Building Confidence
 

All - It's time for me to take the next step in my 2A journey. And with yall's help, I'll make this pay off in a number of different ways.


As Pig will tell you, I once owned a pretty nice LE6920... one I had "semi-built" from an OEM1 by adding the appropriate Magpul MOE Furniture Kit and other devices, etc. However, due to a temporary financial situation, plus the fact that I didn't care for fixed iron front sight on the OEM1, I sold that weapon. Now, with those financial issues pretty much resolved, I'm ready to start the recovery process. I wanted to try and do the same thing I did before but, this time, with an LE6920, OEM2 (that didn't have the fixed front iron sight). But wouldn't ya know... by the time I'm ready to do this, Colt decided to no longer sell to the commercial market... Ugghh. The only raw OEM2 I can find now costs about $1250.00 way more than the $700.00 I paid for an OEM1 originally. And even they are starting to jack up in price due to Colt's decision.


Thus, I thought to myself, "What a perfect time for me to learn how to build completely from scratch (i.e. from a raw lower on up)..." I've been doing some YouTube video looking on what's involved, and one of the things I'll have to consider is whether or not it's worth investing not only in the parts for the build, but also in the tools, etc (vice blocks, punch sets, wrenches, etc.)... I'll build that into the calculations.


Where I'm going to need the most help is in selecting the right parts... the right receivers (upper & lower), trigger group, BCG, etc. etc. etc. I have no idea what's "good or bad..." Is cheaper better, or not? I don't know. But, hopefully, with all the knowledgeable folks here, I'm going to build something fantastic here. And, in the process, I'll build a little courage, as well.



More on this later... But initial thoughts welcome.


:flagwave:

Caleb is the go to guy. He's a eunuch, but knows building ar's. Mike Van Bibber can help, too. I have a Ruger Ar556, front sight doesnt bother me, I prefer it. 700 bucks. I cowitness the front sight through an Aimpoint Pro. I do recommend both

For an AR build, the three biggest factors for building an accurate rifle are:
1. Fit between upper and lower receiver
2. Barrel
3. Trigger

Upper and lower receivers are pretty subjective. The best ones are machined out of a single block of metal, and are pretty spendy.

For forged receivers, I like Aero Precision or Spikes Tactical. That said, I have built some very accurate rifles using Anderson amd Palmetto State receivers.

For triggers, I like CMC or USGI after truing the surfaces with a stone.

Bolt Carrier Group: I like the extra weight from the M16 BCG.

Barrels: there are good ones at several different price points, look around and find one that meets your needs.

Free floating handguards tend to be more accurate than non free floating.

Regarding tools, you need a regular vice. Just use blocks of wood to cushion the receiver. Wheeler makes a nice upper receiver vice block for installing and torquing the barrel, think it was $30. If you don't own a torque wrench, borrow/rent one from Auto Zone. Otherwise you will need an action wrench (if you are only building one rifle, don't go crazy) and some roll pin punches.

What timing! I just built one of my lowers tonight (*/- 1hr, taking my time)!

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I’m with what Mike said. It’s going to all depend on your budget and how you want your rifle to come out. What’s the rifles purpose? Sport, target, precision, self defense, shtf?

Don’t fall into the rabbit hole of buying the most expensive (usually the Instagram soldiers choice) parts out there, it’s really not needed. You can build a really nice basic rifle for under $500 these days (sans red dot sights and accessories). I have and have had several Anderson, Spikes, PSA, ect..... most are made by the same machine shop and then the company puts their name on it. I prefer to keep lower/upper receivers the same manufacturer for a better (tighter) fit. If you do have some wiggle there is a polymer wedge you can insert in between the receivers to tighten it up. No big deal. Just make sure the parts kits you buy say “mil-spec” and they will work just fine. Barrels are a dime a dozen now and you should be able to easily find reviews on them online. I like the 1-8 Wylde chambered barrels. This way I can shoot 5.56 and 223 from 55gr-75gr and still be decently accurate (all shots hitting <12” target at 300yrds). A free float hand guard is the way to go (I prefer M-Lok). Optics is personal preference as well as accessories.

Start with the lower and upper and go from there.... you will probably change your mind several times throughout the build. [emoji23]

Most importantly, have fun.




