Recommended "set-up" for AR/ M4 rifles

[protective measures]

This thread is one I've been wanting to do for awhile.
The intent is to help new shooters/ AR owners have a simple but detailed guide on effective, simple, & reliable modifications & additions that can or should be done to the AR platform to enhance reliability and/ or make it more user-friendly.

I am still working on the final draft of the detailed content but here is a list of the areas that will be covered.
A detailed list of reasons for each preference will be given for consideration & debate.

Additions/ Improvements/ Modifications/ Features highly recommended:

Quality sling
Quality barrel (the "heart" of the rifle)
Good sights/ backup sights
Tactical flashlight
Red Dot scope with mount/ riser
Cleaning kit
Spare parts kit
Carrying case
Heavy duty charging handle
Extractor upgrade kit (spring & "O" ring)
Properly staked gas key


Additions/ Improvements/ Modifications recommended for personal preference/ better "user-friendliness"

Better furniture ( stock, grip, fore-end, & possibly vertical or angled grip)
Ambi. safety selector
Polymer Magazines
Muzzle brake/ Flash suppressor
Nickel Boron (or similar) bolt carrier group
Enlarged trigger guard
Lightly "tuned" trigger
Maglula (or other) mag. loader/ stripper

These lists will be intended to provide a good starting (& maybe finishing) point for owners of AR rifles intended for possible use in self-defense.

Since the whole ODT collective is smarter as a group than any one individual, everyone is welcome to make their suggestions or relate their experiences as to what, how & why you have your rifle set-up the way that you do.

Pics are preferred if possible. Here is one "working gun" that I set-up recently.
It is not as expensive as my old Daniel Defense rifle but is simple, reliable, perfectly capable, & a quality firearm.
The mods. on it are very solid/ reliable, pretty "snag-free" (low-drag), not overly expensive, & easy to use under stress.

 

[Cadcom]

By "heavy duty charging handle" are you referencing something like the Bravo Co handles?
If so then which MOD?

 

[protective measures]

By "heavy duty charging handle" are you referencing something like the Bravo Co handles?

Yes... Badger, Bravo, BCM, etc.
The (medium) BCM Gunfighter is my preference.
I think one of the big weak spots in most AR's is the cheap charging handles.
That is a critical part of the rifle that is not that expensive to upgrade.

If the rollpin is sheared through aggressive or heavy repetitious use then the bolt is virtually inoperable. Also a good replacement charg. handle offers a slightly larger surface area to grab to both quickly, efficiently load the weapon as well as to better clear malfunctions.
A good one operates more smoothly & is reinforced in stress areas as compared to most O.E.M. handles .

I don't like to go too big to keep the rifle as "snag-free" as possible.
I believe there are a variety of options that are big improvements over the basic one that comes with most rifles.... especially the lower tier ones.

 

[Wallace's]

Nickel boron is a gimmick. In no way are the actual parts of the BCG you need to clean on a BCG any easier. The Nickel boron ridged surface will wear down too, so that smoothness you initially feel will eventually require lubrication too. The outside of the carrier just wipes off tad easier, but that is it. You can get that NP3 finish like whats on DS and Wilson Combat carriers, but the coating is not of any importance compared to quality of steel, attentiveness to QC of the BCG its self, as well as having a properly staked gas key.

Just stick to a quality BCG's -> BCM, DD, and even the PSA Premium, and forget that gimmick stuff.

Also, I don't like flashlights on my rifles personally, but I don't use my AR's for home defense. Just target practice and sometimes competitive shooting.

If you start with a good factory rifle, there will be little needed to change to have a nice, reliable rifle.

Manufacturers like BCM, Daniel Defense, Colt, KAC, LMT, PSA Premium will all come factory with the reliable , quality components. If you building one, stick to a reputable manufacturers for parts like the above mentioned and you will almost always end up with good components. Other sources for parts also include VLTOR and Battle Arms Development. Primary arms is a great website to get alot of quality components. Be very cautious of Amazon and some odd ball web sites. If pricing is way less than normal parts your looking at, its for a reason.

As far as optics, its 100% dependent on what you want to do witht he rifle. That can and has been an entire thread worth of info too.

Slings are all preference too, 1, 2, and 3 point slings all have their purpose and some people like certain styles better than others. I like single point slings on my carbine if I am in a match, but then prefer the 2 point for use on rifles like my 20" NM gun.

