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Posted: 5/4/2013 6:44:37 AM EDT
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I bought my first AR. It was a DPMS upper with a Plum Crazy C-15 lower. Wasn't to crazy on the Plum Crazy but I wanted to get in the game first. (Tbh the original plan was to get an SKS and convert it to accept AK mags but I got such a good deal that I couldnt pass it up). <bottom rifle>
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/photo14.jpg Last year, around the time something like this was running around $1,350, I got it for $1,000 (Less than a mag cycled through it). Got it home. Had no sights so I found a BSA reflex/red dot I had around. http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/1sttimehome.jpg How it looks through the glass: http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/RDS.jpg OR http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/ReflexCrosshairs.jpg Hated the standard AR grip so had to upgrade to a MIAD asap http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/RDSampMIADc15.jpg http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/verticalRDSandMIAD.jpg Was still a little leery of the polymer lower but I figured it would be my last upgrade as I figured they're pretty tough on glocks and I'd rather upgrade the stock and handguard first. I found a SOG stripped lower for really cheap so I had to jump on it (was free lol, won in a contest sponsored by a local gun store). http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/newtoys.jpg Got a Rock River parts kit cheap, took my MIAD off the C15, got some free green tipped =] ammo included. Out with the old, In with the new! http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/oldandnew.jpg Installed the RR parts kit but still lacking a buffer tube. http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/SOGlowerw-RRkit.jpg What it looks like with the upper on but no buffer tube. http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/newlowerw-obuffertube.jpg Palmetto State Armory M4 buffer tube assembly. Before my Magpul CRT came in. http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/photo5.jpg Magpul CRT came in after 5 business days (paid for 2 day shipping, kinda sucked) http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j168/spartan177saber/photo6-1.jpg Still need the armorers tool now to tighten it down. I still have some stuff to upgraded but I thought I'd start my thread now anyway. *Upgrading to a free-float handguard I'm thinking, either a Troy VTAC or a DD Omega methinks (going to be painted FDE to match the grip and stock) *Contemplating upgrading the trigger guard to a Magpul one or a Brownells Oversized *Will be building my own barrel-shroud/compensator but that's far off. |
| With all the parts your are upgrading it might be best to find another upper and build it. That way you can sell the original rifle whole and get your money back out of it. You are gonna basically have two complete rifles when you are done doing just the upgrades. Just my $0.02 |
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With all the parts your are upgrading it might be best to find another upper and build it. That way you can sell the original rifle whole and get your money back out of it. You are gonna basically have two complete rifles when you are done doing just the upgrades. Just my $0.02 I have thought about building an upper but since I'm new to the AR platform I didn't think it wise to dabble in the DI system I know to little about. It would most likely require tools I don't have. Plus I don't have any qualms with the DPMS atm. |
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Jon: FWIW, I feel the upper assy is easier to build than the lower. The only thing even slightly tricky is tightening the barrel nut just right. The job requires a bench vise, an action block and a wrench that fits your barrel nut. No need for a torque wrench IMO. The advantage of course, is you get to select the components, instead of living with someone else's choices. - CW
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With all the parts your are upgrading it might be best to find another upper and build it. That way you can sell the original rifle whole and get your money back out of it. You are gonna basically have two complete rifles when you are done doing just the upgrades. Just my $0.02 I have thought about building an upper but since I'm new to the AR platform I didn't think it wise to dabble in the DI system I know to little about. It would most likely require tools I don't have. Plus I don't have any qualms with the DPMS atm. |
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Jon: FWIW, I feel the upper assy is easier to build than the lower. The only thing even slightly tricky is tightening the barrel nut just right. The job requires a bench vise, an action block and a wrench that fits your barrel nut. No need for a torque wrench IMO. The advantage of course, is you get to select the components, instead of living with someone else's choices. - CW Torque wrench really depends, some people just can't decide on tight and err bad one way or the other, they are generally more apparent away from firearms,usually its most obvious with vehicles tightening lug nuts on a pickup with a five foot pipe on the wrench and their feet off the ground, or on the side of the road with a wheel off no jack present a ground down rotor and a baffled look on their face. I suggest a torque wrench for someone that's never assembled one. |
