Expain Your Spare Parts Strategy

[chazthebiker]

What is your spare parts strategy?

So you’ve built or acquired the rifles you think you need for hunting, or personal defense, in the event of a new gun ban, or the always talked about SHTF scenario; Whatever your reasons, you have what you have. The next logical question is what your spare parts strategy is going to be.

Do you simply stock an extra LPK and upper parts kit, or do you take it further? What about barrels or any other parts that may break or wear out? I guess I am asking what your long term view is.

While there is always the possibility of civil unrest or societal collapse, for me the biggest and most ominous threat is a new ban and whatever form or shape that ban presents. Assuming existing weapons are grandfathered in my primary strategy is to slowly build a stock of items that may become unavailable due to a new ban or lack of availability due to unrest. This begins with magazines to individual small parts like springs, detents, etc. As what I think would be immediate needs reach the appropriate levels I will progress to larger parts like maybe a spare stock, BCG, receivers, etc. I think we all get the idea.

My ultimate goal for the AR-15 platform is 6 rifles (4 - 5.56mm and 2 - 6.8mm SPC). My own philosophy is to be as standardized as possible. In other words, all the 5.56mm rifles should ultimately match each other. The 6.8mm SPC rifles should also match each other. While there may be differences in optics or grips… all the other parts should match. The barrels, BCGs, LPKs, triggers, buffer springs, magazines, should all match. My reason for attempting to standardize is for simplicity, economy, interchangeability, and familiarity. This does not mean the rifles will not evolve a little here and there, but let’s face it, we eventually figure out exactly what we want as our foundation and wish we had a couple just like it.

So here is the goal for myself:
1. 5 of each spring
2. 5 of each detent
3. 10 Magpul P-mags per 5.56mm rifle (minimum)
4. 2 extra Magpul Miad Grips
5. 2 extra UBR stocks
6. 1 extra set Troy folding BUIS
7. 1 complete LPK per rifle
8. 1 extra barrel per rifle
9. 1 extra BCG per rifle
10. 2 extra bolts per caliber
11. 2 extra lower receivers
12. 3 extra upper receivers
13. 2 extra charging handles
14. 10 Barrett 6.8 SPC mags for each 6.8mm rifle

This is just off the top of my head and could change. Some may think I am full of prunes. That’s ok. My strategy is my strategy. I have adopted it for my own reasons. If nothing else, any future grandchildren would have some nice weapons and the parts needed to keep them running for a little while. In the case of civil unrest, my philosophy is to head to the country and try to avoid confrontation if at all possible. Protect my family when needed, but don’t go looking for a fight. I personally think large cities will be miserable places in such an event. If I were in one, the goal would be to get out.

What I would like to know is what your strategy for spare parts might be. I would be very interested in reading what the rest of you do or plan to do or wish you could do.

Thanks!

[Paulo_Santos]

I just like to have an extra LPK and extra bolt and BCG.

[Koshinn]

Sounds like you have a few extra rifles in parts? Why not just build them so if the proverbial shit does indeed hit the equally proverbial fan and one of your rifles breaks, you can just grab another one ready to go, then swap parts (although I don't know why you'd do this) when you have extra time?

[Quib]

I keep small replacement parts on-hand to maintain three weapons. Here's a bit of related info regarding parts storage:

http://http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum/showthread.php?1690-SPARE-PARTS-STORAGE

[Hatter]

I'd have to agree with Koshinn on this one. Your post reminds me of the joke... how much Healthy Choice ice cream can you eat before it's no longer a healthy choice? How many spare parts can you stock before they shouldn't be spares and its cost effective to just build the rifle?

As of now I haven't had a need for spare parts. Luckily nothing has broken. I have done research on the subject and am still building a few rifles. I think I would be along the lines of:

2-3 sets of gas rings
extractor set (extractor, spring, insert)
ejector set (ejector, spring, 2 retaining pins)
Firing pin, retaining pin
Bolt

[Cameron]

99% parts commonality. I can't shoot 5 ARs at once...



Actually I keep, a bolt, extractor kit, and springs.

Cameron

[sdoperator]

1. 5 of each spring
2. 5 of each detent
3. 10 Magpul P-mags per 5.56mm rifle (minimum)
4. 2 extra Magpul Miad Grips
5. 2 extra UBR stocks
6. 1 extra set Troy folding BUIS
7. 1 complete LPK per rifle
8. 1 extra barrel per rifle
9. 1 extra BCG per rifle
10. 2 extra bolts per caliber
11. 2 extra lower receivers
12. 3 extra upper receivers
13. 2 extra charging handles
14. 10 Barrett 6.8 SPC mags for each 6.8mm rifle

If I had $5k for spares, I'd get 8 of these: http://coldhandarms.com/zencart/inde...roducts_id=137
and 8 MBUS rear sights to make a squad. Another $10k and you've got a decent platoon.

[Bob Reed]

Hello,

I'd like to have at least Six of most every item on this page http://www.specializedarmament.com/c...Parts-4-0.html

[chazthebiker]

99% parts commonality. I can't shoot 5 ARs at once...



Actually I keep, a bolt, extractor kit, and springs.

