Planning out my first AR15.

Ammo, more, ammo, and even more ammo. Reloading supplies and equipment to make more ammo.

Breakfree CLP, GI cleaning kit with the stiff rod sections, and a few magazines. If you are new, read this:

http://www.ut.ngb.army.mil/campwill.../Weapons/fm3_22x9c4 (M16 qual w change 4).pdf

I goes over quite a bit about sighting, ranging, and marksmanship basics with these rifles.

Here is the book on care and maintenance:

http://lightfootmilitia.com/files/m16_manual_army_tm_9-1005-249-10_-_11_may_1990.pdf

That should get you started.

After get you comfortable, figure out what you want to do with it, then decide on what mods/accessories you think you will want. Don't run out and buy a bunch of stuff just to buy it.

Buy a PSA, Spikes, BCM, Colt, etc. Dont go for a non milspec rifle when quality guns are about the same price (PSA is actually priced lower than Bushmaster, Stag, RRA, DPMS, etc).

Buy everything Magpul makes! In reality, a few magazines of ammunition will go worlds farther than any whizbang addon you can buy. Learn the gun, then trick it out.

I just put an order in for my first AR as well (a plain 6920), so I am also interested in this topic. Hope you don't mind if I piggyback some questions in here.

Are any of these AR wrenches or tools needed for the average user who will be using the rifle "as-is" and not doing multiple builds, etc? What about tools for general thorough cleaning? I already have all the rods, brushes (chamber and bore), CLP, etc.

I see "gen 3" PMAGs all over the place, but "gen 2s" also seem to still be on the market. Is there a reason? Why would one prefer one PMAG type over the other?

I also ordered steel GI mags. Are these more or less desirable than aluminum ones? What was the original spec?

Original GI spec is aluminum. As long as you go with anti-tilt followers, you should be OK.

I see "gen 3" PMAGs all over the place, but "gen 2s" also seem to still be on the market. Is there a reason? Why would one prefer one PMAG type over the other?

Click to expand...

I'm a little leery of going with the Gen 3 PMAGS - I can't recall any problems with the Gen 2, and they work for me, so why take a chance that the new design may have unforeseen problems (and I've already seen some talk of such).

FWIW, I think:
1. The Gen 2 no longer includes the dust covers (you'll have to find your own, sold in 3 packs).
2. The Dust Cover comes with the Gen 3, but it no longer clamps to the bottom of the mag for storage! One step forward, two steps back?

Jackal: can you enlighten us a bit more? I was at my LGS yesterday and almost picked up a bushmaster for 650. The least expensive PSA I see on their website is $1000. $350 plus FFL transfer fees will buy a lot of ammo...

I'm not saying I disagree with your AR brand preferences, just that I can't find a PSA for less money than a bushmaster.

I'll go do some more googling on the others and see if I can find any in the $600 range

hpluseleven said:

Jackal: can you enlighten us a bit more? I was at my LGS yesterday and almost picked up a bushmaster for 650. The least expensive PSA I see on their website is $1000. $350 plus FFL transfer fees will buy a lot of ammo...

I'm not saying I disagree with your AR brand preferences, just that I can't find a PSA for less money than a bushmaster.

I'll go do some more googling on the others and see if I can find any in the $600 range

Click to expand...

I believe Jackal's logic relies on "the chart". This is not maintained anymore, but there are many copies of it floating around on the internet (just google m4 chart). The guy that runs tacticalyellowvisor.net made this chart and it lists the mil-spec features utilized by brand - more X's means a higher quality rifle.

[Sorry for the giant pic, it was the first decent version Google found.]

Mil-spec features are listed in the left column and brands are listed across the top.

All of the mi-spec features were designed to enhance the reliability/useability of the rifle. Basically, a Colt or BCM incorporates all the features, so they should run like Usane Bolt and have no issues. Brands to the right of the chart may or may not run reliably. If you're just engaging paper, or just want an AR-15 this may not matter to you. If you want quality or may use your rifle in a situation where you have to rely on it's ability to function (HD/patrol/hunting), buy a quality brand.

If you decide to buy a Bushmaster, Stag, RRA, CMMG, or god-forbid an Oly, you should buy a BCG that has been HPT'd, shot-peened, with a properly staked gas key, etc.These are not hard to find and should go a long way to making your rifle function reliably AND ensuring your safety should you "win" the lottery and get a hot round. A properly designed bolt may get totaled if you drop the hammer on a hot round, but it will be strong enough to minimize any damage you may take. Not to mention the fact that, lately there have been lots of no-name bolts spontaneously dis-assemble on folks within the first 10 rounds. The panic severely stressed the supply chain and some companies cut corners on heat treatment, resulting in bolts that can't take the stress.

If it was a new bushy for 650 it was a carbon model. Nowhere near the same gun as a psa. I had a bushy xm-15 couldn't get the rear takedown pin out without a hammer and plastic punch. You can buy cheap and buy another once you realize how crappy the cheap one is or you can buy good once and be done. There is a reason you don't hear a lot of complaints about colt, bcm, Daniel defense, etc. If your only going to shoot a couple times a year the bushy or dpms is probably fine. If you shoot a lot like every couple weeks with a good amount of ammo like some of us do the go with a top tier rifle. One thing people don't realize. If 250 dollars is to much difference to spend to get a great rifle over an ok rifle then you can't afford to shoot it. If you run your gun you'll spend over 100 dollars a range trip. I'm not talking I shoot 50 rounds I'm talking running the gun hard practicing and training takes a couple hundred rounds at a time. There's a reason classes want you to bring 1000 rounds for one weekend.

Super info.
Thanks all!

SGW42 said:

I just put an order in for my first AR as well (a plain 6920), so I am also interested in this topic. Hope you don't mind if I piggyback some questions in here.

Are any of these AR wrenches or tools needed for the average user who will be using the rifle "as-is" and not doing multiple builds, etc? What about tools for general thorough cleaning? I already have all the rods, brushes (chamber and bore), CLP, etc.

I see "gen 3" PMAGs all over the place, but "gen 2s" also seem to still be on the market. Is there a reason? Why would one prefer one PMAG type over the other?

I also ordered steel GI mags. Are these more or less desirable than aluminum ones? What was the original spec?

Click to expand...

To answer the OP and other on-topic questions and not drift into "mine is better than yours"...

If you do not plan to disassemble past user level maintenance, you do not need more tools that what you already have. Wrenches and specialty tools are for those assembling from kits or swapping major components.

The only tool that comes in handy as an extra is a sight tool. While sights can be adjusted with the tip of a bullet, a sight tool makes it far easier.

As for cleaning, the only thing a basic non-AR kit wouldn't have is the chamber brush. You can get by without one but cleaning is much easier with one. It has been my experience that GI chamber brushes have different threads than commercial cleaning kits and since GI cleaning kits are so cheap, I recommend all AR users get one.

+1 on the ruptured case extractor.

As for mags, I am not a fan of plastic mags and use GI mags. That is a choice you would have to make if you use afer-market accessories. Oh, GI mags are aluminum.

The sling as mentioned by Taliv is a good one and I will add that to basic load out recommendations. I will say, nothing fancy though. Basic GI web sling is good for most applications. I personally use a Vietnam-era sling. They $6 new-in-wrapper in my local surplus store and work perfectly fine plus I can tell mine apart from the 40 other AR rifles sitting in the rack at the range.

One other thing I would like to add is a drop bag of some sort to carry spare mags and a place to put empties. If shooting at a range, this may not be all that handy but were I live, we have lots of open BLM land and I spend a good deal of time out walking around especially when shooting whistle pigs.