AR15 Basics: Help Please

[PW]

You guys are going to LOOOOVVVEEEEE those guns!

[Crusader Smithy]

Matai, I think I was in there the same time as you. I was the other "ignorant" person wearing a black vest and listening to the sales pitch. I ended up buying one also. You got the last one in stock and so I had to get mine ordered. Maybe that was you or maybe not. If it was you did you get your front sight yet? Either way we'll both have to figure this thing out. I haven't got mine yet but should have it next week. I have about 10 questions to ask FBMG when I pick up my gun.

Ask them there, ask here or give me a call.

[knayrb]

OK. Here's round one of questions. Try not to laugh because I've probably rushed into this faster than I usually do things and I'm really a novice at AR-15s. I usually do more homework before buying. I really have look for hours on the internet to find answers to these questions. I also don't even have the gun yet to examine. I only have an unattached rear sight.

1) I ordered the Stag Model 3h flat top. I needed iron sights so I was handed an MI MCTAR-ERS rear and had to order a front. I don't know the model of the front yet but it sold for $79. There is no elevation adjustment on the rear sight, only windage. How is elevation done? Will the front sight have one? In your opinion should I upgrade one or both sights before even installing them?

2) I never knew the standard AR-15 sight had a dual aperture. What decides which of the 2 to use? I sure seems like you have to exert a lot of force to flip the sight. Will this bend it un-true?

3) About how accurate are these iron sights? Lets say that you are using a shooting stand to completely support the rifle. At what distance should you zero in the iron sights? 25, 50, 100, more yards?

4) I've never shot an AR-15 before. I probably should have before I bought one. (I hope a million you-tube videos count for something). Does the dust cover open automatically on each shell ejection or is it up to the operator to remember to open it? I would think it could pose a big problem if the spent shell doesn't make it out.

(Quit laughing everyone)

5) In the downloaded manual there is nothing mentioned about barrel break-in. What is recommended?

6) The term "milspec" is sure tossed around on the AR-15 web sights. One report in a prior post on this thread defined a milspec barrel as one using 4150 stainless where non-milspec uses 4140 stainless. They also said that the Stag Model 1 barrel is not milspec. I'm in more trouble than I should be in if I come close to needing the durability of a barrel designed for true military use year after year. Stag seems to be a lot of bang for the buck is that where they cut some cost?

7) Does a Stag eat cheap ammo pretty well or will it require higher quality American made rounds? This is for when I take it and my son out shooting stuff but not really looking for hyper-accurate rounds. I saw some Ultramax 55gr. FMJ in bulk today at $100 for 250 rounds. Will it eat wolf or silver bear brand?

You can answer these when you are through wiping the tears from your eyes because you are laughing at such stupid questions.

Thanks.

[MarshallDodge]

These are all good questions. I will try to hit them all briefly.

1. I am not familiar with that brand of sights.

2. Small aperture is for long range, Large is for short range. Unless the sight is flimsey, the aperture should be able to be moved without an issue.

3. The sights do not limit the accuracy of the rifle. The shooter, barrel, ammo, etc. will limit the accuracy.

4. The dust cover opens automatically. It is pushed open by the bolt when it retracts.

5. I wouldn't worry too much about the whole mil-spec thing. In a semi-auto you probably will get 20K rounds through your gun before noticing anything. Some of the mil-spec barrels and bolts are pressure tested and magnetic particle tested. I am not sure if Stag does this or not. The bolt is really the critical part so if you are worried about it, get a spare for $50 and keep it in your shooting bag. If it breaks they can be replaced in less than a minute using no tools.

6. Any Ultramax I have ever shot has been good stuff. It is typically reloaded on military brass which is what I use for my reloads. I would shoot it over Wolf or some of the other steel cased stuff. If you are going to start shooting a lot of 223/5.56 then I would suggest a reloader. You will save at least 50% by making it yourself. The last 1000 I reloaded cost me $150 in components minus the brass which I already had.

The biggest issues I have had with AR's has been mag related. I bought some Magpul PMAG's this year and have been very happy with them.

[apollosmith]

I needed iron sights so I was handed an MI MCTAR-ERS rear and had to order a front. I don't know the model of the front yet but it sold for $79. There is no elevation adjustment on the rear sight, only windage. How is elevation done? Will the front sight have one? In your opinion should I upgrade one or both sights before even installing them?

