| AR-15 Upper
Receiver and Barrel Assembly |
 A1,
A2, Flat-tops (known as A3, A4)
Options like VLTOR, LaRue are made
in a different style
Cost Range (stripped)
$100-250
Tier One – Manufacturers with best reputation
Other Parts Required: Trigger Parts, pistol
grips, lower parts kit, stock assembly / Receiver Extra, Charging
Handle, Bolt & Carrier assembly, Barrel assembly, rear
sight, handle?, forward assist
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Things to consider about the AR-15
Upper Receiver
AR 15 Upper Receiver (Carry Handle)
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The
AR15 started out with a charging handle from the
AR10 design. The handle offers protection for the
rear sights. Of course the handle is also a handy
way to grab or carry the firearm quickly |
AR
15 Upper Receiver (Flat-top) |
The modern AR15 have replaced the handle
with a standard MIL-STD-1913 rail for mounting optics,
lasers, lights, etc. |
AR
15 Removable Carry Handle |
There are Removable Carry Handles
that fit onto the rails of the flat-top AR 15 receiver.
They are attached with screws on the left side of
the receiver (opposite the ejection port).
Issue: I
have found the rear screw
blocks my ability to grab
the charging handle on
the move / under stress |
M4
feed ramps |
On most ARs, the feed ramps are cut
into the barrel extension only. Most military M-16s
are like this and they work fine. M4 style feed ramps
are cut so deep that the cut out through the barrel
extension and cuts into the upper receiver. So the
M4 feedramp is really a two part item. The barrel
Extension and Lower Receiver both need to be cut
(marked) with M4 feed ramps for them to be most effective.
M4 feedramps on a standard upper receiver is fine.
however M4 feedramp cuts on the lower receiver with
a standard AR (non-M4 cut) barrel can cause issues
Opinions of M4 Feed Ramps range
from bad to good. They are becoming a standard
option with many AR-15 manufactures and do not
cause any harm
Issue: M4 feedramp
cuts on the upper receiver with a standard AR (non-M4
cut) barrel will cause a small 'lip' which can
cause issues |
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AR15 Upper
Receiver Parts List:
Forward
Assist Assembly |
Bolt
Assembly |
Ejection
Port Cover Assembly |
Charging
Handle Assembly |
Bolt
Carrier Assembly |
Rear
Sight Assembly (in
handle) |
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| AR15 Charging Handle Assembly |
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Things to consider about the AR15 Charging
Handle
Aluminum
vs Steel AR15 Charging Handle |
- Steel
- Prevent bending the charging handle and stuck
Bolt Carrier Assembly
- Steel charging handles can cause wear in the
upper receiver
- Heavier
- Cost more
- Aluminum
- Standard Issue is Forged aluminum (Mil-Spec)
- Stamped aluminum and Forged aluminum (Mil-Spec)
- Stamped aluminum charging handles shear under
normal use
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AR15
Tactical Latch |
- Typically Over-size and overbuilt stronger
than standard latch
- AR15 Tactical Latch can provide extra leverage
- One hand operation
- Replace stock charging handle with no gunsmithing
and simple tools
- Can be easier for left handed shooters
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Ambidextrous
AR15 Charging Handle |
More of these
are hitting the market all the time, most have
their own operation and design Operating the AR-15
left handed is not just an issue for left handed
shooters. Right handed shooters shooting off-handed
will also appreciate the advantages of an ambidextrous
charging handle.
