M16a1 building instructions

[Knuklehead]

Hello everyone, I just purchased a M16a1 kit minus the stripped lower, which is on the way from nodak spud. This is my first ar build and one of the most important things I forgot to order, the instructions on how to build it. Does anyone know of a site that has the instructions I need. I'm sure that they are probobly here somewhere on thr, but I find there search engine sucks, as what ever i search, hardly nothing is related to what I search for. Thanks, much appreciate the help

 

[Tse Gee La]

Over at ar15.com they have a build it yourself section with step by step instructions.

 

[Knuklehead]

cool,thanks bud

 

[gotigers]

yep, AR15.com build it yourself forum is great. Brownells has some nice videos as well.

 

[FLRon]

Mods, I hope this is permitted. If not, please advise and delete. Thanks.

Here is a link called Assemble Your AR-15 From Parts.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782

 

[Zerodefect]

All the above, and AGI has a nice AR build Dvd.

 

[Knuklehead]

FLRon, thanks soo much, I bookmarked it, thanks everyone, I think I have what I need now

 

[Shadow 7D]

UM DON'T
the A1 is full auto, so you would be well advised to use a standard commercial non military type trigger and sears.

But then you would have a AR....

 

[ugaarguy]

UM DON'T
the A1 is full auto, so you would be well advised to use a standard commercial non military type trigger and sears.

But then you would have a AR....

Very true. Make sure you have a semi-auto fire control group. I'm not sure what the BATFE currently says about it now, but there was a time when owning all the parts to make it full auto was considered constructive possession of a machine gun. You may need to get rid of the full auto fire control parts (if it shipped with them) before your lower arrives. Just do your due diligence, and make sure you're safe.

 

[animator]

Very true. Make sure you have a semi-auto fire control group. I'm not sure what the BATFE currently says about it now, but there was a time when owning all the parts to make it full auto was considered constructive possession of a machine gun. You may need to get rid of the full auto fire control parts (if it shipped with them) before your lower arrives. Just do your due diligence, and make sure you're safe.

Even if your receiver cannot accept the auto sear, you can still run as many full-auto trigger/bolt carrier parts as you wish. Plenty of people run full-auto bolt carriers, and I'm sure there's more than a handful of full-auto trigger/hammer combos in semi- rifles out there... granted you gain nothing by doing so.

Semi- receivers can't accept the auto sear, so the other parts can only function in semi-auto mode anyway, so there is nothing illegal about having full-auto parts--they all work the same in a semi- only build...

 

[Shadow 7D]

Um, it's still best just to NOT have a spare Auto sear just hang around
as the ATF really WON'T care until you are trying to explain it to 12 why the stupid little thing won't even fit in you evil machine gun...

Constructive Possession... I don't think it's legal, but... that won't stop you from going to jail,
Besides, the AR triggers are MUCH better than military, so just drop a new trigger group in and be safe.

 

[ants]

Clarification

Several AR parts houses are now selling what they call "M16 kits".

They are NOT and I repeat NOT full auto kits. Go check them out for yourself.

They are semiauto AR kits with the correct buttstock, handguards, upper receiver, flash hider, sights, etc. to imitate an old issue rifle BUT not in full auto. They target a market of interested history buffs who like the old school look. But they are harmless semiauto rifles.

I've seen several threads on this forum (and others) where the members freak out about a newbie accidentally building a full auto assault weapon, and getting life imprisonment in a federal penetentiary for their transgression.

But it won't happen with these wannabe kits. These parts sellers are just faking an M16 kit.

So we can relax, and not freak.




Prediction: Future threads, and maybe this one, will have many many more members warning the newbie of building a full auto rifle, or having possession of full auto parts, or constructive possession of a wicked mass killing machine. Those members will not check out the OP's parts kit first, they'll just go right into their dire warnings again.

 

[ugaarguy]

Several AR parts houses are now selling what they call "M16 kits".

They are NOT and I repeat NOT full auto kits. Go check them out for yourself.

They are semiauto AR kits with the correct buttstock, handguards, upper receiver, flash hider, sights, etc. to imitate an old issue rifle BUT not in full auto. They target a market of interested history buffs who like the old school look. But they are harmless semiauto rifles.

I've seen several threads on this forum (and others) where the members freak out about a newbie accidentally building a full auto assault weapon, and getting life imprisonment in a federal penetentiary for their transgression.

But it won't happen. These parts sellers are just faking an M16 kit.

So we can relax, and not freak.

Here's where knucklehead originally asked about these kits - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=610639. Here are the kits from SARCO - http://e-sarcoinc.com/originalcoltmadegim16a1completepartssets.aspx. These ARE I repeat ARE surplus Colt M16 parts, from unissued rifles, which have been imported from an undisclosed foreign location. THESE ARE REAL M16 PARTS KITS. Look at the pics. I don't see the auto sear; but a full auto disconnector, a full auto hammer, and a full auto selector ARE pictured.

Knucklehead, don't risk it, and just get the proper parts.

