I live in a country where, as an adult with zero convictions, no criminal record, cannot ever own one of these tools. I watched the video entirely. To all the Americans reading this comment.... Never take your constitution or amendments for granted.
The beautiful thing is that there's room for entertainment channels and channels that dispense great information like this channel, Forgotten Weapons, and others!
Timestamps 0:00 Intro 3:00 Why get an AR 4:03 AR operating system 6:33 Barrel specs 9:44 Barrel matterials and finishes 18:19 Barrel profiles and gas length 23:53 Barrel twists 26:26 Bolt carrier group specs breakdown 36:41 Bolt carrier group finishes 40:04 Head spacing tangent 42:01 Bolt carrier profiles 44:19 Muzzle devices
I couldn’t agree more! I really needed this education, as I’m shopping for m6 first AR. Today I went into a couple gun stores, I picked up probably 20-30 different rifles. Some looked a lot prettier than others. There were s9me Diamond Backs with some awesome looking colors…lol. I left pretty confused. The gun store employees are very little help…in fact they all suck! Most have this fk’n attitude. They definitely weren’t into knowledge transfers and probably didn’t have much to give anyway. I’m going to buy from a place like Classic Firearms.
As a novice to the AR15 platform, this video was super helpful for learning basic differences and reasons for using different barrels and BCG's. I'd watch a part 2
Be careful there are a lot of ways you can waste money when building a AR15. For me criterion or black river tactical Barrels with a Solgw bcg have been my go to combos.
I haven't had much issue with this. One issue I did have was when I swapped the stock government profile barrel with a Faxon the gas port was larger and I needed to put a heavier buffer in so it would feed reliably.
Best advice i can give...... don't go cheap. Whether it be the gun, optic, or trigger. Get the good stuff from the get go, you'll have less issues, and enjoy the purchase.
I disagree. I would say get a reliable basic military grade rifle and learn marksmanship with it. Then once proficient, the upgrades can be appreciated with something to compare it against.
@Michael Boyle I agree with that, but either way, you're spending the money up front, or over time. I say spend it up front, then use that money for the upgrades, towards ammo.
@@michaelboyle9512 if you can’t build your own, you’re absolutely right. If you can build your own, you can build a $2k+ quality rifle for around $1k nowadays
I go with TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Also, I have tried lesser priced items, some I didn't want that, and tried a lesser priced alternative, didn't like that and bought something completely different and paid the $3,000 for my sights / optics. The lesser priced options are on a .22 version and a 9mm version... So the Buy The Best Up Front, is total BS. Barrel & Bolt maybe. Personal preference... not at all, unless you have Tried BEFORE You Buy.
Any AR you buy, be comfortable buying 5 times its value in ammo for it. Not slamming the value of your firearm, but the experience gain you get with shooting your own rifle, understanding it, and working it, will be immensurate.
This was the only one for me too. That and Nickel Boron BCG as he seemed to steer away from them but that one honestly I see no issues with a really good company.
Mike, I'm not a novice to the AR World, owning more than one and looking for another, great part one! I'd be up for a part 2 and/or 3. You can never learn too much. Keep up the great work!
I would buy one off the shelf if you want one right away, but highly recommend building one after. Just watch for deals and piece one together over time. Plus it'll force you to have all the tools you'll need in case anything happens and you need to fix/replace something. Great video 👍
Yep, I bought my first one in 2004 (I had an AR before having an AR was cool!!) it was a Bushmaster with fixed stock and fixed carry handle. Over the next few years I bought the tools and parts to switch to a flat top upper, adjustable stock, and free float handguard. Then like you said, just watched for parts on sale and built several more one peice at a time. I always makes sure that my lower, upper, barrel and BCG from the same company, usually Aero Precision or Ballistic Advantage.
I agree buy a or a few see what you like and what you don’t like them based on that data you can build a rifle that will check all those boxes you want and need and most times cheaper than off the shelf
@@firemedic23-5 Since when has it not been cool to have an AR-15? I bought my first one (a Colt R6600DH) in 1986, and it was and still is pretty cool to have.
@@JR15A2 just my feeble attempt to be humorous 😁 but there was a significant increase in popularity and purchases of AR's after the Clinton " assault weapon" ban was lifted in 2004
@@firemedic23-5 That was an infuriating time to be alive. To this day, I wouldn't shit in a democrat's mouth to save them from starving to death because of that BS.
