Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles olympic arms plinker

I have a nice 20" Bushmaster, and an Olympic arms 20" bull barrel target. For a reaonably priced (575.00) AR, what is the collected wisdom on Olympic arms plinker, for a nice 16" utility rifle.

I'd buy a Stag stripped lower, and use J&T parts for a complete kit and make my own. Even if I hadn't built anything else in my life. It is an easy build that you can do for $575 or thereabouts all day long and have something that will shoot well, and you can brag on.

Is building a kit rifle a project that I should consider? Do these come with instructions? This would definitely be a cost effective solution.

Its fairly easy to do, but requires the use of some specialized tools. Not many and not that expensive. And a good book or preferably video or DVD. Factored in, for building one rifle, its not really worth it to me. IF you can borrow the tools thats another story.

You can get by with a good set of roll pin punches, a barrel nut wrench and thats about all thats really required. There are some other tools that make it a bit easier.

I did my first one with borrowed tools around 84 just out of high school and a military book. And I don't think of myself as the best by just reading, at least only at 19 I wasn't. So it isn't that hard.

I would highly suggest a set of headspace gauges to be sure the assembly is safe.

Jeff

Almost all of the kits now come with the upper fully assembled. A pin punch set would be "nice", but I've put them together with a plastic baggie, the edge of a screwdriver and a channel lock pliers before, too.
The best instructions on "how to do it" are located at www.AR15.com
The www.AR15.com instructions are superior to any others I've seen. Headspacing a new AR15 is not really necessary, though headspacing Go/No Go gauges are fairly cheap. I don't own one, as I don't work on old, shot up AR15s.




Just a few of my builds

Oly's rifles are priced the best of most AR manufactuers and the quality is up there. I have thought of building, but when I got my Oly K-16 for $619, I figure that is a great price. Buy first then build. I almost bought a plinker too, but went K16. No regrets...other than 16" barrels are loud. Want a 20" now.
h

I have what is now called the K-8, 20" barrel, SS Bull, Free Floated hand guard. Spooky accurate. Hard to beat for the money.
The finish on the bushmaster is better, but I thought olympic was hard to beat re value per dollar.

Only thing I have to say is that if you don't check the headspace on barrels and bolts, you could well be making a serious mistake. Excess headspace is still possible by combing max out of spec parts and the wrong combo hits and you have a ruptured case. The AR has been very good at venting through the mag well, blowing the mags out, swelling the recievers etc.. and generally not being all that dangerous but you are only issued that one set of eyes, and if they aren't protected.... And I've seen 2 folks hauled off in ambulances due to blown rifles.... You just never know.

For the cost of the gauges, I'd be safe. I have my barrels made by a custom smith and they are headspaced to a certain bolt and come with it. Thats a safe way to do it. To rely on the spec of the individual parts and chambering is gambling.

Jeff

Caveat,

It's all fun untill someone looses an eyeball.


Gauges are cheap.

Mind the mirth, I ain't kidding.

My own suffer occaisionally with protective oversight.

Get Cocky and you stand a good chance of getting "Blowed up".

There are no short cuts.

The rules are the rules.


Spend the time and money on training and tools..

E4E