AR Spares to keep on hand for next lockdown ?

**SafeAction** · 30-03-2020, 09:55

Extractor spring - also added an oring buffer for reliability.
Replaced original gas rings after 200 odd rounds (reliability)

**Adoons** · 30-03-2020, 10:07

I hope I will now get the time to actually set up and shoot my AR a bit more than what is has been used for up to now. Have it for 9 months now about and only 400 rounds through it. If I break something over the next 3 weeks I will let you know. I am very fortunate to live on a farm, so even shoot from the "stoep" if needed. Lockdown is not closing my shooting range.

**pre 64** · 30-03-2020, 10:44

You chaps are hilarious. The only spare part you AR shooters need to ensure utter reliability is 1 type 56.

**Wesley** · 30-03-2020, 10:49

Originally Posted by pre 64

You chaps are hilarious. The only spare part you AR shooters need to ensure utter reliability is 1 type 56.

I guess this will do for some. Some people are satisfied with less.

**M43** · 30-03-2020, 11:39

Originally Posted by Wesley

I guess this will do for some. Some people are satisfied with less.

Less is more if you can make bigger holes and have the added luxury of sitting on a few crates of armour piercing...

Just saying'

**Mark357** · 30-03-2020, 12:10

Originally Posted by pre 64

You chaps are hilarious. The only spare part you AR shooters need to ensure utter reliability is 1 type 56.

Lol

Will try for a 2nd SLR licence once the 1st is through

**Stevin** · 30-03-2020, 22:24

Originally Posted by M43

Less is more if you can make bigger holes and have the added luxury of sitting on a few crates of armour piercing...

Just saying'

Meh, I have AP rounds for my "little" 30 cal AR15...
On that note, I also have 78gr Supersonics doing 2400fps all the way to 230gr Subs chugging along at 900fps.
Is your Type 56 doing that?

(FYI, this is a fairly tongue in cheek post, because all guns are cool, but still...)

**AK-Gunner** · 31-03-2020, 11:13

Originally Posted by Mark357

Lots of ammo
Extra Magazines
Armorers tool
Gas rings

If you have the armorer's tool you might also want to get the armorer's vise block...

...and barrel vise jaws...

...and a torque wrench.

This is if you are preparing for replacing the barrel or something else for which you'll have to remove the barrel nut and/or you need to remove the muzzle device. If not, you won't need the armorer's tool either.

A lower receiver vise block is very useful when you are working on the buffer tube assy or firing mechanism. I made mine from a piece of wood and it's much simpler design...

As for the actual spare parts, I recommend these:

- a standard set of firing mechanism (trigger, hammer, pins and springs)

Why? Bought as a set the price will be reasonable and even if you have a high speed gamer set installed and it breaks, you can always replace it with the standard mechanism. They call it MILSPEC, but it isn't unless it's full auto or burst mechanism. I so hate the misnomer...

- a standard firing pin and standard retaining pin or two

The standard firing pin will do the job perfectly, no need to go with the Ti craze. My firing pins have taken beating for tens of thousands shots fired, never have replaced one, but a single primer blowback may ruin the pin, so better have a spare. They are really cheap.

- a spare bolt with gas rings. If that isn't an option, a full set of bolt components (extractor, gas rings etc.)

Sometimes bolts break into two pieces or locking lugs break off with no apparent reason, others will run seemingly forever.

- a bolt cam pin

They wear down causing mystical troubles, but it takes lots of rounds.

- a gas tube and gas tube roll pin(s, they are small so sometimes they just vanish in thin air, I know from experience, it's really spooky)

Gas tubes need to be replaced every so and so thousand rounds, it depends, but your rifle will mystically begin to fail to eject, fail to chamber usually after a couple of shots: it's a symptom of gas blowby cased by burned gas tube.

- buffer tube assembly with a buffer, buffer spring and an extra buttstock was it telescopic or fixed

I've seen a buffer tubes break, like when a guy falls on his rifle running up the stairs: time to transition to the secondary weapon. Sometimes buffers just disintegrate. The quality of them is spotty nowadays, so I've seen roll pins walk out causing stoppages and the plastic tip turn into little pieces inside the rifle jamming the firing mechanism. The spring does wear, but you won't notice it until the buffer really breaks and if your rifle is a select fire version, you'll have problems with hammer follow failures. Buttstocks are easy to break, so why not have a cheap standard spare. A standard telescopic one will work fine on a rifle and a carbine alike.

