7/27/17

The AR-15 Build: Recoil Spring and POF Roller Cam

So after doing some additional research, I found that both my original spring and cam selection may have been misguided.

I want this gun to be something of a hard working tool, and not so much a "gamer's toy" that might be more finicky in terms of reliability. As such, I decided to go with a full power recoil spring. Further reading suggests that flat wire springs might be a better alternative to conventional round wire springs.


Strike Industries claims increased forward bolt load and reduced compression force, along with higher spring life compared to its MilSpec counterpart. What this means is that it closes the bolt with more force while being easier to cycle the action. This is made possible because of the flat wire design, allowing for the spring to be physically longer which means spring strength can be adjusted. Either way, the longer spring life and reduced "twang" is what sold me.

As for the cam, it turns out that some piston AR's suffer from something called receiver gouge. This issue is common enough in piston AR's that POF decided to make a special cam pin that helps to reduce the chance of developing receiver gouge.


The top of the cam pin is basically a roller bearing instead of a flat piece of metal. This means that if the cam pin were to contact the upper receiver, the bearing would, in theory, roll along the receiver while a standard cam pin might scrape and dig into the receiver. Looking at pictures of rifles with receiver gouge was enough to make me order this part. At the time I ordered this, most everyone was out of stock. I was impatient and ordered it, and now you can find better deals all over the place. Learn from my mistakes, you don't need to order non-critical parts until you absolutely have to. Even if I completed the rifle, I could have run the regular cam until I got a better deal on this.

As my build list now stands:








    Total cost to date: $1032.36
    Estimated cost remaining: $824.62

    Estimated Grand Total: $1,856.98

    The cost of the roller cam brought the total up again, but I'm still under $2000 total including tools. More updates to come!

    'Till next time.


    -AA

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    7/26/17

    The AR-15 Build: MAGPUL K Grip, Midwest Industries Handguard, Elftmann Trigger, and VG6 Epsilon

    After previously comparing the BCM Gunfighter grip and the MAGPUL K Grip, I decided that the MAGPUL grip was a better for for me. 

    Brownells had a free shipping coupon code, and I jumped on the chance to snag the new grip and returned the BCM grip that I originally ordered.

    After spending many hours researching what kind of handguard I wanted to use for this build, I finally ended up deciding to go with the Midwest Industries Gen3 Lightweight.


    The original plan was to go with the Odin Works O2 Lite Rail, but I decided against it mainly because if it's larger outer diameter. It is also just a touch heavier than the Midwest rail, and I bought this for less than what I would have paid for the O2 Lite. To top it all off, the Midwest rail comes with its own barrel nut tool, which the O2 Lite required you to either already have a suitable 1 1/2" wrench or to buy one separately. I ordered the handguard from Jet, and they give extra discounts for things like opting out of free returns, so I used that to my advantage.

    Found a good deal on Schuyler Arms on the VG6 Epsilon muzzle break, so I grabbed it while I could.


    I decided to go with the Epsilon over the Gamma after watching this particular YouTube video that has shooting footage of both muzzle devices. From what I could gather, I saw that the Gamma looked to overcompensate and dip the muzzle down while the Epsilon did a great job at keeping the muzzle very flat. I've shot a rifle in the past that was equipped with a Battle Comp which also overcompensated and dipped the muzzle down. I did not like how that rifle shot at all, so I opted for the Epsilon.

    And finally, the trigger. I read a great article that The Truth About Guns posted, and they had great things to say about the Elftmann trigger.


    In my quest for a rifle that would be as light as possible, I opted for the 3-Gun trigger option, as it had the most speed cuts in it. I know that it seems silly, as the weight difference between all the models are probably next to nothing, but I figured that the additional cost of the 3-Gun trigger over the other options was reasonable enough to splurge on it. I also decided to go for the straight trigger just to try it. I've never shot an AR with a flat trigger face before, and I figured this would be a good chance to try one out.

    Now here's where things get interesting. The company that I bought the trigger from has apparently gone belly up since I've made my purchase. As such, I will still list the company name in the breakdown, but I'll link to Elftmann's website instead.

    As my build list now stands:






    Total cost to date: $988.94
    Estimated cost remaining: $839.61

    Estimated Grand Total: $1,828.55

    I have lots more parts ordered, so I'll have some rapid updates coming up!

    'Till next time.


    -AA

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    7/18/17

    AR-15 Dust Cover Comparison: MilSpec vs. Strike Industries

    Finally, I'm back with another post! This time I'll be looking at the differences between the MilSpec dust cover and an aftermarket alternative.

    When I first started making my AR-15 build list, I knew that I wanted to replace some of the stadnard MilSpec parts with different options for reasons ranging from weight savings to just having some extra cool factor. If you've been following this build, you will know that I originally planned on getting a stripped upper receiver. As you would also know, I ended up finding a better deal on an upper that included a MilSpec dust cover already installed.

