AR Sponsor
Posted: 12/12/2016 3:40:25 PM EDT
|
Hi everyone. I am just now venturing into the world of building a pistol and have a few questions. I thought I would never build a pistol but the bug has bitten me. I have built M4 clones and now seven retro rifles. I want to add a pistol to my ever growing collection. I need some help knowing what to do and what not to do.
My questions - I have a stripped lower that I bought from my local FFL as a stripped lower. If I am reading correctly (various online sources) and from what I was told by my FFL when I filled out the form I can use it to build a pistol or rifle. It was marked as "Other" on the form. Is this correct? Is there a barrel length I should stay away from? Does one length have more problems than another? I was looking at 7-7.5 or 8-8.5. I am leaning more towards the 8-8.5 length barrel. I want to go with the Shockwave brace kit. What do I need to know about the buffer that comes with the kit? Should I just buy the brace and pistol tube and look for a buffer and spring? I have been looking at pistol uppers. PSA has my eye. Tell me about the key mod uppers? I have no clue what they are or how they are used. Now muzzle device. Should I change out the A2 break? Does anything reduce the fireball? I'm sure I will have more questions. I thank any and all who help me out. I look forward to being a member of the pistol AR platform very soon. |
|
Quoted:
Hi everyone. I am just now venturing into the world of building a pistol and have a few questions. I thought I would never build a pistol but the bug has bitten me. I have built M4 clones and now seven retro rifles. I want to add a pistol to my ever growing collection. I need some help knowing what to do and what not to do. My questions - I have a stripped lower that I bought from my local FFL as a stripped lower. If I am reading correctly (various online sources) and from what I was told by my FFL when I filled out the form I can use it to build a pistol or rifle. It was marked as "Other" on the form. Is this correct? Yes Is there a barrel length I should stay away from? Does one length have more problems than another? I was looking at 7-7.5 or 8-8.5. I am leaning more towards the 8-8.5 length barrel. Typically the longer it is the more reliable I want to go with the Shockwave brace kit. What do I need to know about the buffer that comes with the kit? Should I just buy the brace and pistol tube and look for a buffer and spring? Likely a heavier buffer may be needed, noticed I said maybe I have been looking at pistol uppers. PSA has my eye. Tell me about the key mod uppers? I have no clue what they are or how they are used. Keymod is just a new way of attaching add-ons and then there is M-Loc Now muzzle device. Should I change out the A2 break? Does anything reduce the fireball? A linear comp/flash can is likely desired as it's the concussion that usually sucks, Smith Vortex flash hider did wonders on minimizing the flash for me I'm sure I will have more questions. I thank any and all who help me out. I look forward to being a member of the pistol AR platform very soon. |
|
Quoted:
Thank you! That info helped. I want to do a pistol as short as I can go without to many problems. If I go above 8-8.5 I just don't feel it is worth it. I should just do a rifle. Is a heavier buffer better? Or a lighter buffer? What would cause it to not cycle properly? |
|
Quoted:
Thank you! That info helped. I want to do a pistol as short as I can go without to many problems. If I go above 8-8.5 I just don't feel it is worth it. I should just do a rifle. Quoted:
Thank you! That info helped. I want to do a pistol as short as I can go without to many problems. If I go above 8-8.5 I just don't feel it is worth it. I should just do a rifle. Plenty of folks have rock solid reliable 7.5-8" barreled pistols. Just that the timing of gas system is a bit more critical the shorter you go, odds are it'll be okay. Quoted:Is a heavier buffer better? Or a lighter buffer? What would cause it to not cycle properly? As he said, no way to say for sure, all depends, on how barrel length and gas port size interact (there's no real exact industry standard). Might run fine with standard carbine buffer and a heavier one, but run more optimally with heavier one if turns out to be signficantly overgassed (which is common), might run fine with heavy one but not lock back if undergassed. Assuming you get a tube kit of some sort, just use the standard carbine buffer that will probably come with it to test, won't really know till a shakedown shoot. - OS |
| Just something to consider....300AAC or 300 Blackout ( same thing). Was meant to use short barrels. It uses a faster burning pistol powder, uses 5.56 bolts and mags. Its a .308 bullet. Its a little slower than 5.56 but the weight carries more energy downrange than 5.56. 7.5" to 9.5" barrels work great. It is what the Seals used to kill Osama Bin Laden. Keeps your pistol short and power to spare. I'm building a 300BLK pistol now and will also build a .22LR pistol upper for it too. |
|
Thank you. I plan to start the build next mont unless I find an upper at a price I can't pass up.