Ants, if you like risking having ATF agents literally tear your house apart looking for an auto sear because your lower (even if it isn't machined for an auto sear) has all the other full auto parts, by all means go for it. Just don't advise other folks to throw caution to the wind as they wade into a dark gray area of the law. :banghead:

 

[Shadow 7D]

Sarco isn't the ONLY place, there are afew others that have VIETNAM ERA M16A1 kits
like he said,

it MAY be a AR 'look alike clone'
OR it may be the REAL DEAL, and the last thing you need is a
true MIL SPEC (which means it may or may not be true to the m16 receiver)
and some guy playing 'assemble by numbers' building a NFA rifle.

 

[Zerodefect]

You can't accidentally buy a full auto AR15 kit.

Semiauto kits are around $1000, Full auto kits are $16,000+. So it would be kinda tough to screw that up.

But please don't have a FA receiver, or a FA trigger group, or a auto sear, on hand without your NFA permit 1st.

 

[helotaxi]

Semiauto kits are around $1000, Full auto kits are $16,000+. So it would be kinda tough to screw that up.

That would be true if it included the correct pre-'86 registered lower receiver, which the OP said his kit lacked. FA parts are available from plenty of places and since the registered receiver is required to LEGALLY possess such parts, the parts themselves aren't particularly expensive.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=41732/Product/M16_SEAR

Nothing special in and of itself. Got to be able to keep the legal ones running.

 

[Zerodefect]

Loose auto sears have to be pre-'86 registered. And I don't think those are going to end up in a kit on accident either.

I'm only concerned about the trigger, and a 3 hole reciever. All the other FA parts are fair game (I think), as long as the rifle deosn't actually shoot FA.

 

[gotigers]

A full auto receiver and/or sear will get you in trouble. I wouldn't worry about the rest. As mentioned above, it is a common practice to use the other full auto parts in AR15s. I always use full auto bolt carrier groups.

I did sleep in a holiday inn express once.

 

[karlb]

I bought one of the M16A1 parts kits(w/o barrel) from Apex. It came with the auto sear, auto trigger, auto selector, but missing the auto disconnecter. I sold the sear, trigger, and selector for $70the and used the money to buy a lower parts kit.

 

[ants]

I got a rather nasty PM message from another member on this issue.
Not everyone is going to agree. I hope we keep our calm.
We're all friends here, helping one another.



I do believe the several posts immediately above this one are correct.
In fact, Olympic and other AR manufacturers have occasionally installed
some 'full auto' type parts in their commercial guns (new parts, of course, not old surplus ones).

 

[Orlando]

You can use any full auto part as long as you modify them to semi auto parts. Colt SP1's came with these parts all nuetered to semi auto parts

 

[Fishbed77]

Youtube will be your best friend.

 

[ugaarguy]

You can use any full auto part as long as you modify them to semi auto parts. Colt SP1's came with these parts all nuetered to semi auto parts

Correct, and once modified they are no longer M16 parts. You can use the parts in these kits ONLY if they're modified to no longer work as M16 parts.

Per the BATFE, http://www.atf.gov/publications/download/p/atf-p-5320-8/atf-p-5320-8-appendix-b.pdf

IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING AR-15 TYPE RIFLES

ATF has encountered various AR-15 type rifles such as those manufactured by Colt, E.A. Company, SGW, Sendra and others which have been assembled with fire control components designed for use in M16 machine guns.

In order to avoid violations of the NFA, M16, hammers, triggers, disconnectors, selectors and bolt carriers must not be used in assembly of AR-15 type semiautomatic rifles, unless the M16 parts have been modified to AR-15 Model SP1 configuration. Any AR-15 type rifles which have been assembled with M16 internal components should have those parts removed and replaced with AR-15 Model SP1 type parts which are available commercially. The M16 components also may be modified to AR-15
Model SP1 configuration.

I hope that clarifies the legality of using M16 fire control parts in an AR-15.

In the context of the KG-9 pistol, the document also discusses the following, which may still be of interest in the context of AR-15 rifles with M16 fire control parts.

The National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C. 5845(b), defines a machine gun to include any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The “shoots automatically” definition covers weapons that will function automatically. The “readily
restorable” definition defines weapons which previously could shoot automatically but will not in their present condition. The “designed” definition includes those weapons which have not previously functioned as machine guns but possess design features which facilitate full automatic fire by simple
modification or elimination of existing component parts.

I wouldn't risk having all but one unmodified M16 part in an AR-15. That could potentially open you to legal liability under the "designed" definition described above. Of course, the document is linked so you can read the full context.

 

[Shadow 7D]

FA parts don't make a FA gun (reciever)
it's the trigger group that is key just like the AK
you buy the US semi trigger and don't build it with the interals to mount the FA parts, your ok
same for the AR, you can use milsup, just don't install the Auto Sear and basically ditch the entire trigger group and put in a good semi trigger group.

while they could MAYBE stretch it, maybe that far, it srather far out on the limb to climb and would make WAY too many people felons (not that they care) BUT it does mean you end up with money fighting them, so they won't,

just stay away from the parts that make the gun go 'bangbangbang' and buy a better commercial trigger group.