Suarez International on the AR/M4

[DS]

I provided a link before on an article by Pat Rogers (Keep your Carbine Running) rebutting the urban legend that AR's are not reliable - Pat Rogers runs high round count courses and has no qualms about the reliability of the AR system if you follow a few simple rules.

Patric Sweeney has written 2 good books on the AR system and explain the history of the unhappy early years of the AR system and the main reasons for the bad rep that follows the AR namely - (1) the legend that the AR did not have to be cleaned, (2) the legend that the AR has to be run dry, (3) the ammo development stage with the early underspec ammo being the biggest culprit (4) "soft" mags.

Today we find that the biggest reason for a bad performance report form the AR system is the several AR "builders" that build lower tier AR rifles with cheaper parts and cheap barrels - CHEAP IS NOT SYNOMOUS WITH THE AR SYSTEM.

The top tier AR manufacturers namely (imo) Colt, FN, Sabre, LMT, Noveske, Daniel Defense, Knights Armament, Wilson Combat, LWRC, LaRue (with Colt, FN and Sabre being the only manufacturers of Mil rifles for the US DoD) (S&W M&P15 can maybe be added to the top tier group although still quite new on the AR market) and some of the middle to top tier manufacturer's rifles runs excellently and durably due to quality manufacturing and quality parts and quality build.

BUY A GOOD QUALITY RIFLE AND GOOD QUALITY MAGS/MAGPUL MAGS.

Suarez International (well known for Gabe's preference for the AK system) instructor Dan Agakian writes about the AR system confirming once again (in my words) the fallacy of the AR unreliability "urban legend":

THE AR-15/M4

Dan Agakian - Suarez International Staff Instructor

I get asked alot of questions on the AR15/M16 series weapons quite regularly and I wanted to take a minute to post some answers to common questions.

Q. Is the AR an unreliable POS that will sooner jam that fire a round.

A. No, but it requires a minimal level of routine maintenance to ensure that it functions as intended.
In the field or during classes I make sure my M4 works simply by wiping off the working parts with a rag, ensuring there are no big chunks of carbon/dirt/sand in the chamber and locking lugs and keeping the gun lubricated. This takes me a maximum of 5 minutes per day, sometimes less if I see there is no debris in the gun. then it just gets lubed. This process does not describe a detailed cleaning and inspection but merely what I do as preventative maintenance to make sure the gun goes bang.

Most all guns, the AR included, are not real good at tolerating large amounts of sand in the working parts. The way the AK gets away with it sometimes is that it has a violent action and large areas for debris to accumulate. This comes at the price of reduced accuracy compared to some other systems.

Most all of the AR's so called weaknesses are best fixed preventative and by "Watching" the gun. Also, AR's do not like to be completely dry. They just dont like it so keep the gun lubed.
If your AR takes a sandbath which results in a bunch of stuff inside the weapon, you are gonna want to clean it out.

Do not confuse this with simple carbon fouling which the AR will tolerate well as long as it is properly lubricated. (By that I mean it has some)


Q. Is the AR more accurate than the AK?
A. Yes, on average a rack grade M4 (14.5 inch )will group about 2-4 inches @ 100 yards with ball ammo. The AK (Not custom ones) will group an average of 4-8 inches @ 100 yards with surplus ball ammo.
How much this accuracy matters is open to debate and left up to the user to decide whether it matters.

Q. Why cant I neglect my AR and treat it like a lawnmower?
A. Because it has tight tolerances (compared to an AK) and a different operating system (compared to an AK) and if you neglect basic preventative maintenance for a long time, you gun will stop working. How long this is can also be debated but I take the position that a bare minimum (a few minutes per day of operations) of maintenance is a better thing than gambling to find out just how dirty/dry can I make my AR before it decides not to cycle any more. Again notice I mentioned the word dry in reference to the AR and how much it does not like being dry.

