What parts should you keep on hand for your AR?
Does anyone sell a kit of these parts?

Part marked with an asterisk are included, not because they are likely to wear out or fail, but because they can get lost easily.

BCG

bolt, separate from complete BCG

firing pin

firing pin retaining pin*

cam pin

gas rings

hammer spring

trigger spring

disconnector spring*

charging handle

buffer retainer*

buffer retainer spring*

hammer pin

trigger pin

selector detent*

selector detent spring*

pivot pin detent*

pivot pin detent spring*

takedown pin detent*

takedown pin detent spring*

I keep an extra Bolt, Extractor, & a few springs / rubber o rings for the extractor, 2 bolt cam pins, a few extra cotter pins / firing pin retaining pin and 2 firing pins. About a dozen gas rings, 2 or 3 extractor pins.
Maybe some other small springs as well.

I pieced it together from Brownells, Midway and whatever I could scrounge up from by buddies on the range.
I think someone sells a "parts kit", but I was lucky enough to have friends that gave me most of what I think I need.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Part marked with an asterisk are included, not because they are likely to wear out or fail, but because they can get lost easily.

So, pretty much a full LPK, BCG & CH, and a set of BCG internals/small parts?

No, there's no hammer, no trigger, no selector, no bolt catch parts, no magazine catch parts, no pivot pin or takedown pin.

When I was the PD AR15 armorer, I only replaced firing pin retaining pins and gas rings. No one ever wore out or lost other parts.

Which was surprising for a bunch of cops.

I don’t have extra parts for mine, I have an extra rifle.

Edited for spelling

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MikeinNC, January 04, 2024 09:45 PM

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
No, there's no hammer, no trigger, no selector, no bolt catch parts, no magazine catch parts, no pivot pin or takedown pin.

Gotcha, I guess a follow on would be: buy a quality LPK, or source the small parts individually?

Someone probably sells a spring kit for the AR-15.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
No one ever...lost other parts.

They weren't changing out parts on their rifles, were they? Or disassembling them more than separating upper from lower, or removing the BCG?

You're not going to be losing the springs and detents I've listed unless you're working on your rifle, which, I take it, these guys were not.

I have a magpul stock which has a compartment and inside it I have a baggy full of spare parts. I really like this website for builds and extra parts. Also ghostrifles.com, PSA, midway, lots of good deals and options.

Be very careful, this site is worse than Sigforum for making you open your wallet and buy things you did not know you needed.

ar15discounts

parts and components

careful,

spare parts tend to turn into a spare gun,



FWIW,, having spent years shooting Service Rifle, plinking with a few other AR's,, and having a M16. get a handful of gas rings, and maybe a recoil spring,

ETA and a Cam Pin

I would order a complete lower build kit with every small part and spring, plus a couple spare buffer (recoil) springs. Plus a spare BCG group, a couple of extractors and a couple of extractor springs. Oh and a couple of gas rings.

Thank you all, I will start ordering per your suggestions.

A spare bolt is nice to have -- a fully assembled bolt. I recommend a couple of firing pin retaining pins, and some gas rings.

When you shoot enough to shoot out a barrel, then your list gets larger.

If I buy a complete BCG, does it have to be headspaced? Is there a consensus on the best BCG?

My AR gets very little use, but I want to have a quality spare if needed.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by maxwayne:
If I buy a complete BCG, does it have to be headspaced?

No

quote:

Is there a consensus on the best BCG?

Consensus? No, too many choices, too many different opinions, but, IMO:

The best one that it's impossible to get these days

The best one you can get right now

I have a Colt Blue Label Sporter Lightweight. This rifle has a blocked lower receiver. You can't put a full-auto carrier in the rifle, but you can put a semi-auto carrier, so that's what's in my rifle- a Lewis Machine & Tool L7A3.

"That's a lot of money" you might say. Yes it is, and the part is worth every penny of it, in my opinion. I bought mine when they were substantially less expensive, though.

You can buy a BCM for less than 200.00

I agree with Para the LMT enhanced is the best bcg that isn’t available. But I think the optimized Surefire bcg is the best one that is available.

quote:

Originally posted by xmod:
But I think the optimized Surefire bcg is the best one that is available.

This BCG requires a proprietary buffer, does it not? And this BCG was designed with full-auto fire in mind IIRC.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by xmod:
But I think the optimized Surefire bcg is the best one that is available.

This BCG requires a proprietary buffer, does it not? And this BCG was designed with full-auto fire in mind IIRC.

Yes, the buffer spring is shorter and the buffer is heavy but shorter than an H3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...l6ZWQgc3VyZWZpcmU%3D

I would recommend you pick up an “Oops Kit”. They sell them everywhere for a nominal cost.

Here’s an example:

https://www.brownells.com/gun-...ar-15.308-ooops-kit/

You’ll also want a spare bolt, and the other goodies mentioned above.

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:
careful,

spare parts tend to turn into a spare gun,

Nothing wrong with having a spare complete AR … that’s where the saying “2 is one and one is none”comes from

I’ve got several AR’s in different configurations but the parts to keep them running are all the same. I’ve also got spare parts but they’re mostly leftovers from other “builds” or from upgrades.