Follow Along for my First AR Build
- Thread starter Brian Pfleuger
- Start date
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Well, still sadly waiting on the barrel... but I've got it as together as it can be without the part that goes BOOM! I realize I'm being super picky, but I am slightly irritated that the plate and castle nut on the buffer tube don't match the finish of everything else.
The Jard trigger seems to be exactly what I hoped, can't wait to actually shoot it.
The Jard trigger seems to be exactly what I hoped, can't wait to actually shoot it.
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stagpanther
New member
Don't worry about that--you'll soon find plenty of other stuff that will irritate you even more.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Nathan said:
Ha! Yes, yes it is. It's not "permanent" yet, not tighten/torqued, just hand assembled. I honestly didn't even consider the orientation.
Regarding the "staked" bit... probably opening a can o' worms but I wasn't really planning to do that anyway. This gun is not for duty/defense/hard use and I see no particular benefit. Loctite and torque is more than sufficient.
bbqncigars
New member
For most parts that I don't want moving after they're installed, I use Loctite 290. It's a medium grade threadlocker that wicks into the threads before it sets up.
stagpanther
New member
Slow down when getting dressed.
Brian is welcome to build as he wishes. I thought I was helping out.
I have built an AR, torqued by feel a butt stock to what I thought was tight....which I’m pretty good at that due to my time as an assembler. I know how to “feel” the joint.
Well, this came apart shooting on my 300 bo. Probably me combined with a design issue. The nut is not normal as it is part of the tube...not separate. I retorqued and staked. Should be good.
I have built an AR, torqued by feel a butt stock to what I thought was tight....which I’m pretty good at that due to my time as an assembler. I know how to “feel” the joint.
Well, this came apart shooting on my 300 bo. Probably me combined with a design issue. The nut is not normal as it is part of the tube...not separate. I retorqued and staked. Should be good.
stagpanther
New member
I was just teasing--you have good eyes for picking that out, I was distracted by the muzzle device.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Nathan said:
That's my special sound-deadening foam. Redneck suppressor. Cheap, single use (well, maybe twice if you can find it after the first shot). They'll never hear you coming.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Well, I've still got another 3 1/2 weeks on the projected barrel delivery date but I'm already making upgrades on a gun I can't even shoot yet.
I put an Armaspec Stealth recoil spring in it. Got it for ~$59 from Little Creek Trading.
Obviously I don't know exactly the difference under actual firing conditions but both the sound and feel of manually cycling the action are drastically different.
I'm trying to convince myself to buy (and convince myself not to buy) a Magpul PRS Gen3 as well...
I put an Armaspec Stealth recoil spring in it. Got it for ~$59 from Little Creek Trading.
Obviously I don't know exactly the difference under actual firing conditions but both the sound and feel of manually cycling the action are drastically different.
I'm trying to convince myself to buy (and convince myself not to buy
) a Magpul PRS Gen3 as well...Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Nathan said:
That's actually one of the reasons I am considering it. I'm not super tall (just about 6') but apparently have monkey arms (or wide shoulders?), as almost all rifle LOPs feel really short to me. It seems the de facto standard is ~13.5-13.75 and I'd really like it longer.
It's kind of an odd measurement. I've seen several different "magic formulas" for calculating it....
The gun as configured with the Hogue stock measures 13 7/8" LOP, if I hold it up with my finger on the trigger and my forearm/upper arm at 90* angle, it lacks about 1 3/4" of touching my bicep... based on one method, this indicates I would want 15 5/8".
I also read you should have your wrist and forearm straight to one another and 90* to upper arm, simulate firing position and measure from index finger pad to shoulder.... that comes out to 17 1/8".
jetinteriorguy
New member
Have you checked out the Luth-ar stocks? Might be something there that could work for a lot less money. They make a good quality product, I have a couple and really like them.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
I appreciate the suggestion Jet, but I have a carbine tube and Armaspec carbine buffer. I’d have to replace both, which would make the Luther (~$150) more expensive than the Magpul (available at ~$195 if you look hard enough).
jetinteriorguy
New member
They make a carbine/adjustable version as well as a full stock. That’s what I have on both my AR10 and AR15. The nice thing is how you adjust them so they don’t rattle. It’s such a simple setup I’m surprised more companies don’t do this. It’s the MBA-3 model.
That was my suggestion a coupe of pages back. My main complaint with the PRS is weight, it is heavy. But it is also adjustable for LOP and comb height, so it helps fit it all together, and it feels super solid when shooting.
Shopping for parts for an AR build is like letting a kid wander around in a toy store right before Christmas. OOooooooohh!! Shiny! OOoooohh!