The Gun Counter

One of the nice things about being on the committee of the gun club is that I get a say in what we equipment we spend money on.

This followed me home yesterday... It's a Colt Expanse M4 CE2000 carbine. In the US, this is a budget rifle, here it cost about 1200 bucks, so I want to look after it properly. Moreover, as the club's designated gun tinkerer, I have to look after it.

I know absolutely nothing about AR-pattern rifles, and Brownells has a whole catalogue just for them. So, please school me on what do I actually need for maintaining this piece? Screwdrivers, punches, rubber blocks, wrenches?

BTW, I did notice we need a rear sight! I'm going to see if I have a suitable scope and some mounts in the spares box...

You probably have most of what you need already. It can be field stripped it without tools, just need something to punch out the takedown pins. You probably already have a set of punches? Other than that, a .223\5.56 chamber brush, .22 cal cleaning rod, brushes, patch jag, and\or cleaning cord, and something to clean out the star area where the bolt locks up. There are these little felt things for that you can spend money on, or just use a q-tip.

If you replace the front sight or trigger group, then a punch block would be needed.

And good on you guys for having one. A liberal is now crying.

Can I say "congrats, and well wear"?

Lots of videos out there, I think Brownells has a bunch too.

Run it wet and have fun!

Frankingun wrote:And good on you guys for having one. A liberal is now crying.

One of the main reasons for this particular purchase is that the European Commission says ordinary citizens should not have such evilscarybad guns...

Sideways, with a chainsaw!

Darrell wrote:Can I say "congrats, and well wear"?

Hey, that's my line!

Thanks for the other suggestions. I'm good to go on cleaning supplies. What I'm lacking is gun-specific tools. I see I'm going to need holding fixtures for the upper and lower receivers, an action wrench of some sort and probably a bench block for getting out the front sight taper pins. Am also wondering about replacing the A-frame front sight with a low-rise gas block, to clear the line of sight for a scope. I suppose I could also just cut the original sight off low, and not mess with the taper pins. Suggestions welcome.

I found a set of Magpul BUIS in the spares box (goodness knows why I ever bought those...) and as luck would have it, the rear witnesses perfectly with the factory front sight. I slipped it on, tightened the mounting screw and got a thumbnail-sized five-shot group where I was aiming at 10 yards, after no adjustments whatsoever! For club use, the plastic rear sight is too flimsy, so I'll be getting something more durable. I'm thinking that the original-military-style carry handle/rear sight setup might look right for this gun. Anybody have one they don't want?

After messing with it for an afternoon, I am starting to think I might even have to buy one of these rifles for myself, with my own money!

If you are going to scope the rifle, you don't want an A2 detachable handle/sight. Your chin would have to be on top of the stock to get a good scope picture. If you are going to go w. a red-dot type, you can leave the front sight and either lower 1/3 or absolute co-witness w. the irons. I prefer lower 1/3.

rightisright wrote:If you are going to scope the rifle, you don't want an A2 detachable handle/sight. Your chin would have to be on top of the stock to get a good scope picture. If you are going to go w. a red-dot type, you can leave the front sight and either lower 1/3 or absolute co-witness w. the irons. I prefer lower 1/3.

Having trouble visualising the 1/3 co-witness...

Sorry, the carry handle/sight would have been an alternative to a scope, obviously...

I was thinking a Burris Fastfire / Docter sight would be the bee's knees. http://www.burrisoptics.com/sights/fast ... ries/ar-f3 but they got really expensive while I wasn't looking!

Here's a good pic showing absolute v. 1/3: http://progunfighter.com/co-witness/

I prefer the 1/3 because the sight picture is less "cluttered". But others prefer absolute.

paging Candyman!

For work on barrel or stock adjustments/replacements you might want some sort of AR-15 wrench

Example at Brownell's: http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 80294.aspx

rightisright wrote:If you are going to scope the rifle, you don't want an A2 detachable handle/sight. Your chin would have to be on top of the stock to get a good scope picture. If you are going to go w. a red-dot type, you can leave the front sight and either lower 1/3 or absolute co-witness w. the irons. I prefer lower 1/3.

This. If you put a conventional scope on the gun, you'll never notice the front sight anyways. I like red dot or holo sight with cowitness of the iron sights, or one of the "tactical" 1-4x or 1-6x scopes.