All things being equal, which they never are, this is one of the best AR 15 primers on the web. I am a retired LEO and was a department armorer for 17 of my 22 years and I learned from this presentation. And getting more pencil barrels, and getting rid of the ridiculous Government profile barrel, from general use, would be a huge public service.
Yes on part 2! Great thing about these videos is that everyone can relate and join in cause the ar is by far the most popular platform. You forgot to mention that SS barrels don't have the longevity compared to chromoly.
Deep fluted Heavy Profile barrels from Faxon brand are very light and accurate when heated up. Made of 416R Nitrite treated inside and out. 5R rifling to prevent bullet breaking at long distance shots
Mike....you are a great man. I greatful God gave you to this world. There are so many people out here that need your wisdom. Thanks for all you do brother.
Yes please, an entire series on everything. I am a novice at all of this stuff and am starting to order parts for what I want to be an extremely accurate build. Thank you
My favorite AR is the Franken-rifle i built almost a decade ago. Core-15 lower, no name upper, Faxon barrel, etc. Working the kinks out taught me a lot. At this point I may have spent enough to have bought a rifle on the low end of the mid range but learning to troubleshoot was worth it.
I think that experience of putting them together could be very important for a SHTF scenario. You’ll be quicker at cleaning & fixing issues than others who have never taken one apart. I myself have never built one from scratch so that’s my next project after finishing my kit out.
I have a Springfield Armory Saint Victor Edge and love it. Accurate and reliable. It's now perfect after adding a red dot, light, angle fore end and one special removal, I got rid of that ridiculous muzzle break and put a standard birdcage on it.
My first AR was a Windham Weaponry SRC because it had a chrome lined barrel, a phosphate coated and chrome lined BCG and a chrome lined and properly staked gas key for under $800. I then put a ton of cool stuff on it from BCM, Magpul and Midwest Industries to customize it for myself
My favorite upper is the Wolf a-1, t-91 clone. Cold hammer forged, melonite treated, short stroke piston and it just runs so smooth. Price is fair as well.
Contrary to popular belief a regular Nitrided barrel is just as effective, CHF is just a faster process if the manufacturer has the machines, really be hard pressed to find a difference between a BCA CHF and a FN/DD CHF other than the chrome lining
It's really not a clone, It's a T91 barrel sold in the US distributed by Wolf. It is a deal they struck to get Taiwan made 5.56 mm in brass cases. So when you buy Wolf's brass 5.56, it is from Taiwan.
Good general guide and presentation. Some fun facts: reason why Mil-Spec barrels profile is upside-down was from the US military's contract weight requirement. Eugene Stoner and the project team were told to make the early M16 lighter. They shaved off material from the barrel section under the handguard, that way it was covered up. Illogical but that was the project requirement. The legacy stuck and Gov Profile barrels kept doing it, even on the later M4 carbine. Same with the forward assist. It was added after the US Army requested it on the early M16. There's no need for a forward assist. The the bolt carrier has the scallop cut-out. You can push it forward with your thumb, or pull it forward with your support hand finger (like a magwell grip). Again, the project team did it to keep the customer happy.
Turn this video into a drinking game: each time Mike says "all things being equal," take a shot. If he follows it up with "and again, they never are," take another shot.
Yes! It's a rare individual who, repeatedly within one video, can deliver such inspired self-negating flashes of wit. Drinking is the only suitable response.
In my opinion, if you buy a Daniel Defense, BCM, or Spikes Tactical, you’re good to go. I also love the Smith & Wesson Sport 2 as a great budget gun. Those 4 have never let me down.
My first AR-15 I bought was a year ago and I ended up going with the Ruger MPR 18" barrel with a Holosun 510C... I was looking at a few different options but honestly I kind of made up my mind after watching hickok45's video on it. Runs like a champ and have had no issues or regrets.
Thank you, Sir! I have been a police armorer for 25+ years after attending some great schools and this video just taught me a wealth of knowledge as to why things are the way they are and helped me understand why some things are better than others. Excellent video!
As someone who got into the AR platform about a decade ago I’m still amazed at how well of a tool it is. Once someone trains with it and not even that much it’s easy to learn the controls of. Easy to aim and be fairly accurate. I know there’s an argument on what the best rifle system/platform is and there are other great rifles out there but the DI AR chambered in 556 NATO has gotten so fine tuned that it’s become America’s tool
Great content. You are a good teacher. I see AR15s as I see late-model automobiles: Some are better than others, but none truly suck. All put rounds on target, are reasonably accurate, and cycle reliably.
