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Posted: 12/7/2011 9:20:16 PM EDT
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What remaining parts and tools will I need to assemble an upper? What would you guys recommend for the remaining parts that I need?
I have: Centurion Arms C4 Rail, 12" NoTalon SuperComp Rifle Brake I need: 18" barrel (http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=2753) Upper Receiver (What is a good one?) Bolt Carrier Assemblies (What is a good one?) Charging Handle? Ejection Port Cover Assembly? Forward Assist Assembly? Barrel Nut? What will I need to attach my Centurion Arms C4 Rail? Tools: I have: AR-15 LOWER RECEIVER VISE BLOCK Armorers Wrench |
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I'll give this a shot. Lots of questions but I'll try...
Barrel is Badass. No problems there. Any of the bigger brands will provide you with a quality upper receiver. RRA, Spikes, BCM, noveske to match your barrel and several others. Check the buttons across the top and bottom of the page. I'm gonna say the noveske barrel is def M4 ramped so buy a M4 ramped upper. For a BCG, I personally would stick with the same brand as the barrel you choose. This pretty much eliminates head spacing worries and should give you the best fit between bolt and barrel extension. I have no experience with fancy charging handles so can't offer an opinion on anything other than a standard one. But many say once you try the BCM gunfighter you will never go back. Maybe someone else will chime in on this. Dust cover and FA will be on your upper unless you choose a stripped one. I would get an assembled one. Price is usually close between stripped and assembled unless you choose a billet or otherwise "special" upper. The barrel nut should come with your rail system. Tools: here is what I used. An upper action clamp. A PRI barrel nut wrench because I had problems with the armorers wrench. Use the insert that comes with the upper clamp. A vise. I am also unfamiliar with the rail you chose. Make sure the gas block on your barrel will fit in it. Read the tacked threads about building atleast twice. Lots of good stuff in there. |
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I won the Rail and break from ar15news.com. So I figured I should use them :)
The centurionarms website said it "clamps to a standard barrel nut on all AR15, M4, and M16 type weapons systems" so I guess I just need a standard barrel nut. http://centurionarms.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=C412rails.tpl&product_id=71&category_id=39&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=47 Any of the bigger brands will provide you with a quality upper receiver. RRA, Spikes, BCM, noveske to match your barrel and several others. Check the buttons across the top and bottom of the page. I'm gonna say the noveske barrel is def M4 ramped so buy a M4 ramped upper.
I thought I read billet was preferred in the uppers since they took all the stress? What is M4 ramped? So the http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=2118 would work? And it will fit my Rainier Arms Forged Lower Receiver - Zombie? http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=2669 For a BCG, I personally would stick with the same brand as the barrel you choose. This pretty much eliminates head spacing worries and should give you the best fit between bolt and barrel extension.
I was thinking about the Core15 Nickel Boron BCG, Hammer and charging handle. http://core15rifles.com/products/parts/upper-parts.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=vmj_color_plus.tpl&product_id=77&category_id=12 Dust cover and FA will be on your upper unless you choose a stripped one. I would get an assembled one. Price is usually close between stripped and assembled unless you choose a billet or otherwise "special" upper,
Good to know. I will be going with the assembled one. I have a dust cover to change out though :) got a zombie killer engraved ejection port. Read the tacked threads about building at least twice. Lots of good stuff in there.
Yes this website/forum is great. I have been reading everything. And watching YouTube videos. |
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Sounds like you are heading in the right direction.
FAQ's For info on feed ramps and other good info. I cannot stress the upper clamp enough. Use it! Or buy something similar to a DPMS Panther Claw. Both work. I used the clamp. It's easy to figure out. Got mine at Brownell's. Billet is nice. You will need the panther claw style block to hold it in a vise tho. The outside dimensions are different than a forged upper. Forged uppers are strong too. It takes a lot to bend one. I just looked at your rail. Nice. Does it have a cutout for a front sight base? Or is it fully cylindrical all the way to the end on both ends?? Check. If it has the cutout you wouldn't want the noveske barrel with the low profile gas block. The cutout is for a fixed front sight post to poke up through. Don't jump the gun (pun intended!) and buy as quick as you can. Wait. Learn. Read. Learn some more. Wait. Remember what you learn. Buy once. Cry once. It would really suck to buy a bunch of stuff, begin, and have a bunch of expensive parts that don't mate up. |
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Quoted:
Sounds like you are heading in the right direction. FAQ's For info on feed ramps and other good info. Cool I know all about the M4 feed ramps now. I saw the diagram that shows which are good and which are bad and I understand why the one is bad because it might cause a jam if the bullet tip gets lodged in the gap. So I will be getting the matching noveske M4 ramped forged upper. I cannot stress the upper clamp enough. Use it! Or buy something similar to a DPMS Panther Claw. Both work. I used the clamp. It's easy to figure out. Got mine at Brownell's.
