USMA-82
NES Member
*UPDATE* at bottom of this first entry.
I bought the three LRB Arms lowers in the recent group buy with the intent to just hold on to them for awhile, building up over time. Then the elections were held in November...
Anyway - shortly thereafter I decided to go ahead and set up three AR's - one in a varmint configuration (in case I ever decide to go that route) and the others as range fun guns. I stayed with 5.56x45mm because ammo is (or was) plentiful, and relatively cheap. I also am set up to reload for that caliber.
Picked up a complete kit from M&A Parts for the varmint version, with a stainless 20' bull barrel and 2-stage Rock River trigger kit. I then added a Harris bipod and Redfield Revolution 3-9x50mm scope.
Came out pretty decent and really shoots nice. Love that RR trigger! And the Redfield scope is amazingly bright.
The lower of the first range gun was set up with a standard A2 stock and Bushmaster lower parts kit. I added a cheap Lo-Pro DPMS 16" Bull barrel, flat-top upper. This is the one with no dust cover, no brass deflector and no forward assist. For a fun gun, these parts don't really matter to me. I did want a fairly decent red dot optic, so I went with the Lucid HD7.
The second range gun had the same lower set-up, but I added a DPMS sportical flat-top upper. This had an A2 flash suppressor which I needed to switch out. Pullman Arms (Worcester) did a nice job removing the flash suppressor and installing a Carlson Mini Comp compensator (not a flash suppressor!). This was all topped off by an Aimpoint PRO red dot optic and YHM backup iron sights.
So here's a group shot of my three lowers that grew up to become rifles. Thank goodness for Black Friday discounts:
I think I need to take a break from all this new gun stuff now. I'm tired...
Of course, now I need more ammo.
UPDATE (12/18/12): I took both range guns out for a little spin and both shot very well using 55 gr Prvi Partizan. However, after a couple of mags, the trigger stopped working. On further investigation, I noticed the hammer pin had walked-out.
I began to research a solution - many pointing to the "non-walk-out devices" that could be installed for about $30:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/857672?cm_vc=S014
But after reading several forum posts (AR15.com, etc), I discovered the real problem - the hammers in my Bushmaster Lower Parts Kits were missing the J-spring. That's the little piece of wire installed inside the hammer that holds onto the hammer pin slot when you push it through the hammer.
I called Bushmaster customer service, and they said they would "send me some J-springs." Oh great, I thought. Now I have to figure out how to install those.
However, today a little surprise came in the mail - two complete hammers, with J-springs! The hammers were actually from Remington, and looked almost exactly like the original hammers. I installed both new hammers, and the pins are now solidly in place.
Don't you love life's little surprises?
*
I bought the three LRB Arms lowers in the recent group buy with the intent to just hold on to them for awhile, building up over time. Then the elections were held in November...
Anyway - shortly thereafter I decided to go ahead and set up three AR's - one in a varmint configuration (in case I ever decide to go that route) and the others as range fun guns. I stayed with 5.56x45mm because ammo is (or was) plentiful, and relatively cheap. I also am set up to reload for that caliber.
Picked up a complete kit from M&A Parts for the varmint version, with a stainless 20' bull barrel and 2-stage Rock River trigger kit. I then added a Harris bipod and Redfield Revolution 3-9x50mm scope.
Came out pretty decent and really shoots nice. Love that RR trigger! And the Redfield scope is amazingly bright.
The lower of the first range gun was set up with a standard A2 stock and Bushmaster lower parts kit. I added a cheap Lo-Pro DPMS 16" Bull barrel, flat-top upper. This is the one with no dust cover, no brass deflector and no forward assist. For a fun gun, these parts don't really matter to me. I did want a fairly decent red dot optic, so I went with the Lucid HD7.
The second range gun had the same lower set-up, but I added a DPMS sportical flat-top upper. This had an A2 flash suppressor which I needed to switch out. Pullman Arms (Worcester) did a nice job removing the flash suppressor and installing a Carlson Mini Comp compensator (not a flash suppressor!). This was all topped off by an Aimpoint PRO red dot optic and YHM backup iron sights.
So here's a group shot of my three lowers that grew up to become rifles. Thank goodness for Black Friday discounts:
I think I need to take a break from all this new gun stuff now. I'm tired...
Of course, now I need more ammo.
UPDATE (12/18/12): I took both range guns out for a little spin and both shot very well using 55 gr Prvi Partizan. However, after a couple of mags, the trigger stopped working. On further investigation, I noticed the hammer pin had walked-out.
I began to research a solution - many pointing to the "non-walk-out devices" that could be installed for about $30:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/857672?cm_vc=S014
But after reading several forum posts (AR15.com, etc), I discovered the real problem - the hammers in my Bushmaster Lower Parts Kits were missing the J-spring. That's the little piece of wire installed inside the hammer that holds onto the hammer pin slot when you push it through the hammer.
I called Bushmaster customer service, and they said they would "send me some J-springs." Oh great, I thought. Now I have to figure out how to install those.
However, today a little surprise came in the mail - two complete hammers, with J-springs! The hammers were actually from Remington, and looked almost exactly like the original hammers. I installed both new hammers, and the pins are now solidly in place.
Don't you love life's little surprises?
*
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