My first AR 15

[MTboatguy]

Rick Stephens, if you use CCI primers, every other type primer will have a tendency to come out. CCI's are slightly larger in diameter then everybody else's. I personally like R-P cases. But to each their own. JMHO

I agree, I won't use CCI primers in my 5.56/.223 loads, they enlarge the primer pockets and then the case is useless for anything else, I have never had problems with Remington shells, if I stay with the game plan I have in my notes.

I reload a lot of rounds in many different calibers and CCI has always been just a bit bigger and once you use them, you are stuck using them on those shells.

My current reloads consist of .38, 9mm and 9X19 Makorov .357, .45, .223/5.56, .270 .308/7.62, .300AAC black out. I don't use CCI primers for any of my loads these days.

Right now, I am using Rocky Mountain Reloading bullets and they are actually pretty good for what I am doing, 1000 bullets for $80 bucks, now my coyote rounds, I use Nosler, and Hornady for most other things, but I am a real fan of Nosler. I have been popping ravens with 100 grain Hornady's for a while now and it is a crazy round out of a long barrel .270 Interarms rifle. I have not reloaded for my .338 Lapua for quite a while now. I have not shot my .50 Beowulf for 4 months now.

 

[Rick Stephens]

​gm280 MTboatguy Remington is all I've used for many years in small rifle primers. Winchester for most of my pistol loads. I got a buy on them years back and still have 50 or 60k small mag pistol for my 38 Super that I built in the late 80's. Given a choice, that is what I like to spend the most time shooting. Or an AR. Everyone I know has trouble with Federal primer pockets on .223 brass. I literally recycle it.

 

[Tnstratofam]

​gm280 MTboatguy Remington is all I've used for many years in small rifle primers. Winchester for most of my pistol loads. I got a buy on them years back and still have 50 or 60k small mag pistol for my 38 Super that I built in the late 80's. Given a choice, that is what I like to spend the most time shooting. Or an AR. Everyone I know has trouble with Federal primer pockets on .223 brass. I literally recycle it.

That's a sweet pistol Rick.:encouragement:

 

[Rick Stephens]

That's a sweet pistol Rick.:encouragement:

Thanks much! I have always loved it, feels right, shoots right. When I built it no one would of considered a commander slide. In fact when discussing the project with Mike Wilson, he asked me what the hell I wanted to do that for? Then he said, 'because you do", and left it at that. In later years lots of folks made tactical rigs with shorter slides, but for a while there, I was the weird one and everyone else had 1911s with 5 inch slide and 3 or more inches of compensator. Darn near big as a carbine. Mines built on a Para frame and with Strayer Voight mags it holds 27 rounds. Just right for a big course.

Anyway, sorry, got off the topic of a new AR.

 

[drolds72]

Late to the party, but the stock trigger is like pulling a butter knife thru class 5 gravel. Go to a shop if you can, and try some better triggers. The lighter the weight, and the cleaner the break, will not cause you to move the rifle as much. The less human input on the rifle, the tighter the groups will be. I run a Geissle SD-C, with a flat bow. All my rifles shot better with triggerwork and a good rest...

 

[gm280]

There are lots of quality drop in triggers for the AR's that usually are set at 3lbs. And that is a great pull for most anything. Some think it is too light, while others think it is too heavy. But 3lbs is great for target or hunting. That is if it has near zero creep and no over travel. Talk about dropping group sizes, that will do it! And you will stay on target or game with even an unpropped free standing hold. JMHO

 

[jsparks747]