Is there an upper that you all would recommend over another? I have dealt a lot with PSA for my carbines and I do like the folks there. Thanks everyone. I look forward to this new adventure. I'm sure down the line this build will make me want to build an SBR. |
| I have built and run AR pistols (in 5.56) from 7.5 inch to 11.5 inch (also a 10.5 DI and 12.5 Piston). For a 7.5 inch I needed a Spikes ST-T2 buffer and JP polish spring (with linear comp) to run smooth (on a side note I run all my AR pistols with linear comps, Kaw Valley or SAA Dragon Head). That 7.5 was ok (some cheap off brand with 1\9 twist, can't remember the name) but it ran everything I put thru it. The 10.5 inch was a PSA and it only needed a normal H1 buffer to run well (once again linear comp and it had a 1\7 twist). Ive had 2 uppers in 11.5 inch. The first was a JSE Surplus (1\9) and it ran perfectly with just a standard carbine buffer and spring, only added a Kaw Valley linear comp to that. The second was a PSA (1\7 twist) and mine ran just fine with a normal carbine buffer and spring.........but (here it comes), I had a friend get a PSA 11.5 inch upper about a year before me (sometime in mid 2015ish) and it needed a H1 buffer to run smooth. The lastly (should not even bring it up) my 12.5 inch upper is a ARAK Piston and runs perfectly, needing no buffer at all because........well its an ARAK (they are awesome and worth every penny). Also seen another friend run both 11.5 inch (PSA) upper and a 12.5 inch (BCM) upper on just a basic carbine buffer\spring combo. So in a nutshell, 11.5 inches and up should run carbine buffer. Anything under 11.5 inch, you may need to play with a few different buffers to find your uppers "sweet spot". I have never tried any 8-8.5 inch uppers (in 5.56) or any Pistol upper in 300 Blackout, everything I spoke about was in 5.56 only. AR Pistols are great fun and good shooters, but (even with linear comps) loud. From what I have seen (well heard), the shorter they are the more loud they are. Right now I have only an 11.5 inch (PSA 1\7) upper and my ARAK Pistol upper in 12.5 inch (1\8 twist), but I plan to get an upper for a lower I just built in somewhere between 7-8.5 inches (most likely a PSA or JSE). Got a spare Spikes ST-T2 just for my next (sub-10.5 inch) build. Hope this helped a bit. |
|
Quoted:
Thank you. I guess best thing to do after buldimgnis try a few different things. If it doesn't cycle correctly is it usually the gas port or weight of the buffer? Yes. 
Technically it's always a gas issue, either too little or too much. The buffer is the easiest way to fix the symptoms. Too much gas, try a heavier buffer. Too little, a lighter one. |
|
Quoted:
Yes.
Technically it's always a gas issue, either too little or too much. The buffer is the easiest way to fix the symptoms. Too much gas, try a heavier buffer. Too little, a lighter one. Thank you! I have just started building AR's from scratch. Its been an interesting process. Ordering parts here and there and trying to remember what all I need. I have always ordered full kits. I put the lower together and slap the upper on and run them. Never any problems. I had a Black Thorn kit years ago. I ran that thing like a pig and it loved whatever I fed it. Never a minutes trouble. The pistol build will be somewhat like a scratch build. I order the upper and the rest of the parts. I don't know if I can buy a full kit somewhere. I will check into that. |
|
Quoted:
Thank you! I have just started building AR's from scratch. Its been an interesting process. Ordering parts here and there and trying to remember what all I need. I have always ordered full kits. I put the lower together and slap the upper on and run them. Never any problems. I had a Black Thorn kit years ago. I ran that thing like a pig and it loved whatever I fed it. Never a minutes trouble. The pistol build will be somewhat like a scratch build. I order the upper and the rest of the parts. I don't know if I can buy a full kit somewhere. I will check into that. http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-7-5-56-1-9-nitride-keymod-pistol-kit-508029.html Keep looking if you want something different. You can also watch slickguns.com for deals that get posted. |
|
Quoted:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-7-5-56-1-9-nitride-keymod-pistol-kit-508029.html Keep looking if you want something different. You can also watch slickguns.com for deals that get posted. Thanks for the link and the heads up about Slickguns.com. I had not seen that one at PSA. While I am thinking about it. What is the difference between the keymod rail that PSA sells versus the other one that 2A sells? I see PSA offers both. |
|
Quoted:
Thanks for the link and the heads up about Slickguns.com. I had not seen that one at PSA. While I am thinking about it. What is the difference between the keymod rail that PSA sells versus the other one that 2A sells? I see PSA offers both. Not sure which other one you're referring to. Most quality key mod rails are standard, and the usual tell is the inside of the keyhole has a slight bevel around it. The cheap ones dont. I just got a cheap one in for a beater gun, and it's not beveled. I haven't tried mounting anything on it, since it isn't back together yet to know if it's an actual problem or not. |
|
Quoted:
Not sure which other one you're referring to. Most quality key mod rails are standard, and the usual tell is the inside of the keyhole has a slight bevel around it. The cheap ones dont. I just got a cheap one in for a beater gun, and it's not beveled. I haven't tried mounting anything on it, since it isn't back together yet to know if it's an actual problem or not. Thanks. I have no clue when it comes to rails. I have never used any. I know PSA makes their own and they also put ones made by 2A on their pistols and other uppers. So I wasn't sure if there is a big difference in the two. Beside the 30-40 bucks. |
AR Sponsor