The front post SHOULD have elevation adjustments by pushing them down and rotating. It's a pretty big adjustment per 'click'. The sight you have is really intended as a Backup Iron Site (BUIS), but it will work OK. The idea behind a BUIS is that you can quickly flip it up into place and view it through a 1X optic like a red dot scope or EOTECH if the electronic sight fails. This sight will work for standard shooting, but you must realize you may not get perfect elevation sighting with just the front site and you will not be able to adjust for yardage like you can with an A2 rear sight.

If you're going to put optics on it that are more than 1X, you don't even really need the iron sights unless you want them as a backup.

How do you intend on using the rifle? I am mostly plinking and rabbit hunting, and I put a 1X red dot scope on and can get on target and shoot VERY quickly with both eyes open. But for anything over a few hundred yards, I don't have good accuracy at all. The advantage of the flat top is I can take off the red dot and put on a 'sniper' scope in a matter of seconds with negligible changes to accuracy.

I never knew the standard AR-15 sight had a dual aperture. What decides which of the 2 to use? I sure seems like you have to exert a lot of force to flip the sight. Will this bend it un-true? At what distance should you zero in the iron sights? 25, 50, 100, more yards?

Mine is pretty easy to rotate. Is there something you can loosen? You do want them tight enough they don't move when shooting.

The big hole is used for close targets and the small ones for far ones. There are many approaches to zeroing the rifle. You typically switch to the far (small) site at 300 yards. The elevation adjustment can then be adjusted from between 300 and 800 yards to maintain point of impact targeting. Because your rear site has no elevation adjustments, I'm not sure what to recommend. I'd probably zero the long range sight at 300 yards and the closer range sight will be within an inch or two out to 250 yards or so.

In short, with a fixed rear sight, you'll have to do adjustments for yardage. Check http://groups.msn.com/TheMarylandAr15Sh ... thods.msnw and http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=18&t=328143 for some different approaches to zeroing.

4) I've never shot an AR-15 before. I probably should have before I bought one. (I hope a million you-tube videos count for something). Does the dust cover open automatically on each shell ejection or is it up to the operator to remember to open it? I would think it could pose a big problem if the spent shell doesn't make it out.

It will fly open on your first shot and should then remain open. Don't worry about opening it manually unless you want to keep the tiny scratch from forming on it. It will also open when you chamber a round. Some folks also put tape on the ejected round deflector (the 'bump' just behind the ejection port) - it get's scratched up real quick.

5) In the downloaded manual there is nothing mentioned about barrel break-in. What is recommended?

Again, lots of recommendations here. The AR barrel is pretty dang hard and most people say you couldn't break one in if you tried - they are made to fire full auto. I figure it couldn't hurt to do a bit of break in - just clean it with a good foam copper solvent cleaner every 5 rounds for your first magazine, then every 20 for a magazines or two, then every few magazines for a while, then when you get around to it.

6) The term "milspec" is sure tossed around on the AR-15 web sights. One report in a prior post on this thread defined a milspec barrel as one using 4150 stainless where non-milspec uses 4140 stainless. They also said that the Stag Model 1 barrel is not milspec. I'm in more trouble than I should be in if I come close to needing the durability of a barrel designed for true military use year after year. Stag seems to be a lot of bang for the buck is that where they cut some cost?

I wouldn't worry too much about this. Milspec is actually surpassed in a lot of commercial barrels. I doubt you'll have any problems - until you get to the 50k round mark or so. But yes, this is probably an area in which they used slightly less expensive materials.

7) Does a Stag eat cheap ammo pretty well or will it require higher quality American made rounds?

It will almost certainly eat anything you feed it. The only way to tell for sure is to try. Some folks don't like the steel casing of Wolf, etc. It's probably harder on the ejector. Others love it. If you go with Wolf, get the newer stuff that doesn't have the lacquer on the outside of the casing - it can cause some problems by melting or getting soft in the hot chamber (by the way, NEVER leave a live round in a very hot chamber - it can cook off). Cheap ammo is usually dirtier and will require cleaning more often. I have a few thousand Federal American Eagle 55 grain .223 and I've never had a problem with it.

It probably goes without saying and I'm sure you've read this, but be absolutely sure that the gaps in the gas rings on the bolt (assuming yours has them) are evenly spaced. Not doing so is the easiest way to ruin a new AR. I've found CLP to be the best/easiest solution to clean/lubricate with.