Q. What does an AR do better than an AK

A. Quite a bit but whether this is relevant to you is personal preference:
The AR is more mechanically accurate
The AR offers easier optic mounting solutions
The AR offers more and higher quality compatable optics. (We can debate the serviceability of Russian vs Western optics but I dont think anyone can say that our quality is not better in the west. Get out the Eye Charts @ 100 yds at dusk then tell me the Russian optics are better)
The AR offers far easier methods of customization to suit user preference/body types/and shooting styles. The AR is sold in more configurations and Calibers than the AK and is likely to continue that trend. In the US the AR is supported by a GIGANTIC manufacturing base making guns/parts/accessories. (This is also the cause of some problems as certain folks make junk for a quick buck and these types of products can give a weapons system a bad name)

Last, the AR makes it easy to change your mind. By simply popping two pins you can have a whole new gun!

Q. Who makes the "Best" AR

A. What does "Best" mean - If you define best as Milspec(has some kind of contract to manufacture complete guns for the military ) then you only have a few choices:
Colt
FN
Sabre Defense
(Maybe a few more)

If you expand this to companies who make Uppers and parts then you have quite a few others like:
LMT
Daniel Defense
Knights Armament
(This is not a complete list)

As far as I can see, right now we are living in a golden age for the AR. LOTS of good stuff from quite a few manufacturers. Some of the high end custom shops like Noveske and Rifle and factory customs from Daniel Defense and Larue can consistently turn out very reliable sub MOA guns in barrel lengths from 10.5 inches to 20 inches in a few different calibers.

This is a good thing for shooters.

If you are the kind of person who needs monkey simple explanations and likes to be told what to do and then forget about stuff, then get a Box stock Colt 6920 or LMT Defender 2000 or Daniel Defense XV, a bunch of P mags, some good ammo and the optic of your choice (Or not) and get to shooting.

If you care to delve more deeply into the custom end of things then there are a TON of makers who will make you an accurate and reliable gun to your specs.

Q.Why does the AR cost so much more than the AK

A. It doesn't anymore. When the AK was "Cheap" it was because you were buying parts and services produced by what is essentially slave labor for several decades.Now it costs what it costs to make a decent reliable weapon and a basic AR and a Basic AK are similarly priced.
Keep in mind also that in mass production, tighter tolerances mean increased cost. The AR is a more accurate system with more places to check during the manufacturing (Not just assembly) process.

To get a reliable off the shelf AR that is close to "Milspec" you will spend around 1100$
To get a reliable factory AK that is produced today and not made with thirty year old surplus parts you will spend 9-1100$ They are not that far apart from each other.
Q. Why can I feed my AK crappy ammo and it still runs but not My AR?

A. Accuracy has a price. So does the efficiency of the basic AR operating system. The AR has a tighter chamber and in 556 uses a non tapered cartridge. This means it is more sensitive to out of spec and or dirty ammo. AK's can malfunction with crappy ammo too, we have all seen it. Also the Stoner operating system is more pressure sensitive than the AK's operating system. In the Stoner system it relies on a relatively (Compared to the AK piston) specific operating pressure. Normally this is never a problem but if using crappy/weak ammo then the Stoner system just isn't getting enough gas pressure to work reliably. Lesson: Use good ammo in AR's

Q. Why dont my 20 year old GI magazines for my AR work well any longer.

A. Because they were designed to be disposable. (They weigh a bunch less too) All magazines wear out eventually, AR mags have a short service life compared to some other systems. Get over it. Buy good quality Magpul Pmags and if they ever give you trouble, swap them out for new ones. I dont have exact specs on service life of the Pmag but I have one set of pre-production mags from a few years ago that are still working. Plus a whole bunch of replacements for when they stop!

Q. Can I save a few bucks and assemble my own AR into a serviceable and reliable weapon.

A. Maybe. If you do your research and are willing to scour forum websites for bargains on high quality parts. Some things I can say with 100% certainty, cheap is not good with the AR 15. Good is not cheap. If you know what you are doing and what to look for you can assemble a perfectly reliable "Frankengun" out of high quality parts. If you dont know what you are doing or dont want to do research on parts/specs and assembly methods, stick to off the shelf.


Q. Why is my Short AR (Less than 14.5) or Suppressed AR more finicky than my longer barrel/non suppressed AR.

A. The AR system (Direct Impingement) is more sensitive to gas pressure differences (Increase or decrease) than some others. When you cut the barrel down so that you have less of of it in front of the gas port, you must then increase gas port size. The increase in gas port size means increases in pressure and bolt velocity. What you have essentially done is decrease the 'Window" of acceptable pressures your gun will operate under. Normally not an issue unless you are using ammo that will not give the required pressure in your gun.