I usually recommend buying stripped lower and getting the exact components that you want. Then, BCM has any complete upper you could ever want. That is what I did 16 years ago and I still have 3 of the 10 stripped lowers that I bought in 2007 for dirt cheap. I have built a couple uppers but usually just buy complete uppers and drop in a premium BCG and charging handle. Have a .22lr, 10.5” pistol, 14.5” carbine, 16” rifle, x2 18” DMRs and a 20” bull barrel target rifle. All are BCM other than the 10.5” and 20” which I built. IMO BCM quality is on par with DD and costs less. Plus, BCM customer service is amazing!
I love how all of the good you-tubers in the 2A community have found a plethora of formats to continue getting great videos and pertanent intel out to keep us entertained and informed. Rock on guys and gals and thanks for all that you do. 🔥👍👊
Regarding pencil thin barrels, the heat treating of the barrels of the 60’s was inferior to pencil thin barrels of today. They are no longer a problem.
@soldierofliberty Fair enough, but modern pencil barrels don’t show the deviation in accuracy as they heat up as the original ones do. Very little if any occur with the quality barrels of today. Thankfully we have lots of choices today so you aren’t limited.
now that you've given us the important basics, go on please, make a part two and talk about the nuances of the secondary parts. ie: buffer system, handrail, charging handles, grips, etc.....
Great video. As the “gun guy” in my circle, I’m often asked what AR or pistol someone should buy. I always follow it up with the same two questions. 1. What is intended purpose? 2. What’s your budget? The biggest thing with the budget is that people don’t often think about the support items you’re going to want/need. Holster, optic, ammo, training, mags, sling, light, LBE, etc.
The first Colt M4 in SBR in full auto, I had to qualify with every 3 months in the Border Patrol, and checked out of the armory when I thought I needed it on the shift and local.
My first ever AR was a Ruger AR 556. To this day it's still the most reliable AR that I own and is way more accurate than it's price range. That rifle has seen THOUSANDS of rounds and has been ran hard and hot more times than I like to admit. I had to send both of my BCM's & 1 of my SOLGW back to factory because of multiple issues all within hitting 1k rounds even. I even have a few "premium" PSA rifles that have out performed my "Gucci" AR's.
To help folks understand the "chrome lined" barrel, think of a chrome plated bumper on an older car. Note how those stay shiny and scratch free due to a thin layer of chromium. It is commonly called "hard chrome plating", as it has high hardness, which gives it wear resistance greater than that of the 4150 barrel base material, even though that is fairly hard itself. it is also very corrosion resistant. The chromium plating also forms a thermal barrier, having relatively low thermal conductivity, thus slowing down the transfer of heat into the barrel. Given that the 4150 alloy steel is a quenched and tempered material, excessive heating will overtemper the barrel, resulting in permanant softening of the the barrel and potential dimensional distortion, rendering it non-functional. Alternative treatments for the barrel, which are also used on many other wear components of firearms are nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing (QPQ, Melonite, Kolsterizing, etc.). These make the surface harder without adding any material, and also provide some corrosion resistance, but not as much as the chrome plating. The chrome lined barrels, as he said are phosphate coated on the outside, which produces a dull and slightly rough finish, which a little bit of oil will help to shine it up and make it more corrosion resistant, but then it is a bit oily. The "nitrided" barrels have that treatment applied to all surfaces and it is inherently more shiny with no oil applied. So that is a quick way to tell them apart.
@@Driveby-Viktum here is the thing: a BCM upper is not that much more than a descent budget upper. Now you might think that they are similar, but they are not. The other guys had to cut corners somewhere to meet the price. If you want it for plinking and practice, sure, good enough, if something breaks you just replace it, if she jams at the range or stops cycling, no big deal. But if you want a combat rifle, something you rely on, then you will spend more money on upgrading the budget piece than saving up and just buying BCM to begin with.
BCM's qc and general business practices went into the dumpster a year or two ago. yes, they still make good rifles (or uppers), but they make more bad rifles than they used to and they're not taking care of them. Piston AR's are just plain worse at everything. #not my opinion, check out guys who are actual experts, like SOTAR. the short answer is regardless of brand you buy, you may either get a good rifle or a bad rifle. the worst companies who source parts or manufacture them with proper materials can accidently make a good rifle same as a good company can, and do more than people admit, make a bad rifle. the important parts are how likely it is your rifle will be built correctly and how the company will respond to one that isn't.
