Hi all,

I'm a bit of a newbie around these parts.

I just built my first AR, a dissipator rifle, from parts I had been acquiring slowly (Barrel is a HB Bushy dissy barrel).  No pictures yet, but it isn't really special.  I have been working on AR's on and off for about 5 years, not professionally.

So I took it out to the range for a break in session.  I fired about 600 rounds through it.  The first 200 were some XM193 and then about 400 rounds of 55 FMJ wolf ammo.  Not a single problem except one time the bolt wasn't locked back when the magazine ran empty.  For some reason the fact that it has been reliable so far has me worried as I was expecting problems.

How many rounds does it normally take to work the bugs out on a new rifle?  I was thinking 500-1000 rounds?

Not all the parts are exactly the highest quality some are from a grab bag or two of lower part kits I had picked up here and there.  The bolt catch has some dings in it.  I don't think this is normal as my other two AR's that have many more rounds don't show this.  When I release the bolt it feels gritty and rough.  Right now I'm assuming it is a lower quality part and should be replaced.

Now, who make mid length 16" light weight barrels?

Where are the pictures?  I'm a visual kind of guy.....


By 500 rounds, you should have a god idea how its going to run.  At 1,000 rounds the verdict should be in.

After you do what he said, build a HBAR for varminting.....