If you read this blog regularly then you have seen pictures of my AR-15 but not with the new updates that I’ve done.
I want to review the overall rifle and the various parts. Here’s a list of the parts:
American Tactical Lower Receiver
Armalite buffer tube
Buffer spring
Magpul CTR OD green buttstock
Hogue OD green pistol grip
DSA upper receiver
Daniel Defense bolt and carrier assembly
BCM gunfighter charging handle with
Colt Ejection Port Assembly
DPMS Forward Assist Assembly
YHM Low Profile Gas Block
Daniel Defense 16″ M4 Barrel
YHM Phantom Flash Suppressor/Comp
High Standard 16″ Gas Tube
YHM Diamond Free Float Handguard (Specter Length)
YHM Forearm End Cap
Double Star Ambidextrous Sling Adapter Receiver End Plate
Ok, review time. When I first got the rifle ready to shoot, barrel and gas system, I went out and shot a few rounds through it. The bolt wouldn’t cycle quite right. The first couple shots were fine but once I got to the 3 round it wouldn’t cycle a new cartridge into the rifle. so I took the whole rifle apart and tried to line the gas block up with the barrel a little better, which helped. And I tightened the barrel nut WAY down so the holes in the barrel nut would line up for the gas tube to fit in the receiver better.
Ever since then it’s been running great if I don’t use Wolf ammo. I think those steel casings are worthless on the Wolf ammo. The Magpul sights that I currently have on it work pretty well for close engagements. But for those woodchucks beyond 50 yards I’d like a scope. I want to really utilize the .223 round. I will probably go to my local gun store and talk to them about getting a scope and a trigger. The first couple times I shot the rifle it would shoot a round right after I shot one. Which is not safe. A friend of mine said maybe the sear has something wrong with it. I just hope I don’t have to buy a new trigger group. Although the trigger on the American Tactical lower receiver is a single stage and I’d like a two stage trigger.
The main purpose of use of this rifle will be to hunt woodchucks and maybe someday hunt deer somewhere. It doesn’t have the features that a varmint rifle typically has, like a 20″ heavy barrrel, bipod, scope, and perhaps one of Magpul’s precision rifle buttstocks. I wanted it to be a battle rifle. Yes I know, I really have no ACTUAL purpose for a battle rifle but I’m really interested in the whole tactical use of an M4 and the drills associated with tactical shooting. Recently I ran a few drills that Magpul’s Chris Costa and Travis Healey teach. The rifle worked great and the barrel length was perfect but I couldn’t acquire the target very quickly with these Magpul sights. An EOTech sight would be nice but I’ve got other things to spend $600 on.
The Daniel Defense barrel and BCG seem to be good so far. The bolt stays super clean but I really don’t shoot much through the gun in between cleanings. I usually clean the gun after I shoot it. I dont think I’ve shot more than 30 rounds through it at once. People talk about checking the head space on your rifle when you build it but I’ve heard if you have the same company make the BCG and the barrel you should be good. The Daniel Defense barrel seems to be pretty accurate but I will shoot it from a rest at some point to show a three shot group.
I’ll talk about the Magpul parts all at once. The CTR stock is amazing. I really dont think the friction lock feature of it is necessary for what im doing but it’s definitely a plus. if you are tight on money just get the regular Magpul Stock. The PMAGS work well for what I’m doing. They seem pretty durable although I really haven’t tested just how durable they are but this may tell you how amazing they are. ok so dont drive over it in your humvee. I don’t plan on doing that. the most stress ill put on the magazine is dropping it from 3 feet from the ground and dropping it into snow. So I don’t think I will have any trouble. And I can’t argue with the price and the color options. The angled foregrip made by Magpul has worked great. very comfortable and makes you hold the rifle properly unlike a regular foregrip where people hold onto the grip like its a soda can, which isn’t how you should hold it. I previously talked about the Magpul backup sights so I won’t discuss them again.
The YHM diamond pattern handguard seems pretty solid. At first I didn’t have the barrel nut tight enough but once I put the rifle in a vice and tightened it down it doesn’t move. stupid mistake by me. I put loktite, which it came with, on all the threads just to make sure over time it doesn’t loosen up. The rail has two threaded holes on the end of it towards the barrel and you can buy mounts for a sling that go into those holes. pretty handy.
The rifle weighs around 7 pounds. Not really sure if this is heavy for an AR but I don’t see how it could get any lighter, maybe take off the magpul foregrip. That weight is with an empty magazine in the rifle. I like the weight of the rifle, some weight there to help you shoot but also easy to move with the rifle. I’ve run a few drills with it and it’s been absolutely fine, easy to run with, shoot on the move, turn with, etc.
oh, I wanna say a little about the Gunfighter charging handle. I love the size of the latch, large. easy to grab when under stress but I’ve pinched my fingers in it a few times so gloves may be a good choice when shooting this rifle, if you have the chance to slip on gloves. A friend of mine said that I should use this rifle for home defense. I’ve thought about it and I’m still not sure what I should do. I like the idea of a shotgun for home defense just because the shot group will be larger but the shotgun is quite large. Maybe I’ll keep both handy.
I started building this rifle by reading about how to build an AR and how to videos online. I knew nothing about the AR system and I have learned so much about the gun by building one. People always say that a little kid could pick up an AK and understand how to use it in 5 minutes and how it works but I feel you could easily do the same with an AR-15. The rifle is simple to use and easy to fix if something goes wrong with it. If you are interested in firearms and always wanted an AR but never thought you could afford one, I’d suggest building one yourself. You will fully understand how the rifle works and what goes into one if you build it yourself. I love the fact that the AR platform is so customizable and no two are the same. Here’s a little something more about the rifle I wrote.
Those are two quick groups I shot to sight in my sights. the ones on the right of the woodchuck were my first two then I moved my sights left and got the second two shots. I’ve still got to move the front post down a couple turns. pretty accurate for irons. but that was from a pretty close distance and a fairly small target.
I talked to a friend of mine about what I should write. He said that it may be difficult because you don’t have much to compare it to. I definitely agree with that. I have never shot any other AR-15. I can only compare it to the firearms I’ve shot and handled.
UPDATE:
Finished product. Just recently(not in picture), I installed a Rock River 2 stage trigger and love it. I’ve recently shot groups inside a bullseye that is about 2 inches wide from 100 yards away on a rest with my 12 power Nikon ProStaff scope. I’d say that’s good for putting together by myself.
I want to give credit to Simon Ingall for the photographs in this review