So my wife bought me my first AR 15, ON HER BIRTHDAY, "because she loves me" . I dunno guys but I kinda get the feeling that was her way of getting what she wants for her birthday instead of what I gave her lol. Either way I'm not complaining as long as I get to use it. It's nothing fancy or expensive, but the local gun shop was running a deal on them and it has good reviews. It's the Anderson AM 15. So yesterday I mounted a vortex crossfire scope on it and bought a couple hundred rounds of the cheapest FMJ ammo I could find and started shooting. After the initial 50 round barrel break in and cleaning, I started dialing it in at 100 yards. I do have to say I'm a little disappointed in the groups, which is the reason for my question. The best I could get it to group at 100 yards was about 5 inches. In it's defense, I was using ultra cheap FMJ ammo, and it was pretty breezy yesterday. Also, the trigger is horrible, it has a long rough travel. Otherwise I couldn't find any complaints with it, it works very smoothly and never had a problem cycling even when I shot 10 rounds as fast as I could. So the question is, how much of a difference is there in quality factory ammo and cheap ammo? Would good ammo help the groups significantly? Another thing is the barrel twist rate is 1:8 and I was using 55gr ammo. I know gm280 and mtboatguy and a few others are pretty sharp with rifles, which is why I posted here.

New to the forum but not new to guns. I would say get to the range and get a feel for the gun. Take some 5 shot groups at smaller ranges such as 50 yards, and once you are comfortable with your groups and handling the gun there, work your way out.

 

[MTboatguy]

Awe darn it, I forgot about this thread, I will have to take some pictures of my new 7.5" AR pistol, talk about an obnoxious gun to shoot, loud, kicks, big flames, but man it is a blast, with the right hearing protection, even my wife loves it!

I don't want to spend the money to make it an SBR, but I do plan on getting a pistol brace for it, I finished it up last Friday and we shot close to 500 rounds through it last weekend!

I like it so much, now I am going to build a 9" .300 blackout upper so I can run it on the pistol lower!

These darn things are addictive!

Forgive me father, I have sinned, it has been 5 days since my last build was complete!

My wife told me I have black rifle disease, so I let her know, I have built two purple ones and the next one I build will be FDE tan and I am going to build a electric blue in the very near future! I am in the process of polishing a billet lower and and upper that has no anodizing, so they will look like chrome/nickle then I will clear coat it!

:facepalm:

:lol:

 

[gm280]

Awe darn it, I forgot about this thread, I will have to take some pictures of my new 7.5" AR pistol, talk about an obnoxious gun to shoot, loud, kicks, big flames, but man it is a blast, with the right hearing protection, even my wife loves it!

I don't want to spend the money to make it an SBR, but I do plan on getting a pistol brace for it, I finished it up last Friday and we shot close to 500 rounds through it last weekend!

I like it so much, now I am going to build a 9" .300 blackout upper so I can run it on the pistol lower!

These darn things are addictive!

Forgive me father, I have sinned, it has been 5 days since my last build was complete!

My wife told me I have black rifle disease, so I let her know, I have built two purple ones and the next one I build will be FDE tan and I am going to build a electric blue in the very near future! I am in the process of polishing a billet lower and and upper that has no anodizing, so they will look like chrome/nickle then I will clear coat it!

:facepalm:

:lol:

If you start with an unfinished 80% lower and mill it out yourself, the polishing is all you would have to do. And it seems the prices for 80% lowers is coming down now with our new president. Who would have thought.

 

[MTboatguy]

If you start with an unfinished 80% lower and mill it out yourself, the polishing is all you would have to do. And it seems the prices for 80% lowers is coming down now with our new president. Who would have thought.

You can get unfinished 80% lowers right now for $34 and anodized for $42, they are getting real cheap right now.

 

[brian4321]

Can a guy buy just one 80% lower, or do you have to buy a certain quantity? Also is there a difference in quality?

 

[gm280]

Can a guy buy just one 80% lower, or do you have to buy a certain quantity? Also is there a difference in quality?

Most every place that I see 80% lowers for sell, you can buy just one or hundreds. But you don't get a good price break with just one. But you don't need any FFL either. As far as quality. I don't have that answer. There are forged and billet types. I personally would stay away from polymer types, but that is just me. I also bought the drilling jigs (came with the bits too) so I have everything I need to build others and even another jig if need be. The jigs I got are merely aluminum type. I may machine steel inserts to make them more solid and last longer. But that is another project for another time.