Don't feel bad about not knowing answers to these. I didn't know any of this a year ago and have learned a lot since then. I'm sure others may have more informative or accurate answers.

[MarshallDodge]

It probably goes without saying and I'm sure you've read this, but be absolutely sure that the gaps in the gas rings on the bolt (assuming yours has them) are evenly spaced. Not doing so is the easiest way to ruin a new AR.

I was told this when my dad got his AR about 20 years ago but I think it is a myth. Most of the gas rings today are one piece so there is no way for them to mis-align.

[PW]

It probably goes without saying and I'm sure you've read this, but be absolutely sure that the gaps in the gas rings on the bolt (assuming yours has them) are evenly spaced. Not doing so is the easiest way to ruin a new AR.

I was told this when my dad got his AR about 20 years ago but I think it is a myth. Most of the gas rings today are one piece so there is no way for them to mis-align.

There are 3 gas rings on the bolt. They are replaceable parts. They are circle, but they have a "break" in them so you can get them on and off when replacing them. The thing you want to do is make sure that the "breaks" are evenly spaced away from each other. You don't want all 3 "breaks" in the gas rings lined up with each other, because then, the gas gets past the rings causing problems. I hope that made some sort of sense. You will see exactly what we are talking about the first time you clean your bolt.

[MarshallDodge]

There are 3 gas rings on the bolt. They are replaceable parts. They are circle, but they have a "break" in them so you can get them on and off when replacing them. The thing you want to do is make sure that the "breaks" are evenly spaced away from each other. You don't want all 3 "breaks" in the gas rings lined up with each other, because then, the gas gets past the rings causing problems. I hope that made some sort of sense. You will see exactly what we are talking about the first time you clean your bolt.

Guys, the gas ring alignment is not critical.
For example:
http://www.ak47.net/lite/topic.html?b=3&f=7&t=390599

My gas ring is one continuous piece like this:
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.e ... mid=163933

I am not sure what Stag puts on their bolts but like I said, it is not critical.

[Crusader Smithy]

1) I ordered the Stag Model 3h flat top. I needed iron sights so I was handed an MI MCTAR-ERS rear and had to order a front. I don't know the model of the front yet but it sold for $79. There is no elevation adjustment on the rear sight, only windage. How is elevation done? Will the front sight have one? In your opinion should I upgrade one or both sights before even installing them?

The elevation is on the front sight. Oh and for future reference the only dumb question is the one you didn't ask.

2) I never knew the standard AR-15 sight had a dual aperture. What decides which of the 2 to use? I sure seems like you have to exert a lot of force to flip the sight. Will this bend it un-true?

The apertures are day night spacific. Small for day, large for night. You won't be able to see anything through the small one in low light situations. No flipping it won't bend it untrue. That being said you may want to hit it with cleaner and oil and work it some to loosen it.

3) About how accurate are these iron sights? Lets say that you are using a shooting stand to completely support the rifle. At what distance should you zero in the iron sights? 25, 50, 100, more yards?

With an M4 (carbine) zero it at 25m and you will be within 3in at 300m. As for the accuracy, these are backup battle sights. Don't expect micrometer adjustment accuracy from them. They will still be pretty darn accurate but don't think of them as precision sights. You will be able to use them out to 500m if you learn to use them.

4) I've never shot an AR-15 before. I probably should have before I bought one. (I hope a million you-tube videos count for something). Does the dust cover open automatically on each shell ejection or is it up to the operator to remember to open it? I would think it could pose a big problem if the spent shell doesn't make it out.
(Quit laughing everyone)

The bold carrier moving either way will open the dust cover. Don't worry about it.

5) In the downloaded manual there is nothing mentioned about barrel break-in. What is recommended?

Go shoot it. There is no true barrel break in for an M4. The barrel is short enough that it does no harm or good to break it in.

6) The term "milspec" is sure tossed around on the AR-15 web sights. One report in a prior post on this thread defined a milspec barrel as one using 4150 stainless where non-milspec uses 4140 stainless. They also said that the Stag Model 1 barrel is not milspec. I'm in more trouble than I should be in if I come close to needing the durability of a barrel designed for true military use year after year. Stag seems to be a lot of bang for the buck is that where they cut some cost?

