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I want to buy an AR..

I build ar's. Most people don't need free float rails. I recomend a light. M&P and stag arms are hard to beat. LMT is mil spec quality. I like Noveske barrels.
 
Build one.

Get a stripped lower and a parts kit, and build that (the lower housing has to come through an FFL - every other part can be shipped right to your door.)

By building one, you will learn more about how it works, how to correct malfunctions, and how to make it work better.

Uppers can be readily swapped, giving you a good selection of configurations and calibres - a scoped upper can be zeroed and taken off, just leave it alone. Drop it back on, it's already zeroed in (the scope and any iron sights are mounted to the upper assembly.)

For the "Assault Rifles are Bad" crowd - an AR-15 is not RPT NOT an "assault rifle."

And M4/M16 is an "assault rifle."

Sod the news - they don't know what they're talking about. The DoD definition of an "assault rifle" is a "rifle-sized firearm, capable of firing in semiautomatic and either burst-fire or full-automatic mode (or both,) firing a round intermediate in power between a pistol round and a full-powered rifle round. Assault rifles are typically fed using detachable box magazines"

If it can fire a pistol-calibre round automatically, it's either a "machine pistol" or "submachine gun" (cf: Skorpion, H&K MP5, Madsen.) If it fires a full-on rifle round, or can fire an intermediate round fed from a belt, then it's a "machine gun" (cf: M14, M240, M249, FN Model D, M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, M2, M1919.)

Since an AR15 is incapable of firing in either bursts or auto mode (except in case of some malfunctions, or "bump firing" - which is still technically semi-auto) it is not and cannot be an "assault rifle."

Yes, the news calls these things assault rifles - but calling a tail a leg does not make the name fit. They're also likely to call an M1911 a "machine pistol" (it is not,) and calling it "automatic" is similarly a misnomer - technically speaking, it's an "autoloader." You still have to release the trigger and pull it again to make it go "bang!" one more time.

Anyhow, I do suggest building the lower yourself (it's easy) and then purchasing assembled and headspaced upper halves, since that saves you the trouble of making sure it will chamber correctly (assembling the lower is simple, mechanically. Assembling the upper takes some measurement and adjustment, and a couple of specialised tools.) The A&H upper will be in whichever calibre you select, comes as a fully-assembled upper half with bolt and carrier, and you just drop it on and sight it in. Once the sights are set, leave them alone - you can switch upper halves at will and not have any trouble doing so (takes about ten seconds to do, with some practise.)
 
What have you guys heard about Armalite? Pretty solid company with a good rep from what I can tell. I would really like to get my hands on an AR-10. I like the Lewis Machine and Tool and Armalite. My funds are too low to do anything soon so I'm just researching and dreaming.
 
Is this going to be a general purpose gun, or is it more of a "shooting off a bench" gun? Might want to handle a quad rail gun for a while before you make that step. The many rails make hanging accessories and bling easy, but any vigorous use of the multi-rail guns require gloves, or rail covers. (The rails are covered with points and sharp edges to eat up your hands)

How do you feel about the poodle punchers? I got an AR more then a decade ago and haven't shot it much. When I go to the range I usually take bolt guns and pistols. I've come to the conclusion I like the .308 better. Now I'm looking at AR-10s.
 
5-90 said:
Build one.

Get a stripped lower and a parts kit, and build that (the lower housing has to come through an FFL - every other part can be shipped right to your door.)

By building one, you will learn more about how it works, how to correct malfunctions, and how to make it work better.

Uppers can be readily swapped, giving you a good selection of configurations and calibres - a scoped upper can be zeroed and taken off, just leave it alone. Drop it back on, it's already zeroed in (the scope and any iron sights are mounted to the upper assembly.)

For the "Assault Rifles are Bad" crowd - an AR-15 is not RPT NOT an "assault rifle."

And M4/M16 is an "assault rifle."

Sod the news - they don't know what they're talking about. The DoD definition of an "assault rifle" is a "rifle-sized firearm, capable of firing in semiautomatic and either burst-fire or full-automatic mode (or both,) firing a round intermediate in power between a pistol round and a full-powered rifle round. Assault rifles are typically fed using detachable box magazines"

If it can fire a pistol-calibre round automatically, it's either a "machine pistol" or "submachine gun" (cf: Skorpion, H&K MP5, Madsen.) If it fires a full-on rifle round, or can fire an intermediate round fed from a belt, then it's a "machine gun" (cf: M14, M240, M249, FN Model D, M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, M2, M1919.)