Issue: Few
of these have been
tested log term, do
your research before
you buy |
Gas
Deflecting AR15 Charging Handle |
For use with a suppressor these are
really useful. We have used them with multiple rifles,
various barrel lengths and various suppressors, and
they always are more pleasant to shoot with a gas
deflecting charging handle |
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AR15 Charging
Handle Parts List:
Charging
Handle |
Spring |
Charging
Handle Latch |
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| AR15 Bolt Carrier Assembly |
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Things to consider about AR15 Bolt
Carriers
Semi-auto
vs. full-auto AR15 bolt carriers |
- Semi-Auto
- AR15 bolt carrier
- AR15 (semi-auto) bolt carriers are built to 'miss'
full auto trigger parts
- Better option in CA and other restrictive areas
- Full-Auto
- M16 bolt carrier
- M16 bolt carrier is heavier
- Have shrouded firing pin
- 1/2 ounce the Full Auto Carrier adds is good
for carbines (like different weight buffers)
- No issues of legality (check your local laws)
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AR15
gas key staking |
- The key and bolt carrier gets hit hard with
hot gasses with every shot
- Add resistance to the screws coming loose from
vibration/stress
- Loctite is not enough to hold them in place
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Shrouded
AR15 firing pin |
- A shrouded firing pin prevents the hammer from
pushing the collar of the firing pin against
the firing pin retaining pin
- Opening the firing pin was a politically inspired
modification initiated by Colt
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Magnetic
Particle Inspected |
- A non-destructive method for the detection
of surface and sub-surface defects
- Part has no surface flaws at the time of testing
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Pressure
Tested / Proof Testing |
- A test where a over pressured round is fired
from a firearm or part in order to verify that
the firearm or part is not defective and will
not explode
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Black
or Blue AR15 extractor inserts |
- Blue AR15 extractor insert
- AR15 rifle = 4 coil extractor spring and blue
insert
- Black AR15 extractor insert
- M4 Carbine = 5 coil extractor
spring and black insert
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AR15
extractor O-ring |
"A rubber
O" ring can be added around the AR 15 extractor
spring to create more tension. Used to help troubleshoot
in combination with other extractor parts (spring,
insert) or buffer, springs, etc to 'tune' an AR-15 |
Titanium
AR15 firing pin |
Most shooters agree the Titanium AR15
firing pin is a waste of money |
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| AR15 Bolt Assembly |
 Very
important portion of the AR platform. These are the parts that
determine how well your gun will operate
Major Options – Quality Testing, Gas Key Staking, Shrouded Firing
Pin
Costs $120-250
Tier One - High Pressure Testing (HPT), Magnetic Particle Inspection
(MPI)
Tier Three - May need upgraded parts. May need to be upgraded |
Bolt Carrier Group
(BCG) |
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AR15 Bolt & Bolt
Carrier Assembly Parts List:
Bolt
Assembly |
Bolt
Carrier |
Extractor |
Bolt |
Gas
Key Assembly |
Extractor
Spring Assembly |
Bolt
Rings |
Bolt
Carrier Key |
Extractor
Pin |
Bolt
Cam Pin |
Key
Screw (x2) |
Ejector |
Firing
Pin |
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Ejector
Helical Spring |
Firing
Pin Retaining Pin |
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Ejector
Pin |
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| AR-15 Barrels |
|
 Major
Options – Length, twist, caliber, chrome lined, profile, chamber,
material, quality/testing, gas tube, Front Sight, Gas block
Rifling twist options – 1:7, 1:9, 1:12
Costs $200-$600
Tier One – High Pressure Testing (HPT), Magnetic Particle Inspection
(MPI)
Tier Two – Chrome Lining – not true 5.56 chambers
Other Parts Required: Gas tube, gas block, front
sight assembly, Delta ring assembly, handguards / rail assembly,
muzzle device, bayonet lug |
Things to consider about
Barrel
Length |
Standard length for the
AR15 barrel are; 7", 10", 10.5", 11.5",
14.5", 16", 18", 20" and 24".
Most common are 16"
and 20". NFA rules apply to Short Barreled Rifles
(SBR), rifles with a barrel under 16" long.
However many people buy the 14.5"
barrel and permanently attach a 2" flash hider
to maker the overall length over 16" and legal
without an NFA tax stamp |
AR15
Barrel Profile
|
'Hollywood' : ArmaLite Early
AR-15 ultra-lightweight turned-down profile barrel,
1:14 twist
A1: Government-specified
barrel profile increased
to between 0.675 and
0.575 inches "lightweight" or "pencil"
profile.
A2: Thin
barrel under handguards,
barrel in front of handguards
is thickened to 0.715
inches. "Government
Profile" or "gov't
profile"
HBAR: A
barrel that is thicker than government-profile
M4 (14.5" or
16"): section
reduced to 0.575 inches to
mount M203 grenade launcher
M4A1 HBAR: 14.5" M4
barrel thickened under
handguard for automatic
fire
Super Heavy: Special
target / match barrel |
AR15
Gas System Length |
Three common and a shorter pistol length.
