[Lex]

Just how durable is the AR-15? I like to clean my firearms after I use them, keep them lightly lubed and plink with them another day.

Is there alot of "tinkering or tweaking" needed or is this just an added bonus to those types that like to do this? I had the same impression of the 1911. Too darn-much "tweaking". I want a freaking firearm that works like it's supposed to right off the shelf.

I've got 3 Ruger P series pistols and have never had a problem. I've owned other brands (including a SA 1911) and experienced many problems. Not fun!

I'm looking at a Bushy or maybe a RRA AR-15 and want to have some fun with it...not perform surgery on it! Any help?


Thanks,

Lex in NC

[SOT_II]

Keep it reasonably clean...it will work fine.

[Not_A_Llama]

All you should really need to do on a semi-regular bassis is apply CLP to critical areas. The carbon deposits in the piston are self-limiting, and most people overclean their bores. Past that, there's not much to do.

Maybe get a chamber brush... You don't need to get your rifle super clean, but you can if you'd like.

AR15s are heavily standardized; you will not have to tweak yours.

[Lex]

Thanks, folks! I'm getting a "warm and fuzzy" feeling about purchasing a new AR.

I keep reading mostly good things about the Bushy and RRA. Now I just gotta get the remaining $$$$ together.


Lex in NC

[Redlg155]

I doubt you have many problems with a good brand of AR15. The two you mentioned are more than acceptable. Just stick to USGI magazines and keep her lubed correctly.


Good Shooting
Red

[Gary G23]

Bushy and RRA are great rifles. If you want to reduce your maintenance be sure and get a chrome lined bore and get a BoreSnake.

[cookhj]

so i went to quantico arms today.....they don't have anymore eagle arms receivers! oh well. i had to go by TTI (he does good work on AR's) and bet a DPMS. it cost a little bit more than i wanted, but i need one for my next build, and DPMS is good.

[Kharn]

A chrome bore, a bore snake, chamber brush, some Hoppes and a bunch of CLP is all you really need in the way of specialized equipment to quickly clean an AR.

I wipe everything down with Hoppes (leaving a good amount on the parts to loosen the carbon) as I dissassemble the rifle, clean the barrel (first the chamber brush and then put a little Hoppes on the front of the bore snake), then give everything a quick once-over with an old bore-brush to break off any carbon I can see, dry with paper towels or cotton patches then re-lube with CLP and reassemble.

Kharn

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Good ammo, good magazines and keeping the bolt/chamber area free of dirt is about all you need for a reliable AR.

The major source of reliability issues in the AR is usually associated with the magazines. I recommend using only USGI magazines and even then, you have to be careful as there used ones on the market that may be less than optimal. The good news is if you do get one of those, you can usually build it into a fully reliable mag for less than $8 if the feed lips haven't been damaged.

The black follower mags are also generally less reliable than the green follower mags (though I have plenty of black follower mags that have never given me a single problem).

There is no need to tweak the AR15 unless you want to and often the tweaking can lead to less reliability rather than more.

Durability-wise, there were M16s in use in 1995 that were part of the original XM16E1 purchase from the mid-60s. Any rifle that can survive thirty years of use in the military is probably going to be plenty durable.

Locally I know of two separate Colts with round counts of 160,000. At that point they became unserviceable as the fire control pins would fall out regularly. However, there are parts out there to fix this and they probably would have be good to go for even more.

I believe Denny Hansen has remarked that he has around 80,000 rounds through his Olympic AR and it continues to run fine.

[yci]

I've got an uncle in Oklahoma that uses his AR-15 as his ranch gun. Gets banged around riding in the ranch truck and tractor, still shoots just fine. He cleans it every so often and that's about it. Seems durable enough for me.

[NEtracker]

Fairly durable.
The beauty of the AR, is all that tinkering that you can do, if you want to.
So many after market accessories! Consider a flat top, for easier scope mounting.
I have a Bushy, and a RRA.
Both are excellent quality & finish. Sometimes I break 'em down every other trip, vs. after each. Either way, it does get a quick clean & lube..
I use an Otis kit, plus FP10, MP7.

Ammo: I use a lot of Federal XM193, great stuff.
I use Black Hills blue box mostly in my Varmint rig.
Have tried Wolf polymer, LC M855, Federal SMK, NATEC PCA.
All are fine, though Wolf seems dirtier.

[ny32182]

Lex, depending on what part of NC you are in and if you feel it would be worth the trip you are welcome to come down here and try out my Bushmasters. I love them and they have never failed me.

[Lex]

My in-laws live in Seneca, SC (just outside Clemson). I'm pretty dead-set on the Bushy.

Thanks for the offer. Perhaps I can look you up next time I'm working Greenville. I live just outside of Raleigh.

Lex in NC

[JNewell]

There are still M16A1s in service, though admittedly not in front line service now. However, some of these rifles are Vietnam-era or immediately post-VN. If you give your rifle even moderately good care, it will last...well, longer than you are likely to be around to see.

This is not true, btw, if you follow the school of thought that ARs need no lube. Unless you habitually play in the sandbox, the USGI lube instructions should be followed.

[Gunrunner]

I've had a Colt CAR-15 for 15 years now and have used the heck out of it. All I've ever done is a basic cleaning and lube after shooting, and it's ready to go the next time out.

[Rockstar]

By Not_A_Llama, "The carbon deposits in the piston are self-limiting, and most people overclean their bores. "

There are no pistons in AR's.

[RavenVT100]

It's not the standard issue rifle of the U.S. Army and Marine corps for no reason.

I have a Bushie, and I absolutely love it. IMO, this is the brand you should go with (if not Colt). They're usually chambered to NATO spec, which means you can use either 5.56 or .223, and shoot all the milsurp ammo that you like. This is just my opinion, but I would stay away from Wolf, Olympic, and the other cheap ammunition for your AR-15 as the 5.56 and .223 are cheap enough as it is, and you don't need even cheaper ammo to risk screwing up your rifle from a case head separation or worse. The former seems to be the most common Wolf-related malfunction on other people's AR-15s in my experience. I've never used it myself for that reason.


If you get a full size, go with a 1/9 twist, chrome-plated heavy barrel. You'll see something along the lines of "5.56 NATO 1/9 HBAR" stamped near the muzzle.

[Blackcloud6]

ARs do require cleaning as the gas and powder residue go right into the bolt carrier. Its good to keep the lugs clean in the chamber area. Get a US Army or USMC maintenance manual and follow it. Also lube your rifle as prescribed in the manual. I've seen many an AR lock up at the range because the owner keeps the bolt carrier as dry as he would in a manual bolt gun.

IU agree that many people over clean their bores and saw at them with rods causing damage over a long term. i use only bore snakes now to clean my rifle bores.

[RavenVT100]

Just as an adjunct to what I said before, if you are serious about match shooting then go with a national match barrel, not a service barrel. Up to you.

[ny32182]

Actually I drive through Seneca on the way to go shooting so that would be perfect.

I will make one comment about the HBAR. I got a 20" HBAR for my first AR. Now I don't really think that the HBAR profile is necessary. It makes the gun front heavy and I have a hard time thinking there is really any advantage to having one, especially on a semi-auto weapon. The old A1s, and even the A2's are thinner than the HBAR, and both of those are used in burst or full auto.

I still have the gun though, and it runs SO well that I am reluctant to change anything on it. Sometime after the AWB sunset I might be inclined to send the upper in to have the profile turned down to A2 and have the evil features added. We will see.

[artherd]

If you keep squirting CLP into an AR, I belive it will run nearly forever. (it will look ugly though :)