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More AR15 (questions)

haredawgharedawg Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
edited May 2010 in Ask the Experts
so now your talking about the head spacing,If this gun was pieced together and the proper head spacing was not done could a person still take it to a gunsmith to have that issue fixed,or is it something the average guy can do on his own,and how does this affect the gun say when it's taken apart to clean is the head spacing affected at all.And say some where down the road a different barrel is wanted does it then need to have head spacing done to it again.
Thanks for all the answer guys
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Comments

  • shoff14shoff14 Member Posts: 11,994 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The headspacing on an AR15 is different then most guns in that the head space is set by the barrel extension.

    You will find a lot of people will say don't worry about checking it, it will be ok. But then there will always be that one time it doesn't. So get a set of gages to check.

    With that said, a new barrel and new bolt from any manufacturer should headspace just fine without having to do anything to the barrel extension.
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  • givettegivette Member Posts: 10,886 ✭
    edited November -1
    The parts that cause 'headspace' in an AR type rifle either are in spec, or not. There is, and will be no 'final fitting' required. Either it works, or it is tossed. And unless you are buying a home-made barrel/extension from a back-alley Hindustani, you will be good to go.

    The odd out of spec batch of barrels/extensions, etc. that may show up on the assembly line at a reputable manufacurer will be discarded, and will not be released to the end-user!

    Barrel/extension/bolt lugs create headspace. Brand name products will be 'dialed-in' right off the shelf. Not to worry. Best, Joe
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  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    haredog,

    The big thing with the AR, and any rifle for that matter, is it headspaces correctly, AND goes completely into battery (bolt lugs lock behind rifle lugs. For the most part the AR parts are designed to be assembled and headspace in battery correctly.

    If this rifle you are looking at has fired, shot accurately, cycled rounds correctly, does not have uneven wear on the bolt lugs, you won't go wrong with it. As noted they were engineered to be able to pretty much field strip them down to bare parts and make another rifle if they had to. With minimal hand fitting of individual parts.
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  • haredawgharedawg Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    the only thing I know about this riffle is that 5 rounds where put through it with no problems and now he's selling it he might have told me the reason for selling it but i forgot and I can't go see it until Sat. only problem is it's 4+ hr drive away so I'ld like to know as much as possible before I decide to go look at it,and if I should buy it should it be inspected by a smith for the headspacing to be correct.
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  • givettegivette Member Posts: 10,886 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by haredawg
    the only thing I know about this riffle is that 5 rounds where put through it with no problems and now he's selling it he might have told me the reason for selling it but i forgot and I can't go see it until Sat. only problem is it's 4+ hr drive away so I'ld like to know as much as possible before I decide to go look at it,and if I should buy it should it be inspected by a smith for the headspacing to be correct.

    Refresh your memory. Call before you make the drive to find out why he's selling it. If the reason he's selling it is not a function problem with the rifle, you needn't waste money on a G/S!

    The inherent design of the Stoner system lends itself to functionality without any gunsmithing to achieve reliability!

    Call and find out! Best, Joe

    Added Info:
    If the problem is one of functionality, then don't waste the gas to make an 8 hr round trip for an AR. Too many out there..why there's even a bunch right here on Gunbroker for sale! Best again, Joe
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  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Regardless of how good/bad this particular rifle may be, we still don't know what your needs are. Take a look at the websites of the name brand manufacturers, & see what a wide variety of options are available. Do you need a varmint rifle, a rapid entry special, or a standard military rifle? Are you going to shoot light, medium, or heavy bullets, & what twist rate do you need & what is the twist rate of the rifle for sale? What chamber specs do you need, & do you understand the difference between 5.56 NATO & .223 WIN? Do you understand the difference between carry handle & flat top receivers, & how that affects your choice of sights?

    I rather see you buy the right rifle the first time. See if you can buy a copy of The AR-15 Complete Owner's Guide by Walt Kuleck. And search the archives on this forum for "AR"; I bet you will find enough good information to keep you busy for hours.

    I know that the guys who have told you "Go for it" mean well, but are they going to reimburse you the $200-500 (or more) that it will cost to pay a gunsmith to correct problems if they show up? (NOW is the time for each of you guys to say "count me in for $100.")

    Neal
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  • haredawgharedawg Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    thanks Neal
    without getting into to much detail,it's like this I already have a ak/w supplies and I wouldn't mine having a AR or similar as I have some supply already stocked up,if you get what I'm saying.I probably won't shoot it much if so would use it for coyote/ target shooting/ backup for personal.
    I plan on calling the guy again tonite to extract more info so let me know what else to ask thanks guys
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  • armilitearmilite Member Posts: 35,490 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    See if you can fire a few rounds out of it with the owner present.
    If this gun is set up the way you want it then go ahead and buy it. If it is a JT Enterprises built upper I would not second guess the head spacing. Some of the people here are living in the stone age as far as head spacing goes. These guns were pretty much designed that if you used Mil Spec parts everything gets put together and there you go. Some one questioned my expertise in building rifles put together in a kitchen well I've assembled only about 200 of these guns and when I sold them I sold them with a lifetime warranty some thing the factory didn't. Yes with all the guns I built one did come back after about two years after I built it because it had a broken ejector. If it is what you want buy it. As far as Blackthorn, Hesse and Vulcan goes I doubt if they were buying their parts through Armalite & CMMG. Factory stuff can be crap just as well.
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  • haredawgharedawg Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    just got of the phone with the guy and this it what he told me,he was buying up parts last year with the scare going on and it took 3-4 months to get the j&t upper said he still has the paper work on it it's a 1-9 twist w/standard heavy and he thinks chrome lined barrel,he fired it 5 times and it worked great reason for saling is he's got a few AR and he would like to sell this one to fund another build which is a .308 he also offered to take to the range to shoot it to show that it works so now you guys know what I know thanks
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  • haredawgharedawg Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by haredawg
    just got off the phone with the guy and this it what he told me,he was buying up parts last year with the scare going on and it took 3-4 months to get the j&t upper said he still has the paper work on it it's a 1-9 twist w/standard heavy and he thinks chrome lined barrel,he fired it 5 times and it worked great reason for saling is he's got a few AR and he would like to sell this one to fund another build which is a .308 he also offered to take to the range to shoot it to show that it works so now you guys know what I know thanks
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