Need AR Info

[pistolman44]

Plan on building a AR 15 and need to know all I can about the parts. What does M4 cuts mean? Also what does this stand for, BCG?

[82nd airborne]

BCG stands for Bolt Carrier Group, which includes the charging handle (most times), bolt carrier, and assemled bolt.
M4 cut is just a particular barrel contour feature, and is not necessary, or even desirable unless you just like the look or have an M203 grenade launcher.

Are there any parts in particular you are curious about?
What caliber?
What are your intended uses?
What boolit/bullet weights do you wish to shoot once you have picked a caliber?
Adjustable gas or fixed standard?
Barrel length?

There are endless possibilites out there. I have experience with a lot of them, probably no more than a good number of the members here. I build AR's for a living, but even when I tell you a particular part is the best, it is an opinion and is just best for what I use it for.
The same goes for all the advice you will get from any member here.

For instance, I prefer a couple handgaurds over any other, and only use free floats for personal guns. A few of my go to handgaurds are the Samson evolution, YHM slick rail, Midwest industries SS , just to name a few.

A mil spec BCG will do pretty much anything you need it to.

You can also go with a side charge upper, which is something I like alot.

Barrels offer endless choices, as do all the other options of the ar platform.

My favorite buttstock is the Ergo 93. It is awesome, and not too spendy.

Mil Spec uppers and lowers are good for most uses, but I like the quality, fit and finish of machined billet uppers and lowers that are mated from the manufacturer.

I like the Ergo pistol grip and the Magpul MOE pistol grip.

Yhm products are quality and dont cost alot.

There are several cast friendly rounds other than .223 that are available including 6.8spc, 6.5 Grendel, .45 NUT, 6x45, 7x45, .257x45, .300 BLK, and many many more. Unless you are looking for cheap surplus ammo, which will be hard to get in any caliber, dont limit yourself to .223. All the afore mentioned rounds are great hunting rounds.

Pick up several variations if you can, and play with them. It will give you an Idea of how you want yours set up.

As I said earlier, almost all advice about AR's is opinion, based on what the user likes. That said, Im not saying to ignore the advice, but realize that you have set goals for what you want the platform to do, and other peoples uses may, and probably will, vary vastly.
Regards,
Aaron

[klcarroll]

@ 82nd Airborne

Are you sure that the "M4 Cuts" that the OP referred to aren't the feedramp extension cuts into the upper receiver???

Kent

[spqrzilla]

@ 82nd Airborne

Are you sure that the "M4 Cuts" that the OP referred to aren't the feedramp extension cuts into the upper receiver???

Kent

This.

[82nd airborne]

Yes, you are probably correct. I have heard several people as of late call the 203 cut an m4 cut. Im not sure why my mind went to that instead, but their are m4 barrel extensions and then standard. The M4 has a more generous feed ramp. There is also a cut that is an extension of extension cut into the upper of newer uppers.

[mike in co]

go to ar15.com and do some reading....

do not get caught up in "names" and hype........

at the same time do not buy from off brand guys.....

the difference in most parts is the cost of the inspection process.

stag/armalite/rock river.....dont waste money on things marked colt.

bushmaster is probebly fine but do not know after they were sold.

the m16/ar15 is a "spec" built rifle......many parts from different vendors, all to spec will assemble in to a functioning rifle.

5.56 chamber for a blasting gun, chrome lined for a blasting gun(low maintence gun)

223 chamber for a target/varmit gun.....no chrome lining.(normal maintenence gun)

mike in co

[Ickisrulz]

Plan on building a AR 15 and need to know all I can about the parts. What does M4 cuts mean? Also what does this stand for, BCG?

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pwswheghNQsEuEhjFwPrgTA&single=true&gid=5&output=html

[Moonie]

5.56/.223 usually doesn't need the M4 ramp extensions, larger calibers usually do because the tip of the bullet (or boolit) sits lower in the magazine and will hit the receiver where the cuts are rather than the feed ramps on the extension as the 5.56/.223 does.

[45r]

go to ar15.com and do some reading....

do not get caught up in "names" and hype........

at the same time do not buy from off brand guys.....

the difference in most parts is the cost of the inspection process.

stag/armalite/rock river.....dont waste money on things marked colt.

bushmaster is probebly fine but do not know after they were sold.

the m16/ar15 is a "spec" built rifle......many parts from different vendors, all to spec will assemble in to a functioning rifle.

5.56 chamber for a blasting gun, chrome lined for a blasting gun(low maintence gun)

223 chamber for a target/varmit gun.....no chrome lining.(normal maintenence gun)

mike in co

After much reading on the web I think my Colt H-bar elite lower receiver came from the old bushmaster before it was sold since it has a BK in front of the 7000 series ser #.It's a small pin and I've had it a long time.It looks cool with the horsey logo and it has been very accurate.Since it came from BM I'm thinking a 450BM upper should fit perfect.After having this rifle for a while and it has been real good I wouldn't hesitate to buy BM AR stuff if the quality is still the same after the buy out.I know someone who is into AR's quite a bit and has 3 BM's and he said they are as good as Colt.I saw that Colt has had a lot of different companies make the stuff they use and there is some overlapp.Maybe it doesn't matter who you get the parts from.I know I'm not going to buy another lower to mate with a 450BM now.

[nicholst55]

One thing to be aware of if you buy either a Bushmaster rifle of BCG; although they have been building ARs for a L-O-N-G time, they DO NOT know how to properly install and stake a bolt carrier key.

Once in a while they screw up and get one right; normally their guns (or guns running their BCG) suffer from short recoil caused by gas leakage around the bolt carrier key.

Just sayin'.

[45r]

One thing to be aware of if you buy either a Bushmaster rifle of BCG; although they have been building ARs for a L-O-N-G time, they DO NOT know how to properly install and stake a bolt carrier key.

Once in a while they screw up and get one right; normally their guns (or guns running their BCG) suffer from short recoil caused by gas leakage around the bolt carrier key.

Just sayin'.

Thanx for the headsup on BM BCG's and carrier keys,I'll watch for that.My Colt hasn't had any problems,maybe Colt workers knows how to build an AR.