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With all the parts your are upgrading it might be best to find another upper and build it. That way you can sell the original rifle whole and get your money back out of it. You are gonna basically have two complete rifles when you are done doing just the upgrades. Just my $0.02 I have thought about building an upper but since I'm new to the AR platform I didn't think it wise to dabble in the DI system I know to little about. It would most likely require tools I don't have. Plus I don't have any qualms with the DPMS atm. What part of Indiana are you from? Also, I tend to think a muzzle device install would be the most dangerous part since you can break your barrel index pin. As long as you use barrel vice blocks you'll be fine. Other than that, it's easy |
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[/quote] snip Also, I tend to think a muzzle device install would be the most dangerous part since you can break your barrel index pin. As long as you use barrel vice blocks you'll be fine. Other than that, it's easy[/quote]
Alternatively, you can wrap the exposed portion of the barrel with a strip of leather, then clamp tightly in your bench vise. Apply a little rosin if it slips. That way you can tighten the muzzle device without translating any torque to the barrel extention/upper receiver. BTW, I prefer to only tighter the MD enough to keep it from shooting loose. I use 3-prong flashhiders which don't really need any special indexing. That way, I can easily remove them to occasionally clean the muzzle crown. - CW |
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What part of Indiana are you from? Also, I tend to think a muzzle device install would be the most dangerous part since you can break your barrel index pin. As long as you use barrel vice blocks you'll be fine. Other than that, it's easy I grew up on the bottom part of Cass county but I married and moved to Hamilton county about 8 months ago. |
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Or just buy all the parts you need for the upper and send it off to be assembled. Doesn't cost very much at all and if you aren't planning on building any more it's cheaper than buying the tools for the job.
Honestly if it were me I'd get rid of the polymer lower. Glocks were designed originally to be manufactured out of polymer while most polymer AR lowers were built using a design originally made for Aluminum. There are more than enough cases on here and other places of people having issues with the polymer lowers failing. |
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Or just buy all the parts you need for the upper and send it off to be assembled. Doesn't cost very much at all and if you aren't planning on building any more it's cheaper than buying the tools for the job. Honestly if it were me I'd get rid of the polymer lower. Glocks were designed originally to be manufactured out of polymer while most polymer AR lowers were built using a design originally made for Aluminum. There are more than enough cases on here and other places of people having issues with the polymer lowers failing. Yeah, I'm pretty much going to sell the old lower for compensation on parts for the new lower. I ordered the remaining parts the other night to complete it. (need an armorers tool though). The big question atm is to sell the original gun whole to fund building a new upper or keep the upper and sell the polymer lower separately? |
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If I were to build the upper anyone have suggestions for recievers, barrel, and other upper parts that go well together? Depends on what you're trying to do with it. As long as you buy quality, you won't run into any issues. Last couple builds I've done I've used Aero Precision stripped uppers. Daniel Defense, BCM, PSA, Rainier Arms, Noveske, etc. all make awesome quality barrels. Handguard options are pretty much up to you, and as long as it's a quality company you won't go wrong. The general point of my message is go quality from the start and you won't regret it even though it will cost more. 
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The general point of my message is go quality from the start and you won't regret it even though it will cost more. Oh I don't plan on skimping on anything. I'm contemplating either selling my rifle as a whole and making an upper or selling the lower and buying some upgrades for my current upper. |
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Ordered a Palmetto State Armory mil-spec M4 buffer tube kit (6 position), an armorers tool, and a Magpul CRT in FDE. Should be here in a couple of days. Pics will be added to the original/1st post when I complete the lower.
Last order of business on the rifle will probably be a handguard and mags; then reloading press/equipment to make my own rounds. But thats all later unless I find a badass deal one something. |
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Magpul CRT came in about 3 business days late. (pic up above) Paid for 2 day and got 5, yay me.. Still need the Armorers tool
Was going to get an STR but i can make a cheek weld since I can figerglass ===================================================================================================== Kind of debating selling the old rifle as a whole and to buy and make an upper to fit the new lower but idk if it's worth the trouble. Anyone chime in on this. SpoonFed556 already suggested this but anyone else chime in? Also, is a free float worth the extra $150 when I can spend that on mags? |
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