Remember, the lower receiver merely hold the trigger group, and magazines in place and nothing to do with the actual firing of a cartridge. The upper receiver does all that stuff and you can buy them without a FFL licence everywhere. I know that seems really dumb, but I had nothing to do with those laws. So stock up with a bunch of 80% lowers and have a great time make AR's. Totally legal and never registered as well.

 

[MTboatguy]

I have a lot of lowers and uppers in stock, I have 4 billet uppers, 3 billet lowers, 4 barrels 7 Bolt control groups and 9 hand guards, 7 Lower parts kits. the only time you need to go through an FFL is when you buy a finished stripped lower, I also have several forged lowers, a good amount of the stuff I have bought I get in package deals, but you can get good deals even just buying one, the prices I posted earlier are 1 piece prices, so if you want a 80% to mill that is anodized already, let me know and I will send you the address of the company selling them.

I just picked up a new jig, because I goofed on my old on and screwed up the template for the FCG pocket, so I bought a new one that has all steel inserts and steel bushings on all of the holes you have to drill, it is designed to use a router with, but it works great with my mill as well.

The majority of my AR's don't have serial numbers on them as I built them myself.

I have got the point that my wife looks at me like I a nuts!

:lol:

 

[brian4321]

If someone could point me to a good place to buy a lower with a jig that'd be great. A quick web search was overwhelming to a newbie one of my coworkers and I are seriously considering trying it. I gotta be careful though, cuz pretty soon this whole AR thing might be cutting into boating time and funds

 

[brian4321]

Also what's a decent , budget priced, drop in trigger ? I'm not looking for a top of the line one, just something better than the factory one.

 

[gm280]

brian4321, you do understand that an 80% lower is not ready to build an AR rifle with initially, I hope. It has to be drilled out and cleaned up first. But with the drill templates, you can even use a hand drill to do that. Then you buy the upper receiver and barrel and everything else. And like MT stated, you usually buy them in kit form. And since there is no serial number on the lower receiver, you can either put your own number or identification markings on it, or just leave it blank. That is your decision and either way is 100% ATF legal as well.

As for drop in triggers, search the net and see what is available and their cost. You can buy cheap or go for the top of the line. When you buy a kit, lots of times those kits include the trigger grouping parts as well. And even if they are not the best, they do work well. And then after you get familiar with the AR, you can change what you want after the learning experience.

For a first starter, I would go with the .223 cal and nothing real fancy until you understand what you really like. There are so many types, options, and accessories, it would take pages upon pages upon more pages of explaining on here to just touch the surface. I suggest you start reading everything and anything you can about the AR's. Then buy simple for your first one.

Again there are so many places to buy 80% lowers, just start searching and pricing like you would do for anything other item. Then pick one and start building yours. JMHO

 

[MTboatguy]

The best deals going right now are at:

https://www.righttobear.com/

I just bought another 4 lowers from them last night,

If you want to start out ahead of the game, just order a Modulus Jig

http://www.modulusarms.com/

Or a 5D tactical Jig(they are on back order)

http://www.5dtactical.com/

Those two are the best n the business right now

To use either one of these will require either a router, or a mill, many do their lowers with routers, I have a mill that I use to do mine.

There is so many options out there right now, I am sure it makes a persons head spin around,

If you have questions, just drop me a note. I have built close to 20 of them now, so I know where to not make mistakes!

:lol:

 

[brian4321]

The best deals going right now are at:

https://www.righttobear.com/

I just bought another 4 lowers from them last night,

If you want to start out ahead of the game, just order a Modulus Jig

http://www.modulusarms.com/

Or a 5D tactical Jig(they are on back order)

http://www.5dtactical.com/

Those two are the best n the business right now

To use either one of these will require either a router, or a mill, many do their lowers with routers, I have a mill that I use to do mine.

There is so many options out there right now, I am sure it makes a persons head spin around,

If you have questions, just drop me a note. I have built close to 20 of them now, so I know where to not make mistakes!

:lol:

Thanks MT! Not really sure how soon I'll be doing it but it's definitely on my bucket list. This will give me a good place to start and when it comes time I'm sure I'll be asking for advice