Not very experienced with ARs and have been reading this forum for a while now. Have had a couple of ARs, like them, and want to learn more about them.
My current one is a very basic (not expensive) model. My question is about putting together a spare parts kit. I like to be prepared and would like to have a parts kit for the BOB. What are the necessary parts I should have on hand to be able to keep my rifle functioning?
My recommendation:
Spare LPK
Spare BCG
Spare bolt, 2 firing pins, 2 firing pin retaining pins, 2 extractor kits, 2 cam pins, & 3 sets of gas rings.
Spare buffer, and 2 buffer springs.
USGI cleaning kit with quality lube to keep in shooting bag, case, etc.
4 batteries for Aimpoints, and 10 for anything that eats a battery in less than 1k hours.
Don’t have to buy everything at once. Unless you have a catastrophic failure of the weapon the above will keep you in the game for a while at least. I like to throw in several small parts with orders, and within a year you will have a good set of spare parts. I keep everything in a fishing lure box. Easy to transport, keeps things organized, and its nice to have parts on hand when you need them. You will also need a decent set of tools to work on the gun. Punches, hammer, armorers wrench, screwdrivers, etc.
Just buy another gun and keep it for a spare
Some people I know keep a little oil bottle in the pistol grip. A shot of this will usually help keep the gun running.
Yes parts break, but it’s really hard to prepare for everything. If you use good internals from a quality company you shouldn’t have a problem.
For the price of an LPK you can get a couple of the various “spare parts kits” for sale out there. They tend to include extra pins and springs and rings, which are most likely to wear out, break, or get lost, and none of the stuff that isn’t likely to wear out or break or get lost (who really needs a spare A2 pistol grip?).
Bimmer
If you’re looking for a workbench or range bag spare parts kit, the sky’s the limit. But, you mentioned you want it for your BOB (Bail Out Bag). If that’s the case, then you need to ask yourself what you feel comfortable fixing or replacing in a field expedient manner. If its a spares kit for a BOB, then it needs to be stuff that needs to be, and can, be fixed in a hurry. Spare complete bolt and maybe a carrier, lube, extra batteries for everything that eats them, and a basic cleaning kit (collapsible rod, couple of patches, and a jag) is about all I want to do in the field, especially since I won’t have tools.
For a home kit though, Belmont’s concept of buying a tool or a spare part with every order is a great idea.
Better yet, just get another gun and use your current one or the new one (depending on what you have) as a spare or for harvesting parts.
now i’m a little bit smarter:)
That’s what I’m trying to put together, and in the same type of container. Once I get the money set aside I plan on buying a spare bolt carrier group, spare cam pin, and an extra cotter pin or two because of their small size. I’m going to figure out what pins and springs are most likely to be lost or broken and buy them instead of buying an entire spare LPK. A spare buffer and spring wouldn’t be a bad idea. I’ll have a spare A2 grip and screw/washer, and once I buy a BCM Gunfighter charging handle, I’ll have a spare stock charging handle as well. A set of gas rings or two, bottle of CLP (or whatever oil/grease I decide to use), front sight tool, spare batteries, etc.
A complete, less grip, small parts kit takes up virtually no room in a range bag or kit, and (barring a second gun) when combined with a BCG should have you pretty well covered.
To classes I tote a second gun, a spare bolt, a spare BCG, and a spare of every part smaller than my fist (no upper, no lower, no barrel, no stock, no grip, no receiver extension). If I have a problem with one gun I’ll go straight to the other to get through to a major break (like lunch or end of day) and then swap around parts as needed to get the primary up and running again.
Just out of curiosity, how frequently do top end AR’s take a crap at a training class requiring either parts replacement (except the bolt) or replacing the whole gun?
I understand why you would want one, just wondering how often you actually will need one.
moon, truth be told I’ve only ever replaced wear items in my guns (like the extractor) at a class.
I’ve used my spare parts on other people’s guns literally dozens of times for every one time I’ve used it on my own.
I will tell you this though, spare parts are like an umbrella: leave them at home and you’ll need them every time.
Not very often. I always see people recommend extra firing pins, but I’ve never heard of or seen a broken AR firing pin. I’m sure it’s happened, but it’s damned rare and at the very bottom of my spare parts priority list. You have a better chance of losing one than breaking one. A bolt has a limited useful life. A spare cam pin and bolt are probably not a bad idea.
I don’t dump a lot of effort into the spare parts obsession. I have 6 and a half ARs and not one spare bolt or BCG. 
I have seen a Bushmaster bolt break more than once. I saw a charging handle break. Otherwise I haven’t seen too much else take down a good AR besides some type of horrid malfunction like a bolt over base or something like a popped primer.
Agreed. I have one spare of the following with my ARs: Complete BCG, bolt, extractor, extractor kit, firing pin, cam pin, Mil cleaning kit, lube, mag loader, broken shell extractor, 8 mags, and batteries for all RDSs and lights. During a carbine course, I, like others have mentioned, also have a spare AR as backup, so I don’t slow the class down and miss some portion of training if my primary goes Tango Uniform.
As far as ARs going down in carbine courses, either ARs to the far right of the chart, POFs and ammo related issues, mostly.
As far as firing pin, they last a pretty long time, but drop one and have it land on its tip and you will be needing a new one.
Thanks for the info. Doing some online pricing and making a list to take to the Wanenmacher. Maybe I’ll find some bargains there (and maybe not, but it’ll be fun to look.)