Colt AR 15 in need of TLC

[SOLAteeda]

So I acquired a Colt AR 15... Though it seems to have been raped by a redneck with a hacksaw. The person who had it wanted to mount a scope for hunting, but couldn't get the front sight off. He then literally sawed off the front sight.

I don't have any experience with assault rifles, and don't know exactly what needs to be done to clean this gun up. Previously mentioned person with hacksaw also neglected to clean it for quite some time I believe.

If I don't sell this gun I am going to turn it I to a project. It has the full/solid stock and is quite heavy. If I end up keeping it, it needs to be a good deal lighter. To start out, I need to get a new front sight and get it cleaned up real nice. From there on there I don't have much of a clue what all I would want on it. I am going to try and get some pictures up soon, will have to get my laptop and go to booksamillion or something. iPhone is great but I wish I could upload pics straight from it.
I am going to start googling/searching YouTube/ searching this site and a couple of others about cleaning etc etc, but if there is anyone around the Covington area who knows the in's and outs of this type of gun and wants to go out to the range soon, I would love to learn this stuff in person.

 

[Narco]

Replacing the A2 front sight is gonna be a pain. Your better off going with a free float rail and a low profile gas block now. Unless you can find a smith who is utterly awesome.

Out in your area in Loranger, is Rob Roy. A little on the odd side, but he does awesome work.

 

[whbonney26]

There are so many ways you can fix up that AR. Look around and see what you like and which direction you want to take it. It will be a fun project.

On a side note.....you can get the photobucket app on your Iphone and DL pics from your phone.

 

[SOLAteeda]

Thanks Narco, I will start looking into the parts you suggested, and maybe see about contacting Rob.

 

[SOLAteeda]

There are so many ways you can fix up that AR. Look around and see what you like and which direction you want to take it. It will be a fun project.

On a side note.....you can get the photobucket app on your Iphone and DL pics from your phone.

I will go look for that app right now! As for the AR, my biggest concern is weight. As of now it is excessively heavy. I will look at sone parts to make it lighter/ more compact and post back for some opinions.

 

[whbonney26]

what length barrel does it have? You can turn it into a carbine colapsable stock.

 

[GWB]

16" barrel, free floating handguard, railed gas block, or low profile gas block fit snugly under the handguard, adjustable stock. there are alot of ways to drop weight, but an AR is not a very light weapon.

 

[gunz4me]

I feel the OP's pain on this one. Four years ago I pieced an AR-15 together from used parts and the barrel that I purchased obviously had the front site base replaced.

To make a short story long, the guy I purchased the barrel from had purchased it himself during the AWB and it didn't have a bayonet lug. Well, when the AWB ended, he decided he was going to replace it, and well, now I have excessive windage to align the rear site with the FSB.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that you can't just replace your front site base with another one by pinning it into place. The good news is there are some FSBs that have set screws on them: http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/Front-Sight-Base-s/71.htm . The bad news is they are not cheap.

 

[nate223]

I would go recce style, someone's already started it for you. Leave the gas block on (he didn't cut the whole thing off right, just top part?) and put a free floating handguard over it. Paint the exposed gas block black, but otherwise it should be good to go. (I've seen detailed instructions on making a front sight a low-profile gas block, but I can't seem to find them now.)

By "recce," this is what I'm talking about (not my pics):

Your rifle probably looks like the one above, minus most of the front sight, and it could end up looking like the one below it. LaRue makes a great rail, but there are plenty others out there. Just make sure you use one that has the clearance for the gas block. I know LaRue's does: http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/Detail.bok?no=50
From the description: "Excellent choice for short rifles in the 10"-16" range. The 9.0's length stops just past a carbine-length gas block, providing true free-float." This would work really well, I think. He doesn't have a front sight, but I'd definately put a rail-mounted sight on the front of it.

For more ideas, here's a thread full of recce rifles: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=303894&page=6

 

[SOLAteeda]

 

[nate223]

Hmm, it's a rifle-length gas system, so that changes things a bit. If you wanted to cover it, this is probably the only thing I can think of that would do it, but it's really long, and thus, heavy: http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/Detail.bok?no=71

Otherwise, change out the sight with a new one and keep the handguard that's on it now.

 

[whbonney26]

If you want it to weigh less I say sell off the parts you dont need and change it to a carbine length AR and replace the stock with one of the adjustable stocks.

 

[SOLAteeda]

So I couldn't change out the entire front end? Once again, I am rather ignorant as for as assault rife technicalities go, I have a lot to learn and hope not to ask too many stupid questions.

The barrel is 19.5", that is IF I am measuring from the correct starting point. If I were to keep this rifle I would like to change it out for a 16" if possible.

 

[whbonney26]

So I couldn't change out the entire front end? Once again, I am rather ignorant as for as assault rife technicalities go, I have a lot to learn and hope not to ask too many stupid questions.

The barrel is 19.5", that is IF I am measuring from the correct starting point. If I were to keep this rifle I would like to change it out for a 16" if possible.

Yes you can. You can swap out the barrel, forarm and swap out the cut front sight for a lowprofile gas block or 1913 rail style gas block.

 

[SOLAteeda]

If you want it to weigh less I say sell off the parts you dont need and change it to a carbine length AR and replace the stock with one of the adjustable stocks.

So sell off the whole front end and convert to carbine? Seems like it might be the way to go.

 

[SOLAteeda]

Ah gotcha

 

[whbonney26]

So sell off the whole front end and convert to carbine? Seems like it might be the way to go.

That is the only way you are going to really take some weight off. Most of your weight is out in front of the gun and therefore making it feel heavy.

If you dont know much about the AR platform you could always just pop the pins and sell your complete upper and then buy you a complete upper in carbine length and be done with it.

 

[MrLefty]

I've seen plenty of people cut down their FSB like that. Most of them cover it with a rail of some sort, but you want to shed some weight, so that's only going to contribute to the problem.

What role you want this AR to fill is the deciding factor. If you wanna keep the rifle configuration, swap the barrel out for a pencil barrel or another lightweight profile (if there is one). Other than that, shortening the barrel is going to make a big difference.

What I would suggest is to talk to someone like ADCO (http://www.adcofirearms.com/shopservices/shop_.cfm?code=21) about contouring and cutting down the barrel. They can replace your FSB at the same time.

 

[SOLAteeda]

If you dont know much about the AR platform you could always just pop the pins and sell your complete upper and then buy you a complete upper in carbine length and be done with it.

That sounds like it would be the easiest way to go. Thanks for the info. =)

 

[fastmover]

is that a NM AR?