    Now that I have the opportunity, I will make a brief comparison between the SI Enhanced Ultimate Dust Cover and its MilSpec counterpart.

    So the obvious comparison would be in their weight. Why pay more for a different dust cover if the original works just fine? In my case, it was all about shaving off unnecessary weight where I could without going crazy on cost.

    The MilSpec dust cover comes in at 0.8oz on my scale. It's under an ounce in total weight, not much to it at all. This weight does include the hinge pin and e-clip.

    MilSpec Dust Cover: 0.8oz

    The Strike Industries Enhanced Ultimate Dust Cover comes in at an incredible 0.4oz! This is a completely self contained unit, so there is no additional hinge pin or other hardware to account for, it's all built in!

    Strike Industries EUDC: 0.4oz

    Amazingly, the Strike Industries dust cover is half the weight of the MilSpec dust cover. Even though the difference between the two is less than half of an ounce, looking at it another way, it's still a 50% weight savings.

    So besides weight, are there any other advantages to using the Strike Industries unit? In my opinion, I think there is, but they are very minor.

    For one, like I mentioned earlier, the Strike Industries dust cover is a self contained unit. There are no additional parts needed for the dust cover to be installed in the upper receiver, which simplifies the installation as well as the overall function of the part. Just depress the spring loaded pivot pin on the left side of the dust cover and pop it into place. Done! No need for that long pivot rod that the MilSpec unit requires or that tiny e-clip either. The tension on the retaining detent is also adjustable. This means if your receiver is tight or loose, this dust cover can compensate and still remain at the perfect amount of tension holding it closed. This might be handy for worn out uppers (though I've never heard of this being a problem), or out of spec uppers (which I find to be much more likely).

    Are there any downsides to the Strike Industries dust cover? In my experience, yes. Again, it was all very minor, but I think it's worth mentioning nonetheless.

    After installing the SI dust cover, I found that it did not swing fully open under its owns spring tension. It would stop about half way in its swing. The fix was simple enough, just using a razor blade to shave off a tiny amount of material where it rubbed around the edges and the pivots. I've also heard that this will not fit on some milled uppers, but I cannot confirm this statement as I only have a forged upper at the moment. This is also made in Taiwan, so if you're trying to go for an all American make build, than this is not the part for you. V Seven Weapon Systems makes a lightweight aluminum dust cover that's make in America, but it still isn't as light as the SI counterpart.

    If you're looking for a lightweight dust cover and don't mind the polymer construction, Taiwanese origin, and the potential for minor fitting, than I would highly recommend it. I think it looks good, and I don't foresee having any issues with it at all. Once I get to shooting with it, I will be sure to update y'all if my opinions on this part changes.

    That's it for now. Up next will be the handguard!

    'Till next time,


    -AA
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    1/5/17

    The AR-15 Build: Sharps Rifle Co. Relia-Bolt

    Since the plan for this particular build is for it to use a short stroke piston gas system, the kit that I'm interested in comes with a bolt carrier but no bolt. As such, I've been looking at different bolts to use in this build that would be practical, functional, and maybe one with some cool points too. Enter the Sharps Rifle Company Relia-Bolt!


    Originally I was planning on using a Criterion hybrid barrel with a headspaced BCM bolt. After doing some research, it seems like most reputable bolt and barrel companies will produce products that are within very tight tolerances which make it possible to get reliable and safe function from most barrel/bolt combos. This allows me to free up both my barrel and bolt choices for this build.

    Note the angled locking lugs and their rounded shape, features unique to the Relia-Bolt.

    I will also preface this by saying that there are some very particular features of that Relia-Bolt that had no impact on my choice to use it. I does not matter to me that they redesigned the locking lugs to allow them to operate under extreme conditions, nor did it matter to me that the metal they decided to use is S7 tool steel rather than the industry standard Carpenter 158 steel. The only reasons that I chose the Relia-Bolt were because of its price and its NP3 Plus coating.

    A view from the front at the rounded profile of the lugs.

    On the NP3 coating, it has been explained to me, in short, as superior to NiB (nickel boron) coatings. Quoted from http://coatingtechnologiesinc.com/np3/ under A Unique Concept in Coating Technology, it states that "NP3 is a surface treatment for various metals and alloys that combines sub-micron particles of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) with autocatalytically applied nickel/phosphorus. The result is an accurately applied, dry lubricated, low friction surface that is extremely hard and resistant to wear.
    The PTFE is evenly distributed throughout and locked into the nickel phosphorus matrix creating a true and stable composite. As wear occurs fresh particles of PTFE are exposed to keep the surface lubricated. This lubrication is available as long as the integrity of the coating is intact."


