Never had so much trouble building an AR

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Candyman
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:29 am

Never had so much trouble building an AR

Post by Candyman »

A while I started looking at synthetic lowers. I ended up buying three of Tennessee Arms Hybrid Polymer Lowers.
I built a FDE carbine with a lightweight DTI barrel that I got from JSE Surplus. I brought it to work to test fire it and my friend fell in love with it and couldn't live without it.
So I had to build another one.
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I had a stainless barrel sitting around and put this one together. Another friend ended up getting it from me.
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One evening I saw that Jo Bob Outfitters had lightweight Bootleg uppers on sale so I bought two. I placed an order for a lightweight DTI barrel with a carbine gas system from JSE Surplus, but was shipped a barrel with a Mid-length gas system. I liked the barrel but I needed a correct gas tube and handguard. I called JSE and the lady I spoke to said that she was very sorry for the mix up. I told her that I really liked the barrel but needed the other parts. She took my order and in two days I had the parts.
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I was very happy with the way this rifle turned out, but then a friend showed up the day after I finished the build. Guess what happened to the rifle?

Well I really wanted my lightweight carbine and told myself that I would build one and this time not let slip out of my hands. So on November the 24th of last year I ordered a new lower with a Spartan helmet engraved on it. A few weeks and the lower still wasn't at the shop. After tracking it we found it at the shops 2nd location in another city. That took a little tine to get straight and arrived at my dealers shop two or three days before Christmas. I took it out of the box and discovered that it was damaged. One side where the pivot pin goes has some very small cracks. I got on the phone and got a hold of April at TN Arms. I just have to say that she is a sweetheart. She sent a return shipping label and said that she would get a replacement shipped out.
Well, about two weeks passed and no lower. I was about to call TN Arms when a nice lady called. She advised that she worked for TN Arms and had my lower but didn't know what to do with it. I told her that it was sent back for a replacement. She said she would have one shipped out the next day.
Can you guess what happen next?
Another week or two went by and still no lower.
I called and was told that they did not have a current copy of my dealers FFL. After this was cleared up the lower showed up. It's February now.
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I wanted to do this build in FDE. The only bad thing with FDE is that everyone's FDE is a different shade, But I can live with that.
I ordered the Mission First Tactical Battlelink Minimalist Stock in FDE and when it came in the color was almost flesh, so I sent it back and got the Scorched Dark Earth color. Much better.
I called DTI and asked if I could order the lightweight Mid-length barrel but with the round handguard cap installed. I was told yes, I placed the order.
The barrel arrived a week later and guess what? It had a triangle handguard cap instaled. But there was a round handguard cap, in a plastic bag, in the box. I called and talked to the same person. She told me to ship the barrel back and she would have it corrected. I told her that with my luck with this build that it may be six months before the barrel got back to me and that I would replace the cap myself. At this point I am really happy.
I wanted a lightweight black nitride BCG from AIM but they had been out for a while. so I ordered the NIB one.
I also ordered a set of 2A Armament titanium take down pins for the build.
Now it's time to build the rifle. I had all the parts. What could go wrong now?

Something was out of spec.
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Even the standard Mil-spec pin didn't fit right.
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I called TN Arms and they asked for pics. I sent them and called the next day. The young lady put me on the phone with someone I will not name. I tried to explain to him what the problem was and he told me that he was going to send my one of their standard Mil-spec pins and that would fix my problem. I told him that I had plenty of Mil-spec pins but wanted to use the 2A titanium. He told me there wasn't much differences in the weight and would send me a new pin. I tried to talk to him but he just kept telling me" THIS IS YOU PROBLEM AND THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO". I told him to go ahead and send the pin.
I called 2A and talked to John. John said that he would ship me a new set. I asked if he wanted my set back. He said yes if I didn't mind shipping them. In a few days I had a package from John with two sets of take down pins. One for a AR15 the other for an AR10. Great! Now I have to build an AR10. Thanks John.