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I've gotten help/advice from the above 2 gentlemen (Thanks again fellas !!:cool:) on the very first 2 builds I've done, they definitely kept me going in the right direction. I went with the highly recommended 1-8 Wylde chambered barrel on one build and it's a tack driver no doubt, these 2 know their stuff and won't steer you wrong. Good luck and have fun, it's addicting. Keep us posted.

Thanks all, for your support! This is a very early work in progress, and I'm just beginning things. The first major milestone for me is acquiring the *right* lower. After that, we'll work on the other things. And I'll also have some other design elements worked out.


Any recommendations on "the best lower" (heavily acknowledging the subjectivity there) :D would be greatly appreciated.

Take a look at these uppers/lowers:

https://andersonmanufacturing.com/

Building Confidence
 

Here you go, the prices are super cheap right now. Now is the time to buy.


https://www.primaryarms.com/search

Not sure why the link doesn’t take you directly to the lower receivers section so, just use the search feature.

You don’t have to go through the above dealer, just do a search for the one you like most and find the cheapest reseller. The fancier the lower, the more $$$ you will spend. But, you don’t need top of the line to get the job done these days.


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Try this:
https://www.primaryarms.com/MCategor...ower-Receivers

Opens the same page for me, maybe because I’m on mobile? Idk.


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If I were to start a fantastic build now, I'd try really hard to snag a Geissele Super Duty Receiver Set tomorrow for $157.

Yep, that's more than an Aero or Anderson, but you're worth it. :)

Another super solid option is the Sionics Gutless Lower Assembly. I took this route with one, and it's a supremely well machined and finished lower.

If you'd really like a Colt 6900 series, there are options for that as well.

Brownells has the Colt LE6960-CCU upper on sale right now for $515, not including BCG. It should be possible to find a new Colt BCG for around $190. I bought the BCG for mine from Arms Unlimited. In case you don't know, the 6960 was a rifle Colt sold for a while with a mid-length lightweight (but not pencil) profile barrel, shaved FSB gas block under a Centurion Arms 13" M-LOK rail, an ambi safety, and a Magpul SL-S handguard.

In 2017, Brownells was selling complete Colt M4 lower receiver assemblies for $250. It shouldn't be too difficult to track one of these down without paying too much of a markup.

This will give you a close equivalent to the 6960 for a bit over $1,000, which is what basic 6920s now cost.

Thanks much! But I think I do like the concept of me "building" the gun from scratch and picking all the parts (with help from you folks). In that way, I can also give a real nice "big finger" salute to Colt! :insane::D

If you want to build it from scratch, then go for it. I will be finishing up a 308 lower on Saturday.

Would you like the lower to have any features beyond what's found on a standard forged mil-spec one, like ambidextrous controls, or do you like the appearance of billet lowers? If ambi is important, I'd choose an LMT MARS-L or Radian's ambi offering. They're not inexpensive, but probably less than an SR-15 ambi lower. I've got no experience with billet receivers.

If nothing non-standard is needed, then LMT's Defender, Geissele's Super Duty, or ZEV Technologies lower would be worthy of consideration.

Aero and Anderson make solid lowers, but I personally wouldn't use one in a fantastic build.

Why not? Please explain.


Grizzman has suggested really nice “higher end” products you can use, the quality is there for sure. You won’t be disappointed with any of those lowers/uppers.

If you plan on only building one (1) rifle then, go big or go home. Otherwise, I suggest you start off in a more budget friendly build. This way you can learn the ins and outs of building the rifle and if you scratch it along the way, you won’t cry too much damaging that Instagram worthy upper/lower.

Just my $0.02




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I may be incorrect, but the word "fantastic" implies that this build should be something special. With the current cost of complete ARs, building with nearly top tier components makes a lot of sense.

I'm a big fan of Aero Precision. I've completed builds with three of their lowers (two 308s), three uppers (two 308s), and I've got two more 5.56 uppers sitting in a drawer for a rainy day.

Anderson seems to be on a quality level equal to Aero, but I've never used one before. They may be good, but not what I'd consider "fantastic" worthy.

If it's decided to use Aero or Anderson for this build, I have full confidence that there won't be any surprises due to the quality of product. It also may come down to simple pride of ownership. At the last gun show I attended, the vast majority of stripped lowers for sale were Andersons....most likely because they're inexpensive and easy to get, not because they're the best option available for a once in a lifetime build.

