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Posted: 10/23/2010 6:41:29 PM EDT
| Does anyone know who makes A1 upper assemblies? Specifically, I'm trying to find a 14.5" non-NFA (pin/weld) mid-length lightweight or gov't profile barrel assembly using an A1 upper. |
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Does anyone know who makes A1 upper assemblies? Specifically, I'm trying to find a 14.5" non-NFA (pin/weld) mid-length lightweight or gov't profile barrel assembly using an A1 upper. the only place to get new A1 upper receivers is NDS...you'll have to assemble what you want yourself 
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| Bushmaster makes a complete A1 upper but how hard is it to build your own upper assembly? My biggest fear is that if I find one and assemble it myself, who could I take it to if it short strokes or has some other malfunction that I can't fix. |
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who makes A1 upper assemblies? You do! 
Not trying to be flippant. Seriously, to get exactly what you want, you're probably going to be assembling it yourself. Don't be daunted. It's not actually particularly hard. But if you absolutely do not feel like assembling it yourself, you can buy all the parts and send them to a shop like Adco for assembly. Quoted:
what Bushmaster calls an A1 is actually a C7 That may actually be what the OP would want. Sounds like a modern build (midlength and all), so the case deflector might be a plus. |
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Bushmaster makes a complete A1 upper but how hard is it to build your own upper assembly? My biggest fear is that if I find one and assemble it myself, who could I take it to if it short strokes or has some other malfunction that I can't fix. It's not hard at all. My first AR build was from a stripped lower AND stripped upper. Most will build their own lowers, but will buy complete uppers. |
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I've read the threads in the build it yourself forum but essentially if I get a stripped upper and this, I would only need a barrel nut, an upper block, an armorers wrench and locktite? Like most things with me, it'll probably easy once I do it but the first time makes me nervous.
Is the Bushmaster upper good quality? I'm not looking to build a genuine retro AR but since I want an A1 upper, I figured this would be the best place to start. |
| A stripped upper and the barrel? The barrel nut comes on the barrel. Vise block you need. Armorer's/barrel wrench you need for the barrel. Some moly grease for the barrel threads. Roll pin holders/punches for assembling the rear sight and forward assist. Some needlenose pliers for the ejection port hinge pin c-clip. Locktite does not belong anywhere near your AR. The Bushmaster upper receiver on the page you linked is assembled with the sight, forward assist, and port door, but you'd still need a punch for the gas tube roll pin. |
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How much of a difference does an f-marked vs. non-f-marked FSB make? I was looking at a complete upper from BCM that was close to my "ideal" rifle but this thread has got me thinking that I could truly build my ideal rifle for the same price. You can get away with using an F-marked FSB with a fixed carry handle upper. Only place you sometimes run into problems is a non-F-marked FSB with a flattop upper. ETA: You'll spend a bit on tools, but tools aren't an expenditure, they're an investment.  Oh yeah, you need a torque wrench too.
ETA2: Even better than the build-it-yourself threads, watch the videos at Brownells. |
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ETA: You'll spend a bit on tools, but tools aren't an expenditure, they're an investment.
Yes, but. I bought all the tools to build my first AR, since what I wanted wasn't available off the shelf. Next thing I know, I've built 17 personal AR's and helped build several for friends. 
So, in other words, it doesn't really save you money. 
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ETA: You'll spend a bit on tools, but tools aren't an expenditure, they're an investment.
Yes, but. I bought all the tools to build my first AR, since what I wanted wasn't available off the shelf. Next thing I know, I've built 17 personal AR's and helped build several for friends.
So, in other words, it doesn't really save you money. Truer words have never been spoken but I priced it out and can build my A1 for the same price as a BCM 14.5" assembly with carry handle. Now the question becomes do I build the A1 or get the BCM assembly that has future optics availability? |
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Now the question becomes do I build the A1 or get the BCM assembly that has future optics availability? Not to further muddy the waters, but you can always put an optic on your A1. |
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Now the question becomes do I build the A1 or get the BCM assembly that has future optics availability? Not to further muddy the waters, but you can always put an optic on your A1. Like he said. I just put this ACOG TA11-D on my 733 replica and really love it. 
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My version of the AR-15 1/2, aka the middy retro carbine...
I bought all the parts except the RRA pencil barrel on the EE and took them to a friends house so we could spend some time chatting. It took us about 15 minutes to assemble the upper and 2-3 hours to chat....and that included lunch that he made.... If I can do this with minimum help, you can too.
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A while back Copes had surplus A1 uppers (with Colt bolts, no less) and I did exactly what you are trying to do: A CAR-15ish light weight build.
A1 upper, DD LW 14.5" permed A2, stock handguards and I put my old 4-pos fiberite stock on it. You can build it yourself pretty easily. |
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ETA: You'll spend a bit on tools, but tools aren't an expenditure, they're an investment.
Yes, but. I bought all the tools to build my first AR, since what I wanted wasn't available off the shelf. Next thing I know, I've built 17 personal AR's and helped build several for friends.
So, in other words, it doesn't really save you money. Truer words have never been spoken but I priced it out and can build my A1 for the same price as a BCM 14.5" assembly with carry handle. Now the question becomes do I build the A1 or get the BCM assembly that has future optics availability? With BCM's sale right now you can't build an upper for what you can buy one for even if you DON'T count tooling costs. I deliberately went with the fixed carry handle for weight. A lot of our guys are running this config for weight; an ACOG will go right on the carry handle if you ever want one. |
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Now the question becomes do I build the A1 or get the BCM assembly that has future optics availability? Not to further muddy the waters, but you can always put an optic on your A1. Like he said. I just put this ACOG TA11-D on my 733 replica and really love it. http://media.ar15.com/media/viewFile.html?i=22921 I currently have a NCStar scope on my A2 and haven't had a problem with it. Quoted:
and here's a way to mount a RDS onto a retro http://lorazepam.smugmug.com/Other/Misc/DSC1249/1011485569_RpNjp-L.jpg http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h54/acman145acp/AR%20stuff/001.jpg Is it hard to see the red dot with this gooseneck? I also decided that I'd just go with the A4 upper but now you have me second guessing again. I really like the simplicity of the A1 rear sight, a carry handle scope doesn't bother me and that gooseneck adds another dimension. |
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Now the question becomes do I build the A1 or get the BCM assembly that has future optics availability? Not to further muddy the waters, but you can always put an optic on your A1. Like he said. I just put this ACOG TA11-D on my 733 replica and really love it. http://media.ar15.com/media/viewFile.html?i=22921 I currently have a NCStar scope on my A2 and haven't had a problem with it. Quoted:
and here's a way to mount a RDS onto a retro http://lorazepam.smugmug.com/Other/Misc/DSC1249/1011485569_RpNjp-L.jpg http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h54/acman145acp/AR%20stuff/001.jpg Is it hard to see the red dot with this gooseneck? I also decided that I'd just go with the A4 upper but now you have me second guessing again. I really like the simplicity of the A1 rear sight, a carry handle scope doesn't bother me and that gooseneck adds another dimension. I just received my gooseneck mounts about a week ago and haven't had a lot of time to play with them yet, but the red dot (I'm using an Aimpoint H-1) absolute co-witnesses and is very easy to pick up I'm used to shooting irons so my shooting position hasn't changed and as I said before, I can pick up the dot very quickly. The micro doesn't obscure much of your vision or change the balance of the rifle much either. ETA: just found out a gooseneck mount will NOT work with a removable carry handle |
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