M16a1 parts kit

[AZ-Stew]

It sounds like a great idea. What size tap should I use? Should I just look for screws from a McMaster-Carr catalog?

Stew do you have a link for that tool your talking about?

Thanks

Sorry I didn't come back to this until now. Here's the link: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=920248

It's pretty simple. The tool has a transverse hole through it (you can see it at the left end in the photo) and is knurled so you can rotate it easily. In use, you insert the tool in the takedown pin hole so the transverse hole lines up with the hole in the lower that is used to insert the detent. Insert the spring and detent pin through the hole in the pin and push it down with a pin punch. Now rotate the tool so it captures the detent pin. You can now slide the takedown pin through the other side of the lower and push the tool out with it. be careful not to let the detent slip between the takedown pin and the tool.

One of the problems I had with my lower is that the detent hole wasn't drilled deep enough and I had one h*** of a time trying to get the detent and spring down far enough to assemble the takedown pin. The spring would compress solid, preventing the detent pin from going down far enough to assemble the takedown pin. Once I drilled it out and made a proper tool for assembling it, things went quickly.

Regards,

Stew

[JIMinPHX]

What is the bottom dollar that someone could build a complete unit for, that is not a total piece of garbage? What are the desirable features to look for? Where is a good place to buy a complete kit?

[AZ-Stew]

Can't help you there, Jim. I didn't go "cheap", I went "custom varmint". Mine has a Command Arms collapsible butt stock, a grip that I can never remember the name of, but is the best, low-price piece of firearms hardware I ever bought (~$15 at Pistol Parlour in Mesa), a Jewel two-stage trigger ($200+) and a Bushmaster Varminter (.223 x 9" twist x 24" long carbon steel barrel and free-float handgard - $900), with a Burris 6.5-20x50mm Ballistic Plex scope. I shoot F-Cass with it at Rio Salado about once a month.

The stripped lower cost me about $140 right after the 2008 election and parts kits were unavailable. I had to buy all the parts as separate pieces. No big deal. It only cost a few extra $$. You can probably get the stripped lower now for about $100, but I haven't priced them lately.

Regards,

Stew

[JIMinPHX]

J&G's bottom dollar on a parts kit seems to be $500.
http://www.jgsales.com/product_info....c9cca86e0fa0fc

Who is this "copes" place that sells them for $450?

[Houndog]

I got my rifle kit from Del-Ton and it is first class. I built an A2 on a Spike's lower reciever casting and wound up with a little under $600 in it. I did not go with a chrome lined barrel as I thoroghly dislike them. Everything else is standard military configuration. The upper was fully assembled and I built the lower from parts.

FWIW, this place is in Fayetteville NC and in what I gathered talking with them I suspect their armorers are from Fort Bragg. .

[JIMinPHX]

Why don't you like chrome barrels? The only problem that I've ever found with them is that they don't like aluminum gas checks. Are there other problems that I'm not aware of, or is it just a personal thing?

[Houndog]

Jim,
It's more of a personal thing I guess. I have had the chrome lining peel and I've never had a chrome lined barrel shoot as well as a standard bore. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS they might last somewhat longer. If I were back in Nam or some other severly wet s--t hole a chrome lined barrel could be an advantage, but i'm one of the accuracy above all else folks.

FWIW: I didn't use an M16 in Nam! I used an M40A1

[andremajic]

What is the bottom dollar that someone could build a complete unit for, that is not a total piece of garbage? What are the desirable features to look for? Where is a good place to buy a complete kit?

*throws some gasoline in the burn barrel*

You money should be put into a good quality barrel with a matching bolt. That is where you accuracy comes from. (You can use a stock bolt and lap it to match if you have a decent barrel.)

Other than a free-float barrel, all the other parts can be loose as a goose.

Del-ton used to have GREAT prices, but now I shop around. They aren't in Fayetteville, but they are in NC so parts come almost overnight to me. (midwayusa beat their prices on an upper I had my eye on.)

Stick with a stock trigger and do a trigger job on it. Rent the AGI video at www.smartflix.com (Triggers do NOT make an accurate rifle, they just make it easier to shoot! Shooter accuracy vs. mechanical accuracy.)

Best Regards,

Andy.

[georged4997]

does that rifle bring back memories, 1972. i would take that rifle over any m-4.
love to have one.

[Texasflyboy]

ATF Letter #52:

We would advise any person who possesses an AR-15 rifle not to
possess M-16 fire control component. If a person possessed only
the M-16 machinegun and spare M-16 fire control components for that
machinegun, the person would possess only one machinegun.

We trust that the foregoing has been responsive to your inquiry.
If you have further questions concerning this matter, please
contact us.

Sincerely yours,


Edward M. Owen, Jr.
Chief, Firearms Technology Branch

The rest of the ATF letters:

ATF Letters from James Bardwell's Old Site

At one time time I remember reading the following quote in a similar thread:

"You have to realize that everyone is an expert when it comes to firearms and the laws regarding firearms. Everyone has an opinion, whether right or wrong. But what is important to remember is that while you will get many different opinions in the field, the one opinion that will matter most will be the one rendered at the conclusion of the trial."

The "Can I have one, two, three, or four M16 parts in my AR-15 build?" thread happens so often it's banned on many WWW gun boards due to the sheer amount of misinformation that gets posted in regards to the thread.

Any agency that classifies a shoestring as a machine gun is not one I want to waste my hard earned money dealing with. The U.S. government has deep pockets. I don't.

FWIW.

[DCM]

A full-auto hammer can be easily modified, by simply grinding off the 'hook' on the tip. The back end of the full-auto trigger can be spot welded so that a full-auto disconnector's 'tail' can't fit into it. The FA selector is best replaced, because it's more trouble to modify it than what the cost of a replacement is worth.

The full-auto bolt carrier is not an issue, so don't worry about that.

Well stated! Very good advice. Best to make the FA parts SA only and dump the selector.

If you are concerned with the bolt carrier that can be fixed too by removing abot 0.125" from the bottom near where the trigger group would be, making the back part of the opening just a little longer.

[dpaqu]

Do you own a FA lower? I can't see a sear in that pic you posted but I do see a FA hammer and possibly FA selector (hard to tell in pic). I'd be careful possessing these parts if you don't already own a registered FA lower. Parts from a FA trigger group in a semi auto lower could land you a trip to club fed if it is ever discovered.

---Jailer

I gave the selector and the sear to a Class III friend of mine. Thanks for looking out.

&G's bottom dollar on a parts kit seems to be $500.
http://www.jgsales.com/product_info....c9cca86e0fa0fc

Who is this "copes" place that sells them for $450?

--JIMinPHX

Copes distributing http://www.copesdistributing.net/

Good folks in OH. I buy a lot of stuff from them. The $450 dollar deal was a black friday thing.


So far I've done nothing but research this project. I do think I have someone lined up to help me with parkerizing the barrel for cheap If I pay him to parkerize an Egyptian AK kit that I'm working on

[Mallard57]

I use a hitch pin with the holes in it to put in the front take down detent pin. Put the hitch pin in, line up holes, insert the spring and detent, push down with a punch, roll hitch pin a little, withdraw punch, now your ready to shove your take down pin from the other side. Easy and a handy tool for less than a dollar.
Jeff

[shotman]

better look out tex has it right. and for what use???? cant hit a car on full auto.