If the total build cost will end up in the $1,000-1,200 range (with good irons), an extra $60-80 to upgrade from an Aero to an LMT or similar makes a lot of sense to me. When the total cost is $500-650....not so much.


A bit of duct tape placed onto the lower receiver (in case of a minor oops), and the use of the correct tools should eliminate any change of damage to the receiver. So far all of mine have turned out flawless.

^^^^ Very good points, makes sense.


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Well, with all of the 'Black Friday' sales going on have you started the build shopping process yet?

This is giving me the itch. But, my priorities in the coming year is to finish mt G19 build I started and purchase some new firearms I have my eye on.

Not yet. Still cleaning up some of the "financial" issues. But I should be ready to start buying parts by the beginning of the new year. Until then, I'll be studying YT videos and your comments. I should have my picks for a lower shortly for y'all's review.



Do you favor "matched" upper/lowers (i.e. that can "swivel open" or does it matter?

I don’t think it matters. I have a BCM upper on a POF lower and they fit really well and I can swivel it open.

It really doesn’t unless you are build a precision target gun. Then the tighter tolerances of a matched upper/lower will have some benefits.


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Aero receivers, and a few other manufacturers as well, have a threaded hole that allows a plastic tipped set screw to press against the bottom surface of the upper receiver's rear boss. This can be used to eliminate the play between the upper and lower, while still allowing the pin to move without tools.

If you aren't a fan of installing roll pins, Aero's M4E1 receivers use threaded pins for the bolt catch and forward assist retention. This, with the integrated trigger guard, greatly simplifies the assembly process. I don't know of any other forged receivers that have this feature.

...... and they are known to be a pita at times, especially on the trigger guard.

I've had some experience with roll pins from the LE6920 build I did. It's something I need to learn how to do, so I may as well start with this build. I have punches etc. and will get any others I need.

Get roll pin punches. Regular punches bang them up and spread them out.

^^^ This !! http://www.cotep.org/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif

Good advice^^^^


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I have received all necessary parts to complete the upper, I should have a new rifle to try out by the weekend. Woohoo!


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Update. I'm doing quite a bit of research on different brands of parts, based on some of the adivice I'm getting here, as well as some Youtube videos. I know... I should treat those with a grain of salt, but some are pretty good.





I agree. And I'm focused on Geissele for the trigger group as well, per AFJuvat.



What are y'alls thoughts on "Sharps Rifle Co." for BCGs? I'm seeing a lot of good videos on their BCGs (eg XPB series, or the "Extreme BCG). Here are a couple of videos I've seen...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJsE2gNo1ek


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-AEyY7DAEI


Now, a question or two. I'm seeing a lot of videos on "Buffers" and "Buffer weights..." For example:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwvcWgNBu2Y


and


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx0ttioOBgA


I gather that they help balance against the gas system pressure for the right extraction'/ejection force, but I'm not sure how it works. Do they work with the BCG, or with the gas system in the upper? Or something else?


Question 2: Headspace.... How important is to get headspace right? I gather pretty important in avoiding a catastrophic failure...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWTpPMYW-CA


Anyway, I should be ready to start buying parts (at least the upper/lowers) by mid January.We'll work on barrels and gas systems, next.



Thanks all!

Late to the party. i dont remember reading the gas tube length or might have missed it.....Mid length gas systems have been recommended for some time to lessen recoil and wear on the BCG. Check the Geissele wound recoil spring as this also reduces recoil and take that annoying “ping” sound out of the butt stock....light weight ? Gunners profile barrels by Faxon and Bravo company offers shooter an overall lighter weight rifle with excellent accuracy for build. I went a bit further and got a pencil barrel which has worked well

Building Confidence
 

I've read some negative comments on M4Carbine.net about Sharps Rifle Company BCGs, with one individual stating that he's read of a bunch more. Considering the fully vetted nature of Colt, LMT, and BCM bolt carrier groups, I see no reason to stray from these for a serious build. They're readily available for around $180. They haven't been around as long as the above, but Sionics and Centurion both offer great BCGs, with Sionics units costing less than the others.

