[DaTeacha]

As a lot of you know, I'm in the process of building an AR. I've never owned one, so have much to learn. Please be patient.

I'm getting ready to order or purchase the bolt, carrier, and barrel. I've known about the various barrel weights and lengths. What I'm wondering about is whether or not a barrel is typically chambered. Midway lists many different makes and styles, but some are footnoted as chambered and others are not. None of them say they are not chambered, but they all have calibers listed. When I buy a barrel, is it the norm for the chamber to be ready to go?

Secondly, there are different length gas tubes and different length barrels. I presume there is a gas port under the gas block. How do you know when ordering a barrel where the gas port is located, or is it customary for the builder to drill the hole in the barrel? I don't want to order out a barrel, gas block, and gas tube only to find they don't fit together. Can gas tubes be cut to length at the barrel end, or do the different lengths come with different size holes through them to allow the same volume of gas to be delivered in a given time to operate the bolt? -- are the things so sophisticated that gas volume is critical?

I am thinking in terms of a 20" fluted barrel with nearly black or dark purple wooden furniture and a wooden free float tube. The purple zebra wood is available locally, so that's no problem, but can I get just the free float style barrel nut (Midway doesn't list them) or will I need to have one machined locally?

I know these may sound like dumb questions, but I need to relieve my ignorance, so please help me out. Oh yeah, my computer at home has been down so I haven't been able to do much looking at the supply sites.

[Johnnycat]

Your barrels are generally chambered already - you screw it in (or tighten the barrel nut) and it's ready to go. All of them from Midway are like that. THe only problem you would have is ordering a barrel blank from Brownells (it will specify). There was another site, like Sarco, that also had barrel blanks that needed drilling and chambering. Most all barrels will be correctly chambered.

Gas ports are in standard location for the barrel length. 16" barrel = carbine gas tube, 20" and above = "standard" or "rifle" length tube. You can't cut a gas tube to length, nor would you need to (the gas port hole is in a specific place and the rear end rises to a correct height for the upper receiver) - just order the correct length to start with. A lot of the barrels already have the gas block as well. If you put on a free-float handguard the gas block generally has to come off.

As far as the free float barrel nut - it kinda depends on the furniture that is available and that part scares me if this is your first build. THe free float barrel nuts do come in two standard sizes.

For the most part the components are all mil-spec and fit together no matter who made them. That's part of the genius of the AR platform and it also makes it a joy to assemble.

I reserve the right to be wrong about anything I have posted!

[DaTeacha]

This is not only my first build, it's my first AR. From what I can figure out at this point, I'll need to find someone who sells a free float barrel nut first and get it in hand. Then I can take that to a local machine shop and get a part threaded for female threads to fit the outside of the barrel nut and some way to attach it to the wood free float tube I have yet to make. Right now, I'm thinking in terms of a smooth round exterior surface with 3 sets of machine threaded holes in it so I can make a 3 sided wood tube that slides over the gas tube. I can use hex headed screws to connect the wood to the metal, and probably some adhesive. The barrel nut will need a locking nut to match it so I can orient my free float tube as I wish. I hope to get a barrel without gas block and use a clamp on style backed up with locktite.

[madcratebuilder]

Free floated wood, what I have seen is a wood sleeve over a aluminum tube. Wood alone isn't strong enough.
You need some way to deflect the heat of the gas tube away from the wood or it well char.

[ander254]

if you make it out of hickory, it might smell quite nice after a day at the range.....mmmmm smokey

[DaTeacha]

How hot does the tube get? I'm not into pretending a rifle is a machine gun. I'm planning to leave about 1/4 inch around the barrel and gas tube and to vent the wood with a series of holes, the most rearward of which will hold the hex head screws that attach the wood to the metal.

I looked at some of the exotic and domestic woods today - there is a pretty wild variety available. Ever see zebra wood? Purple heart? Curly Koa from Hawaii? Bamboo laminate? Some of the stuff is extremely expensive, others just costly. I'm definitely making the first set out of some of my own Hickory or Maple that I had sawn up instead of burning. Then I'll know what I'm getting into without spending anything.

[milproakron]

I'd have to agree that I'm not sure about the unprotected wood handguard. The barrel can generate alot of heat just after 40 rounds. After 10 you won't want to touch it (depending on the type of barrel). My rifle came with Glasier-guards which don't have the aluminum shielding, just the composite handguards with internal ribs and they did ok, I'd just be afraid the wood would char up and discolor on you. but hey, I dunno, I've never actually seen one in person with wooden handguards.

If you can, do some research on pictures... see if you can find pics of the inside of standard handguards for like the A2 and A1 rifles. They have an aluminum shield that stands off from the actual handguard by about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. They absorb and deflect the heat so that the handguard itself doesn't become uncomfortable or untouchable. You may be able to fabricate something like that for your wood to protect it.

[silentsniper]

Quote:       Originally Posted by DaTeacha

As a lot of you know, I'm in the process of building an AR. I've never owned one, so have much to learn. Please be patient. I'm getting ready to order or purchase the bolt, carrier, and barrel. I've known about the various barrel weights and lengths. What I'm wondering about is whether or not a barrel is typically chambered. Midway lists many different makes and styles, but some are footnoted as chambered and others are not. None of them say they are not chambered, but they all have calibers listed. When I buy a barrel, is it the norm for the chamber to be ready to go? Secondly, there are different length gas tubes and different length barrels. I presume there is a gas port under the gas block. How do you know when ordering a barrel where the gas port is located, or is it customary for the builder to drill the hole in the barrel? I don't want to order out a barrel, gas block, and gas tube only to find they don't fit together. Can gas tubes be cut to length at the barrel end, or do the different lengths come with different size holes through them to allow the same volume of gas to be delivered in a given time to operate the bolt? -- are the things so sophisticated that gas volume is critical? I am thinking in terms of a 20" fluted barrel with nearly black or dark purple wooden furniture and a wooden free float tube. The purple zebra wood is available locally, so that's no problem, but can I get just the free float style barrel nut (Midway doesn't list them) or will I need to have one machined locally? I know these may sound like dumb questions, but I need to relieve my ignorance, so please help me out. Oh yeah, my computer at home has been down so I haven't been able to do much looking at the supply sites.

[silentsniper]

teacher-if youve never built an ar before-take my advice fella-it isnt gonna work too much to go wrong....invest in a bushmaster a2 configeration with solid stock-tatical stocks have tendancy to wobble thus poor accuracy...buy one first...building them that perform as good as bought and already tested is very difficult for a beginner...bushmaster is the best-i have 4 and can shoot golfballs at 100 meters open sights-no modifications-out of the box. happy shooting...silentsniper

[DaTeacha]

I was considering getting a non-collapsible stock and using that as a pattern. What you're saying is that I should do just that, eh? I guess that would give me something to do with the other stripped lower I have set back then, too. That idea is not out of consideration. Thanks for the opinion.

With my eyes, I'm lucky to even see a golf ball at 100 meters, much less shoot one with open sights.