Questions if I'm on the right track. (long)

AR/M4 AR General Discussion
1

Back Story…I had this rifle passed down to me from my Father-n-law. He only just opend up to me about his guns right before he got brain cancer and passed away a year later.

I was willed a 1903A3, and MK98 Mauser and a '05 Oly Arms K3B.

He shot the heck out of the AR, killed many a Cyote, boar, deer.

Stocked around 15k of NATO surplus ammo which I’ve been shooting…shot about 3200 or so rounds just this past year learning the gun and having a Family member whom was in special forces give me tips and training on how to work the gun.

Lets’s focuse on the AR…as soon as I got it in my hands I began research on it…well we all know what’s up with Oly:suicide2:.

SO I began to look into what I could do to bring this rifle up to “par” (here on this forum)…I guess “lipstick the pig” as you guys say it LOL.

NO, I’m not going to sell it…as it was willed to me.

So far I’ve replaced the upper with a VLTOR MUR, and the furniture with MOE, replaced the buffer tube with a milspec one.

My buddy gave me a Magpul rear BIUS that I put on the MUR and it zeroed great! Been useing it for months as primary until I get somthing else.

Got a Magpul receiver extension and a new nut inwhich I’ve staked.

Next on my list…this is where I need some feed back.

On the flat top I was thinking a DD A1 type sight?

I have a BCM bolt carrier group sitting in the “my cart” on thier web sight, ready for order…GTG? or does one recommend another? maybe a DD BCG?

What else might I need. I’ve learned alot through working on this carbine both how to work with parts, and what is what in the AR scence.

What advice on the buffer? Maybe a tubbs recoil spring?

THanks in advance.

2

I’m going to sum up 99% of the replies you will get myself.

You are wasting time and money in a futile effort to bring something up to par that requires replacement of almost every part on it in order to do so. You are trying to turn a Honda into a Ferrari.

I would leave it as is, and spend that money on a new rifle. So would just about everyone else here.

3

You can’t go wrong with a BCM BCG… I just ordered one for a build myself.

As for a rear sight, do you plan to co-witness with an RDS later, or install a scope? What will the gun primarily be used for? The DD 1.5 is a good choice for a solid co-witness setup, but I prefer the flexibility of something like the Troy Folding Rear.

Regarding buffer and other “upgrades” I would say shoot the heck out of it see if it has any issues. Then address them as they come up.

Man, that’s a lot of ammo, let me know if you need some help testing it out or getting rid of it. My ammo disposal services are free… :slight_smile:

4

I understand what replies I’ll be get mentioning Oly. I’m cool with that, I can wade through it…but “wasting” is subjective since I’m learning in the process with hands on. We all started somewhere…I’m starting with this.

While I’m replacing parts I’m also shooting it alot! So far it has ran great…in original form…also has ran great with the parts I’ve replaced.

Edit…with the addition of the BCG it will virtually be a new upper. Oh! and it has a DD lower parts kit that got put in it…forgot to put that in original post. Only thing thats really left that’s Oly is the barrel, and lower.

5

I dunno I’m leaving the option of a possible RDS (yes co-witness) hence the DD sight…looking into a used aimpoint?

This is all fairly new to me…I can throw names around like aimpoint and DD, BCM, and such all day…and know really nothing about it (except that’s it’s the shit). I want to know what’s behind those names and thier functions for certain aplications…and that’s why I’m here.

Thanks…yes it is alot of ammo…I’m loving it!

6

I tend to agree with Eurodriver, although I know some people want to experience it themselves. In any case as far as BCG’s go, it’s pretty simple. If you buy a BCM, DD, LMT and Colt BCG you pretty much cannot go wrong. They are all top quality and I have used all of them at one time or another.

7

Really man, if your sentimental about it, why not just keep it as is and get another carbine to do real work with?

It’s not that you are trying to turn a Prius into a Porche, but rather that you are taking the Prius off it’s tires and dropping a Porche onto them and saying it was because you were sentimental about the Prius. I’m sentimental about the 10/22 my Dad got me, but I wasn’t fighting to carry it into Fallujah.

Just get the right tool and keep the emotions in the bedroom, where they belong.

8

I should have elaborated further, at what point is your willed Olympic Arms rifle no longer an Olympic Arms?

As you said, you’ve replaced nearly everything on it except the barrel and the lower.

We’re all different, however I would have kept a rifle that had sentimental value in original condition and started fresh from a new rifle.

That said, your choices in parts are well made and you should have no issues with any of the upgrades you decide to go with. If you really want to make it a great upper, swap out the barrel with something of known quality.

