#Ar-15

Wondering how to build an AR-15 Lower? In this episode of TFB TV, Patrick was doing some spring cleaning and came across enough spare parts to build a complete AR-15 lower receiver. Patrick walks you through how he builds his own AR-15 lowers.

Honestly, I’m a little tired of seeing the cult of the AR-15 preach its superiority as an “ergonomic” platform. While the AR-15 is an excellent weapon, and lord knows I own many of them, it’s not the superior choice for a weapon platform in a sea of continuously expanding alternatives. A weapon designed mid last century for right-handed operation only cannot hold a candle to other later generation platforms.

A number of AR15s that have been turning up in Iraq appear to be counterfeit products but are in the markets and treated as legitimate production versions of the rifle companies the producers are seeking to counterfeit. Some of them are very small differences, only being distinguished by the wrong roll mark or incorrect engraving. Others are blatantly obvious through the combination of several companies on a single lower. As an example, the largest indication that we are seeing is an AR15 with a 14.5 inch barrel, Burst selector, and with both Colt markings above the serial number and FN Herstal markings above the selector switch. Although both companies have been making M4s and M4A1s for the U.S. Military, neither of these companies have ever actually combined forces and produced a joint rifle. We’ll post the glaring examples we have seen so far down below. There are far more examples that are borderline counterfeit, but I don’t want to post them because I just don’t have the in-depth Colt roll mark knowledge to be able to discern whether or not it is genuine.

Axelson Tactical has introduced a blast diverter for the A2 (birdcage) AR-15 flash hider. It is pretty easy to install on probably the most widespread AR-15 muzzle device. The A2 blast shield is made of 4130 steel with black nitride finish.

Now buying a Ruger AR-556 Elite complete lower is a factory option thanks to the new addition to their product catalog. When Ruger started shipping the stripped lowers, consumers were scooping them up quickly. Given Ruger’s reputation, it comes as no surprise that there haven’t been any reported issues with the stripped lowers.

The presence of slack between upper and lower receivers of AR-15 pattern rifles is sometimes considered a flaw of the design. Some people insist that it does affect the accuracy, others just find it annoying. In order to solve this problem, different manufacturers came up with various solutions. Perhaps the most known are the tensioning pins by JP Enterprises, but there are a couple of other products too (tensioning screws etc.).

Sturm, Ruger & Co. announced a new offering: the AR-Lower Elite. The AR-Lower Elite is a complete AR lower that includes a full fire control group, buffer tube assembly and stock. All you need to do is add an upper and magazine to start having fun. Back in December, Ruger began offering stripped lowers, so it is no surprise to me that it is now offering completed lowers.

A recent solicitation originating from Quantico has come out and is specifically requesting Geissele products. Although the solicitation RFQ is worded as open to the public, it lists Geissele items and nothing else. These are the commercially available “Super Modular Rail Mk7”, and the “ Hi-Speed National Match Trigger Set“. Although it doesn’t mention anything about the Marine Corps Shooting Team, the choice of these exact parts and the fact that the Team uses a number of Geissele triggers, I believe it is somewhat safe to say that the parts are intended for the Team. The Team’s headquarters would not comment on the intended usage of them.

Seekins Precision has launched their new DNA charging handle. It was introduced earlier during the SHOT Show 2017 but now it is available for purchase. It is made of 7075 aluminum with hard anodized finish.

I know that I am not going to make any friends by writing this, but that never stopped me before, so why not? Here goes: Pistol caliber carbines don’t make a whole lot of sense for the American rifle buyer, or at least not most of the offerings on the market right now.

Aimpoint was very recently awarded a 10 million dollar contract for the delivery of 30,000 M68 Close Combat Optic reflex sights to the U.S. Army. The commercial variant of this sight is the Aimpoint CompM4. These sights have already been in use with the U.S. Army for some time now, seeing much usage in Iraq and Afghanistan. Primarily they are for the M4 carbine, but can also be used for the M16A4, M249, and M240 weapon systems. Although some Army units have purchased Trijocon RCOs and Elcan Spectres with their own budgets, the M68CCO is mounted on a majority of the Army’s individual weapon systems. The price equates to around $360 per sight, but this is also including spare parts and other pieces of equipment that the Army stipulated, so the actual per sight cost might be somewhat lower.

If you’ve worked the pits at a high power rifle match you probably already know what it sounds like to be shot at from a distance. If you’ve been downrange for Uncle Sugar, you might also know. But thankfully, most folks don’t know what bullets sound like as they cut the air. To get a feeling for this, I set up some water jugs at about 150 yards downrange along with a camera nearby. Now, that’s not exactly long range, but it is far enough to hear a distinct separation between the components of the sound of a gun shot. It’s also pretty close to the practical limit for .22lr. Sure, accomplished shooters can do miracles with a .22lr at much greater distances, but there is significant drop and it gets challenging. I took several shots both suppressed and unsuppressed with .223 Rem as well as subsonic .22lr.

In the United States, simple items like sound suppressors and rifles with 14.5″ barrels have been demonized because of their inclusion in the National Firearms Act of 1934. There is much debate about what, if any, public benefit can be had from this law. However, as far back as I can remember “sawed-off shotguns” and other NFA items have been portrayed as literal tools of evil by a lot of people – including some of those that generally support gun rights.

Recently my local gun shop in Bloomington, IN allowed me to sit in on one of the shop’s new AR build courses being offered. I didn’t build a rifle there myself, just simply watched the course intently and took a large number of notes and photographs of what was going on. Because I wasn’t an actual student involved in the course, this won’t be an article detailing the intricacies of putting together an AR15 but is simply more a reflective perspective of what I learned. If you are interested in a rather in-depth critique of putting together an AR15, take a look at Patrick R’s writings. In addition, I know I’ll get some particular facts here wrong, so please take this as an outsider’s perspective on a very detailed aspect of the AR15, instead of a true testimony.

Although this accessory is made by casting, Strike Industries points that it is not done by MIM (metal injection molding) process. I assume by that statement they try to say that this product has better mechanical properties than the MIM parts. As you know, MIM parts have not the best reputation in the industry. The SI-XCB is also hardened to military specifications.