Finally getting serious about an M4 build

[maverick2076]

About a year and a half ago I picked up a stripped SOG Arms lower at a gun show to build an M4. I promptly put it in my closet and forgot about it. Last week I sold my SKS to a buddy and decided that it was finally time to get around to building my M4. Last night I ordered my upper: a 16", midlength lighter profile hammer-forged upper from Palmetto State Armory at the link below. At this pace, I should have the rifle completed by about 2017.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.ph ... andle.html

Seriously, where are some good places you guys would recommend to look for the BCG, LPK, buffer kit and stocks? I'll probably be going with MOE furniture and an MBUS. I'll worry about optics after I get the thing built.

[The Annoyed Man]

I've bought BCGs from MidwayUSA.com, and Brownells.com. (HINT: if you tell Brownells that you're a gunsmith during the registration process, you'll get to see reduced pricing on a lot of their products.) Anyway, I've been satisfied each time. I bought a DPMS set from Midway for my own carbine, and a Daniel Defense BCG from Brownells for my wife's carbine.

I've bought all the other stuff from both suppliers too. For my wife's carbine, I bought a Magpul MOE furniture set from Brownells. I don't remember the price, but it was pretty reasonable. LPKs I always bought from my local gunstore or at gunshows.....I actually think I bought one from SOG Armory when I bought one of their stripped lowers for my wife's carbine. The price doesn't seem to vary much from source to source for LPKs. Buffer kits also came from both Midway and Brownells.

[The Annoyed Man]

Tip: When it comes to choosing buffer-tube, get a mil-spec tube - not commercial - that way you'll have the widest variety of stocks from which to choose.

I always wondered what was the point of that, although I can say that I've never had difficulty getting the stock I wanted in a commercial size. I always figured that, since the commercial tube is a slightly larger diameter than the milspec tube, the commercial tube would be slightly stronger. That's why I went with it. But either way, I don't think you can go wrong.

[maverick2076]

I'd planned on going Mil-spec on the tube. I'll have to take a closer look at MidwayUSA and Brownell's. I get discounts from both of them since I have my C&R FFL.

Is there anyone in particular you guys recommend for the BCG or LPK?

[OldCannon]

Tip: When it comes to choosing buffer-tube, get a mil-spec tube - not commercial - that way you'll have the widest variety of stocks from which to choose.

I always wondered what was the point of that, although I can say that I've never had difficulty getting the stock I wanted in a commercial size. I always figured that, since the commercial tube is a slightly larger diameter than the milspec tube, the commercial tube would be slightly stronger. That's why I went with it. But either way, I don't think you can go wrong.

Actually, it has nothing to do with strength, but with manufacturing. Commercial receiver extensions are built from a uniform-sized tube with threading on one end - easy to manufacture. Mil-spec receiver extensions have a thicker portion where the threads are cut, so the raw material is a tube with two different thicknesses (or the non-threaded part of the tube milled down). I discourage playing "mix-n-match" with the tubes. Get the right tube that fits your lower receiver properly. A mil-spec receiver extension in a commercial-spec-threaded receiver will wobble. A Mil-spec stock won't slip onto a commercial spec receiver extension.

And now, more details than you would EVER want to read about receiver extension differences:
http://www.skdtac.com/v/vspfiles/downlo ... arison.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[OldCannon]

I'd planned on going Mil-spec on the tube. I'll have to take a closer look at MidwayUSA and Brownell's. I get discounts from both of them since I have my C&R FFL.

Is there anyone in particular you guys recommend for the BCG or LPK?

LPKs are difficult to find at the moment. I expect that to ease up as manufacturers catch up on a manufacturing backlog.

BCGs are a matter of taste, but unless you're a Class F shooter, you'll find that just about any one will work fine!

[MadMonkey]

I'm putting BCM BCGs in all my ARs now. They're $150 on BCM's site right now.

[JeepGuy79]

for real, what are you guys hammering with your plastic stocks that you are worried about tube strength?

I like milspec myself.

[The Annoyed Man]

for real, what are you guys hammering with your plastic stocks that you are worried about tube strength?

I like milspec myself.

Potentially, skulls. What else do you want to know?

There it is. Actually, I never thought of it in terms of what I might want to hit with the stock. I just figured that stronger is better. I don't really know anything about the milspec tubes other than they're a somewhat smaller diameter than commercial tubes. Assuming similar wall thickness (which apparently may not be correct) when comparing two tubes of equal length, the tube of larger diameter will be less susceptible to flex than the tube of narrower diameter. At least that was my thinking. But if I'm close enough to butt-stroke somebody with my AR, then I've already lost the fight. I was more worried about, like, "What if I trip and fall, and my fat butt lands on this butt-stock (no pun intended)? It will sure as heck snap in two!" That's more like what I was thinking.....

[texasmusic]

I've read that mil-spec uses a stronger alloy and a different manufacturing process which does make them stronger than commercial tubes.

[The Annoyed Man]

I was more worried about, like, "What if I trip and fall, and my fat butt lands on this butt-stock (no pun intended)? It will sure as heck snap in two!" That's more like what I was thinking.....

I've read that mil-spec uses a stronger alloy and a different manufacturing process which does make them stronger than commercial tubes.

Have you seen the size of my butt?

[JeepGuy79]

I dunno, I saw a standard colt m4 adjustable stock go into a guys face once and it was brutal. I didnt see any damage to the rifle. That was only one hit though... and it was square on his nose/cheek bone. Oh it was also squished all the way in as the guy was wearing a thick vest

lol. I wonder if any studies have been done on whacking someone with a m4 vs a standard stock?