"There are 10 kinds of people..." AR15 Build

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MattTheHat

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"There are 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't."

I admit to being a bit of a computer geek. Over the past ten years or so I've done my share of computer and web programming using more languages and acronyms than I care to remember. About a year ago I was browsing a local gun classifieds and found a guy building AR15s from parts. I didn't need an AR at the time, but happened to look closer at the pictures. I noticed that one of the rifles was built on an RRA lower whose serial number was all ones and zeros. I emailed the guy and asked if he still had that particular AR, and he did. A few hours later, it was mine. I parted it all out except for the heavy barrel and the lower. I ended up building up the AR I wanted using the heavy barrel a DPMS lo-pro upper, and all manner of other goodies.

But there's nothing particularly digital or binary about a .223 rifle, cool serial number or no. I've been wanting to build a 10mm upper and happened to notice Midway had the Olympic Arms complete uppers in stock. So I ordered one. It arrived last week. It dawned on me today that a 10mm upper goes right along with the binary theme!

Since I wanted to change a few parts out on the lower, I decided to go ahead and strip it down and take pictures of the build. I'm sure it's been done a million times, but I'm also sure there at least a few here that may find it interesting. I think I have everything on hand that I need, so I'm going to start wrenching and photographing.

-Matt

ar_1.jpg
 
I do reload, and happen to have a whole mess o' Hornady 10mm bullets that I got free from when I upgraded my press earlier in the year. Between the press and all the dies I ended up with about 1200 bullets. :)


-Matt
 
I really like Yankee Hill Machine goodies. So I'll start with some of their extended takedown pins. Since I'll be sharing the lower with my HBAR .223, (and who knows what other uppers I end up with down the road) it seems like a reasonable thing to do.

ar_yhm_pins.jpg


There are all manner of extended mag releases out there, but I like the one from Power Custom. Nice and simple. Just a larger pad with a checkered surface.

ar_mag_release.jpg


ar_mag_release_in.jpg


Stay tuned...


-Matt
 
I've tried a few different oversized bolt release buttons but haven't found one I cared much for. I like the Ed Brown, especially since the button can be oriented a couple of different ways, but they always seem to shoot loose for me. Even with Loctite. So, I just installed a standard bolt release that I had laying around.

Next up was the trigger. I've decided to go with the Timney 3-pounder. I opted for the skeletonized version. It sounds silly, but after luging that HBAR around, I want to shave weight off anywhere I can. (Actually, I just think it looked cooler.)

ar_timney.jpg


ar_timney_in.jpg


It uses stock trigger group pins. Once in place, a couple of internal set screws are tightened to push the trigger housing tight against the pins. Afterwards, you lock those two set screws in place with a couple more. Trigger pull is nice!

Here's the only thing that should keep this all from being a bolt-up build. The Olympic Arms upper uses a heavy dog leg spring as an empty shell ejector. It's kept in place with an additional spring and a cross pin. That being the case, the upper has to be cross-drilled for the pin, and drilled on one side for the end of the keeper spring to be located. I'll take some careful measurements, chuck the upper in my mill and drill those here shortly.

ar_problem_1.jpg


-Matt
 
010011010110000101110100011101000101010001101000
011001010100100001100001011101000010110000100000
010010010010000001110111011000010110111001110100
001000000110111101101110011001010010000001101111
011001100010000001110100011010000110111101110011
011001010010000001100001011011000111001101101111
001011000010000001101011011001010110010101110000
001000000111010101110011001000000111000001101111
0111001101110100011001010110010000101110
 
Well, this isn't cool. I don't have the proper sized end mills, but I didn't, so I had to do the job with some spot drills to try to eliminate flexing. The darned receiver is rounded where I need to drill. I ended up closer to the edge than I would have liked. Suppose it will work but I'll probably try again when I get the proper end mills.

ar_holes.jpg



-Matt
 
Okay, next problem...

The hole in the end cap for the Yankee Hill carbine length hand guard is a bit too small to allow the guard to screw all the way down. I have another flavor without the end cap that I could install, but I really like the finished look the end cap provides.

So, I could chuck the barrel in my lathe and turn it down a few thousandths for the end 1/2" or so. I would prefer to bore out the end cap, but it's already very close to being as large as it can be without encroaching on the vent holes. Going to have to think on this one for a bit.


-Matt
 
I decided to go ahead and install the DPMS aluminum carbine length hand guard instead of the YHM. It has no end cap, but I guess I could always turn one at a later date. Who knows, I might like the way it looks without it.

ar_dpms_guard.jpg


Then I slipped on the Yankee Hill Machine low profile gas block with top rail.

ar_yhm_gas.jpg


Now for the bolt latch. This is what I had on the .223 upper:

ar_latch_1.jpg


I like it, especially the little gripper bumps. Oversized, but not too large. Keeping with the lighter is better idea, I decided to go with a similar latch from Badger ordinance:

ar_latch_2.jpg


And then the funky 10mm bolt carrier goes in. Notice all the weirdness.

ar_bolt.jpg


I just realized I should have installed the safety selector before installing the trigger. Back to work.