Standard gas system lengths are; carbine, mid length,
rifle |
AR15
Barrel twist |
1:14 1 right hand twist
every 14 inches
1:12
1 right hand twist every 12 inches (305 mm)
1:10 1
right hand twist every
10 inches
1:9 1
right hand twist every
9 inches
1:7 1
right hand twist every 7 inches
(177.8 mm) |
Chrome
lined chamber and bore |
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AR15
Fluted Barrel |
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headspacing |
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Cold
Hammer Forged barrels |
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Stainless
Steel |
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Government
Profile |
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HBAR |
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Barrel
marking |
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barrel
nut |
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AR15 Barrel Length & Profile Comparison
 7
Inch Barrel (pistol)- 10 inch Heavy Barrel (H-Bar),
Carbine Handguard
- 10.5 inch Barrel, Carbine Handguard
- 11.5 inch Barrel, Carbine Handguard
- 11.5 inch H-Bar, Carbine Handguard
- 14.5 inch M4 Barrel, Carbine
Handguard
- 16 inch Barrel, Carbine Handguard
- 16 inch H-Bar, Carbine Handguard
- 16 inch M4 Barrel, Carbine Handguard
- 16 inch Gov. Profile Barrel,
Mid-Length Handguard
- 18 inch H-Bar, Rifle Handguard
- 20 inch A1 Barrel, Rifle Handguard
- 20 inch A2 Gov. Profile Barrel,
Rifle Handguard
- 20 inch H-Bar, Rifle Handguard
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AR-15 Barrel
Parts List:
Barrel |
Barrel
extension |
delta
ring |
barrel
nut |
Gas
tube (carbine, mid, rifle) |
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Gas
tube pin |
Snap
Ring |
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| AR15 Front Sight Bases (FSB) |
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Things to consider about AR- 15 Front
Sight Bases / Gas Blocks
gas
tube |
|
gas
tube pin |
|
front
sight |
|
gas
block |
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F-marked
front sight bases (FSB) |
|
taper
pins vs. straight pins |
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parkerize
under the FSB |
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AR-15 Front
Sight Bases (FSB) Parts List:
AR15
Front Sight Post A2 (Square) |
AR15
Front Sight Base w/ Bayonet Lug |
AR15
Front Sling Swivel |
AR15
Front Sight Post A1 (Round) |
AR15
Front Sight Taper Pin(x2) |
AR15
Front Swivel Rivet |
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AR15
Front Sight Spring |
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| AR15 Muzzle Devices |
|
 Major
Options – Muzzle breaks, Flash Hiders, Combos, Suppressor friendly,
impact /strike bezel
Costs $5
- $130
Other Parts Required: Crush Washer
/ Peal washer, pin & weld (check laws), Muzzle
Cap (to stop rain / dirt)
Buyers Beware: local
laws may restrict what you can own |
Things to consider about
Flash
suppressor |
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Pin & Weld |
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Muzzle
Breaks |
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AR-15 Muzzle
Device Parts List:
Muzzle
Breaks |
Crush
Washer |
Peal
Washer |
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| AR-15 Handguards
/ Railed Forends |
 This
will determine along with the barrel the overall look of your
AR. These also give you the options for optics, lights, lasers,
etc
Major Options – Railed or standard Handguards, Length, Free Float
Costs $25 - $500
Other Parts Required: rail covers, forward grips
Buyers Beware: Cheap
rails can be out of spec |
Things to consider about AR-15 Handguards
and Railed Forends
AR-15
Grips |
|
handguards
cap |
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delta
ring |
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Heatshields |
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double
heat shield |
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AR15
Railed handguards |
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MIL-STD-1913
rail |
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T-marks |
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Monolithic
Rail Platform |
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Rail
Covers |
Major Options – Panels, Ladders, Accept
a tape switch, Color, Quality, Material
Costs $5
- $30
Buyers
Beware: bare
rails can get hot / sharp |
Free-Floated
Barrel |
Free-floating an
AR 15 barrel is an effort to be consistent from
shot to shot by removing external forces on the
barrel (sling, resting on the handguard, bipod,
etc). Nothing is touching the barrel. Important
when shooting over 300yds or when using a sling. |
Vertical
Fore Grips |
Major Options
– Solid vs Storage, Integrated with light, Material,
how they attach to gun, Length
Costs $12-100
Other Parts
Required: Railed
handguards (usually) |
Grip
Pod |
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Fore
Grip Weaponlights |
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scope
mounts |
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AR-15 Handguard Parts List:
Free-Floated
Handguards |
railed
handguards |
Optic
Mounts |
handguard
cap
(round, notched, triangle) |
Monolithic
Rail Platform |
Vertical
Fore Grips |
delta
ring |
Rail
Covers |
Fore
Grip Weaponlights |
Heatshields |
double
heat shield |
Bi
Pod |
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AR-15 Rear
Sights |
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 Major
Options – Used as primary or as backup to optics. Rear is dependant
on type of upper receiver Carry Handle, Fixed sights or Folding
Costs $0
– $300+ / pair
Tier One – High quality, tested
Other Parts Required: Gas tube, gas block, front
sight assembly, Delta ring assembly, handguards / rail assembly,
muzzle device, bayonet lug
Buyers Beware: Imported
knock offs are poor quality while they may look
as nice as high quality |
AR-15 Rear Sight Parts List:
AR15
Back Up Iron Sight (BUIS) |
Rear
Iron Sight (Flip-up) |
scope
mounts |
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Rear
Iron Sight (Fixed) |
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