I thought AR-15s were supposed to be EASY (learn from my stupidity)

[1KPerDay]

Legos for grownups, eh?



What a frickin' PITA.

So, being the stupid person I am, I waited to get into the "build your own AR" game until Obamascare 2013. So I paid 3x more than I should have for a crappy polymer NFA lower. Which was out of spec and a PITA to build using too-expensive, run of the mill PSA LPK (which I had to scrounge for months to find). So figure at this point I'd spent at least $100 too much so far.

http://youtu.be/HsCbm4ANry4 video detailing issues and fixes for any interested.

Found a used Magpul CTR stock for about $60 and a used/beat up receiver extension and castle nut/plate on one of the forums for... I can't remember, but I paid double what it was worth. in early/mid 2013 there were ZERO AR parts available anywhere. Paid too much for a standard carbine buffer and later a carbine spring; paid shipping on both from separate shops because you couldn't buy both parts together anywhere at the time.

Got the lower completed and it functions... tried it out on a couple other uppers and seems fine. Trigger pull is like 12 lbs but Kwhatevz.

So couple weeks ago I decide I've hemmed and hawed enough and I'm going to get this POS rifle done come hell or high water, so I can put it in the back of my safe and ignore it. My goal originally was to go for cheap/light for this one. Since the lower is polymer, I figured I was off to a good start at least for the light part. I've already paid likely at least double what I should for a completed lower. *cough*

Still needed barrel/gas tube/front sight guts/gas tube pin/delta ring and guts/flash hider/handguards. Sometime during the panic I find an email "special" and pay $170 for a "5.56 8620 BCG with charging handle" from PSA. Not engraved with typical PSA logo so I assume it's no-name or generic brand. I don't know. Paid too much for crappy quality. Again. Because I'm stupid.

Last week I order the barrel and most associated parts from Midway and get free shipping; ends up being $190. Still don't have rear sight or handguards. Barrel is E.R. Shaw/Model 1 lightweight 16" CAR barrel from Midway, info says .223 chamber, reviews/feedback say .223 chamber.

Try to install barrel. I tighten and loosen barrel nut a couple of times to "seat" the surfaces, as recommended. Then try torque. At recommended starting torque of 30 ft/lbs, the tooth opening on the nut is juuuust too far for proper clearance of the gas tube. So I have to go a complete other tooth tighter. Sonova..... In the process of trying to torque barrel nut I shear like 4 teeth off the crappy barrel nut, and at what I would consider WAY TOO MUCH TORQUE/STOP YOU HAMFISTED GORILLA tightness, the next tooth is juuuust not far enough for clearance. Sonova...... I am NOT going to try to tighten it any further. Once the part breaks I figure it's tight enough, and I don't try to tighten it further. I don't care who you are... that's just good sense.

I figure the barrel nut is now FUBAR anyway, so I can just grind/sand the tooth a bit to clear the gas tube. (I know, I know ). I try. I sweat and swear. I don't have a Dremel so I use sandpaper. It's a bit better but it doesn't work well enough to properly align gas tube without interference. To distract myself from how crappy a job I'm doing, I decide to check headspace.

Bad idea. 8620 BCG closes on a Clymer .223 NO GO gauge. (1.4666"). :banghead: The PSA BCG that came with my PSA mock dissy upper does NOT close on the NO GO .223 gauge in the new rifle. Both BCGs close on .223 NO GO gauge if tried in the PSA dissy upper (which has a 5.56 chamber).

So: I assume this means that my crappy 8620 BCG or bolt is out of spec. I don't have a 5.56 NO GO or MAX gauge so I can't confirm that the chamber is improperly cut. However, the fact that a "known good" BCG won't close on a .223 NO GO leads me to believe that my 8620 BCG is questionable.

I add one layer of scotch tape (supposed to be .0015" thick) to the back of the .223 NO GO gauge and the bolt won't close. So I figure it's close enough for government work. Somewhere between 1.4666" and 1.4681". If I ever get it complete I'll only shoot .223 in it and test/triple check for excessive case stretching.

After headspace check I try to futz with the barrel nut again. It pisses me off again so I give up and loosen it (before I break the rest of the damn teeth off) and order a new barrel nut, skinny M4 handguards, and a Daniel Defense rear sight ($70 ). I would have tried to cheap out on the rear BUIS and gotten a Magpul but I have a hard time paying $50 for an ugly, questionably functional plastic sight... plus I'm paranoid about the myriad fake magpul parts out there. I figure I can justify the rear sight by using it on my PSA Dissy and take the (likely fake) Matech rear sight off of it and use it on the new LW build.

So, my "cheap" build has now cost me quite a bit more than the complete "bargain ARs" I've seen in sales lately. Ah, well... the lessons learned are worth it. Right? RIGHT?

Only good part in this story is that I was given the complete PSA flattop upper (sans BCG or charging handle), so I claw like $50 back there. woooooooooooooooo!