-Matt
 
I prefer an extended trigger guard. I decided to go with a Magpul. It uses a set screw on the forward pin which locks it into place quite nicely.

I have a CAA G-27 on the .223 upper. It's okay, but I don't care for the way the compartment is plugged. I picked up a UTG Model 15 pistol grip to use instead. The compartment latch appears to be solid enough as to be trusted, and the grip is, well, grippier than the CAA. It also has a built-in grip gapper. The Magpul trigger guard doesn't have a gap, so I trimmed that bit off with a sharp knife. Turns out I could have just trimmed the web off and it would likely have looked better. Feels fine the way it is.

ar_grips.jpg


ar_grip_utg.jpg


I removed the Timney trigger just long enough to slip the safety into place. I actually did this before installing the grip. Again, there are loads of tricked up safety selectors out there, but I never felt the need for anything other than the standard piece.

ar_safety.jpg


Next up is the stock.


-Matt
 
I should have mentioned the flash suppressor earlier, right after the gas block. I installed a Miculek compensator on my .223 upper. I purchased another to bore out to .40" for the 10mm barrel, but the thread pattern on the 10mm upper is considerably larger the that of the heavy barrel on the .223. Not a big deal. I can bore it out and rethread it to match the barrel whenever I get around to boring out the business end. Since I can't even screw the Miculek on for pics, here's a pic of the flash hider as it came installed.

-Matt

ar_flash_1.jpg
 
I had a CAA adjustable stock installed previously. I never use the rifle in the collapsed position and I don't care for all the rattling. With the optional adjustable cheek piece, I do like the way that stock feels, while in the shooting position. I decided to go with an Ace fixed stock. I grabbed the entry version by accident and it was simply too short. So I grabbed the standard length version to use instead:

ar_stock_ace.jpg


I like QD sling loops, so using the hardware provided with the stock (there are three threaded holes for installing sling mounts or whatever) I installed a QD cup:

ar_qd_rear.jpg



-Matt
 
Just trying to get it buttoned up as best I can this evening. Decided to go with a set of YHM sights. Then bolted on an Eotech holo sight.

ar_yhm_sights.jpg


Other than boring out and rethreading the Miculek compensator and replacing the pin for the ejector spring which I broke (don't ask), all that's really left is a means to mount a QD cup towards the business end of the barrel. I'm not sure what its for, but there is a cut out on one of the gas block compression rings. It appears I can thread this and simply screw another QD cup right in.

ar_qd_option.jpg


Here's the basically finished product:

ar_assembled.jpg


I can't wait to take her to the farm!


-Matt
 
BinARy!!!

Interesting serial # and a nice find. I wonder if RRA was doing a special run or something? It's not what you'd expect to come across, that's for sure.

Great work and I enjoyed your thread, Matt!
 
Why the gas block, it looks like a blow-back bolt.

I've the Olympic AR in .40S&W that uses modified (needs the left side plastic cut to make a mag catch notch) Glock 22 mags. Makes a most satisfying thump when the 180gr slugs hit the backstop.

How available are mags for the 10mm and who makes them?

Love the serial number, not sure what is special about DF as opposed to 55? I speak hex better than binary :) or is there something special about 337 octal I'm missing?

101101110 (octal 556) or 10101010 would be maximally cool!
 
Whoa, who let all the nerds in here? :)
Love the Flight of the Conchords reference.

I really like the sleek look of this build, with the low profile handguard and that stock.
 
The reason for the gas block was simply to provide a mounting location for the front sight. If I can locate the proper sized end cap for the YHM hand guard I was planning on using, I can lose the gas block. It is indeed a straight blow-back system.


-Matt
 
Sorry to piss in the wheaties a little late here, but doesn't Olympic have new 10mm mags that have the ejector built into the mags? Do these mags need that spring deal on the upper?

2e033d3cab92e1910ecb40b765190070.jpg
 
Sorry to piss in the wheaties a little late here, but doesn't Olympic have new 10mm mags that have the ejector built into the mags? Do these mags need that spring deal on the upper?
Click to expand...

That's what the mags look like, but the upper still has the ejector built in. I guess I'll be loading up a mag and see if it works without the ejector spring contraption. If so, all the better, but I sure wish you'd have urinated in my Wheaties a couple of days ago...before I drilled my upper. :)


-Matt
 
Thought I'd mention I didn't get a manual. I need to call Oly and get them to send one. If that little gem is included in the manual, I'm going to kick myself.


-Matt
 
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