Milspec is not stainless steel barrels. They are carbon steel that is parkerized with chrome lined barrels. Stag barrels are milspec. They haven't cut any cost. Several AR makers acutally use Stag recievers and parts. By getting the Stag you are simply cutting out the middle man. Thats where the lower price comes from.

7) Does a Stag eat cheap ammo pretty well or will it require higher quality American made rounds? This is for when I take it and my son out shooting stuff but not really looking for hyper-accurate rounds. I saw some Ultramax 55gr. FMJ in bulk today at $100 for 250 rounds. Will it eat wolf or silver bear brand?

Ultramax is fine. I would try to stay with brass cased ammo if you are going to shoot enough to heat up the barrel. Steel cased,like Wolf ammo, have a tendancy to jam in the chamber from time to time. Some people have no problems with the steel cased ammo and others can't shoot it at all. Personally I prefer not to find out and shoot only brass cased in mine. You can find it fairly cheep with stuff like the Ultramax, American Eagle, ect.

Hope it helps.

[apollosmith]

Guys, the gas ring alignment is not critical.
For example:
http://www.ak47.net/lite/topic.html?b=3&f=7&t=390599

Sorry, but I think I'll trust my owner's manual over somebody's opinion on a web-based forum. My manual clearly states that the gaps should be spaced evenly.

If they are not aligned evenly, your gun isn't going to explode, but it does cause very uneven and weak blowback on the bolt, which will cause unnecessary wear and will increase the likelihood for jams. And your rings will also wear much faster. Ask anyone who has operated one of these in battle and I'm pretty sure they'll convince you that having the rings aligned is worthwhile if you want your weapon to operate efficiently. The rings should be replaced every 3,000 rounds (or so says my manual).

But as has been noted, you can get a one-piece ring system so you don't have to worry about the spacing.

[Crusader Smithy]

Guys, the gas ring alignment is not critical.
For example:
http://www.ak47.net/lite/topic.html?b=3&f=7&t=390599

Sorry, but I think I'll trust my owner's manual over somebody's opinion on a web-based forum. My manual clearly states that the gaps should be spaced evenly.

If they are not aligned evenly, your gun isn't going to explode, but it does cause very uneven and weak blowback on the bolt, which will cause unnecessary wear and will increase the likelihood for jams. And your rings will also wear much faster. Ask anyone who has operated one of these in battle and I'm pretty sure they'll convince you that having the rings aligned is worthwhile if you want your weapon to operate efficiently. The rings should be replaced every 3,000 rounds (or so says my manual).

But as has been noted, you can get a one-piece ring system so you don't have to worry about the spacing.

You are quite close, well done . The problem with aligning the gas ring is gas leakage, you're right. The issue isn't as much jams as it is short cycling. With the loss of pressure you may not have enough to fully cycle the mechanism.

[knayrb]

Thanks everyone for the education. I don't plan on putting optics on mine for awhile so I'll probably get better iron sights. I just got a Remington 700 VTR with a Leupold 4.5-14X40 scope that I must recover from before spending more of my recreation fund on.

[knayrb]

A few more question please:

What is the difference between an A1 and A2 rifle? (I really did try to find the answer on the internet)

Why are the sights different?

What else is different?

What is type is a Stag 3h?

Thanks.

[Crusader Smithy]

What is the difference between an A1 and A2 rifle? (I really did try to find the answer on the internet)

A1- original issue. It has no deflecter, no forward assist, and a built in carry handle.
A2- has the deflecter and forward assist.
A3- rail on top of reciever and a detachable carry handle
A4- rail on top and no carry handle

Why are the sights different?

Which sights are you refering to?

What else is different?

nothing

What is type is a Stag 3h?

A3 or A4

[knayrb]

First of all, thanks Joseph and others for your answers. It really has help and made me excited to get an AR-15. I hope that I didn't hi-jack this thread too much. I apologize to Matai (who started this thread) if I did.

I have read where there are at least 2 kinds of iron sights. Often manufactures state that a particular sight is an A1 or A2 sight. I think but I'm not sure that an A1 rear sight has no elevation adjustment but an A2 rear sight has both elevation and windage. Is that correct?

I'll just wait until I receive my BEG before I ask more questions. I will probably upgrade to a rear sight with an elevation adjustment at first. I think many things will be answered by just looking at, shooting it, cleaning it, etc. Maybe someday I can be knowledgeable enough to help someone else with their questions. Thanks again everyone.