I have upgraded my rifles a lot, but I never sell or give away the leftover parts because now they serve as spare parts for the moment something will break.

You don't have to change the gas rings until the bolt falls freely from the bolt carrier cam pin removed. The rifle will work with just one gas ring, so no need to stagger them rings, and no, the rifle will not explode if they aren't staggered... Also I never apply oil on the outside surface of the barrel, it'll just cook off and create smoke the next time you really need to send some serious love to your opponents. Not good for your comfort nor you being hard to spot.

Or sell the AR and buy an old Type 56...

**M43** · 31-03-2020, 12:10

Originally Posted by Stevin

Meh, I have AP rounds for my "little" 30 cal AR15...
On that note, I also have 78gr Supersonics doing 2400fps all the way to 230gr Subs chugging along at 900fps.
Is your Type 56 doing that?

(FYI, this is a fairly tongue in cheek post, because all guns are cool, but still...)

Also tongue in cheek but... I have 124 grain SP Yugo stuff doing 2400 fps. I make higher factor than your measly 78 grainers...

And for sub-sonics I have a Glock 21...

... and 180 grain loads for my S&W model 19.

And I have an AR... And a wife (who can shoot), with lots of her own guns.

And a Jack-Russell...

**Wild coast** · 31-03-2020, 12:55

Originally Posted by AK-Gunner

If you have the armorer's tool you might also want to get the armorer's vise block...

...and barrel vise jaws...

...and a torque wrench.

This is if you are preparing for replacing the barrel or something else for which you'll have to remove the barrel nut and/or you need to remove the muzzle device. If not, you won't need the armorer's tool either.

A lower receiver vise block is very useful when you are working on the buffer tube assy or firing mechanism. I made mine from a piece of wood and it's much simpler design...

As for the actual spare parts, I recommend these:

- a standard set of firing mechanism (trigger, hammer, pins and springs)

Why? Bought as a set the price will be reasonable and even if you have a high speed gamer set installed and it breaks, you can always replace it with the standard mechanism. They call it MILSPEC, but it isn't unless it's full auto or burst mechanism. I so hate the misnomer...

- a standard firing pin and standard retaining pin or two

The standard firing pin will do the job perfectly, no need to go with the Ti craze. My firing pins have taken beating for tens of thousands shots fired, never have replaced one, but a single primer blowback may ruin the pin, so better have a spare. They are really cheap.

- a spare bolt with gas rings. If that isn't an option, a full set of bolt components (extractor, gas rings etc.)

Sometimes bolts break into two pieces or locking lugs break off with no apparent reason, others will run seemingly forever.

- a bolt cam pin

They wear down causing mystical troubles, but it takes lots of rounds.

- a gas tube and gas tube roll pin(s, they are small so sometimes they just vanish in thin air, I know from experience, it's really spooky)

Gas tubes need to be replaced every so and so thousand rounds, it depends, but your rifle will mystically begin to fail to eject, fail to chamber usually after a couple of shots: it's a symptom of gas blowby cased by burned gas tube.

- buffer tube assembly with a buffer, buffer spring and an extra buttstock was it telescopic or fixed

I've seen a buffer tubes break, like when a guy falls on his rifle running up the stairs: time to transition to the secondary weapon. Sometimes buffers just disintegrate. The quality of them is spotty nowadays, so I've seen roll pins walk out causing stoppages and the plastic tip turn into little pieces inside the rifle jamming the firing mechanism. The spring does wear, but you won't notice it until the buffer really breaks and if your rifle is a select fire version, you'll have problems with hammer follow failures. Buttstocks are easy to break, so why not have a cheap standard spare. A standard telescopic one will work fine on a rifle and a carbine alike.

I have upgraded my rifles a lot, but I never sell or give away the leftover parts because now they serve as spare parts for the moment something will break.

You don't have to change the gas rings until the bolt falls freely from the bolt carrier cam pin removed. The rifle will work with just one gas ring, so no need to stagger them rings, and no, the rifle will not explode if they aren't staggered... Also I never apply oil on the outside surface of the barrel, it'll just cook off and create smoke the next time you really need to send some serious love to your opponents. Not good for your comfort nor you being hard to spot.

Or sell the AR and buy an old Type 56...

Thanx dude, very comprehensive, great post!!