Getting excited about my first AR build.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Got my muzzle brake in today, first part I ordered:

 

 

Adams Arms piston kit and Daniel Defense rail should be arriving in the next day or two.

 

Now I just have to decide on a mid-length upper. Still leaning towards CMMG because I can order with a clamp-on gas block and not have to worry about cutting off a bayo lug and removing a pinned triangle front sight which I probably won't use again anyway.

[NJ609 22]

Awesome! Another AR newbie! I'm putting together my list as we speak.

 

What stock did you end up going with?

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

...What stock did you end up going with?

 

Haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning towards getting a fixed/solid stock as opposed to a pinned collapsible.

[NJ609 22]

...What stock did you end up going with?

 

Haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning towards getting a fixed/solid stock as opposed to a pinned collapsible.

 

Me too. Stupid NJ.... Anyway good luck, keep the photos coming as you get this thing together!

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

...What stock did you end up going with?

 

Haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning towards getting a fixed/solid stock as opposed to a pinned collapsible.

 

Me too. Stupid NJ.... Anyway good luck, keep the photos coming as you get this thing together!

 

Will do, will probably have a lull for a few weeks once I order and wait for the upper.

 

Now, about that Spike's Tactical group lower buy....

[matt6669 71]

 

Now, about that Spike's Tactical group lower buy....

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! We are looking into other options at this time I believe as Spikes Customer service has not be stellar to say the least!

[Malsua 1,422]

 

Now, about that Spike's Tactical group lower buy....

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! We are looking into other options at this time I believe as Spikes Customer service has not be stellar to say the least!

 

So then lets call that other thread Kaput? If it's just the engraving, I can possibly get that taken care of since I'm in that business. I know a vendor that can do the engraving the issue I see is the legality of shipping a lower around.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

CMMG 16" medcon med-length upper with micro gas block ordered tonight. Guessing that will take a couple of weeks to come in.

 

DD rail and AA piston kit should be arriving tomorrow.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Anyone ordered from this place before?

 

http://dynamicarmament.com/

 

They've got good prices on AR parts, just wondering how they are on service/delivery.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Package from CMMG arrived tonight, however it was just a parts kit and not the upper. Apparently from the handwritten note on the packing slip, the upper is backordered.

[NJ609 22]

Anyone ordered from this place before?

 

http://dynamicarmament.com/

 

They've got good prices on AR parts, just wondering how they are on service/delivery.

 

I ended up finding the parts I needed from another site, but DA was one of the places that my initial research was pointing to for some stuff.

 

If you do use them let us know how it is!

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

So apparently medcon mid-length uppers are 3-6 month backorder at CMMG.

 

Should I "settle" for a gov't profile mid-length instead?

[LibertyOrDeath 3]

Checkout www.armsnammo.com for $150. My first build also...its exciting isnt it?

[NJ609 22]

Well, truthfully the answer is "it depends". What do YOU want?

 

For me I went with a true M4 carbine style barrel because I want mine to be light. And Medcon is heavy style right?

 

The added accuracy doesn't matter to me because I'd select a different rifle at higher ranges anyway.

 

Key for barrels seems to be chrome lined is an absolute requirement if you want something that's good, otherwise its your preference and what you are going to use the rifle for.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

My "problem" is that I'm locked into a mid-length upper now, because I've bought a gas piston system for that already.

 

I'm also trying to ensure that the upper I get has the "quality" features listed in this thread:

 

http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81462

 

CMMG uppers have those features, and a bonus is that I can order the upper with a micro gas block instead of the standard triangle front sight/gas block which I'll just be removing and tossing anyway.

[NJ609 22]

Well, if it has what you want then it is probably worth waiting for it then. 8-)

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

An update:

 

CMMG upper in hand, stripped the stock handguards off, loosened the front gas block and removed the gas tube. Been playing around with moving the bolt carrier back and forth, looking at the bolt lugs rotate/engage and how the forward assist "ratchets" the bolt into engagement.

 

Waiting for a Block-Worx upper vise block to arrive:

 

 

and then I'll remove the barrel in preparation for mounting the Daniel Defense Rail.

 

Still waiting for the DD rail, DD wrench and Adams Arms piston kit to arrive; there was FedEx shipping snafu and they ended back up at the place I bought them from, waiting for a re-ship.

 

Once the DD rail is on, the barrel is back on and the Adams Arms kit is on the upper will go out to PK90 to get the muzzle brake pinned/welded.

 

As soon as I know the brake is pinned/welded then I plan to buy a Sun-Devil lower and start assembling that.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

DD Lite 12.0 rail and Adams Arms piston kit arrived tonight.

 

Holy crap, that DD rail is **LIGHT**. I'm afraid if I sneeze I might blow it off the desk.

 

Adams Arms kit comes with a special anti-til" bolt carrier. Wondering if I should spring for one of those "anti-tilt" buffers, or just go with a regular buffer and see how everything works out.