Now, you remember the mil-spec pin that the un-named guy was going to send? Two weeks later and still no pin.
I called TN Arms and thank God an angel answered the phone. It was April. We talked and I told her that the un-named guy really pissed me off. She said that he was not allowed to talk to customers anymore and that they had already taken his phone out of his office.
I shipped the lower back last Monday and got the replacement on Friday. April is a sweetheart.
It took almost 4 months, but I finished the build. I did build two other rifles for myself during this time.
Guess what happened when I shot it? It runs like a dream.
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Oh! That's George between the diamond knots.
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I'm not going to let anyone talk me out of this rifle, build your own.
Do not relish to feel what the men that used these weapons felt when they saw the elephant. For the elephant has tusk and to see him is to have his tusk dig deep into your soul. You will always have a part of you that will be cold and empty.
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Weetabix
Posts: 6106
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Never had so much trouble building an AR

Post by Weetabix »

That's a pretty one. Looks like it was worth the wait.
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
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Candyman
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:29 am

Re: Never had so much trouble building an AR

Post by Candyman »

After letting three friends talk me out of my lightweight builds, I still wanted one. I almost did this build in gray like the last one.
My friend that bought the first lightweight I built has been asking me about building another one for him. I told him that one of the local gun shops has the lowers in stock and that I would help him pick out the parts for the build. As soon as he gets all the parts, I will help him build it.
If you have never shot an AR that weights under 6lbs, you don't know what your missing.
Do not relish to feel what the men that used these weapons felt when they saw the elephant. For the elephant has tusk and to see him is to have his tusk dig deep into your soul. You will always have a part of you that will be cold and empty.
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Denis
Posts: 6570
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:29 am

Re: Never had so much trouble building an AR

Post by Denis »

Candyman wrote:Guess what happened when I shot it?
I strongly suspect one of your buddies saw it and coveted it :-)

Glad all's well that ends well. Happy shooting, and well wear!

I know I keep bugging you about a "build an AR tutorial". In the meantime, how about just posting the list of places you shop for parts - you seem to have a knack for getting super deals...
Rich Jordan
Posts: 1840
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:04 am

Re: Never had so much trouble building an AR

Post by Rich Jordan »

How do you like that Sparc optic? I'm still debating a micro sight for one rifle and that one seems interesting from reviews.
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Candyman
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 1:29 am

Re: Never had so much trouble building an AR

Post by Candyman »

I would have to do a lot of cleaning in my shop before I could take pics in there that wold no be cluttered with junk.
Here is where I get a lot of parts from.
Primary Arms.
http://www.primaryarms.com/
CDNN Sports
https://www.cdnnsports.com/gun-parts.ht ... .56%20NATO
Jo BOB Outterfitters
https://www.joeboboutfitters.com/Default.asp
JSE Surplus
http://www.jsesurplus.com/
Delta Team Tactical
https://www.deltateamtactical.com/
Fat Boy Tacitacl
http://fatboytactical.net/
Outdoor Gear Barn
https://outdoorgearbarn.com/
Palmetto Stat Armory
http://palmettostatearmory.com/
Bayou Tactical
https://www.bayoutactical.com/
Bayou Tactical is my go to place for Magpul. If you place an order let Adam or Warren know that Lee form Father and Son Paracord sent you there way.



Rich Jordan wrote:How do you like that Sparc optic? I'm still debating a micro sight for one rifle and that one seems interesting from reviews.
I haven't used it much yet. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office has been using them on their Patrol rifles for some time now. I have a few friend that work there and they really like the sight.
Do not relish to feel what the men that used these weapons felt when they saw the elephant. For the elephant has tusk and to see him is to have his tusk dig deep into your soul. You will always have a part of you that will be cold and empty.
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308Mike
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Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:47 pm

Re: Never had so much trouble building an AR

Post by 308Mike »

Regarding your dust-cover inscription, someone else is getting grief for what his says (I know your inscription is significantly different):
Attorneys for the victim, Daniel Shaver, argued Brailsford was malicious during the shooting and raised questions about the gun used.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said Shaver was on his hands and knees when Brailsford shot him five times inside a Mesa hotel. The gun used was a personal AR-15 assault weapon that had been approved for service use by the Mesa Police Department. However, Mesa police noted that their investigation of the shooting turned up a vulgar inscription on the rifle that doesn’t meet department policy.

“Inscripted on the officer’s gun, and I hate to use profanity, but it said, “you’re f*****,” Laney Sweet, Daniel Shaver’s wife said.

According to several sources, the rifle’s vulgar inscription is on the inside of the rifle’s dust cover. The inscription is only visible if the dust cover is open, which happens automatically in order to eject spent rounds while the weapon is fired.

“That statement tells me this is a person who’s enthusiastic about killing people,” Marc Victor, lawyer for Sweet and her late husband, argued. “That’s what that inscription means.”
POLITICIANS & DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON

A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.

I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
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Netpackrat
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Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 11:04 pm

Re: Never had so much trouble building an AR

Post by Netpackrat »

I remember reading about that incident before, and seem to recall that the cop in question did a lot to put himself in that situation besides just having an offensive inscription on his dust cover.
Cognosce teipsum et disce pati

"People come and go in our lives, especially the online ones. Some leave a fond memory, and some a bad taste." -Aesop
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