 

[aHFo3]

I've always wanted to build my own AR. After reading your tale, I may choose to be content with my uninteresting store-bought carbine. I appreciate your transparency!

 

[taliv]

ouch. i've had builds like that. fortunately, they weren't my first attempt. heck, i just bought two lowers that were out of spec and parts wouldn't fit in them, so i called the mfg and sent them back with my LPKs for them to custom fit and assemble. i don't have time or interest to putz with it too much myself.

 

[MrTuffPaws]

Funny, mine went together like a 1st grade puzzle. Get a torque wrench if you are going to install barrels. It will give you the limits to stay within. Also, shearing teeth off of the barrel nut is a sign of one of four things, a crappy nut, too much torque, a crappy barrel wrench, or a crappy job holding the wench in place on the nut.

 

[ohbythebay]

So ....

Sell the parts online...

And buy a nice S&W M&P15 like this...

http://grabagun.com/catalog/product...id/11888/s/s-w-m-p15-spt-556nato-16-30rd-fld/

 

[Jackal]

Remember: When the "scares", "shortages" and "panics" set in, its time to sell, not buy.

 

[1KPerDay]

Funny, mine went together like a 1st grade puzzle.

That's the way it's supposed to be...

Get a torque wrench if you are going to install barrels. It will give you the limits to stay within.

Have one. But as noted... if the minimum torque over-rotates a tooth just a tad, you don't really have much choice other than going to the next one (or shimming the barrel nut I guess).

Also, shearing teeth off of the barrel nut is a sign of one of four things, a crappy nut, too much torque, a crappy barrel wrench, or a crappy job holding the wench in place on the nut.

Likely all 4

 

[1KPerDay]

Remember: When the "scares", "shortages" and "panics" set in, its time to sell, not buy.

Yep... good advice.

 

[1KPerDay]

I've always wanted to build my own AR. After reading your tale, I may choose to be content with my uninteresting store-bought carbine. I appreciate your transparency!

Don't let my inexperience scare you off. 99% of people have no trouble... just get quality components from reputable sources and you'll be fine.

 

[Potatohead]

So couple weeks ago I decide I've hemmed and hawed enough and I'm going to get this POS rifle done come hell or high water, so I can put it in the back of my safe and ignore it.

^^Priceless!!

1K, My daughter just asked me why Im laughing hysterically at the computer. Thanks for that line!

 

[Potatohead]

I'll give you 10 bucks for it

 

[Slamfire]

Let he who is without sin toss the first AR!

A gun designer bud of mine told me to built up guns using one vendor's parts: The "fit" between companies will vary as the old Government TDP on the street does not contain all the information to build interchangeable AR's. Apparently Colt did not put everything you need to know in the drawings, the Government did not know better when it bought the drawings, and all manufacturer's have to make up their own dimensions at some point.

 

[1KPerDay]

Helps when there's a crazy run on parts and every mfg is trying to poop out parts and rifles as fast as they can.

I'm not blaming any company (except maybe New Frontier); the bad experiences I've had has been primarily due to my inexperience and my Scottish blood. I'll never learn... trying to cheap out usually costs you in the end.

 

[Speedo66]

It was a web induced panic, and things go weird in a panic.

Don't kick yourself in the butt for succumbing to it, you weren't alone.

 

[dbmjr1]

I enjoyed reading of your woes, in a masochistic way. Good write up.

I, recently, built my own M4orgery AR. I wasn't nearly as brave as you. I bought a stripped lower, and a rifle kit from PSA. The upper was already assembled.

My lower went together over a cup of coffee, one Saturday morning. No problemo.

It all works, and works well. No malfunctions after many hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Someday I hope that to be thousands of rounds.

 

[strambo]

Sorry about your troubles. For anyone else considering "building" an AR, the easiest way is to buy an aluminum stripped lower on sale for $50-80 and assemble the lower yourself using youtube videos as reference. Then, buy a barreled upper at whatever quality/price point you want. PSA for good quality lower end, BCM for high quality at a good price. I mention those vendors because they each have a ton of assembled upper choices.

Pop the barreled upper on the lower, toss in BCG of your choice, charging handle and handguard of your choice. If you want a rail, buy the barreled upper with it on already.

If/when a panic hits, pay attention to the political side. If the legislation is going nowhere (like this last Sandyhook incident), just be patient. I bought nothing AR related this time. Also, 2008 was clearly going nowhere, no way newly elected Obama had the political juice (or the will) to try to push gun legislation then.

Now is the time to stock up on ARs and magazines, Magpuls are $79.95 for 10 at DSG. http://dsgarms.com/dsgholidaypk1

 

[1KPerDay]

I enjoyed reading of your woes, in a masochistic way. Good write up.

I, recently, built my own M4orgery AR. I wasn't nearly as brave as you. I bought a stripped lower, and a rifle kit from PSA. The upper was already assembled.

My lower went together over a cup of coffee, one Saturday morning. No problemo.

Yeah, I've done similarly... PSA lower/lpk, assorted goodies, and PSA complete upper. Worked out beautifully.