    As for the price, I could not find a better deal on a quality bolt. Period.

    I paid just $60.79 for the Sharps Relia-Bolt, and that includes the uprated NP3 Plus coating as well as shipping to my front door. The Criterion barrel that I was originally thinking about comes with a BCM bolt, and to buy that by itself, it costs $79.95 before shipping. Brownells sells Daniel Defense bolts for $66.00, but again, that also doesn't include shipping. For specialty coated bolts, Brownells also sells the FailZero Exo-Treated Nickel Boron Bolt Assembly, but as I've been told, NiB is inferior to NP3, and the cost of the unit is $86.20 before shipping. From everything that I can tell, I'm paying less than a bolt with a standard phosphate finish while getting better performance than a more expensive NiB coating. That sounds like a win to me!

    I know that there have been problems with the bolt in the past with them breaking, but it seems to me that Sharps has completely fixed the problem. Even so, Sharps offers a lifetime warranty on their products, so should I encounter issues, they'll cover it.

    As a side note, after trying the Magpul MOE K grip, I found that I no longer need a few parts that I originally thought were necessary. These are namely the extended magazine release and the extended bolt catch. As such, I will be removing them for the list, and may reinvest the savings into this build in the future.

    As my build list now stands:
    Total cost to date: $533.53
    Estimated cost remaining: $1,351.75

    Estimated Grand Total: $1,885.28
    I am back under my $2000 budget, and things are looking good! It feels like I'm in the home stretch, but I know that from now on, it's going to be mostly the larger purchases. Hopefully there are some good sales soon!

    'Till next time.


    -AA
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    1/4/17

    The AR-15 Build: Charging Handle, Safety Selector, Dust Cover, and goodies!

    Brownells keeps on teasing me with all these sales, and I'm ashamed to admit that it's working on me. Their latest sale was $15 off of $100, which is even better than the previous $10 off of $75!

    This time I bought the BCM charging handle, Seekins safety selector, Tapco stock wrench, Strike Industries dust cover, and a chamber flag.

    parts photos

    BCM Gunfighter Charging Handle MOD 5 (small):
    I am not only building this AR-15 to be practical, but to also be fun. I'm sure that a normal charging handle would work just fine, but the BCM version is cooler. It may also help my street cred when I see other oper8orz at the range.


    I decided to go with the MOD 5 because of size and weight. I don't envision myself needing a huge charging handle latch, and because this latch is physically smaller than the others, there will be some minuscule weight savings over the other versions which I will gladly take.

    Seekins Precision Ambidextrous Safety Selector Kit:
    Again, a stock safety isn't cool, and I want to be cool. I couldn't find any hard data on weight, but the Seekins safety levers seem to be made of aluminum that's been milled out on the back to reduce weight.


    This particular safety is interesting because it has the option to choose from a 90 degree throw and a shorter 60 degree throw which I find very nice. I'll definitely give the short throw a try, but if I don't like it, I can just swap back to the regular 90 degrees. The price on this ambi safety is also very attractive, even without the Brownells discount.

    Strike Industries Enhanced Ultimate Dust Cover:
    As the theme of this post goes, standard dust covers aren't cool, and this replacement is cool. Besides that, I wanted to keep the weight down on this build where I can, and this seemed like a good place to save some weight without breaking the bank. I believe that V Seven also makes a light weight aluminum cover, but it's to my understanding that the polymer SI cover is even lighter.


    The dust cover comes in black and FDE, as well as a few different styles, but I just went with the regular back. Maybe I should have gone with the version with cuts in it for added weight savings though..

    TAPCO AR Stock Wrench - Gen 2 Enhanced:
    I needed a wrench for the castle nut. I also don't need a regular barrel nut wrench because the handguard I'm looking at uses a proprietary barrel nut, so I didn't need a full armorers wrench. This does have a slot for a muzzle device though, and that's a feature that will come in handy too.


    It's also very cheap.

    Chamber Flag:
    With the above four items, I was just under the $100 I needed to redeem the coupon code. This chamber flag got me right up to $100.30, which is close enough for me! Because these are dollar amount discounts instead of percentages, they are the most effective at the given limit. This means that a $15 discount at $100 is more effective than the same discount at $200 or any amount higher than $100.


    It's not like I won't use it either. I was thinking of making one with my 3D printer, but I needed to reach $100 for the discount to be applied, so I bought this instead.


    I don't know how I forgot about the ambi safety in my original parts list, so I'll be adding it in now along with the chamber flag.


    Total cost to date: $472.74
    Estimated cost remaining: $1,533.83

    Estimated Grand Total: $2,006.57
    Again, you can see that I went over my $2000 budget by just a hair. I'll keep hunting for deals and discounts wherever I can, and I'll get the price back down where it should be.

    'Till next time.


    -AA
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