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Posted: 7/2/2009 6:42:38 AM EDT
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First off, I'm a newb to the site and to AR-15s. I've
purchased a RR finished lower assembly and I have been shopping around for an upper. I found an upper at a decent price but it has no bolt. Complete uppers in my area seem to be in low supply. My question is about adding the bolt to the upper assembly. Is this a difficult procedure...or a simple procedure? I looked thru the site and didn't see too much regarding bolts and upper assembly procedures (feel free to point it out if I missed it). Right now I'm considering picking up the upper receiver with barrel and purchasing a bolt from Midway. Thanks for any assistance. |
I take it you mean the bolt carrier group (BCG) isn't included? This is the bolt and the housing that it sits in. Removing and installing this is part of field stripping and cleaning so it is very simple to install. Does the upper come with a charging handle? If it doesn't you would need to get one of those as well. Check the site sponsors (the buttons with different company names near the top of this page) for parts availability. PK Firearms, Bravo Company, and Denny's Guns are good bets to have what you need. 
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Quoted:
First off, I'm a newb to the site and to AR-15s. I've purchased a RR finished lower assembly and I have been shopping around for an upper. I found an upper at a decent price but it has no bolt. Complete uppers in my area seem to be in low supply. My question is about adding the bolt to the upper assembly. Is this a difficult procedure...or a simple procedure? I looked thru the site and didn't see too much regarding bolts and upper assembly procedures (feel free to point it out if I missed it). Right now I'm considering picking up the lower receiver with barrel and purchasing a bolt from Midway. Thanks for any assistance. Check Midway for http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/Default.aspx#ar-15%20upper%20assembly____-_1-2-4_ I think all have bolt carrier group and charging handle . God bless Wyr |
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Compare prices, and make sure you account for the difference in prices for a BCG and Charging handle. The BCG and Charging Handle can cost $200 or more, so you should see a corresponding savings on the upper that does NOT include them, or it may NOT be as good of a deal as it seems.
The more experienced on the board will better advise you than I, I'm going to guess you can get an adequate BCG and Charging Handle for about $150, but they may advice you to consider some of the better quality ones that may run up around $225, and if you can afford it, really good ones that are even more expensive. |
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Bravo Company has earned a very good reputation. Their products are top shelf but can be tough to get. Sign up for the in stock email notification and hope you are sitting at your computer when you get it. Denny's (GTS) Super Duty BCG is great as well. Don't worry about them being full auto M16 BCGs. You can legally use them in a semi auto AR15.
You can get CMT or standard LMT for $130 and they will work well for you. The BCM and GTS Super Duty are built better IMO and are a little more expensive. I've got both. BCM BCG - $160 (out of stock) GTS Super Duty BCG - $160 (showing that it is in stock) Don't pay any more than $25 for a charging handle. BCM - $24 CMT - $19 @ GTS |
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Thanks sd_norske,
Thats better prices for you, I know there are $125 BCG out there, and they'll probably do fine for light use, but its probably worth the extra $35 for one of the better $160 BCG he recommended. Problem is, BCG are pretty scarce right now, you'll have to wait or really search to find one in stock. $25 for a charging handle is pretty common, so modify my figure of $225 for a good set to $185 (BCG+CH), when pricing your upper without BCG and CH. |
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Saw other links to Midway, so here is the one I was
looking at... BCG |
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The JP does not include a bolt. It'll cost you another $60 or so. JP = $240 BCM or GTS = $160 CMT or LMT = $130 JP definitely makes quality stuff but IMO you aren't going to gain anything over the BCM or GTS Super Duty. FWIW I have all 3 and the only BCGs that I buy anymore are BCM or GTS. Denny's website is still showing his Super Duty BCGs in stock. The BCM and GTS are built with more attention to detail but chances are a standard LMT or CMT will work well for you. |
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Thanks. I'll take a closer look at the Global Tactical unit. I also just
saw this thread regarding Daniel Defense BCGs... Thread |
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I wound up ordering on of the DD BCGs from Midway. But again, this is
my first AR15 and I'm still learning. Could someone post me a link where I could find more info on the "ins and outs" of the charging handle. I'm honestly not quite sure I understand its function nor what exactly would be my best purchase for one. Thanks again for all the help!! |
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Quoted:
I wound up ordering on of the DD BCGs from Midway. But again, this is my first AR15 and I'm still learning. Could someone post me a link where I could find more info on the "ins and outs" of the charging handle. I'm honestly not quite sure I understand its function nor what exactly would be my best purchase for one. Thanks again for all the help!! It's what you use to manually retract the bolt from battery, either when first loading a magazine into the rifle or for a malfunction. Some come with a bigger latch which are easier to operate, but they cost more. ETA- Any on this link would work fine. |
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Quoted:
Thanks. Is there any other benefit other than ease of operation that comes with a larger part if you purchase a more expensive charging handle? One of those handles also helps keep gas blowback from your face, but that's the one that's $90 and if you're not using a suppressor it's not a big deal. |
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No suppressor...so I think I'll go with the cheaper version.
BTW, when I told a friend I was thinking about getting into AR15s...he said, "you need to check out the good folks at AR15.com." He was spot-on. This site is awesome and it is populated with very knowledgable, helpful people. Kudos for a great site and even better forum members! |
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The standard configured AR-15 is what called a direct gas impingement operating system. High pressure gasses in front of the slug that has just been blasted down the barel will be tapped via a small hole drilled down into the barrel tube. High pressure gasses from firing the round is contained (and metered by its diameter and length) inside what's called a gas tube. The gas tube pipes the high pressure gas rearward under the hand guards, through the barrel nut, through the upper receiver and finally into bolt carrier's gas key. The bolt carrier gas key sits atop the carrier and mates over the end of the gas tube. Kinda like two steal straws where one (the gas tube) is slightly smaller than the other(carrier gas key) and the larger one slides over the smaller. Those high pressure gasses hit the back of that key and force the entire bolt carrier group rearward into the stock's buffer tube. A large spring is inside that buffer tube to dissipate the force of the carrier being driven rearward by the fired round's explosion. That large spring also gives the bolt carrier group its force needed to return to battery and strip a new round out of the magazine on its way back into battery.
When the AR-15's operator (you) want to retract the bolt carrier group without firing a round a system is in place where a charging handle assembly is utilized to retract the carrier group manually. The tip of the charging handle has a precisely machined channel and has a hole precisely sized and placed to let the bolt carrier's gas key operate freely within the charging handle assembly during firing. The hole at the handle's tip slips around the gas key like a noose when you manually retract the charging handle and drag the carrier group rearward. |
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BCG on the EE
Get these while you can. I just picked up one of the RRA. Cheapest RRA price I've seen in a while. Most places charge this plus shipping. |
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I also give the Brownells' videos two thumbs up. These helped greatly during my first build a couple of weeks ago. Take your time, pause, rewind, and keep in mind the camera might make things look a bit backwards. Remember, pivot and takedown pins are inserted from the right side of the lower receiver. The right side has the serial number and safety selector and the hump for the bolt catch. Pay close attention to how the hammer spring wraps around the hammer and make sure the hammer spring legs are resting on top of the trigger pin.
And asking questions on this forum and reading the build ideas in the many posts are priceless. These guys know their stuff. |
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i believe you originally asked a question about the procedure...brownells has a video series on their website made up of a bunch of small clips that will walk you through a complete build. You can see for yourself the detail in a upper reciever assembly.
Awesome, guys...thanks. There is some great reading on this site...just gotta find time to read it all! |
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