 

[HammsBeer]

I bought my first AR from a good company and shot the heck out of it and learned what I liked and didn't like about it.

Then I assembled my second using high quality parts totalling $1500 (BCM, Mega, Colt, Magpul, etc). Since the barrel/upper is where the BANG is happening, I figured I'd let BCM pre-barrel the upper. I assembled the lower and slapped it together and it runs great!

What I learned is the lower is pretty foolproof to assemble, saves some money, and you can trick it out with the features you want. But unless you've already got really good special tools to assemble the upper or want some oddball barrel setup, it's almost cheaper and easier to buy a pre-barreled upper from a quality vendor.

 

[arizona_cards_11]

Don't feel bad, I did a Noveske build during the 2013 scare:

16" 300blk Noveske Lo-Pro Upper
Noveske Gen II Lower
Geissele Trigger
DD LPK

Yeah.....never getting my money out of that combo. It took this to realize that AR's just aren't my cup of tea. Sold the upper but still have the lower because I overpaid to such an extent that I'll never see 60% of what I put into it.

I've since moved onto the SCAR family, which seem to be more inline with my preferences.

 

[CLP]

I've always wanted to build my own AR. After reading your tale, I may choose to be content with my uninteresting store-bought carbine. I appreciate your transparency!

I've built six. I've encountered two problems. I slightly marred the receiver once installing the bolt catch- hardly noticeable though. The other was that my mechanical zero was a millimeter off center from the actual zero- not actually a problem, just not perfection.

Read Glen Zediker's book on building an AR and buy quality parts from Brownell's, Midway, etc- you cannot go wrong.

 

[gp911]

Thank you for sharing your story. I have made a lot of mistakes over the years and I like to tell the stories the same way so others can learn from my experiences. Excellent post! Now go buy that cheap M&P Sport and drown your sorrows.

 

[1KPerDay]

Yeah.....never getting my money out of that combo. It took this to realize that AR's just aren't my cup of tea. Sold the upper but still have the lower because I overpaid to such an extent that I'll never see 60% of what I put into it.

I've since moved onto the SCAR family, which seem to be more inline with my preferences.

WORD.

 

[Tirod]

I built mine two year prior to the panic and still sank $1000 into it. Mostly sold off other stuff, so it was "free" as none of it came out of a paycheck.

I assembled the barrel nut with a 18" pair of channel lock pliers. It's not rocket science, but I have worked on cars since I was 18, so 80 pounds of torque is something I got to hand tighten on every lug nut of every wheel I ever mounted away from a shop with air tools.

All the TM is trying to do is keep ham fisted twenty somethings from overdoing it. All you really are trying to do is get the nut nicely firm and then to the next space for the gas tube to pass. That is the mechanical lock on the nut - tube vs tooth. Not torque or thread locker or whatever.

I get to do it again with a new free float tube, it all has to come off. Fortunately I chose to use gas blocks with clamp screws, not pins. That is a huge timesaver and makes it a no brainer for disassembly and assembly. I'm expecting more hassle from the flash hider as I need to clamp the barrel to prevent torquing the upper.

Are they legos, yes. Just pick the size and color correctly. There are right and wrong legos, plus fake ones that don't quite work, too. But building the AR is something that can be done - tightening a barrel nut isn't the gunsmithing exercise that pressing a barrel into a receiver while setting the headspace at the same time. If headspace is going to be a concern, buy the bolt with the barrel as a set, and it's no longer a bother. Many don't, don't even check, and the guns run just as well. It's not normal in the firearms world, but it is with AR's because the tolerance spread on the go/nogo and production specs makes it happen. We don't get that with bolts that lock into receivers and barrels pressed to fit.

Take advantage of those deliberate simplicities, without them we would be building guns only after a course in machine technology and buying a $1000 worth of equipment.

 

[wally]

You can greatly simplify an upper build and get a more "modern" look with a free-float hand guard that uses a non-standard barrel nut (UTG Super Slim, Oden Works, etc.) that slips under the gas tube. Proper torque is more important with these, but you've no indexing issues to deal with.

I honestly don't see a lot of room for savings in putting together a standard M4gery upper over buying a complete one.

The "fit" between companies will vary as the old Government TDP on the street does not contain all the information to build interchangeable AR's. Apparently Colt did not put everything you need to know in the drawings, the Government did not know better when it bought the drawings, and all manufacturer's have to make up their own dimensions at some point.

Certainly true for the 1911 that pre-dates CNC, but for the AR, which kind of forced CNC adoption, it doesn't match my experiences at all its a variety of builds and parts swapping over the years, none from "high end" vendors.

 

[MistWolf]

That is the mechanical lock on the nut - tube vs tooth

The gas tube may block the barrel nut from spinning off if it comes loose but it's not a mechanical lock. When the barrel nut is properly aligned, the gas tube floats in there. If the barrel nut were to come loose, it will turn, pushing the gas tube to one side and out of alignment with the gas key. It is torque that holds the barrel nut in place, not the gas tube