That’s exactly what I meant to say. :smiley:

9

+1. My dad recently gave me his older Colt A2 ‘Gov’t’ rifle as an ‘early inheritance,’ since he can no longer go shooting. It’s a nice rifle, and is ripe for modifying, but I’m keeping it as it always was for sentimental reasons.

For the amount of money you will spend (maybe a little more) to fix it up, you can buy or build something else.

10

I appreciate the replies and bringing me out of the swirling mess I was getting sucked into:rolleyes:…

I just might drop the whole project, keep it as is for beer can slaying and dirt clod bustin’ and focus on a defensive rifle.

11

I know where your coming from.

But, you have top quality parts already. Finish the build, put the oly back together, and enjoy. New lower and barrel and you have two rifles. Shoot all your ammo, buy more, repeat.

12

Creepin Beetle, better yet…do you still have the old Olympic parts?

13

It is always easy to tell other what they should do with their money. :nono:

Bottom line is you were given a rifle. Unfortunately that rifle is/was an Oly.

You have already replaced the LPK with a quality DD one. You replaced the upper with a MUR. You replaced the BCG with a BCM. You replaced the spring and RE with a milspec. You replaced the furniture with Magpul.

Money spent so far?
VLTOR MUR: $230
BCM BCG: $140
DD LPK: $80
misc Magpul parts: $180
RE, etc: $50

Total: $680+/-

So considering that you can buy a BCM M4 upper for $400+/- and a quality complete lower for another $400 plus ass raping transfer fees now-a-days, I think you did considering you got the rifle for free and had no money invested in it prior to the mods/upgrades.

Look everything you have on that rifle will last a long good while and it doesn’t sound like you will be runnin’ and gunnin’ with that rifle. The barrel is likely fine. Although when you start to get low on that stockpile of ammo you have, you will want to consider replacing it with a BCM CHF barrel or a DD CHF barrel. Then buy another 15k rounds. :eek:

And just to be clear since you asked, the roll mark does not make the rifle. I have a Bushmaster lower on a KAC SR15 E3. Does that mean the rifle is a piece of crap bushy? no it does not. So you rifle right now is part Oly part BCM. the heart of the rifle is the BCG and the barrel/chamber. since the only thing original that is left is the loer and the barrel, you should be just fine. Just make sure the barrel is stamped for 5.56Nato and not .223.

Go take a decent Carbine class since you have plenty of ammo it should be very affordable. You will gain valuable skills and experience. You will find what works for you and what doesn’t. Then you can go build/buy the best rifle for you.

14

Dude listen to me. You have a 90% battle rifle. The barrel is good enough for home defense, etc. That rifle is good enough for a go to rifle. at about 10k - 12k rounds start thinking about replacing the barrel with a quality one. Then you will have a quality rifle.

15

I think more important than anything else he’s done to this weapon the barrel should have been the first thing he upgraded. Sure it may have alot of life left in it, but it has a .223 chamber and he has 5.56mm ammunition. Even with all the upgrades in the world that is just asking for problems. Will the rifle blow up? No, but it is a less than ideal setup. The barrel and BCG are the heart of the weapon, almost all of his other “upgrades” have been for peace of mind or cosmetics only.

16

You are making an assumption. If you do the research, you would see that that Oly model is chambered in 5.56 according to the website.

So I do not think your point is very valid however, it is possible the barrel is .223. If that is the case (which I doubt based on the link above) I say shoot the barrel out and then get a DD or BCM.

17

So…did you replace the parts on your Oly because they were broke, or failed to function, or did you replace them cause someone told you they were crappy? After several K of rounds, with no malfunction, you replaced known good parts? Return the rifle to original condition, take the remainder of the parts and make a new one. You’re slowly doing it anyway, just cut to the chase and be done.

18

Bert,

I have done the research. Olympic Arms barrels are marketed as 5.56mm but in reality spec out at .223. Don’t believe me? Get a Ned Christiansen 5.56mm NATO chamber gauge and test it yourself. I suggest you look into it a little bit more and not take what the manufacturer says for granted.

Straight from the Olympic Arms FAQ… apply some critical thinking…

CALIBER
First off, every barrel is stamped with the caliber. Since we make over 20 different calibers that are interchangeable on any standard Olympic (or mil any spec) .223 caliber lower, this should be the first thing you check. The standard .223 caliber rifles are marked “5.56”, while the alternative calibers are marked appropriately (9mm, 10mm, 40 S&W, 45ACP, WSSM, etc).

19

:lol:

Just wait till you warm that gun up and get a case stuck in the chamber, or the bolt won’t fully lock on a chambered cartridge.
It suddenly takes the 5.56 vs .223 from abstract dimension to true frustration.

Funny thing about time-bombs, they generally don’t explode the first time you lay eyes on them, but give it enough time. . .

Bingo.