Are these ARs REALLY THAT COMPLICATED and involved to learn?

[buckweet]

I did read that post but have no clue what a Colt 605 is.

hi, bill the bushmaster website has a ''clone'' of the colt model 605.... they call it the ''dissipator''....
allit is, ....is a carbine,16'' barrel with the front post sight moved waayyy out front close to the birdcage, [muzzel],, with rifle full length handguards.
so you gets the advantage of both carbine and rifle, handy and with full radius rifle sights.
weet

[southernutah]

just watched the DVD AR-15 by AGI, made it pretty simple if you can stand the slow gunsmith. Has and Tech manual and Armorer's Course.

[ccoker]

I think ARs are pretty simple
I don't clean them that often frankly

I think most problems can be attributed to two things:
running the bolt dry (run em wet!)
mag problems (use good mags)

[Warhawk]

I have built a few AR's, and bought a few more complete rifles. The only "spare parts" I've ever needed were small springs or detent pins that went flying off my workbench <G>.  I did invest in about $20 worth of spare springs and such so next time it happens I won't be dead in the water.

These ARs are amazingly accurate. My youngest son and I have identical Armalite 16" carbines that shoot MOA with good ammo.

The big "secret" to a reliable AR, like others have said, is to run them WET. I've used every kind of oil you can imagine, from CLP to Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil, it doesn't seem to matter as long as the gun is well lubed.

[SD Handgunner]

I have a Bushmaster 16" M4 Optics Ready Carbine, and used to have a DPMS Panther Bull 20 Fluted. I sold the DPMS as it was way heavier than I wanted for a Coyote Calling Rifle and Patrol Car Rifle and replaced it with the Bushmaster.

I put about 500 rounds through the DPMS and twice that many through the Bushmaster so far. I clean and relube mine about every 150 - 200 rounds or so and have never had a problem. One of the local national guard guys showed me how to strip, clean and lube my AR and it really isn't nearly as complicated as some would lead you to believe.

The only modifications I did to my Bushmaster was to replace the Handguards with an Aluminum Free Float Tube, and replace the trigger with a JP Enterprises Adjustable Trigger with Speed Hammer. After shooting the old style Contenders for years and years I just couldn't get used to the AR Trigger but the JP Enterprises Adjustable Trigger with Speed Hammer sure made a sweet feeling trigger that so far has never failed me.

My Bushmaster is my main Coyote Calling Rifle and for that purpose I couldn't think of anything I would replace it with. It is compact, handles great and is quite accurate when fed it's preferred load consisting of 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips loaded with H-4895 in Military LC Brass with either Remington 7 1/2 or CCI-400 Primers.

Larry

[Airsporter]

Bill, suggest you chill with a cold one and watch an online video or two - HAHA.  Our military has been training recruits on the M16(AR15) for over 40 yrs.  Some of these guys ain't the sharpest cards in the deck.  Don't let a tech book get in the way of practical reality.  My son is 82nd airborne.  He has total confidence in his M4 (current M16 carbine) even using hardball 'green tip' FMJ ammo.  He told me that the only failure he saw in iraq was a 'pog' who knowingly went out on patrol with a broken extractor = single shot (no extraction) = Darwin Award.  That said, in training they used to spray the bolts down with CLP before each range session.  The gas system does 'cook off' all the bolt lubricant in a few shots.

[mannyrock]

  Question:  How do you run them "wet" without getting oil in the chamber or on a round, with the resulting danger of creating extremely high pressure in the chamber (and a possible blow-up)??  I don't have one, just curious.

  Fun Fact:  Originally, the M-16 was described as being self-lubricating, and after 40 years, it's been found that you should run them wet to be totally reliable. :-)

[SharonAnne]

it was not that the M16 was considered 'self lubricating' but the the mental midgets in McNamaras  'Beltway Bumblers' told the soldiers it was 'self cleaning'. The McNamara Mental Midgets even refused to supply cleaning kits. Additionally the military request to chrome the chamber and bore were refused since 'the designer didn't do it so it must not be needed'. The other and possibly largest idiocy was type accepting the M16 with IMR powder and then awarding the ammunition contract to Winchester that used Ball powder. The Ball powder had a different pressure curve that increased the full auto rate by over 200 rpm. Worse, the Ball powder had a component that plugged up the gas system and put a sticky film in the chamber that caused cases to stick.

Finally, after news reports of jamming M16s causing deaths among our troops reached the TV news here, cleaning kits were rushed to  'Nam. As an afterthought the chamber and bore were chromed; something that is done to this day.

[Rustyinfla]

  AR's are the Barbie Dolls of the gun world. There's always something else to go on them to make them more funner to play with.

[DC]

I agonized over the AR vs. Mini 14.  I know...I have heard all about the accuracy issues.  I had one myself a few years back and it would shoot MOB..minute of barn.   However, the new Mini 14 Target is a different deal...it will shoot right up there with most AR's and better than alot of them.  The reason I went in that direction was what this thread is all about. 
I have owned a couple of AR's.  Both of them were accurate but required what I considered to be an inordinate amount of cleaning or jamming would occur.  The mini's on the other hand are known for their extreme reliability.  That coupled with their new barrels, cooling enhancments and the target model made the decision an easy one.  Su
Sure, I could have stepped up to a new gas piston upper or a whole rifle from Ruger, Para or the others that make them but we are talking double the money.  My Mini 14 Target mounted with a 4-16 Weaver Gland Slam will holes in their holes any day for half the price.

[Bigeasy]

Just like the 1911, or the SKS when they were hot a few years back.  A bunch of experts crop up, as do a bunch of parts to fix stuff that ain't broken, or to "improve" almost every part of the gun.  These "improved" parts usually lead to a loss of function, or reliability issues.  Guns like the AR-15, 1911, SKS, S&W DA Revolver, etc., are popular because they are good, strong designes as manufactured.  Big difference between tweaking your gun for your specific use (like an ambi safety for a left hander) compared to wholesale parts replacement.

Larry