Build my first black gun - Looking for parts in Austin

[AustinMRH]

I'm building up my first AR and I think I want to use a Spikes lower, either as the stripped lower or the basic build (prefer a solid stock). I'll buy local to avoid FFL and shipping of this one.

Anyone have a suggestion of who might have some available? Or anyone have one they are looking sell?

The build will be a mix of budget and bling. I'd love a really great trigger unit but may start with just a generic lower kit with the cheapo trigger. The upper will probably be a Wilson stripped with Wilson barrel and a basic parts kit from there.

Eventually once I get the gun up and running I'll spend some time trying triggers and pick something better up. Same goes with optics. The goal for now is a functioning gun with solid basics and room for improvement. If a generic barrel is 175-200 and a great barrel is 250, I'm going with great right off the bat.



I'll keep the build up here as I go along.

[ccoker]

a good barrel and a good trigger are by far the most important items for accuracy

[G.A. Heath]

As someone who has built a few AR rifles, I need to ask some questions before I can offer advice/suggestions:
1: What do you intend to use this rifle for (it helps me suggest components)?
2: How involved do you want this build to be (Stripped lower and stripped upper, or complete lower and complete upper)?
3: What Kind of money are you willing to spend over what Kind of time frame?
4: What caliber do you plan to build it with?
5: Why the spikes lower?

Things to keep in mind:
1: Building the upper assembly requires special tools, if you don't want to mess with them order a complete upper.
2: Barrels and Bolts should be matched for safety and accuracy (If you buy them separate at least invest in some Go -- No Go guages)
3: Building the lower assembly requires no special tools, but technique is everything.

[AustinMRH]

Well the parts are on the way.

Spikes Stripped lower
Magpul MOE Lower furniture
Palmeto State Armory LPK
DS Smith stripped upper (this seems to be who provides many brands uppers)
Palmeto State Arm. BCG
Wilson Combat Recon 1/8 barrel
Wilson Combat Quadrail - Midlength
Wilson gasblock front site and rear sight
And working on a getting a Geissele 3 gun trigger.

I got a great deal on the Wilson Quadrail, so went that way instead of the sold FF Tube. Should lighten the load up front too which will be good as I hope to get into 3 gun with this rifle.

I ended up ordering just about everything. There are a few things I'll get over at GT(mags, tools, sling), but I just couldn't find a lot of the stuff I was looking for locally without a ton of effort. Like most of you folks I work a solid 8-5 so getting over to the local shops that are only open 10-5 is just about impossible.

[The Annoyed Man]

Well the parts are on the way.

Spikes Stripped lower
Magpul MOE Lower furniture
Palmeto State Armory LPK
DS Smith stripped upper (this seems to be who provides many brands uppers)
Palmeto State Arm. BCG
Wilson Combat Recon 1/8 barrel
Wilson Combat Quadrail - Midlength
Wilson gasblock front site and rear sight
And working on a getting a Geissele 3 gun trigger.

I got a great deal on the Wilson Quadrail, so went that way instead of the sold FF Tube. Should lighten the load up front too which will be good as I hope to get into 3 gun with this rifle.

I ended up ordering just about everything. There are a few things I'll get over at GT(mags, tools, sling), but I just couldn't find a lot of the stuff I was looking for locally without a ton of effort. Like most of you folks I work a solid 8-5 so getting over to the local shops that are only open 10-5 is just about impossible.

On my previous carbine build, I wanted to drop in a better trigger than the one that comes in the standard DPMS lower parts kit; but my son did some research on it, and there is a way to bend the trigger spring slightly to significantly improve the stock trigger pull, without sacrificing any reliability. My carbine has functioned just fine with this slight alteration. On my wife's carbine which we just finished building the other day, I left the trigger stock. I've since compared them, and there is a significant difference in the quality of the trigger pulls. Mind you, it's not a match trigger, but with the modified spring it is quite acceptable. We have two AR platform varmint rifles that each have 2 stage match triggers, but honestly, they would be irrelevant in a home defense scenario. Mine has a 3 lb takeup and a 1.5 pound letoff that breaks like a glass rod. None of that would matter a single bit in a firefight.

I'm not advising you to not buy an upgraded trigger, but only to give sober consideration to whether or not it is really necessary for your intended application. If this is a hunting/target shooting rifle, then it is certainly worth it. If it is to be an all-around home defense, plinker, ranch rifle, then it may not be worth the considerable extra expense, particularly when you can achieve significant improvement simply by bending the OEM trigger spring a bit.

...just a thought...

[beardking]

On my previous carbine build, I wanted to drop in a better trigger than the one that comes in the standard DPMS lower parts kit; but my son did some research on it, and there is a way to bend the trigger spring slightly to significantly improve the stock trigger pull, without sacrificing any reliability. My carbine has functioned just fine with this slight alteration. On my wife's carbine which we just finished building the other day, I left the trigger stock. I've since compared them, and there is a significant difference in the quality of the trigger pulls. Mind you, it's not a match trigger, but with the modified spring it is quite acceptable. We have two AR platform varmint rifles that each have 2 stage match triggers, but honestly, they would be irrelevant in a home defense scenario. Mine has a 3 lb takeup and a 1.5 pound letoff that breaks like a glass rod. None of that would matter a single bit in a firefight.

I'm not advising you to not buy an upgraded trigger, but only to give sober consideration to whether or not it is really necessary for your intended application. If this is a hunting/target shooting rifle, then it is certainly worth it. If it is to be an all-around home defense, plinker, ranch rifle, then it may not be worth the considerable extra expense, particularly when you can achieve significant improvement simply by bending the OEM trigger spring a bit.

...just a thought...

Can you give any hints as to what exactly was done to the spring? Or better yet, can you provide a link that shows exactly what to do?

[The Annoyed Man]

Can you give any hints as to what exactly was done to the spring? Or better yet, can you provide a link that shows exactly what to do?

http://www.sargenthome.com/15_Minute_AR_Trigger_Job.htm

NOTE: I did NOT do the hammer modification....only the trigger spring.

But if you google "bend trigger spring on AR15," you'll see dozens of links showing the same trick.

[AustinMRH]

Well everything is about here. I'll pick up my stripped lower today and UPS is dropping most of my parts off today too. Still waiting on barrel and upper receiver, but will get started on the lower build tonight.

[RECIT]

Great to hear have fun and take your time.

[beardking]

Can you give any hints as to what exactly was done to the spring? Or better yet, can you provide a link that shows exactly what to do?

http://www.sargenthome.com/15_Minute_AR_Trigger_Job.htm

NOTE: I did NOT do the hammer modification....only the trigger spring.

But if you google "bend trigger spring on AR15," you'll see dozens of links showing the same trick.

I think I'm going to have to order an extra couple of trigger springs so I can do this and have back-ups in case I screw it up. I'll just have to do it while the wife is away because if she sees me tearing into my AR to this extent, I'll never hear the end of it.