Do you buy spare AR parts?
- Thread starter HammsBeer
- Start date
- Status
Heh great question
I will admit spares have occasionally turned into new rifles
But generally it's a good idea to have a spare bcg. Or at least a spare bolt. I keep a spare extractor and spring and insert. Spare gas rings. Spare action spring. Spare disconnector.
I will admit spares have occasionally turned into new rifles
But generally it's a good idea to have a spare bcg. Or at least a spare bolt. I keep a spare extractor and spring and insert. Spare gas rings. Spare action spring. Spare disconnector.
Jackal
Member
All my spare parts seem to turn into spare rifles....
MachIVshooter
Member
Spare bolt, buffer & spring, and repair kit (see below). Anything more grows into a mature AR (of which I already have too many).
Where did you get that kit from? Looks pretty complete for any potential repairs.
My worry is if I get too many spare parts, it's only a few big components away from another complete rifle, and i've got 3 AR's already. Good luck justifying a forth to the wife!
My worry is if I get too many spare parts, it's only a few big components away from another complete rifle, and i've got 3 AR's already. Good luck justifying a forth to the wife!
Ibmikey
Member
All i have is spare parts, lots and lots of them but i have a unique way of storing them-------i put them together and the 25 finished AR's fit nicely in a wall rack.
1911 guy
Member
I've helped build and upgrade a lot of rifles over the last few years. Often, someone will give me the parts they're removing to upgrade. Late last year I looked in my box of goodies and discovered I was exactly one stripped lower and one BCG short of a complete rifle. I don't have many spare parts now...
But really, I see it as a matter of need or convenience. If you rely on the rifle, you need some sort of backup. Often, it is cheaper to have a few spare parts laying around than to have a complete backup rifle. If it's just a range toy, no real need to have spares. But even for the expense of going to a class, having spares can mean the difference between finishing a course you paid for or sitting it out and probably not getting any of the money back you laid out to attend.
But really, I see it as a matter of need or convenience. If you rely on the rifle, you need some sort of backup. Often, it is cheaper to have a few spare parts laying around than to have a complete backup rifle. If it's just a range toy, no real need to have spares. But even for the expense of going to a class, having spares can mean the difference between finishing a course you paid for or sitting it out and probably not getting any of the money back you laid out to attend.
MaterDei
Member
love to see pics, ibmikey.
No, I don't have spares other than cannibalizing a working rifle to fix another; but I should.
No, I don't have spares other than cannibalizing a working rifle to fix another; but I should.
bfoosh006
Member
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2008
- Messages
- 1,087
Yes, I prefer to have ample spare parts as I have numerous rifles.
You never know when you are going to launch a spring / pin / whatever ...
BCM LPK's, Complete BCG, gas tubes....
Every time I consider building another rifle... I fish through the rifles and go shoot one for the afternoon to help get rid of the urge.
You never know when you are going to launch a spring / pin / whatever ...
BCM LPK's, Complete BCG, gas tubes....
Every time I consider building another rifle... I fish through the rifles and go shoot one for the afternoon to help get rid of the urge.
md7
Member
I think it's good to have an extra lpk, bolt, action spring, and gas rings handy. Maybe an extra firing pin too. I don't have all of those, but I probably should.
ny32182
Member
Extra BCG and LPK should cover 99% of everything that is likely to get broken or lost. Then you can just buy individual parts to replace any that you use.
Quentin
Member
Spare parts? Yeah, I have a spare AR or two.
Yeah, they morphed from an extra BCG or LPK!
Yeah, they morphed from an extra BCG or LPK!
wally
Member
When something breaks for one of my guns, if I fix it myself I buy at least replacement part and a spare. So I've the most commonly needed spare parts on hand for all my high round count guns, not just ARs.
GunnyUSMC
Member
I have enough spare parts to build 3 rifles right now. I also have three spare rifles built. 
I don't like looking around for small lower parts that I drop on the floor when building a lower so, I keep extra small parts on hand.
I have a bunch of standard handhuards in a box that I don't think will ever get used.
I don't like looking around for small lower parts that I drop on the floor when building a lower so, I keep extra small parts on hand.
I have a bunch of standard handhuards in a box that I don't think will ever get used.
HoosierQ
Member
I have a lot. cam pins. springs and spring kits. bolts complete. bolt rebuild kits. extractors with springs and pins. firing pins. buffer spring. What I don't have is a spare bolt carrier.
fireman 9731
Member
Has anyone actually needed any of their spare parts?
mgmorden
Member
Is there any problem with them turning into a spare rifle?
If you have two then if something breaks on one you have another available without tinkering. If something breaks on both you have two guns that you can cannibalize into a single one.
To me a second rifle just seems like a pile of spare parts assembled into a convenient storage system.
If you have two then if something breaks on one you have another available without tinkering. If something breaks on both you have two guns that you can cannibalize into a single one.
To me a second rifle just seems like a pile of spare parts assembled into a convenient storage system
.JWH321
Member
"Has anyone actually needed any of their spare parts?"
Yes. I'm the only person in history to have ever BROKEN a safety selector spring. It literally went into two pieces. I replaced it with one from the spare parts envelope. (of course, now I'm on the lookout for a lowers kit to get a replacement for the replacement).
Yes. I'm the only person in history to have ever BROKEN a safety selector spring. It literally went into two pieces. I replaced it with one from the spare parts envelope. (of course, now I'm on the lookout for a lowers kit to get a replacement for the replacement).
Reloadron
Contributing Member
Ironically no AR parts but I also have parts for M1 Garand and M1A and have replaced extractors in both. Half the time I buy spare parts it's things I grab at a show for example. Then I forget where the hell I put them so I buy more. A week ago I was trying to organize the safe (I need another safe) and found a bag of AR parts I have no clue when or where I got it. Has me wondering what good are spare parts when I don't remember where I put them?
Ron
GunnyUSMC
Member
In my 20 years in the Corps, I carried the M16A1 and the A2. I only damaged one rifle in 1983. While sliding down hill at a higher rate of speed then liked, involuntarly, while training in NTA Okinawa. I used my M16A1 to stop me from going off a 15ft drop into a stream bed. I turned my rifle sideways and cought it on two small trees, the buttstock and the barrel. Boy did that hurt my gut. The force cracked the buttstock at the top just behind the charging handle and bent the barrel slightly. The rifle still fuctioned, but I was issued another weapon after the training mission was over.
Most often you will loose a small part when building, upgreading or cleaning.
Most often you will loose a small part when building, upgreading or cleaning.
TanklessPro
Member
Yes I keep spare parts. I have 1 AR-15 with 15 sets of complete replacement parts. 
matrem
Member
Have a couple ARs as well as numerous spare parts lying around, from spare lowers, stocks, and lpks.
As for an AR I'd depend on first, or if I had only one, a well oiled spare bcg is the most important spare part I'd keep handy at all times.
As for an AR I'd depend on first, or if I had only one, a well oiled spare bcg is the most important spare part I'd keep handy at all times.
- Status
