Are they all made equally?

 

What repair kit do you keep on hand?

 

Would you buy a DPMS field kit or the DPMS ultimate repair kit? Or Other suggestions

what is a field repair kit.. I carry a spare lower parts kit..

I like this one,

It's pretty much everything, and can be persuaded into an MOE grip (except for the buffer spring)

also like to pack an extra LPK...............and a spare BCG

Maybe a wee bit of overkill

 

http://www.bushmaster.com/products.asp?cat=501

We've taken our Field Repair Kit, our Complete Spring Package, and our Complete Pin & Detent Package and combined them into one "super-kit" that will take care of all your AR15 rifle's spare parts needs. You'll get all these parts and more: every Spring in the Gun (including Buffer Spring); Firing Pin; 3 Firing Pin Retaining Pins; Cam Pin; Disconnector; Extractor; Extractor Pivot Pin; 2 Extractor Spring Inserts; Gas Ring Set; 2 Hammer & Trigger Pins; 2 Front Sight Taper Pins; 2 Takedown Pin Detents; Safety Detent; Bolt Catch Plunger; Gas Tube Roll Pin; Front Sight Detent; Ejector Pin; Forward Assist Pin; Bolt Catch Pin; Buffer Detent; Trigger Guard Pin. This is a great value for only $39.50!

I've purchased a DPMS kit and over the months have accumulated spare parts to compile maybe two complete lpk's. That plus a spare complete BCG, buffer and buffer spring puts me at ease whenever I go out with the AR. I'm a noob to AR's so I can't really tell a difference between the parts. I've used a DPMS and PSA LPK's and so far they haven failed me yet.

i find a LPK without buffer spring to easily fit in a chest rig pouch.. also carry some spare gas rings.. and will pick up another firing pin to throw in there once this all calms down..

A lot of AR issues can be prevented simply by using quality equipment built correctly.

 

Your "field repair kit" should start before you ever get in the field.

 

First order of business is to ensure you have a gun built to, or exceeding, the mil-spec TDP from a reputable manufacturer that doesn't cut corners. Inspect the rifle and make sure that what is supposed to be staked is staked properly, what is supposed to show signs of wear is wearing evenly, your gas system is free of leaks (look around your gas block and delta ring for signs of leakage, make sure your gas rings are good) and everything is lubed as per the manufacturers directions. If you see a problem, it should be fixed before you get in the field - which leads us to...

 

Second order of business is preventative maintenance of your rifle. Keep a log book of approximate round counts and change the appropriate parts at the appropriate interval for your system. Bolts, extractor assemblies, gas tubes, firing pins, cam pins, and action springs are wear items and need to be replaced or they will fail.

 

Third order of business, make sure you are using quality magazines and quality ammunition.

 

If you follow these 3 steps above, you will generally not need your "field repair kit" as you will be able to identify and repair any issues at your workbench before it becomes an issue the "field".

 

But since sh!t happens, I assemble a field repair kit from mil-spec parts for each of my rifles. In my experience, other than magazine related malfinctions, most of the time when an AR stops working it is an upper related issue involving the BCG. When it is a lower problem, it is generally a fire control group issue (cracked hammer or trigger pins, the occasional broken disconnector) or something like a popped primer in the guts - which doesn't require new parts to fix, just removal of the debris. I have never seen a bolt carrier, mag catch, bolt catch, takedown pin, selector, selector detent, or ejector fail that wasn't FUBAR to begin and should have been caught during a cleaning or preventative maintenance inspection. Therefore, I do not include those parts in my "field repair" kit, they stay at the workbench at home along with the rest of my spare parts.

 

My field repair kits consist of the following mil-spec parts:

 

1 complete spare bolt that has been headspaced with a No-Go gauge and test fired in that particular rifle

3 extra gas rings

2 extra firing pins

2 extra cam pins

2 firing pin retaining pins

3 extractor springs with appropriate inserts

1 extractor

2 hammer/trigger pins

1 trigger and disconnect

1 hammer

1 buffer retaining pin and spring

 

The bolt, 1 firing pin, 1 firing pin retaining pin, and 1 cam pin are all stored on the rifle (pistol grip core, vert grip core, storage on the stock) everything else goes in a small plastic bag that lives in that specific rifles carrying case with 1 carbine length action spring and 1 mil-spec charging handle.

 

I also keep a 1oz bottle of Slip 2000 EWL, a Multitasker AR tool (if you have an AR you should have this multi-tool), and a Glock Tool (3/32" punch) on my kit to make repairs if I have too.

 

Note: All my parts are bought from reputable dealers selling only mil-spec parts built to the TDP such as Colt, LWRC, LMT, BCM, etc... with Stag as a last resort. No DPMS, Bushmaster, Armalite, Spikes, Rock River, or Olympic Arms etc... parts make it into my guns or my parts kits.

 

Also, if I am going to a class that is a high round count, multi-day affair I always bring a second zeroed rifle so I don't have any down time playing WECSOG (Wyle E. Coyote School Of Gunsmithing) and can concentrate on why I am there, which is to learn.

 

ETA: I see roughly 8k-10k rounds through AR rifles in the hands of guys I am training, and fire about 5k rounds of 5.56 myself in training every year. The only "Field repair" I have ever needed to make was a new action spring on the last day of a high round 3 day EAG COC2.

I have the DPMS kit. After several thousand rounds, I haven't needed to use it yet

Thanks high exposure