First let me say that I’m not a DIY gunsmith. I can clean my firearms and do basic things like add optics, but that’s about it.
My first AR-15 was S&W M&P 15 Sport II. It was a good (relatively) cheap little starter gun before I branched out to more expensive rifles with chrome lined barrels, etc. The original S&W barrel is at the point where it probably needs replacement or will very soon.
Generally, assuming I would have to pay a gunsmith to do the work to change just a barrel, is it a better idea and just as cheap to buy an upper already assembled and be done? Buy it, ship it, and replace it.
About 6K rounds over 5 years. It’s a cheap barrel listed in the specs as 4140 steel, not chrome lined, with S&W’s version of nitride finish. May not necessarily need to be replaced immediately, but just trying to understand what the best way to do it would be and what others do.
I know many do their own gunsmith work, but that’s not me.
Unless you’re seeing a degradation in accuracy, I wouldn’t bother. But if you really want to, it’s not difficult. I’m sure there’s a million YouTube videos that can walk you through it. Just use good tools and take your time.
When we first got the rifle, my wife and I would go to the range and put about 200 rounds through in an hour. Not mag dumps, but successive 30 round mags without a lot of cooling down.
So I’m assuming that we’ll need a new barrel at some point soon. I haven’t noticed much issues with accuracy, but I haven’t shot that one in a while, and it’s been used only at an indoor range within 25 yards.
That would depend on the quality and features of the complete upper you replace it with. If you buy from a quality manufacturer, no probably not. Having the barrel replaced will most likely be a little cheaper.
Don’t you have any friends that can help you out? I’ve built or re-built for several of my friends. If you are anywhere near NW Oregon/SW Washington shoot me a PM and I rebuild that bitch for you. That said there is nothing wrong with having a spare upper (or rifle for that matter) laying around.
Thanks everyone. Sounds like the consensus is replace just the barrel when the accuracy is obviously bad. And I hear you on the DIY part, but I know my limitations.
I’ll say complete upper, unless it’s just a range beater/training gun. If you shoot a barrel out you should replace the bolt, and you can’t depend on gun you are running to failure in an emergency.
Just make sure you get someone reputable to change the barrel if you go that route.
Smart man! I don’t care what every other person says. You cannot buy the tools for a barrel change for anywhere near what a good smith would charge you to do it correctly. Is the S&W upper a flat top or does it have a FSB?
No offense to anyone…lots of smart and capable people out there…but any work done to my guns that could impact safety is done by a professional for legal reasons.
The S&W M&P was our first AR and is just a range beater. But that’s good to know about changing out the bolt as well. I didn’t realize that was the case.
I’ve got several other more expensive ARs that won’t need new barrels for a while, but wanted to know best practice and what others did.
