Back-to-Basic AR15A1 and AR15A2 builds (pic-heavy)

[AK-J]

Thanks. A1 and 60's era M16 clones are actually quite the challenge due to issues with finding parts. There are a lot of little minor details. For example, my A1 build has the tapered slip ring instead of the correct flat slip ring, the bolt catch is not correct, and the lower receiver is nowhere near correct other than the furniture it has mounted to it. Original parts are sort of pricey and some are impossible to find (like the flat slip rings). The A2 build is a much more accurate representation. The only discrepancies on that one are the markings on the receiver and the black (instead of chrome-colored) gas tube I installed.

Here you go:
http://www.apexgunparts.com/ar15-m16...slip-ring.html

[skorpion]

This guys got slip rings
http://shop.ar15sport.ihoststores.co...tid=ARPART-115

Thanks, fellas! That reproduction slip ring looks like a home run.

[Schuetzenman]

Thanks, fellas! That reproduction slip ring looks like a home run.

Original Colt AR15/M16A1 barrel nut assemply, consisting of the early/flat handguard slip ring assembly, springs and the barrel nut.

Actually it reads to me that it is an original part by Colt. The price of it says it should be as that's pretty damn high for a slip ring and barrel nut assembly.

[skorpion]

Actually it reads to me that it is an original part by Colt. The price of it says it should be as that's pretty damn high for a slip ring and barrel nut assembly.

I am looking into buying the reproduction one for $28 that NAPOTS found:
http://shop.ar15sport.ihoststores.co...tid=ARPART-115

[skorpion]

Coming soon:
M16A4 clone build. I ordered the first part today - a Knights Armament Corporation M5 Rifle RAS.
http://www.knightarmco.com/portfolio/m5-rifle-ras/

I also broke-in both the A1 and A2 at the range the other day. 100 rounds each and not a single hiccup yet. Accuracy was good at the 50 yard zero. Next time I go out I will see how they do at the 200-yard confirmation of the BZO. The first 25 rounds consisted of cleaning the bore after every shot per the directions from the barrel manufacturer, followed by a cleaning after every 10 rounds.

[alismith]

Coming soon:
M16A4 clone build. I ordered the first part today - a Knights Armament Corporation M5 Rifle RAS.
http://www.knightarmco.com/portfolio/m5-rifle-ras/

I also broke-in both the A1 and A2 at the range the other day. 100 rounds each and not a single hiccup yet. Accuracy was good at the 50 yard zero. Next time I go out I will see how they do at the 200-yard confirmation of the BZO. The first 25 rounds consisted of cleaning the bore after every shot per the directions from the barrel manufacturer, followed by a cleaning after every 10 rounds.

How are you cleaning the bore during the break-in process? Are you using a wet swab, then a dry patch, then firing again, or cleaning it differently than that?

[skorpion]

How are you cleaning the bore during the break-in process? Are you using a wet swab, then a dry patch, then firing again, or cleaning it differently than that?

I used a wet patch then followed it with dry patches until they started coming our mostly clean. It was not a fun process, I must say. After a few rounds, I had a the process down to about 3 minutes between shots: Fire a shot, break rifle down, insert wet patch, follow up with a few dry patches, re-assemble, load one cartridge, fire, repeat.

Usually when I break-in a new semi-auto I just make sure to slow-fire and clean every 50 rounds or so, but this time I figured I'd follow the directions for breaking-in with these rifles and see what happens.

[alismith]

I used a wet patch then followed it with dry patches until they started coming our mostly clean. It was not a fun process, I must say. After a few rounds, I had a the process down to about 3 minutes between shots: Fire a shot, break rifle down, insert wet patch, follow up with a few dry patches, re-assemble, load one cartridge, fire, repeat.

Usually when I break-in a new semi-auto I just make sure to slow-fire and clean every 50 rounds or so, but this time I figured I'd follow the directions for breaking-in with these rifles and see what happens.

I have a DPMS in .308. The instructions say to clean barrel between every shot for the first 100 shots, then the barrel's broken in. Haven't fired it yet... Gotta do that soon.