Shorties and Suppressed Direct Gas AR's can be reliable but sometimes they take more tweaking to figure out good Ammo/Buffer weight combos for a particular gun. If you want the Absolute Most reliable Direct Gas Impingement AR then get yourself the 20 inch barrel model or a 16 inch Midlength Gas system model. Carbine models work fine as well but they have (Theoretically for all but the most demanding users) a decreased service life due to increased pressures and operating speeds. Not a big deal outside the geeky ass world of the internet.

Q. Are Piston Operated AR's better

A. Sometimes.

If you have to run an AR with a barrel shorter than 14.5inches or run a suppressed AR , this is where there may be bigger real world advantages to a piston system. Piston systems run cooler, require less lubrication (due to not blowing it out of the gun with a DI AR) and generally require less frequent maintenance. They are also generally more "Violent" in operation which may be an aid in very extreme operating conditions like arctic cold.

As a guy who has both types I can say that from my personal perspective at this point I cannot see huge advantages to a piston system on an AR with a 16 inch or longer barrel unless for whatever reason it is unfeasible to lubricate my weapon more frequently. Also, some of the piston retrofit kits are poorly designed. If you decide to go piston, get a quality factory gun from LWRC or HK or get a "Factory Custom Conversion" by PWS.

Nothing wrong with the piston guns if you decide you need one. Just make sure it is a good one.

Q. Why cant I run my AR in a more "Non Diagnostic" fashion as it relates to clearing malfunctions and checking its status.

A. Because it is a unique system with different controls. Deal with it and dont try to run it like an AK. Again, I really believe that most malfunctions with the AR are best solved preventative.
Buy a good gun
Buy good ammo
Buy good mags
Keep it lubed
Maintain it a little bit when it needs it
Replace parts before they break not after.

Q. What is the service life of my AR?
A. It depends. The following things kill AR's; Heat,Wear on surfaces,Erosion of barrels and gas ports.In civilian use (Non suppressed/non full auto) I have know very few people to have worn out an AR. Mostly what I have seen has been stuff like small springs that needed replacing, occasionally a bolt or barrel. Most civilians do not "Shoot Out" guns as it is cost prohibitive.

Q. Should I have spare parts for my AR.
A. It depends. To my mind the fact that all of the big problems that you can quickly fix with an AR (without armorer tools) can be fixed with a few small parts means yes.
Spare Bolt Assembly
Spare Firing Pin
Spare Firing pin retainer
Spare Charging handle.
Spare Buffer spring
Spare Bolt Carrier (Maybe)
Spare Fire control group pins (Maybe)

Any other problems you wil need tools to fix and you wont be doing it quickly under field conditions.If you know you are going to have to run an AR for a long time without Armorer support the above parts can be had for around 160$ or so. It is pretty cheap piece of mind as far as I am concerned.

[FrankH]

Thanks for the good post.

[Porramedic]

Thanks Khumba

Since my absolute jol at Saturday's 3-gun shoot I have been lovingly eyeing a few rifles, including an AR-15. I had been led to believe that the AR system was unreliable. Thanks for the info

[DS]

DrD,

definitely not so - it is like driving a Beemer or Merc or Porche or whatever - if you do not look after it, use sub standard diesel, do not service it, my prediction is that it WILL let you down somewhere.

If you drive a Merc that was together with parts that were not manufactured by Merc under their strict quality control systems the chances are that the "Merc" Will let you down.

If you drive a Merc with a inferior eastern made fuel pump or diesel injectors I can bet you it will let you down somewhere.

I am giving this long song and dance as an analogy - you can buy an AR with inferior extractor spring tension and you will have shit with it guaranteed, using old GI mags or inferior quality mags will give you shit.

As I said - you cannot talk "cheap" and AR in the same sentence - same as you cannot talk cheap and Merc/Porche/BMW etc in the same sentence.

Cheap ARs invariably has cheap or substandard parts and dubious build quality in them and most probably a cheap barrel of eastern descent - there are many of them being built and that is what gives "AR"a bad rep together with historical problems that have long since been resolved.

I predict that a Good quality AR with normal preventative cleaning and maintenance and good mags will not let you down.

[TacticalDave]

Well said Khumba!