 

The shipment did not include the DD wrench I ordered, so hopefully that will show up before the weekend. In the meantime I'll start swapping the bolt from the CMMG carrier over to the AA carrier.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Upper's almost done:

 

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Question on bolt/bolt carrier action:

 

The CMMG bolt carrier that came with the upper would "snap" lock into battery when pushed all the way forward into the upper; the bolt would rotate, the lugs would line up and then it would stay that way unless I gave a little tug on the bolt carrier or the charging handle.

 

The Adams Arms piston kit came with an "anti-tilt" carrier. The instructions have you take the gas rings off the bolt, put a spring on the bolt shaft and then put it into the AA carrier.

 

It all seems to fit fine, but I notice that the AA Carrier doesn't "snap" into battery. If you don't keep constant forward pressure on the bolt carrier it will move back out of battery. The bolt still appears to be working correctly in that it rotates and locks.

 

Is that normal/ok? Does the buffer/buffer spring in an AR normally provide forward force to keep the bolt carrier pushed forward? Basically, should the AA bolt carrier be acting the same way that the CMMG carrier did originally?

[ben 0]

Question on bolt/bolt carrier action:

 

The CMMG bolt carrier that came with the upper would "snap" lock into battery when pushed all the way forward into the upper; the bolt would rotate, the lugs would line up and then it would stay that way unless I gave a little tug on the bolt carrier or the charging handle.

 

The Adams Arms piston kit came with an "anti-tilt" carrier. The instructions have you take the gas rings off the bolt, put a spring on the bolt shaft and then put it into the AA carrier.

 

It all seems to fit fine, but I notice that the AA Carrier doesn't "snap" into battery. If you don't keep constant forward pressure on the bolt carrier it will move back out of battery. The bolt still appears to be working correctly in that it rotates and locks.

 

Is that normal/ok? Does the buffer/buffer spring in an AR normally provide forward force to keep the bolt carrier pushed forward? Basically, should the AA bolt carrier be acting the same way that the CMMG carrier did originally?

 

This is normal. Because of the way the AA piston kit is designed, there is always a little force from the spring acting on the carrier. I don't see this harming your rifle in anyway. Everything lines up when the system is enclosed.

[Caine 147]

Wow - that looks great so far! Nicely done

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

This is normal. Because of the way the AA piston kit is designed, there is always a little force from the spring acting on the carrier. I don't see this harming your rifle in anyway. Everything lines up when the system is enclosed.

 

Thanks for the response. Just curious because the apparent action/locking of the two different bolt carriers is so different.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Update -

 

Muzzle brake pinned/welded by PK90. Quick Service!

 

Got the Sun Devil lower from the FFL today (purchased via gunbroker, shipped to local FFL). Assembled the lower receiver with the exception of the bolt release and trigger guard cause I'm a wimp with the roll pins.

 

Anyone got suggestions on how to start roll pins? Having trouble getting them started, may have to get a "roll pin holder/starter" tool.

 

Now waiting on buffer tube/buffer/spring so I can put the Ace stock on.

 

Did a quick mock-up with magazine and ace stock:

 

[lunker 274]

I had to use a diamond file to open up the lower channels for the trigger guard and slide release roll pins. You can buy a 10-pack for like $6.

[Caine 147]

Check out the 3rd post in this thread:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782

I didn't use that method, but, seems like a decent alternative to tapping in the pin

 

For the bolt release, I use a curved needle nose plier to hold the pin while I was tapping with a small hammer. Worked ok for me, altho I skuffed up the receiver a little (electrical tape works better than painters tape for masking an area that might get hit by a hammer). Think I did the same thing for the trigger guard pin, but it was a while ago and can't be positive.

 

This video helped me out a lot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=iA_Vkb2 ... re=related

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Check out the 3rd post in this thread:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782

I didn't use that method, but, seems like a decent alternative to tapping in the pin

...

 

Thanks for that. Re-approached the roll pins with vice grips, channel locks and electrical tape and now the receiver is completely assembled!

 

FTW!

 

I think channel lock pliers are superior to the vice grip method. I taped the channel lock jaws, lubed up the roll pin and the hole, positioned the pin and the pliers and then started squeezing more and more while making sure the pin was straight and they just glided in.

[Caine 147]

:clap:

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

So finally got it assembled enough to do some action/function checks and I'm running into some issues.

 

Let's start with the easy question first.

 

Is it normal for for the casings on .223 rounds to get gouged/dented like the below (and leave brass chips on the bolt lugs/bolt carrier) like below when simply using the charging handle to cycle the bolt carrier back and forth and eject rounds?:

 

 

[KpdPipes 388]

So finally got it assembled enough to do some action/function checks and I'm running into some issues.

 

Let's start with the easy question first.

 

Is it normal for for the casings on .223 rounds to get gouged/dented like the below (and leave brass chips on the bolt lugs/bolt carrier) like below when simply using the charging handle to cycle the bolt carrier back and forth and eject rounds?:

 

 

]

 

In a word, No, it isnt normal. Looks like the forward edges of the carrier are pretty sharp. What you need to do is take either a VERY fine Diamond File, or better yet Emery cloth, or Emery Boards (I steal mine from the wife :roll: ) and very gently smooth those edges out..not ice i am NOY saying take a gridner to it or a Mill Bastard File. Remove as little metal as possible and just polish away the sharp edges.