AR15 Battle Rifle build....

[BigtimeAub]

I apologize if this has been discussed ad nauseum but was just hoping to get a little advice. I served in the USMC and got out back in 04. I'm very familiar with Colt M16A2 service rifle but little with the A4 carbines. I'm also brand new to the civy side of these rifles as well and know nothing about all of the aftermarket parts that are available.

Now that we have all of that out of the way, I bought a Core15 as my base rifle. I want to ensure that it is the absolute most rugged and dependable rifle that it can be. I want to be able to thrash this rifle, drop it off the tailgate, bury it in the mud (not really), lose it in the sand and still be able to pick it right up and shoot. (Ok, I realize that this is asking a bit much of an AR, it's not an AK, but you get the idea.). So, iff you had this rifle, what changes would you make?

 

[Captain Kirk]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

There isn't much you can do to the rifle to make it impervious to dirt and sand, but you can ensure that it runs more reliably in these conditions. With a battle rifle its all about confidence, if you get a FTF for any reason it doesn't inspire confidence. A good mag system is important, the Magpul Pmags are cheap and run great. Second, use a good dry lube in the trigger group and bolt/carrier, any standard oils will attract dirt/sand and carbon. I run a POF AR15 and run it dry.

Kirk R

 

[slowyellow]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

I would advise against running one dry. The Bravo company rifle torture test by a school (I forget which one) ran somewhere around 30K rounds through it without cleaning it. I believe that all they had break was an extractor spring and something else very minor. All that they did was keep it very wet with SLIP 2000. I'll see if I can find the article, but it'd give good pointers about how to make them run in some pretty bad conditions. But the skinny of it was to keep it WET and it will run. Good luck with whatever direction that you go.

 

[slowyellow]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

Here is that link. It's a good read man.

http://www.slip2000.com/blog/s-w-a-t-magazine-filthy-14/

 

[BigtimeAub]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

Thanks for that. I ran my rifles wet and dry and never really noticed much difference, but i dont think that I ever put anywhere close to 30k rounds down range. I'll check it out and see what I can learn from it.

 

[BigtimeAub]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

I've got the Pmags, seem to be a good choice so far. The dry lube is something I'll definitely try.

 

[slowyellow]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BigtimeAub</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for that. I ran my rifles wet and dry and never really noticed much difference, but i dont think that I ever put anywhere close to 30k rounds down range. I'll check it out and see what I can learn from it. </div></div>

It might work for a little while, but just basic mechanical practices says that you shouldn't slide two metal parts with tight tolerances against each other without proper lubrication.

 

[Captain Kirk]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

I wasnt implying stripping all lubrication and running it completely dry, I mentioned dry lubes, or conditionning the metal with a non wet lubricant such as militec 1. I run my POF dry but it also has a carrier and upper recieiver that have a nickle boron coating. If one plans on running a AR for thousands of rounds with no maintanace, it needs lubrication of some kind, but if you intend on running it in extreem sandy/dirty/muddy conditions, oil will attract debris.

Kirk R

 

[Travis S]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

Keep it lubed with quality lube, keep it plugged when not in use. Easier to clean too. Carbon doesn't really cake on wet stuff.

 

[JSF]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

I think the lube question has a lot to do with the parts inside the gun. I took a 3 day class and ran my POF dry the first day with no issues. I lubed it the next day and had a shit ton of malfunctions. I stripped it and cleaned it and ran it dry the rest of the class with no malfunctions.

 

[Bruiser_Joe]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

I use frog lube on all my carbines I prepped em and now clean, wipe dry and run. The gun self lubricates almost its nice

 

[B4forever]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

I've never heard of Core15 but I just looked them up. The specs look good but I have no experience with them. When buying/building a reliable rifle I also choose proven brands. This isn't to say that a new company can't build a good rifle, but a proven track record instills confidence. I'd run your rifle hard and see how it performs. If it meets your standards then keep on running it. If not then sell it and look to one of the brands that are well known and proven. And remember, you get what you pay for.

 

[dogman]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

I run my shit wetter than a lesbian at a kd lang concert.

 

[BCP]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

Keep it clean, keep it lubed, really all there is to it.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Re: AR15 Battle Rifle build....

As far as aftermarket parts go....buy parts and accessories that are made in the United States, or Europe, and you should be fine.
If the military uses it, (ex. Aimpoint, surefire, trijicon, etc) it should serve you well. You'll come to appreciate the saying, "buy once, cry once."