My Stickman AR Build-Complete (with pics)

[alamo5000]

Other cool things on this is that it had exactly one roll pin in the entire setup and that was in the gas block. CMT made building the lower just flat out EASY. You can take the bolt catch on or off with a little supplied allen wrench. No punches, no hammers. If you need to fix, repair, or adjust your mag release...with the other ones you should try and get it right the first time. With CMT you can take it all apart and put it back together while sitting on your bed.

I bought exactly two tools for the whole process. One was a no mar upper vice block and the other was a castle nut wrench. The rest of it is put together using standard tools, and almost always the manufacturer included whatever tool you needed with whatever part it was you were putting on. But with a book of allen wrenches of different sizes its a snap.

The SLR Rifleworks rail is literally a thing of beauty. The barrel nut gets tightened down with a standard 1 1/4" open ended wrench or crescent wrench. It does not need to be timed. You can technically take the barrel off and put it back on (if you are careful) without ever removing your gas tube. It's a pretty neat set up.

[titanse05]

Gotta get either the short hybrid or short thin lever for the weak side but other than that, nice build.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4

[alamo5000]

Gotta get either the short hybrid or short thin lever for the weak side but other than that, nice build.

I ordered a short thin one about an hour ago...

[Stickman]

Not sure what's up with the selector, but otherwise, it looks good. Hope it shoots as well as it looks.

[alamo5000]

Not sure what's up with the selector, but otherwise, it looks good. Hope it shoots as well as it looks.

I put the selector on the weak side upside down because it bugged me when it poked my hand. I have already ordered a short/thin replacement that should solve the problem on a more permanent basis.

[WHSmithIV]

The flat trigger is much nicer than a curved one, at least for my uses and preferences. If I was a cop or some spec ops dude who wore big gloves all the time maybe not... but the trigger has several advantages. Most of the time when trying to cap off a precise shot it's the shooter that screws it up. Finger placement whether it be too shallow or too deep can pull a shot off target...with this trigger it's MUCH easier to develop muscle memory (even if it is just your finger). Secondly the flat pull seems shorter merely because of the design shape. There is very little take up with this trigger as well. I mean like maybe a mm or two. So for me, I know when the thing is going to go bang and I will know if my finger is in the right spot or not. There is also very little if any 'slippage' of my finger on the trigger.

If I ever were to find my way into a shootout there might be other options to consider, but since I am going to be plinking and such albeit a bit more than that, it's more down the alley of where I wanted to take my build. IE pretty precise shots within 0-300 yard range. The 3.5 lb pull is also just about perfect. If I want to shoot a coyote at 200 yards I can do that with this build NO PROBLEM.

As for official range time I only loaded about half a mag and went to the back yard, IE 100 feet from my back door and took a few shots to make sure the gun cycles right, extracts, and this or that... I can shoot up to about 150 yards in the back yard without any problem... we shoot skeet all the time, but when I get a chance in the next day or two I might go down to an indoor range and use their lead sled and zero the scope in.

I can say this though, it felt really good to shoot. Much nicer than some of the other AR's I have shot... and whole lot of that has to do with the trigger. There also might be a large element of self satisfaction in there too

I have to say building this AR was a learning experience. I now things now that I didn't know before, but I also can say hands down it was probably one of the most enjoyable projects I've ever done.

I agree with you 100% - I test shoot in my front yard. Thanks for the info on that trigger. I've been looking for some honest opinions about them just out of curiosity. I learned a great deal building my rifle too. Really sucks that we were so broke and I had to sell it. You've got a nice rifle there. I like it

[DutyUse]

Not bad for a first timer. This was my first ever build.

Thank you!!

Wow nicely done for your first build. Looks tons better then my first build lol

[Thompson]

... your build almost mirrors mine (in terms of receiver parts) - Seekin Precision mag release & bolt catch; CMT lower; Magpul furniture;BAD-ASS(FDE); CMC or Geissele flat trigger (trying to find someone who has a CMC flat trigger to try it out first before I make any decisions). Good to know about the ease of assembly for CMT's lower.

Curious - is there anything wrong with the traditional metal dust covers? Or did you just want to go with something different? Also is the dust cover dimensions for the UPUR-4 any different from other uppers? ... it looks a tad bit longer.

[Ride4frnt]

... your build almost mirrors mine (in terms of receiver parts) - Seekin Precision mag release & bolt catch; CMT lower; Magpul furniture;BAD-ASS(FDE); CMC or Geissele flat trigger (trying to find someone who has a CMC flat trigger to try it out first before I make any decisions). Good to know about the ease of assembly for CMT's lower.