@@bjornegan6421 I have not heard much about BCM rifles having problems or them not taking care of those problems, not saying that its not true, but I did spend a good amount of time on the internet reading and didnt see much of that. Most people say that BCM stuff just runs, and that has been my experience as well. I have seen things from other manufacturers that cost twice as much, and the rifle has multiple issues from the box. Geissele stuff also "just runs", but it is pricey! Piston ARs are a pretty wide spectrum, there are a lot of takes on that, saying that all of them are worse at everything is ... lets just say ridiculous. As a person that knows how to figure out why your DI gun isnt running right, I can tell you there are a whole lot of things that can and do go wrong with that system, often straight from factory. There is a channel here called "School of the American Rifle", go watch some of their stuff on the DI system, and then understand that a system like what PWS uses eliminates most of those problems.
I have built over 20 AR15's in my lifetime. That's not including buying straight from the box. By far my favorite barrel I have ever bought. 14.5 mid gas CHF chrome lined pencil profile. From BMC. I have 3 in my arsenal, and I will die in that hill. For what I use them for and what I do. They're hands down my favorite.
Part 2, please. A focus on gas system and buffer system compatibility (e.g., mid-length and Vltor A5 / BCM MK2) would be greatly appreciated. Joining Mugclub now.
Rather than put everything together (which is a great learning method), I bought one "off the shelf" ready. I'm partial to IWI but still on a bit of budget so Zion 15 it was. I love it. But watching this, and part 2, has taught me how much I missed out on by not putting one together from scratch
Such a great video! Man I wish i’d had this a few years ago when i started spec’ing my first ARs. I’m pretty good with google search and did a ton of research, and fortunately come to the same conclusions on most items. But so many hours would have been saved and so much doubt avoided if i’d had this video. Super job! And definitely would like to see more.
It’s very important to learn how to use a AR and AK Plus semi automatic pistol and revolver If you don’t buy, just go to where you can leaning how to shoot them and do follow up often 😊
I started with the AR 10. I have had great luck with it, an M&P 10, with some modifications. I've also built an LR I have yet to fire, hopefully soon though. An AR 15 is next. The platform in general is fantastic. I do wish the AR 10 were more standardized, they can be tricky to find accessories for. Great video as always. I always learn something. Thank you.
As soon as you said Bravo Company bolt carrier group i knew you know what youre talking about. Ive built a couple dozen ARs and in the AR15 / M15s the Bravo Company BCM seems to be a much better unit in my experience. There are BCMs (Daniel Defense, Colt etc...) that are more expensive and in my experience are only as good at best (I think the BCM works better) which is why its the industry standard like you said. Good job on the video and I subbed.
I highly recommend building your first AR-15 from scratch. You learn so much about the platform and how the various mechanisms work together. It’s not really that hard, either. I went from having zero experience with guns to building a complete AR-15 within a few months. Honestly, it was much harder putting together my last gaming PC.
Man, a piston system stays exponentially cleaner than DI and I’ve experienced no noticeable weight difference between the two. Two differences I didn’t notice was covered is price and reliability, being that piston is more expensive than a DI gun usually and the piston is debatably more reliable. I’m not sure about more reliable but I think there’s a reason H&K puts pistons in their rifles. Now, I love all AR systems. I love my Colt 6920 DI, but it comes home from the range VERY dirty especially compared to my piston ARs. I found Adams Arms piston rifles and have been a big fan of them since. They are extremely reasonably priced, they take no shortcuts and use only the best materials and methods, and they are made in Florida (which is better in my opinion than being manufactured in Connecticut or New Hampshire.)
Interesting I’ll have to check these piston AR’s out & compare the price differences, I would rather have a little more kick & have a cleaner gun/BCG but that’s me, The cleaner BCG/barrel would make a big difference in a war situation when you may not have time to clean it after every engagement… Any brands of piston AR’s I should check out?!
Yes the Spikes build that my dad won in an NRA banquet auction has a pencil barrel and is really lightweight plus it’s 14.9 pin and weld, whereas my LWRCi M6IC DI has a spiral fluted heavy contour barrel because LWRC is located in Maryland and they are required to build ARs with heavy profile barrels (the proprietary handguard doesn’t help either) I have seen some videos where the Pencil barrel has more whip. It only affects accuracy in competition I believe where quick fire in near the same spot. I have an Aero upper with a lighter profile barrel that isn’t pencil and combined with a light handguard it’s pretty close and according to my gunsmith it’ll hold up better. Find someone knowledgeable that can steer you in the right direction. My build was because I didn’t want a heavy front end. I put a heavy robust stock on my AR build so the rifle will tend to be but heavy and balance better with just firing grip when reloading. I sometimes wish I had gone with my Gunsmith’s recommendation that just looking up YT reviews. I got my LWRCi because it was ambidextrous and I didn’t know if I was going to shoot rifle right or left handed as I’m cross eye dominant (right hand/left eye).
