AR build issues

[11Charlie]

Wait till you get addicted and buy 80% lower and start milling them out yourself.

 

[titsonritz]

LOL an Anderson? They're made by the same outfit that does Spikes, Ruger, Aero and a few others. Trust me, the "poverty pony" lowers do the job just fine!

andersons work great. the forgings are the same look for the mark

They work fine assuming they go together in the first place, I've seen several not and shut down that build right now.

Yes, all forgings come from a limited number of manufacturers (see below) and are basically the same, those forgings are then shipped to and finished off by the individual gun manufacturers or their sub-contractors, that is where the differences lie. Companies like Anderson lack the stringent QC process that companies like BCM, Colt, DD, etc have in place and as a result more crappy out of spec receivers make it through the process. This is why even though "they come from the same place" there is a difference is appearance of the finish, which IMO is the last thing one should worry about.

A (splintered) = Anchor Harvey Aluminum
AF = Alcoa Forge
C AF = Colt Alco Forge
C MB = Colt / Mueller Brass
Cardinal (stylized) = Cardinal Forge
CH = Colt Harvey Aluminum
Circle/Crosshairs w/"AR" = ArmaLite
CK = Colt / Kaiser Aluminum
CM = Colt / Martin Marietta
D (stylized) = Diemaco
DK = Diemaco / Kaiser Aluminum
E = Emco
EK = EMCO/Kaiser
E MB = EMCO/Mueller Brass
F keyhole = FNMI / Cerro Forge
FA = FNMI / Anchor Harvey
FK = FNMI / Kaiser Aluminum
FM = FN/Martin Marietta
FMB = FNMI / Mueller Brass
Keyhole = Cerro Forge
L = Lewis Machine & Tool
LK = LAR / Kaiser Aluminum
LM = LAR / Martin Marietta
M (under diamond) = Mueller Industries
PA = Capco / Anchor Harvey
PM = Capco / Martin Marietta

 

[AK0perator47]

I started my first lower build. What do you thing about the color? Black and FDE:

View attachment 502310

View attachment 502314

I like it... so I used these guys for cerakoted ar parts...
FDE CERAKOTE AR15

I will suggest that you get a Daniel defense pistol grip.

 

[Tony617]

I like it... so I used these guys for cerakoted ar parts...
FDE CERAKOTE AR15

I will suggest that you get a Daniel defense pistol grip.

Too late since I bought a Magpul MOE-K2 FDE pistol grip already.

 

[AK0perator47]

Future builds.

 

[Tony617]

I got my upper today. It is Troy made one with front/rear flip up sights, charging handle, and a BCG too.

 

[Tony617]

I am done assembling my lower. Not cheap given I bought a BCM PNT trigger assembly. Turned out very nice. Just need a sling and a sling mount. Maybe a single point sling instead for this.

I had the buffer spring detent fly away from me but I keep a few spares so just dug into my backup parts.

The only issue I had was the hammer part of the trigger. I had to get my vise out and use the vise block to drive the roll pin in completely. I drove the pin about 3/4 of the way but could not hold the hammer and align the hammer without a vise block.

 

[Jcon268]

Not to sound like a jerk but to me, if an AR has issues from the time its built then something is wrong. I've never believed in "break in periods." One or more components may be responsible but they should be replaced. It should 100% function all of the time.

 

[HB of CJ]

Installing the pesky hammer and trigger pins can be tricky. Another pesky pin to install is the bolt stop assembly roll pin. Both take some fiddling to do. It takes practice and experience to line up all the parts using your fingers, then tapping in the roll pin or the hammer and trigger pins. If everything is aligned properly the pins go in easily.

As far as the buffer stop assembly, along with the take down detents, consider a thin reusable dry cleaning sack as an overall containing bag. Amazing hang times with the many small dinky pesky detents, springs and small parts. Lost in the shag carpet forever. Even the cat can't find them. Even I kept many spares. I needed them. Yikes!

hundreds of AR15 builds.

 

[AK0perator47]

So, I did everything to it from new trigger, aftermarket drop in trigger, disassembled and reassembled, blah blah and blah.

Know what the problem was?

 

[Tony617]

I took my FDE build to the range yesterday and put 90 rounds through. Put the target out at 15 yards.



First shot was low.



I had issues with my second lower but took the Magpul BAD lever off and will take my second lower to the range probably next week. The bolt kept locking back for every round. Look at Gunsmith Forum.