Thanks for the info. Have to get a lot more patches now....

[skorpion]

No problem. Good luck with the break-in and make sure you allot a good chunk of time to do it. You will need a bulk box of patches.

[O.S.O.K.]

Interesting thread. Love the progression of pics. I think most all AR owners - gun nut types anyway think about doing an A-1. I've got a Bushy HBAR that looks very much like your A-2 build. My others two are del-ton kit build carbines - 16" lightweight and 14.5" m4gery with pinned hider.

[NAPOTS]

I've heard mixed schools of thought on barrel break in procedures. A lot of people say to break in a barrel to just shoot it and then clean real good and you are gtg

[Schuetzenman]

My 2 cents is break in a barrel if it is target grade barrel vs. a chrome lined blaster grade barrel. You spend $400 to $600 on a match barrel you want to break it in with the shoot and clean thing. You buy an AK or a standard AR with a chrome lined barrel you're pissing your cleaning supplies away on such break in processes.

[mrkalashnikov]

My 2 cents is break in a barrel if it is target grade barrel vs. a chrome lined blaster grade barrel. You spend $400 to $600 on a match barrel you want to break it in with the shoot and clean thing. You buy an AK or a standard AR with a chrome lined barrel you're pissing your cleaning supplies away on such break in processes.

My first AK was my SAR-1 Romy. I took it to a buddy's private range over in IN and we proceeded to run about 400 rounds of Wolf 7.62x39 through it in a couple of hours. The freshly varnished handguards were smoking like crazy & the barrel turned gray from the heat. The next day we ran the rest of the case through. Break-in completed.

[skorpion]

My 2 cents is break in a barrel if it is target grade barrel vs. a chrome lined blaster grade barrel. You spend $400 to $600 on a match barrel you want to break it in with the shoot and clean thing. You buy an AK or a standard AR with a chrome lined barrel you're pissing your cleaning supplies away on such break in processes.

That's always been my line of thought as well, but I figured I'd give following directions a try for a change to see what happens. I've never had any issues with other ARs by not doing this tedious, time-consuming break-in process. I'm probably not going to bother doing this with the A4 build since these builds are all just plinkers.

[FunkyPertwee]

My 2 cents is break in a barrel if it is target grade barrel vs. a chrome lined blaster grade barrel. You spend $400 to $600 on a match barrel you want to break it in with the shoot and clean thing. You buy an AK or a standard AR with a chrome lined barrel you're pissing your cleaning supplies away on such break in processes.

Thanks for the reality check. All the talk about barrel break-in was making me wonder if all my guns were done improperly. Glad to see that isn't the case.


I have an unfired M&P-10 with nitride coated 4140 steel barrel with nitride coating. I think I would like it serve as somewhat of a SPR. Think it should get the fancy break-in?

[Schuetzenman]

For a Nitride coated bore, maybe. That is only a very hard very thin surface treatment. Chrome otoh is quite a bit thicker, is not uniform in thickness end to end or land top to groove bottom. It does not deposit well at the square corners at the top of the land or at the bottom of the land where it joins the groove.

The whole shoot and clean thing was developed by Bench Rest competition shooters. It is to remove burrs from the bore, fill in micro tooling marks with the copper jacket material and prevent possible tearing at a rough spot that would grab more copper jacket material. One of these folks also pioneered a fire lapping method to smooth and true up a bore quickly. It used lapping compound impregnated bullets to do the fire lapping and speed up break in. These are folks that think a barrel is shot out if it shoots .400 inch groups at 100 yards. They consider sub .200" grouping to be acceptable. Totally a different world of thought and accuracy standards.

[O.S.O.K.]

I've used fire lapping with lead bullets to rescue old frosted bores with success. Specifically, an old Win 1895 chambered in 30 US (30-40 Krag).

[skorpion]

Parts for the M16A4 clone are trickling in...

[Schuetzenman]

What's in the plastic, rail covers?

[skorpion]

What's in the plastic, rail covers?

Yep, the Knights Armament M5 rail system comes with rail covers that are stored in that plastic case.