Finally got an AR (kind of)

This is a great deal.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=21&t=382832

I got a dpms lower a while back and put a rock river arms lower parts kit to put in it. Pretty easy. I did scuff things on the bolt release...just make sure your pins are lined up and if anything is taking a bit of force, recheck because you're likely "not in the groove".

To me it wasn't much more difficult that stripping and assembly any of my other rifles. I still haven't put a permanent upper on it yet (fired it with a loaner from another).

Just can't make up my mind on it.

Rifle kits for $475

Del-Ton Rifle kits
1:7 DPMS chrome lined barrel is + $65.00

Nice folks to deal with too.

Just out of curiosity, why are you so set on a 1/7? Unless you are planning on shooting a lot of 77gr ammo and/or a lot of M856 tracers, the 1/7 is not needed, or even wanted.

Plus, a 1/7 twist will not give you great accuracy with 55gr ammo, which is what I don't really like about 1/7 twists...

For what it's worth, my Stag upper matches the color of my Mega lower perfectly.

Depends on how much work you want to do, really.

I've bought an AR15 from Legal Transfers/ar15sales.com before; good price, but he was a bit difficult to get ahold of when I was trying to order (had to get ahold of him before 4PM central and he didn't call me back on my messages).

I've heard both the DelTon and Model1Sales kits are a good deal with quality parts. I know a couple guys with Model 1 Sales kit rifles, and they're well made parts.

EDIT: and you really want to go with a 1/9 twist unless you're just after a bench/competition rifle with a long barrel.

Also, I'm a fan of the Rock River 2-stage lower kits.

Plus, a 1/7 twist will not give you great accuracy with 55gr ammo, which is what I don't really like about 1/7 twists...

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Could you qualify what you mean by "not great" accuracy? I am unable to tell the difference between the accuracy from my 1:7 CMMG barrel and the accuracy from 1:9 Bushmaster barrels when shooting 55gr surplus ammo.

Could you qualify what you mean by "not great" accuracy? I am unable to tell the difference between the accuracy from my 1:7 CMMG barrel and the accuracy from 1:9 Bushmaster barrels when shooting 55gr surplus ammo.

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I have a 1/7 colt barrel on one of my AR's so I can substantiate the claim, but it's fairly well known that a 1/7 twist is too fast for 55gr ammo. You can shoot it, but esspecially at distances you lose accuracy. It's not really noticeable under 100-200 yards.

Also, if yours doesn't have that problem, it's because every barrel out there is usually not the "exact" twist rate specified. There tends to be small variations from barrel to barrel.

Congrats on getting it started. I started where you have, with a stripped lower. After working overtime, and doing odd jobs for extra money, I finally got her together. Wait till you pull the trigger on her for the first time, a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction will follow. Also, the advantage that we have is that some folks buy a complete rifle, with little to no mechanical ability, and have to keep going to a smith for problems that occur along the way. We won't, as we have built this thing from scratch and know what to look for.

I have a 1/7 colt barrel on one of my AR's so I can substantiate the claim, but it's fairly well known that a 1/7 twist is too fast for 55gr ammo. You can shoot it, but esspecially at distances you lose accuracy. It's not really noticeable under 100-200 yards.

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OK, what kind of difference are you seeing between a 1:7 and 1:9 barrel using 55gr military ammo at whatever distance you notice the issue? What makes you feel it is a twist issue and not an individual barrel issue?

The reason I ask is I have never noticed a difference that I could attribute to the twist of the rifle. I have seen others suggest that there is a loss of accuracy; but these are usually benchrest-type shoters who are capable of noticing and appreciating a 0.1" difference.

Big +1 for Del Ton, great folks!

Plus, a 1/7 twist will not give you great accuracy with 55gr ammo,...

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Flat statement - this is gun store myth. A 1:7" twist rate should provide more than acceptable accuracy with anything other than super-light varmint loads.

http://www.ammo-oracle.com/body.htm#m193twists

I have a 1/7 colt barrel on one of my AR's so I can substantiate the claim,...

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If this is really the case, then there is something wrong with your barrel. I own or have observed several different 1:7" AR barrels that print MOA groups out to 300 yards, with 55grn. ammo.

- Chris

Flat statement - this is gun store myth. A 1:7" twist rate should provide more than acceptable accuracy with anything other than super-light varmint loads.

If this is really the case, then there is something wrong with your barrel. I own or have observed several different 1:7" AR barrels that print MOA groups out to 300 yards, with 55grn. ammo.

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Not a myth. I'm not the one quoting an internet source BTW, I am quoting my own personal experience... And, there's not necesssarily anything wrong with my 1/7 twist either.

For the same reason that many 1/9's shoot 77gr ammo just fine (and some not so well), some 1/7's shoot 55gr ammo well, others not so well.

The reason is one I have already stated, that the twist rates in a barrel although marked 1/7 or 1/9 (or whatever) will actually vary... Some 1/7's may be closer to a 1/8, others, closer to a 1/6, because the rifling is not cut perfectly on most mass produced AR-15 barrels.

I've had plenty of experience with a variety of AR-15's, so I am not just passing on what I read online.

I've spoken with Troy about many of the things written in the Ammo Oracle, and he even admitted that not everything written in the ammo oracle is 100%. Although for the most part, the ammo oracle is a very good source of AR15 information.

As I said, my experience has been exactly the opposite, and with more than one barrel. I stand by my statement.

- Chris

Stand by whatever you want, it doesn't make it true in 100% of cases... It doesn't even necessarily make it the norm.

I'm partial to DPMS lower parts kits, mainly because of the hammer. It works in 9mm ARs as well as the 5.56s. Just something to keep in mind if you plan on, or think you may get a pistol caliber upper.

I've been looking at CMMG uppers lately. 1:7 twist chrome-lined barrels, M4 feedramps, and acutal F-marked FSBs. The upper I'm looking at is a dissapator style with a midlength gas system and a medium contour barrel.

I guess you could say I'm an oddball when it comes to AR15s, since I hate A2 sights. I prefer the A1s, with an A2 sytle aperture, or even better, the XS same-plane. I got a few A1 handles from cncgunsmithing.com, if he doesnt have any more superior arms makes them as well.

Definitely go with the 1/7" twist. I have found no accuracy penalty between 1/7 and 1/9 twists with 55 grain surplus in many, many AR's of varying manufacture, and enjoy the versatility of being able to use bullet weights between 45 and 77 grains effectively. Any accuracy differences between twists is more likely the result of barrel particularities (or peculiarities) than twist rate.

vanfunk

pay no mind to the noob scratch by the bolt catch.

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No one ever does....

first time build there is ALWAYS a scratch or two, and from what i gather if there is at least one it's most likely to have be on or realted to the install of the bolt catch assembly/area.

Don't sweat the scratches, if you get out there and actually use it and train with it, it will soon have enough of them that one doesn't stand out. The exception to that is Roguard which wears phenomenally well and still looks pristine on the top of my Hi-Power slide except for a spot where a roll pin punch slipped