The idiot's guide to the AR-15 rifle (or an idiot building one)

A lot of the new sights will run thousands of hours continuously on a set of batteries, I have heard A LOT of problems with Eotechs lately, just MO. I like aimpoint, but to each his own.
 
Captain Spaulding said:
My concern would not be batteries running out but a critical malfunction for whatever reason when you really need it.
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What kind of malfunction, because it would be smart to always have a backup set of iron flip-up sights for when your main sight malfunctions.
 
Captain Spaulding said:
What is your reasoning?
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Just done alot of reading and asked alot of folks alot of questions and Rock River is one of the names that I hear alot as good quality.

tdc rangemaster said:
Very nice Shotgunner, Im trying to scrape and scrounge for an AR myself. Its an awesome weapon.
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Thanks brother, your reccommendation is one of two that weighed very heavily on my decision to forgo the mini-14 and go for the AR. The other was John Hollister who is a pretty well known firearms instructor.

Spenceds said:
What kind of malfunction, because it would be smart to always have a backup set of iron flip-up sights for when your main sight malfunctions.
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I plan on getting a pair of the Magpul flip up sights for mine, they're sweet.
 
shotgunner11 said:
Just done alot of reading and asked alot of folks alot of questions and Rock River is one of the names that I hear alot as good quality.



Thanks brother, your reccommendation is one of two that weighed very heavily on my decision to forgo the mini-14 and go for the AR. The other was John Hollister who is a pretty well known firearms instructor.



I plan on getting a pair of the Magpul flip up sights for mine, they're sweet.
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They are awesome you just slap them and they pop-up, I have them on my 16" carbine, even better is the price!!!
 
Spenceds said:
What kind of malfunction, because it would be smart to always have a backup set of iron flip-up sights for when your main sight malfunctions.
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No idea...electronic devices are more likely to have a failure than an optic that doesn't have high tech guts to worry about.
 
I love my Rock River, I bought it factory built though. I really want to build a .22LR AR but will stick with my 10/22 for now. I have a buddy that has built a 9mm and .22LR AR with a RR lowers very good quality.
I would love to get my hands on a AR-10!!!
 
The pistol grip, and trigger guard are also magpul products, they have awesome products, if you have or build an AR you HAVE to check them out.
 
I was going to use the Rock River UTE2 upper with a Cavalry Arms lower and Bushmaster Dissipator fore end, but got bit by the AK bug and never got around to doing anything with an AR after I sold my old Bushmaster A-1 carbine.
 
Captain Spaulding said:
My wife and I agreed on getting a rifle...I may go that route just to keep the initial cost down. I was thinking Rock River or DPMS lower...but that is solely on recommendations from friends and not my own personal experience. No place to try them out here.
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Either is going to work fine. THere really isn't much of a difference between lowers. Get the one thats priced the best or has the roll mark you like and dont worry too much about it. I've built a LOT of ARs and only once have I found a lower that was even slightly out of spec.
 
shotgunner11 said:
I'd go Rock River personally.
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I have a Rock River 16" carbine, chrome lined, 1:9 twist, flat top on a DPMS lower receiver. Very happy with it. You have great choices so far.

If I might suggest, get the fixed front sight when you order your upper and get it preassembled so that you will not need the special tools and the headspacing is already set. Take a look at YHM (Yankee Hill Machine Co) flip down rear sights. Good quality and if something screws up on the scope you still have a sight system to use. It's what I put on mine and am very happy.

If you put a regular scope on it, spend the $20 and put a Badger charge handle extension on the charge handle. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=713034 Makes life so much easier.

Been a couple of years since I built mine but if you have any questions, I will be glad to try and help. Let me know.
 
Well this thread got me to go ahead and break down my CAR to see what the problem was my Pops and brother had with it. Weren't a damn thing wrong with it just needed to be cleaned awful bad. Still had factory lube clogging the gas ports.

Field stipped it, dropped the pieces parts into a bucket of paint thinner, and went to work on it with a brush and pipe cleaners. Dried her off, put her back together loaded a mag with 10 rounds, and drove to a dirt road with a good embankment near home. All 10 rounds fired off with no problems at all.

Tomorrow I reckon I'll head up to the lease to break this rifle in. Hasn't been more than a few rounds put through this rifle and it's 15 years old or so. Nice to wake up with a rifle I was told is 'broke' and go to bed with a basically new working rifle.

Now I'll have to research what I'll do with the lower.

Thanks shotgunner for getting me on this.
 
Here some of the ARs I've built. All from stripped uppers and lowers. Two are 22LRs (one suppressed), the green 16" rifle is a 5.56/223 and the SBR with a scope is a 458 SOCOM. The suppressor and short barreled rifles are all registered NFA items.

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I need to get pics of the 5.56 SBR with the suppressor on it as well. You can kinda see it in this pic:
ETA
found some:
Without the can
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With the can
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Surefire? or gemtech? That's awesome man, dang now I definitely need to get in some range time you got my itch acting up again.
 
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