Curious - is there anything wrong with the traditional metal dust covers? Or did you just want to go with something different? Also is the dust cover dimensions for the UPUR-4 any different from other uppers? ... it looks a tad bit longer.

You put one of those springs on once and you'll realize how genius the strike industries dust cover is. Unless there's a trick I don't know.

[alamo5000]

Wow nicely done for your first build. Looks tons better then my first build lol

I took a lot of notes from a lot of people who know their stuff :) I probably bugged the crap out of more than one person asking questions. But in the end knowledge is power. And at some point you have to move beyond concept and get into reality as to how it's going to all work and how to do it...

I figured I would much rather build a rifle that I would just LOVE (achieved) than to just buy something random. At least that was my approach. Seeing how I come from a shooting background (but not so much an AR background) it worked for me to do it that way.

I did have some minor screw ups but nothing major in the process. Almost all of it went together flawlessly and I attribute that to me going with good name brand products from good manufacturers.

The only part I am not entirely sold on is the optic... I will test it and see how it goes and then weigh options for other things as a rebuild my bank account. My heart said ACOG and my wallet said no. In the end at some point you just have to jump in the water and start trying stuff... but the more you know before you jump the better, at least in my opinion. Or you can just go get you a weekend noise maker blaster and shoot frisbee size groups at 50 yards and have fun... but that's not me.

[Thompson]

You put one of those springs on once and you'll realize how genius the strike industries dust cover is. Unless there's a trick I don't know.

Sorry, not too familiar with their dust cover. What makes it so unique?

[alamo5000]

... your build almost mirrors mine (in terms of receiver parts) - Seekin Precision mag release & bolt catch; CMT lower; Magpul furniture;BAD-ASS(FDE); CMC or Geissele flat trigger (trying to find someone who has a CMC flat trigger to try it out first before I make any decisions). Good to know about the ease of assembly for CMT's lower.

Curious - is there anything wrong with the traditional metal dust covers? Or did you just want to go with something different? Also is the dust cover dimensions for the UPUR-4 any different from other uppers? ... it looks a tad bit longer.

I have never used a Geisele trigger so I can't make any side by side comparisons. But I know the CMC is pretty darn good.

It reminds me of a story... 'beware of a guy with a worn looking set of golf clubs and a dark tan'...you can fret all day long about minute differences... but that's all stuff on paper. It's just like in photography where people go bonkers over 16mp camera vs an 18mp camera and start raving about it...

I recall when I was a kid this old man lived next to us (way out in the country)...he had a 22-250 rifle with a scope and simply put he knew his gear. He knew HIS stuff and how it worked.... one day a coyote was trotting across a field while he was sitting on the porch and he free handed about a 300 yard shot (or more) .... with a single shot... and then put his rifle down and said 'yall boys can go pick him up'... he got a head shot on the thing... it was just an amazing shot (or at least I thought so as a kid)... but he really was a fantastic shot... I learned a lot from him gun wise...what's in your head is more important.... back then he just worked with what he had...

Now we have like 100 choices...

As to the dust cover the metal one worked but there are some key differences. The metal ones have a rod that goes all the way through and some are even blocked in place by the rail. And it has a c clip which the strike does not have. If you want it on or off you have to take the rail off. Not so with strike. One tab on the end is depressable so you lock one end in your dust cover holes, depress the other and snap it into place. It locks up using the same mechanism of a traditional cover, but it also has a little ridge the same shape as your port that fits down into your port and clicks into place. The spring on the metal one I had would rest up against the port opening and use that as leverage to pop open... not so with the strike... that little spring, however small scratches your upper even if it is a tiny mark. And lastly when the door flops open and its sitting there or if you are moving around with the dust cover bouncing around... its not metal on metal which can possibly damage the finish on the upper. With the strike its polymer. No metal on metal contact.

I don't know about other uppers. This is my first AR. I think it's the same but you can have the option from CMT to get a bigger port if you want it (for SOCOM builds)... but that's an option.

I know the standard dust cover door fits it perfect so I figure its the same size.

[Ride4frnt]

Sorry, not too familiar with their dust cover. What makes it so unique?

Quick disconnect, and you don't have to worry about trying to shove the pin through while holding the spring. It's a 3 hand type of job for a normal one.

[alamo5000]

You've got a nice rifle there. I like it

Thank you! I honestly put a whole lot of thought into it over a long time... and to be honest I couldn't be happier with it. I am not entirely sold on my optic but I will give it a test.

Like I said before this was one of the most enjoyable projects I've ever worked on. And now with some experience under my belt I can see this happening again :)

But my wallet already hurts.

[alamo5000]

Sorry, not too familiar with their dust cover. What makes it so unique?

Read my post that is right under yours... it pretty much sums it up.