Cameron

Right! I don't think I could shoot just 2 rifles at once with any effectiveness. However, I have two brothers, a father, and a son in law. I've also got a couple of nephews.... so the four 5.56mm rifles and two 6.8 rifles would allow for two, three man fire teams or 3 two man fire teams if needed. So my goal is about my own idea of practicality in the event of a dire emergency. If this were purely an exercise in accumulating weapons simply for the sake of accumulating weapons, then I might just as well collect stamps. We all have our own reasons for what we do. From what I understand, a new bolt with a new barrel is ok. So let's suppose you have fired 5,000 rounds through a barrel and the bolt fails. Do you just throw on the new bolt? What about headspace? What if the headspace is bad and barrels are no longer available for whatever reason? So then for want of a $200 - $300 barrel the $2k rifle is useless? I don't know. I'm not sayin'... I'm just sayin'. Then again, I might have a spare barrel to trade ya for...... Thanks for the response man. Beautiful rifles by the way.

[chazthebiker]

If I had $5k for spares, I'd get 8 of these: http://coldhandarms.com/zencart/inde...roducts_id=137
and 8 MBUS rear sights to make a squad. Another $10k and you've got a decent platoon.

That's a nice thought sdoperator.

[chazthebiker]

Sounds like you have a few extra rifles in parts? Why not just build them so if the proverbial shit does indeed hit the equally proverbial fan and one of your rifles breaks, you can just grab another one ready to go, then swap parts (although I don't know why you'd do this) when you have extra time?

Funny! Actually I don't have all that. Not even close. Wish I did. I would not build them into rifles for the same reason the NAPA or O'Reily's doesn't build all they have into engines. Just like for my cars: I keep and extra starter, and extra water pump, extra belts, spark plugs, extra antifreeze, etc. Like I said, we all do what we do for our own reasons. The purpose of my post was to spur conversation about what the various schools of thought are around stocking spare parts. If you look at the list closely, I don't think it is that out of line. 10 Magazines per rifle? Sounds practical to me. I'll bet there are folks who would say it isn't near enough. Springs and detents that people lose all the time? For a few dollars you can have five of each of all of them. One extra set of BUIS in case one breaks? It doesn't have to be Troy, it can be MBUS... doesn't matter really. Spare receivers? I've read all over the place about guys having spares in the safe.

Anyway, glad I could give you a chuckle my friend. So your strategy is zero spare parts? Just asking because you didn't say.

[chazthebiker]

Thanks Quib! I started thinking about spare parts a couple of weeks ago. I went home for a couple of days and got out what I had to finish a lower. For the life of me I could not find the buffer tube detent. I couldn't finish the lower and didn't have time to get one from the online parts house. Because I didn't have a 99 cent part, I couldn't finish the rifle. So the other day I ordered 5 of each spring and detent needed for a lower. It isn't expensive and can save a lot of disappointment. So I thought, what if?

Thanks for the info on your link. Appreciate your post Quib.

[Koshinn]

A couple lpks, bolts, firing pins, extractors, and op rods for my piston system.

[Quib]

Thanks Quib! I started thinking about spare parts a couple of weeks ago. I went home for a couple of days and got out what I had to finish a lower. For the life of me I could not find the buffer tube detent. I couldn't finish the lower and didn't have time to get one from the online parts house. Because I didn't have a 99 cent part, I couldn't finish the rifle. So the other day I ordered 5 of each spring and detent needed for a lower. It isn't expensive and can save a lot of disappointment. So I thought, what if?

Thanks for the info on your link. Appreciate your post Quib.

When the subject comes up regarding spares, most shooters only see the operation/reliability side of the issue, and focus their spares inventory accordingly. How often is a detent or spring lost during routine mtx or even cleaning? Those situations I think arise more often than parts breakage during operation and should be planned for as well.

How often have you been in this situation or read of someone in a similar situation: The intent was to upgrade to a new pistol grip. The old grip was removed with no regard for the safety detent or spring. Now during reassembly or the subsequent ops check, the safety falls free from the receiver or fails to operate smoothly. A spare bolt will be of no help here. An assortment of detents, springs and pins or one of the readily available pre-assembled parts kits definitely would help.

Now the weapon is dead-lined, as in your example, for a simple .99 cent part.

[hikeeba]

Good point, Quib. After i read your post, I heard a little *ding!*, and a little lightbulb appeared above my head...

Shortly after I acquired my first 5.56 AR-15, I purchased a spare parts kit that included all the pins, detents, springs, and misc other upper and lower parts. Fast forward several years to just a few months ago when I was cleaning/reorganizing our basement and came across the spare parts kit stored away in its original shipping carton. Upon it's rediscovery, I put the kit in a place where I would know where it was, and where it would be 'handy'- the draw of my workbench.

When I go to shoot my AR-15 type rifles, I always make a point to bring two complete rifles; the one I primarily intend to shoot, and a second one to play with if time allows or to use as a back-up/trouble-shooting piece. I also cart along no fewer than 10 magazines spanning several different varieties, and more ammunition than I know I will shoot. And since I have been assembling my own rifles from parts, I also cart along a toolbox containing a healthy compliment of general and firearm-specific tool, cleaning supplies, and a variety of miscelleneous parts like buffers, sights, and the like. But guess where my 'spare parts kit' is?





















When I get home tonight, before I even hang my keys up, I am heading to the basement and placing the spare parts kit in my range toolbox. Derp.





Otherwise, I guess my plan has been similar to Cameron's. Redundant redundancy is redundant. My spare parts kit is supplemented by 4 complete 16" mid-gas rifles and one extra bolt assembly.

Thanks for starting this thread, Chaz.