Yeah I read a story on here about a guy bending his upper by not using a clamp. Which one of these works better? http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=22385/Product/AR-15-M16-UPPER-RECEIVER-ACTION-BLOCK http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=510 I just looked at your rail. Nice. Does it have a cutout for a front sight base? Or is it fully cylindrical all the way to the end on both ends?? Check. If it has the cutout you wouldn't want the noveske barrel with the low profile gas block. The cutout is for a fixed front sight post to poke up through.
I took the rail out of the box and inspected it again. It does not have a cutout so it should work good with that barrel. Don't jump the gun (pun intended!) and buy as quick as you can. Wait. Learn. Read. Learn some more. Wait. Remember what you learn. Buy once. Cry once. It would really suck to buy a bunch of stuff, begin, and have a bunch of expensive parts that don't mate up.
I am trying not to jump the gun. I have been asking questions on here and to Ben on AR15NEWS.com… This is my updated list of parts… I have: Centurion Arms C4 Rail, 12" NoTalon SuperComp Rifle Brake [M16 Bolt Carrier Group Nickel Boron coated and Mil-Spec Hammer Nickel Boron coated. And a Core15 Hardcore Billet Charging Handle V.2] (http://core15rifles.com/products/parts/upper-parts.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=vmj_color_plus.tpl&product_id=77&category_id=12?) I need: 18" barrel [Noveske 18 Lightweight Stainless Barrel] (http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=2753) Upper Receiver [Noveske Upper Receiver w/Extended Feed Ramps (M4)] (http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=2118) Barrel Nut? Is there a difference? Tools: I need: AR-15 LOWER RECEIVER VISE BLOCK (which is better?) http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=22385/Product/AR-15-M16-UPPER-RECEIVER-ACTION-BLOCK http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=510 I have: Armorers Wrench Punches |
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Nice choices so far. I have only used the clamp style block so can not offer an opinion from experience.
I'm a little confused about the free float, the rail came with no nut??? I gotta check this thing out again..... AHA! Check this out Yes it uses standard barrel nut. I didnt watch the whole thing, even though a real nice sounding lady was giving the instructions LOLOL see if they require anything you dont have. Pretty sure this is what you need. watch the whole thing though, the rail might be made for a rifle length gas system with a Fixed Sight Base(FSB) The clamshell style I have seen have a little circular flap like peice at the front. Always check and double check as I've mentioned that I had never even seen this rail. ETA: Don't forget to grease the barrel extension and reciever threads. I think there is info about which grease to use in one of the tacked threads in Build It Yourself. I used a synthetic high temp grease, Mobil1. |
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Here is a great group of assembly videos. I assembled my lower about a month ago and used these, they worked great.
Brownells Assembly Video's |
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Ok waiting on funds to buy my barrel.
What iron sights should I get? I am leaning towards the Troy folding battle sight. I will also be aquiring optics later so I need something that will work as a backup for the main optic. Where can i get Troys for a good price? |
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Barrel. Vise. Blocks. Can't overemphasize this. I have a Panther Claw, and it's been fine for some things, but when you torque (or worse, remove!) a barrel nut, this type of fixture puts all the stress on the pivot lug and forward, threaded portion of the upper-that's not good. With barrel vise blocks, you put ALL the stress on the barrel, which is hugely more robust than the aluminum upper. This is, by the way, the "soldier proof" method in the TM, probably for that very reason.
I'd also get a high quality barrel nut wrench, like the DPMS AR-15 Multi-Tool. The GI wrench is renowned for stripping barrel nut teeth, while wrenches like this DPMS tool grab many teeth at once. You really should use a torque wrench to ensure the barrel nut is properly seated. Just about every barrel nut tool has a 1/2" square drive hole at the appropriate point to allow you to use a torque wrench to properly torque the nut. The standard is "at least 30 foot-pounds, but no more than 80 foot-pounds." That's pretty broad, so it's not like you need a $4,000 precision tool to get it right, but there are probably 3 people on the whole planet who can "get 40 foot-pounds just by the feel." And they don't build ARs.... 
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