket, you know what they say about hinesight. Except for the caliber that nickle SP1 would have made a sweet boat gun.

[GH41]

Do you really care what it looks like or what it works like??

[Wake27]

Do you really care what it looks like or what it works like??

With the options available today, there’s no reason you can’t have both.


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[Hammered_Pair]

The overall look isn't really that important, it's going to get beat up. Obviously I will try to put it together to not look like hammered dog crap, but the corrosion resistance is more important than aesthetics. Nothing some duracoat can't cover up.

A .222 would be cool, flat shooter.

[ABNAK]

For exposed metal you'll need some kind of coating, be it Duracoat or Cerakote. I'm not into camo patterns on my weapons so I have them done in the underlying color: steel parts are Colt Gray (an excellent Duracoat color that matches Parkerizing very well), and aluminum parts are done in black. If there is a scratch you won't see it unless you look real close as the underlying color is the same.

For the BCG either hard chrome (Daniel Defense makes a nice one) or perhaps a Sionics NP3 finished one.

Those things should just about make it weatherproof!

[Iraqgunz]

The best thing is to have components that can rust treated somehow. Whether it be NP3, DLC or Melonite (or a combination of them together).

Biggest components would be barrel, BCG, gas tube and gas block. Also certain items like roll pins and attachment hardware should be considered.

[Screwball]

Not a build, but I’m likely going to be picking up one of Robar’s Polymar-15s. Likely the 16” TI version in black. Price is up there, but sounds like a lot of win there.

[GH41]

Not a build, but I’m likely going to be picking up one of Robar’s Polymar-15s. Likely the 16” TI version in black. Price is up there, but sounds like a lot of win there.

Don't know about the Robar rifles but they would be one to send his stuff to for coating/treating. They have been doing it a long time.

[Hammer_Man]

Most components in an AR are anodized/coated aluminum anyway, so you just need to focus on the few critical parts that are not. For example, choose a handguard that uses a treated/coated barrel nut such as Geissele. Use a standard stainless grip screw, and a V7 aluminum castle nut. That leaves the barrel, and bcg. There are plenty of QPQ/nitride coated barrels out there, Faxon comes to mind here. BCGs can be had in QPQ/nitride as well, Toolcraft makes an excellent nitride bcg that can be found for a very reasonable price.