Rifles and shotguns inevitably become safe queens. Handguns are so much more convenient. I think most people are better off with a ruger lcp max, a sig 365, and a glock. If you are ready for an ar-15, id say jump right in. Dont obsess or stress out about getting the perfect one. Most of them work fine. Budget - Palmetto state armory Middle - bravo company manufacturing High end- f1 firearms UDR-15.
Spot on and everyone has their preferences. Only thing I could add is linear comps for shorter guns, I use them on some and it's a not as bad ear ring. Now I'm going to give away my age they are levang comps hopefully that's spelled right hahaha! Great video keep up the great work and informing the new shooters!
I own a lot of these rifles. More than I have fingers to count on lol. I still enjoyed watching this video. Thanks mr guns and gear. I help a lot of new people find the right guns for what they want because they often don’t know what the differences are. This is what I’ll show people from now on.
wow! my head is about to explode!! so much information!! I remember the first AR I ever shot.1967 version of the m-16 (complete with "RAM rod") been shooting them ever since. great job on a difficult subject, wish I knew back in the "war" what I know now!!
I’ll say this about BCGs though, if you’re willing to dish out a decent amount more for something that’s apparently leagues better, go for the Sharps XPB BCG, it’s about 180 (maybe 60 more than a regular nickel boron BCG) but it’s got cuts to save on weight, it’s robust, it’s got strong materials and it’s described as being able to take on full auto and being hard to get real dirty since it’s easy to wipe off, for the price it’s probably the best bang for your buck, it might be the best AR15 BCG on market too, at least it for sure was a couple years ago and also for first timers, I recommend checking out the rifles from PSA and the parts from Aero Precision (if they’re still able to put anything out right now because of Washington state laws), those two companies are for sure your best friends, budget friendly and decently made products, don’t bother really with Daniel Defense, they’re overpriced I think, you’re better off looking at stuff from opticsplanet, primary arms and rifle companies like Stag arms and even Springfield
Tbh I’ve never bought one off the shelf. I’ve always built them. It allows me to get the best parts for that specific build. I can also tune uppers to lowers so I can have more capability with less $. Plus I don’t buy cheap parts. Geiessle, criterion, triarc, SRC, etc.
I would love to learn about buffer weight and spring. I spent a lot of time on an m16 and m4. I have yet to replicate the feel. Most civvie rifles feel kinda weird. My rifle feels like an m4 but continues to rattle for a quarter second like an m16. I run a bcm 14.5 mid with an aero m4e1. I would like to get rid of the reverberation
I bought an ar15 from PSA during the pandemic gun craze. I went with a 16” with carbine gas systems specifically because most of the 223 I could find at the time was steel cased ammo, and my brothers mid length would not run steel cased as reliably as I wanted
Nice helpful vid for people that don’t know about this platform, my only caveat is that I have shot tens of thousands of rounds using exclusively tool craft boron carrier groups and have never had an issue and find them to be the best bang for the buck out of any carrier group, I do have others but the boron carrier seems to be superior
Great video mike, ive been shooting the AR platform for a few decades and know my way around it well. Your descriptions and explanations are spot on and easy to understand. I will save this video and use it when i need to go over the details with friends and family. Thank you for sharing.
Good information for the novice and veteran alike. No such thing as too much information on a tool that you're potentially going to bet your life on. Good video!
I will say, from my experience doing precision smallbore shooting, having a stainless steel barrel can have a negative impact on your shooting ability on a sunny day. The sun reflecting off the barrel goes into your line of sight and can cause mirage and other things. On an AR platform though, I don't forsee you running into those issues generally because the barrel is usually shrouded or covered. But it is something to be aware of, make sure that the barrel is shrouded enough so that bright sun won't cause you issues.
I chose a LWRC IC-A5 5.56 for a couple of reasons. I don’t have a lot of time to perform modifications and maintenance, build quality and dealer support. Added a red dot and magnifier. I’ll run 1,000 rounds getting familiar with the weapon, clean and oil it and put it up with another 1,000 rounds of premium ammo that I’ve sighted for. Certainly hope I never need a weapon like this, but if I do.. btw, my wife requested that I would make provisions to protect us. I also go to the range once a month to stay proficient with a much more difficult to master hand gun. Chose to not be a victim is my thinking.
