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Thread: Is it hard to find local gunsmiths that know anything about ARs?

  1. #81
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    I recenlty went in to the local place and I needed a Buffer Retaining Pin...three people later I asked to see the item the guy was too embarrassed to show me in order to verify the item was correct. I told him.." yep thats it.." he could have asked me and saved me ten minutes of my life. I wont be doing much business involving AR's with these guys. Same people that told me the Sig Individual Officer Program didnt exist...

    For my money I'll download the American Gunsmithing Institute video's and buy the tools, do the work,go to the range, close my eyes look away and squeez the trigger..if it goes bang and I'm still breathen..problem solved... and if it doesnt then you'll see the new thread posted...
    You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood for something, sometime in your life.----Sir Winston Churchill

  2. #82
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    Quote Originally Posted by C4IGrant View Post
    Can you? Yes? Should you? Don't know.

    To be honest, I have found that armorer schools are only as good as the instructor. With even a GREAT instructor, they are ONLY going to focus on that companies weapon. The components that company uses is going to be different from another company. And since most of the AR manufacturers build BASIC AR's (no rails or after market parts), the armorer school will not teach you anything about how to install the all the aftermarket parts that the consumer is going to want.

    I am sure GotM4 will back me up on this, but my knowledge didn't come out of any book or classroom. It came from YEARS of just DOING it and being exposed to just about every company’s rail, stock, grip, and FS/MB on the planet. I have made mistakes, had to eat the cost of the item I destroyed and learned from that experience. There are some costly mistakes you can make and you might not want to pay the price that they will cost you.

    Along the way, I have learned tips and tricks that just aren't taught in any school. Made my own tools, learned which tools to buy and which ones to avoid. This took years.

    The hard part to learn (and what you will do a lot of) is troubleshooting someone’s problem. Example below:

    Customer: My AR won't lock back on the last round.
    Me: Ok, what mags are you using? Are they new or old?
    Customer: New PMAG's.
    Me: What kind of ammo are you using?
    Customer: Mil-Spec ball.
    Me: Has the AR ever run properly?
    Customer: No.
    Me: Let's examine your BCG and FSB for gas leaks.
    Me: All check out fine.
    Me: Hmm, I bet that Magpul B.A.D. lever is putting to much pressure on the bolt catch (removed it and test fired weapon).
    Me: That was your problem. Don't put that thing on any of your weapons that you intend for serious use.

    I give you this REAL example of me spending 30 minutes systematically trouble shooting all the known causes of a BCG failing to lock back. If you don't know how the AR works and what are the MAIN causes of a problem, you can waste a lot of time attempting to diagnose the problem and in the end it was an after market component that was screwing the gun up. So you must be familiar with how ALL after market components in the AR world work and the problems they can cause.




    C4


    Yep, the knowedge comes from repetition, exposure and experience.
    Chief Armorer for Elite Shooting Sports in Manassas VA
    Chief Armorer for Corp Arms (FFL 07-08/SOT 02)

  3. #83
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    Quote Originally Posted by C4IGrant View Post
    I give you this REAL example of me spending 30 minutes systematically trouble shooting all the known causes of a BCG failing to lock back. If you don't know how the AR works and what are the MAIN causes of a problem, you can waste a lot of time attempting to diagnose the problem and in the end it was an after market component that was screwing the gun up. So you must be familiar with how ALL after market components in the AR world work and the problems they can cause.

    C4
    Hopefully you charged the guy for a 1/2 an hour of shop time. The lesson wasn't painful enough unless he was deprived of at least $50.

  4. #84
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    Grant, how long have you been in this business?

  5. #85
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    Quote Originally Posted by rojocorsa View Post
    Grant, how long have you been in this business?
    Been in business or been working on AR's?


    C4

  6. #86
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    When I troubleshoot weapons I start by looking at the obvious.

    1. Is the weapon standard or has it been modified.

    2. If it's modified what's been done to it?

    3. What modifications have been made and could they impact the function of the weapon.

    4. Are the magazines good to go as well as the ammo? I always have a brand new known quality GI mag available to use a control mag.

    5. If I can't solve the problem initially, I try and narrow it down and then replace the cheapest items first.

    When people have a BAD lever installed and they complain of lockback issues, I immediately suspect the lever because there have been more than enough reports of it causing issues.



    Owner/Instructor at Semper Paratus Arms

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SemperParatusArms/

    Semper Paratus Arms AR15 Armorer Course http://www.semperparatusarms.com/cou...-registration/

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    Master Armorer/R&D at SIONICS Weapon Systems- http://sionicsweaponsystems.com

  7. #87
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    Quote Originally Posted by C4IGrant View Post
    Been in business or been working on AR's?


    C4
    Sorry, should have been more specific.


    How long have you been working on ARs?

  8. #88
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    Quote Originally Posted by rojocorsa View Post
    Sorry, should have been more specific.


    How long have you been working on ARs?
    For about 10 years.



    C4

  9. #89
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    I am not a do it your selfer and this talk has me nervous now, even though i have faith in my local guy. I mentioned something about rail systems once and he said something like " The damned LaRue rail is one the sturdiest out there" When i mentioned i wanted a troy rail he said that was a solid rail too and he would be more than happy to install it for about 20 bucks. both decent indications that he knows what he is talking about. But still im nervous after reading all this stuff , thankfully what im having him do is easy and im pretty sure even if he was awful he could handle it.

  10. #90
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    Gonna go out on a limb and say it's a good sign he even knows what a Larue rail is.

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