While I have added some things onto my rifle, I left all of the internal components as they came in the box and have not had any issues. My upper, lower, trigger, bolt, bolt carrier, barrel, front sight/ gas black are all straight from Armalite. The only major change I made is the rail, I recently swapped out for a Daniel Defense 12" FSB rail.
Other than that I only changed out furniture for personal preference (liked the FDE color), and added a light, AFG, Aimpoint T-1, and a Redi-mag to make it easier for patrol use.
It ‘looks’ completely different than it did when I brought it home but underneath it is the same basic rifle.
So… wait… you’re going to get up, magically find your gun and NV gear, put on and turn on your NV, run out and try to ID the intruder all the while hoping they don’t have flashlights of their own that will render your NV gear (and eyesight) temporarily useless? And you’re going to do this while there are potential murderers in your house? Aside from lacking common sense, you’ve been playing WAAAAY too many video games and watching too many movies.
Get a light, blind the intruder while ID’ing them, then shoot them if necessary. Actually, just shoot them.
Let’s cool it on the personal attacks, we’re not all born with this stuff in mind. Maybe that fella has access to NV and takes that for granted, who knows, I don’t know him or his background. This off topic stuff really should be taken to a different thread so the mods don’t have to police this one. Mods are already up to their necks with the recent influx of arfcom booger eaters, let’s not make their jobs any tougher.
I find myself going more and more the other direction. If you buy a Colt 6920 about the only thing that NEEDS to go IMHO is the A2 grip (in part to fill that gap mentioned, and in part to get rid of the finger bump). Other than that I encourage new owners/shooters to go out and get familiar with the gun, find it’s weak points and where it is holding them back, and fix those problems.
Try explaining to a judge and jury, you shot someone (Neighbor, wife, GF, child, dog, Ex-Gay lover) because you shot at a “friendly” bump in the night?
More innocent people get accidental killed thinking that way.
As SHIVAN mentioned, take a night fire/low light training course. You’d be surprised what you don’t know.
I would prefer to take a basic course first and learn the operation of the gun and how to run it in daylight, and then later after getting down that unconscious competence (or at least conscious competence) thing I’d look for a low-light/night course.
I have shot in, and run, a few low-light matches and I really prefer to do it with people who have the basic loading/shooting/reloading/unloading thing down first.
That’s the point I am also trying to convey. I didn’t wake up one day and just know what worked. I’ve spent way too damn much money buying stuff that other people rave about, and then selling it when I hated it, or it didn’t do what I wanted or thought it would. Luckily, a lot of the stuff that I was personally T&E’ing on my own dime, was sold for very little loss.
I still like my CQB Solutions single point slings with a Burnsed loop, and people will tell me all day long that it’s not good for one reason or another. I also still like LMT SOPMOD even though so many people complain about how heavy it is, how this stock or that stock is better, etc.
So yeah, a completely new shooter should take their new weapon and run it until they can clearly articulate a need of their own accord.
What is the definition of “acceptable?” Who said that factory built rifles are not “acceptable?”
People really shouldn’t be switching out BCG’s UNLESS the one they bought is a known problem child. Then it is most likely a good idea.
The GI trigger that comes with most AR’s are very reliable. Are they nice, clean and crisp? No. This is why most people upgrade them (as do I). No AR of mine has a GI FCG in it.
The cost between a car buffer and an H buffer is a lot. So is the difference between a SS buffer spring and a CS one. This is why the majority of AR manufacturers go with bone stock parts. The ones that “get it” upgrade at at least the buffer.
Most commercial guns (like the S&W youe want) are over gassed. This is why people upgrade the buffer from what the factory installs.
Staking. A lot of commercial AR manufacturers do a poor job at staking the castle nut and gas key. Some don’t do it at all.
I understand customization for personal preference-sake, but how much of this stuff is necesary? For MY use, I can envision a white light add on as the only customized feature.