Geissele trigger groups are fully awesome, and I doubt you'll find many people that would disagree. Don't let the low price of the LaRue MBT-2S fool you into thinking it's not worth considering. I've got quite a few of them, and they compare very favorably against my SSA.

The easy buffer/spring answer is to get an H2 and Colt or Sprinco Blue spring. The Sprinco should greatly increase service life, but Colt springs are cheap enough to replace multiples before reaching the $22 price of the Sprinco. I may have read that Geissele's spring is only supposed to be used with their buffer.

A lot of people swear by the A5 system, and it does work smoothly. I've got more A5s than carbine receiver extension, and most of the carbines are part of 1st generation Magpul UBRs.

Today, BCM has just released their enhanced upper receiver. It's got thicker than standard walls for strength, differences in internal shape to modify gas flow (for suppressor usage), etc.

Since the release date wasn't known, or if they'd even be offered as a stripped receiver, I ordered a VLTOR MUR-1A late last week for a precision-ish 6.5 Grendel build, and it arrived today. I'm not going to finalize the upper assembly until a friend arrives for the holidays, but the machining and finish are definitely top tier.

https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/ar15-tools/?utm_source=gunmagwarehouse&utm_campaign=b3e92d3d9 8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_12_30_07_39&utm_medium=email&u tm_term=0_0d355b7f6d-b3e92d3d98-424065977&goal=0_0d355b7f6d-b3e92d3d98-424065977&mc_cid=b3e92d3d98&mc_eid=bc07c9b816

http://www.cotep.org/forum/showthread.php?p=169805#post169805

I recently swapped a couple 308 AR barrels, which gave me a reason to use the Geissele Gas Block Roll Pin Tool. It made starting the roll pin extremely easy. I wish I'd purchased it years ago (if it was available before now).


Bending 1/16" punches is definitely something I do well, so I'll be getting their punch set at some point.


https://geissele.com/tools/gunsmithi...ock-tools.html

Just checking in, have you made any progress on this project as of late, accumulating tools, parts, etc. There's been some good sales going on lately on barrels, lowers, uppers, triggers, misc. parts. etc ......

I will, towards the end of this month. I have to decide on whether or not (and it seems it will) cost more to to build than to wait it out and buy the LE6950 OEM2, if I can find one. Still, I think I will build. I really want to learn how to do this.



I'm now deciding between an Anderson and Geissele for the upper/lower pair. Geissele being rather expensive ($280) I'll will definitely pop for a Geissele trigger group, but I want to know if it's really worth popping for an upper/lower pair, or can I get one cheaper and just as reliable at Anderson. I had been pricing out some of the major parts and discovered that if I went with Geissele for them, I'd be approaching what I'd have to pay for an LE6920 OEM2 in today's prices. Still, the education in building one is priceless, and I don't have to spend it all "up front." I can take my time doing it. But I should get the upper/lower pair first.


A couple of questions from a previous post. I'm still uncertain as to how the following play in the design/construction of the rifle:


1) Buffers and buffer weights - How do they work and what size, etc. do you use? I gather it has something to do with the resistance in re: recoil, but...


https://youtu.be/YwvcWgNBu2Y



2) Headspace - And how important is it to be accurate....


https://youtu.be/IWTpPMYW-CA




Thanks all!








A

It’s going to be a personal preference to what you want for your first build. If you feel more confident with the more expensive upper/lower then, by all means buy that one. If you plan to resell your build once you are tired of it, you will get more buyers with the higher end components. Otherwise, buy the Anderson. They are made to Mil-Spec specs and the fit and finish are excellent. It’ll work just as good if not better than the units costing 3x the price. From my experience, I don’t feel the need to buy the higher stuff.


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Buffers..... Buy a standard mil-spec buffer and spring and you will be fine. If your rifle doesn’t cycle properly then, that’s where you need to troubleshoot why. Could be not enough gas or partially blocked gas port. Too heavy/light of a BCG. Ect...... the buffer would be the last thing I would check.


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Headspace............ honestly, I’ve only checked one rifle. But, don’t do as I do....lol. Gauges are cheap and easily available so just go ahead and buy one. It’s super easy to check and to be honest 99% of the time your mil-spec parts will be within the proper headspace range.


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Any progress