 

[3 AE]

So, I did everything to it from new trigger, aftermarket drop in trigger, disassembled and reassembled, blah blah and blah.

Know what the problem was?

No, I don't know what the problem was. It's been over four months, care to enlighten us?

 

[Core]

Installing the pesky hammer and trigger pins can be tricky. Another pesky pin to install is the bolt stop assembly roll pin. Both take some fiddling to do. It takes practice and experience to line up all the parts using your fingers, then tapping in the roll pin or the hammer and trigger pins. If everything is aligned properly the pins go in easily.

As far as the buffer stop assembly, along with the take down detents, consider a thin reusable dry cleaning sack as an overall containing bag. Amazing hang times with the many small dinky pesky detents, springs and small parts. Lost in the shag carpet forever. Even the cat can't find them. Even I kept many spares. I needed them. Yikes!

hundreds of AR15 builds.

Just use a similar diameter nail and chase it back out with the trigger and hammer pins. The buffer pin is best pre started and then tapped in after you align. The worst for me is the milspec forward assist assembly, getting the plunger pinned with a stiff spring and the pawl aligned. I've done a few and have it down, but it's a real pain. I use a clamp to start the pin, place the FA head down with spring and plunger inserted, push the pawl in until it's in place and tap the pin with enough force to set it, it can tilt so you have to ensure its square when you tap the pin the rest of the way. It makes it easier if you have a chaser.

 

[AK0perator47]

Lol... the gas block was not lined up... fixed that and it runs great!

 

[Core]

Lol... the gas block was not lined up... fixed that and it runs great!

It's best to scribe a line from the gas port out beyond the gas block so you can verify before drilling and pinning etc. It's simple security. Oh yeah, glad you figured it out. The gas port issue is one of the first on a long list to diagnose short stroking. The first thing I do is check for ejection after a build to test my buffer and spring combo, I also measure gas port before I install barrels, and scribe a line from the gas port or something similar. I'm still testing my new build. I ended up using a heavy buffer because it was forward ejecting three out of 20 cartridges.

 

[turq]

For me it's the dust cover door. Takes two people.

 

[EPS]

It's best to scribe a line from the gas port out beyond the gas block so you can verify before drilling and pinning etc. It's simple security. Oh yeah, glad you figured it out. The gas port issue is one of the first on a long list to diagnose short stroking. The first thing I do is check for ejection after a build to test my buffer and spring combo, I also measure gas port before I install barrels, and scribe a line from the gas port or something similar. I'm still testing my new build. I ended up using a heavy buffer because it was forward ejecting three out of 20 cartridges.

When I have problems like this I always check the gas block first.
Then change to a heavy buffer spring .
Then go to heavy buffer .
Start small .
It's cheaper for a heavy buffer spring than a heavy buffer.
Then if you still have problems.
You have to start looking at the bolt carrier .
Gas rings and stuff like that.

 

[Core]

When I have problems like this I always check the gas block first.
Then change to a heavy buffer spring .
Then go to heavy buffer .
Start small .
It's cheaper for a heavy buffer spring than a heavy buffer.
Then if you still have problems.
You have to start looking at the bolt carrier .
Gas rings and stuff like that.

When I first started getting into AR's was like 2000 time frame: I created a AR15 profile at some point and have lost two accounts in their website turnovers: my second account was 2003-2004 I believe. I was active duty at the time. My first was a Colt Carbine and I stayed with the drilled and pinned barrels. I ended up taking a Bushmaster armorer's course on the XM's and the ACR's in 2008 time frame: I started teaching NRA RSO. I learned a lot from Ken Elmore and a bunch of older guys on AR15: a bunch of big names and some lesser known names but folks with wealth of knowledge. Somewhere I have a formula that allows you to take the cartridge, barrel, gas port size, and determine the energy and get an idea of which springs and buffers to use: but it's more fun to test a system and make appropriate adjustments. After all in the end it's you and the intended purpose of the system: aside from ensuring the system is safe not much matters other than getting results.

 

[turq]

Windhamweaponry is all the orig. bush master co. Personnel.
AR15performance.com barrels melonited, has a lot of answers to bbl port size and ejection pattern diagnostics. And size of gas port drill holes.
Good luck with your builds.

 

[AK0perator47]

Because I am the OP of the thread I am ok with and suggest that ANYONE that has AR build problems can use this thread to ask for help from this community!