Good question. How much is needed? Everyones answer will be different based on their wants and needs. For me, all I need a is a white light and a RDS. Someone else might need a PVS-14 and and an IR laser. Still another needs a VG, bipod and two flashlights.
I’m pretty close to buying a S&W MP15 with Troy flip up sights and a piccatinny type forend. Like I said earlier, I will probaly only add a white light when it is being used in a home/camp/truck protection mode. I MIGHT throw a scope on it 30 days out of the year for coyotes. So am I missing something? What other non cosmetic components will I need to replace later on? Trying to avoid “buyers remorse”.
Thanks in advance, this is a great site.
The S&W line of AR’s are are good choice as an entry level model IMHO. They do a lot of things well, but could do somethings better. I would take one of them above a DPMS, RRA, BM, Oly, Armalite, etc.
If you only want to mount a scope and a flashlight, then why the railed forend?
Just put the scope on the flattop of the receiver, and mount the flashlight on the front sight base.
You already seem to be a victim of the “gotta have it” or “see it, want it” mentality that you’re questioning… "
I assumed the rail type front end was the best way to mount a light, AND I thought it would give me options down the road. As much as these are serious social rifles…I do intend to enjoy it. I could see adding a vertical grip, for example. What I DON"T want are accesories that will make my rifle LESS dependable, LESS efficient, just because some YouTube Commando has them…I’m not refering to anyone I’ve met on here, but sheesh, there are some real “wannabes” on the internet and hanging around the tactical counter at the gun stores…
Maddog - I’m new to AR’s but not to self defense concepts…PLEASE don’t engage a “robber” with your NV…use a white light. Imagine trying to explain in court how you hid at the top of the stairs in the dark, with your night vision goggles, and lit the bad guy up with your AR (they would use the term “assault rifle” or “machine gun”)…I can’t imagine that would end well for you.
No idea whom your post is directed towards, but I will answer.
While mounting a rail to your FSB and sticking a light on it will work, it might not be the best option. I personally prefer a light mounted at 12 position. So this means that I use a rail.
I also run 2 point slings and like them to connect in a specific position. Again, need a rail.
[QUOTE=spamsammich;613999]Now you’re just being silly, do you have any idea what percentage of the gun buying public has access to NV gear? What about people who live with children or pets that make things go bump in the night, YOU WANT A POSITIVE ID ON WHAT YOUR SHOOTING. A white light is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to acheive this. There is NO arguing against that.
Get a light, get some training. You’ll find that nobody advocates lighting a threat up and standing there to take bullets, NOBODY DOES. You may give away your LAST position if your properly trained, but that’s it, you get off the X
Wanna discuss this more? Start a thread on it so you can get the real skinny from experts.
/thread hijack.[/QUOTE Thanks for ur wisdom I do have NV and will use that instead of a bright light to each’s own thanks for ur input I’m done now
MADDOG SAID “Thanks for ur wisdom I do have NV and will use that instead of a bright light to each’s own thanks for ur input I’m done now”
Seriously buddy, you should listen to some of the advise you have been given. You are going to get yourself in some trouble…or worse…trying to utilize NV as part of your home defense load out.
His training background, however, has not been stated, regardless of his 10 post on this forum, although after reading all of his post, the lack of basic firearms application and mindset, is rather apparent.
I think he said somewhere he wasn’t new to guns but was new to the AR. I get a lot of shooters like that at our drills nights and there is still a definite learning curve.
If you only want to mount a scope and a flashlight, then why the railed forend?
Just put the scope on the flattop of the receiver, and mount the flashlight on the front sight base.
You already seem to be a victim of the “gotta have it” or “see it, want it” mentality that you’re questioning…
Bimmer
The forend rail greatly simplifies attaching these accessories, particularly lights. Most other light-attaching methods are mediocre at best and not very strong attachment points. Another method is to buy the complete Surefire dedicated forend, like the M500A, but these are more expensive then most rail systems, plus a dependable flashlight!