Since an AR15 is incapable of firing in either bursts or auto mode (except in case of some malfunctions, or "bump firing" - which is still technically semi-auto) it is not and cannot be an "assault rifle."

Yes, the news calls these things assault rifles - but calling a tail a leg does not make the name fit. They're also likely to call an M1911 a "machine pistol" (it is not,) and calling it "automatic" is similarly a misnomer - technically speaking, it's an "autoloader." You still have to release the trigger and pull it again to make it go "bang!" one more time.

Anyhow, I do suggest building the lower yourself (it's easy) and then purchasing assembled and headspaced upper halves, since that saves you the trouble of making sure it will chamber correctly (assembling the lower is simple, mechanically. Assembling the upper takes some measurement and adjustment, and a couple of specialised tools.) The A&H upper will be in whichever calibre you select, comes as a fully-assembled upper half with bolt and carrier, and you just drop it on and sight it in. Once the sights are set, leave them alone - you can switch upper halves at will and not have any trouble doing so (takes about ten seconds to do, with some practise.)
Click to expand...

Thank you. I'm thinking about buying a bare lower now. Any more recomendations on that? Any brands that are known to NOT be on the ban list? I just got off the phone with my gun dealer, he told me his supplier for S&W M&P sport is backordered for about a week. He (my gun dealer) sells a lot of STAG stuff and they are back ordered for some period of time as well. I mentioned everything I've asked here. He basically told me that after I build a complete AR that I will most likley have a little more into it then if I bought one out right. He did mention the Stag model 2T which is the one I would buy, said it is his best selling AR. Also mentioned that the S&W sport would most likley not be for me. He said it does not have a dust cover and does not have forward assist(still not sure exactly what is being assisted). Did mention that I could buy a complete gun and tear it down and reassemble opposed to builing one. Im pretty interested in buying a bare lower and going from there. That way it's not $800 out of my pocket at once , over time I dont mind spending more. Also I'll be learning more about these things as I go and be more inclined to spend more on my gun, resulting in a better rifle when complete.
 
tbburg said:
Is this going to be a general purpose gun, or is it more of a "shooting off a bench" gun? Might want to handle a quad rail gun for a while before you make that step. The many rails make hanging accessories and bling easy, but any vigorous use of the multi-rail guns require gloves, or rail covers. (The rails are covered with points and sharp edges to eat up your hands)

How do you feel about the poodle punchers? I got an AR more then a decade ago and haven't shot it much. When I go to the range I usually take bolt guns and pistols. I've come to the conclusion I like the .308 better. Now I'm looking at AR-10s.
Click to expand...
Im looking at an AR because I shoot often, A decent amount of people I know have "tactical" style firearms. I have a buddy with a SCAR, a handful of buddies with AR15's and one with a AR-10. I'd like to get one and see how I like them. I have yet to fire a AR with a quad rail, but I have held a few. My gun of choice is my Remington 700 7mm MAG. I mounted a leupold vx-III scope to it and a harris bi-pod. It would be nice to have a different style firearm then I'm used too.
 
The dust cover is nice, but not really necessary. Most people don't seem to remember to close them after firing, defeating the purpose.

There's some controversy over the forward assist. The original M-16 was accepted by the Air Force. The Army evaluated it and came up with a list of changes they wanted before they would accept it for testing/use. One of the changes was the addition of the forward assist. The resulting gun was called the XM-16E-1. Eventually both services settled on the M-16A-1.

The forward assist will force the bolt closed (assisting it forward) on a dented/malformed/dirty cartridge.
One school of thought says this will allow the gun to keep firing.
A second school of thought says forcing the bolt home over an obstruction may "tie up" the gun and make it unusable.
 
Build it. Better yet, build Daniel Defense.
6685d49b.jpg


14.5" pinned
 
5-90 said:
And M4/M16 is an "assault rifle."

Sod the news - they don't know what they're talking about. The DoD definition of an "assault rifle" is a "rifle-sized firearm, capable of firing in semiautomatic and either burst-fire or full-automatic mode (or both,) firing a round intermediate in power between a pistol round and a full-powered rifle round. Assault rifles are typically fed using detachable box magazines"



Since an AR15 is incapable of firing in either bursts or auto mode (except in case of some malfunctions, or "bump firing" - which is still technically semi-auto) it is not and cannot be an "assault rifle."
Click to expand...

Lightning links? ATF would love my gun as it sits. :patriot:
 
NorCalChris said:
Thank you. I'm thinking about buying a bare lower now. Any more recomendations on that? Any brands that are known to NOT be on the ban list? I just got off the phone with my gun dealer, he told me his supplier for S&W M&P sport is backordered for about a week. He (my gun dealer) sells a lot of STAG stuff and they are back ordered for some period of time as well. I mentioned everything I've asked here. He basically told me that after I build a complete AR that I will most likley have a little more into it then if I bought one out right. He did mention the Stag model 2T which is the one I would buy, said it is his best selling AR. Also mentioned that the S&W sport would most likley not be for me. He said it does not have a dust cover and does not have forward assist(still not sure exactly what is being assisted). Did mention that I could buy a complete gun and tear it down and reassemble opposed to builing one. Im pretty interested in buying a bare lower and going from there. That way it's not $800 out of my pocket at once , over time I dont mind spending more. Also I'll be learning more about these things as I go and be more inclined to spend more on my gun, resulting in a better rifle when complete.
Click to expand...

I built mine on an ASA (American Spirit Arms) lower - it's been fine. The only problem I had was that the gas key in the upper was misaligned slightly and got a bit chewed up by the gas tube - took me ten minutes to replace the thing, so no ache (and it only took that long because you have to stake the screws in place after torquing them!)

If you've access to a machine shop, email me (dragonland2001 AT yahoo DOT com) and I can send you a set of plans to scratchbuild an AR lower out of machine stock - there are only one or two specialty tools you must have, and there are jigs that makes it easier, but the oddball thread (1-3/16"-10, I think) for the buffer tube can be spiral milled on a CNC mill if you have access.

Since there's not a lot of stress on the lower, making out of something like 6061 is fine (I think the original ones are forged high-Si aluminum alloy, but the upper and lower receivers are still aluminum. Ditto the AR-10.)

I'm sure that the mill-stock plans for the AR-15 lower can be adapted to fab up an AR-10 the same way, if you have the plans for the plate lower and the prints for the AR-10 lower (I can give you those as well.)

Is it legal to make your own firearm? Yes. Provided you are otherwise legally able to own one, and that you don't plan to transfer it, go ahead! If you eventually do decide to transfer it (legally,) you'll need to put in to F Troop to assign a serial number and have it registered.
 
If you could make the sides a little more slick, maybe make it all stainless, it would be an interesting rifle. As far as an anti-tacticool rifle that is still an AR, a A1 would be really cool to have.

-Eric
 
willsmysticcobra said:
Lightning links? ATF would love my gun as it sits. :patriot:
Click to expand...
What are lightning links?

Lodi Jim said:
One good source of information is Calguns.net
You will find great information and guns/parts for sale.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I went on there for a little bit today. Mainly the for sale section. figure I'd start lurking.
5-90 said:
I built mine on an ASA (American Spirit Arms) lower - it's been fine. The only problem I had was that the gas key in the upper was misaligned slightly and got a bit chewed up by the gas tube - took me ten minutes to replace the thing, so no ache (and it only took that long because you have to stake the screws in place after torquing them!)

If you've access to a machine shop, email me (dragonland2001 AT yahoo DOT com) and I can send you a set of plans to scratchbuild an AR lower out of machine stock - there are only one or two specialty tools you must have, and there are jigs that makes it easier, but the oddball thread (1-3/16"-10, I think) for the buffer tube can be spiral milled on a CNC mill if you have access.

Since there's not a lot of stress on the lower, making out of something like 6061 is fine (I think the original ones are forged high-Si aluminum alloy, but the upper and lower receivers are still aluminum. Ditto the AR-10.)

I'm sure that the mill-stock plans for the AR-15 lower can be adapted to fab up an AR-10 the same way, if you have the plans for the plate lower and the prints for the AR-10 lower (I can give you those as well.)

Is it legal to make your own firearm? Yes. Provided you are otherwise legally able to own one, and that you don't plan to transfer it, go ahead! If you eventually do decide to transfer it (legally,) you'll need to put in to F Troop to assign a serial number and have it registered.
Click to expand...
Email is coming shortly

Beezil said:
IMG_0530.jpg


IMG_0533.jpg
Click to expand...
And to think you were against these..
I definetly like the wood. Reminds me of all my hunting rifles.
Anyone have any more pics of their ARs?
 
X2 on calguns.net very useful info.
I built (assembled my lower) and bought a bushmaster carbine upper from a buddy. My 2nd one is being assembled completely by me.oh yeah and I cant forget to add that they are both "california legal ar's"
 
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