 

[protective measures]

Nickel boron is a gimmick. In no way are the actual parts of the BCG you need to clean on a BCG any easier. The Nickel boron ridged surface will wear down too, so that smoothness you initially feel will eventually require lubrication too. The outside of the carrier just wipes off tad easier, but that is it. You can get that NP3 finish like whats on DS and Wilson Combat carriers, but the coating is not of any importance compared to quality of steel, attentiveness to QC of the BCG its self, as well as having a properly staked gas key.

Just stick to a quality BCG's -> BCM, DD, and even the PSA Premium, and forget that gimmick stuff.

Also, I don't like flashlights on my rifles personally, but I don't use my AR's for home defense. Just target practice and sometimes competitive shooting.

If you start with a good factory rifle, there will be little needed to change to have a nice, reliable rifle.

Manufacturers like BCM, Daniel Defense, Colt, KAC, LMT, PSA Premium will all come factory with the reliable , quality components. If you building one, stick to a reputable manufacturers for parts like the above mentioned and you will almost always end up with good components. Other sources for parts also include VLTOR and Battle Arms Development. Primary arms is a great website to get alot of quality components. Be very cautious of Amazon and some odd ball web sites. If pricing is way less than normal parts your looking at, its for a reason.

As far as optics, its 100% dependent on what you want to do with the rifle. That can and has been an entire thread worth of info too.

Slings are all preference too, 1, 2, and 3 point slings all have their purpose and some people like certain styles better than others. I like single point slings on my carbine if I am in a match, but then prefer the 2 point for use on rifles like my 20" NM gun.

That is why I have the N.B. bolt carrier group in the "personal preference" section, not the "highly recommended" one.
As opposed to it as you seem to be, I've had quite a few shooters rave about how much easier they were to keep clean & suggest that rifles so equipped actually ran longer w/o cleaning due to the "self-lubricating" aspects of N.B. coated bolts. Like you, I insist on a quality bolt from a reputable mfr. I can be a "slow-sale" (I try to focus more on software than hardware) but I try to keep an open mind.

As far as a flashlight is concerned, my primary purpose of the this thread is geared toward rifles intended for possible self-defense use so a flashlight is in the "must have" category for me.
I do understand that for competitions or recreational use a light is considered non-essential.

Every reputable school/ Instructor that I know of that teaches Defensive Carbine preaches the necessity of a good weapon mounted light.
Many of the mods./ additions/ etc. that I am recommending are specific related to self-defense.

A rifle "going down" in a match or at the range might be frustrating or "inconvenient".... one doing so during self-defense use could of course have way worse implications.

 

[10thmountain]

Hooray for this thread!!!

 

[brad sweet]

[Broken External Image]:

By "heavy duty charging handle" are you referencing something like the Bravo Co handles?
If so then which MOD?

i lke the mod 4 medium but just got a Fortis Hammer..buy it if you dont like it i will give you your money back..solid and silky smooth

 

[Jack O A T]

Respectfully and IMHO

I would nix or reduce the broom handle. In my limited experience, mostly from watching others run them, they tend to snag A LOT. Especially if you're running a plate carrier or transitioning from back carry etc. I run an AFG2, but I'm strongly considering nixing it. It is far less prone to snag, but I feel like I need to start heeding the advice of many who get that elbow up for better, faster target transition.

 

[brad sweet]

Nickel boron is a gimmick. In no way are the actual parts of the BCG you need to clean on a BCG any easier. The Nickel boron ridged surface will wear down too, so that smoothness you initially feel will eventually require lubrication too. The outside of the carrier just wipes off tad easier, but that is it. You can get that NP3 finish like whats on DS and Wilson Combat carriers, but the coating is not of any importance compared to quality of steel, attentiveness to QC of the BCG its self, as well as having a properly staked gas key.

Just stick to a quality BCG's -> BCM, DD, and even the PSA Premium, and forget that gimmick stuff.

Also, I don't like flashlights on my rifles personally, but I don't use my AR's for home defense. Just target practice and sometimes competitive shooting.

If you start with a good factory rifle, there will be little needed to change to have a nice, reliable rifle.

Manufacturers like BCM, Daniel Defense, Colt, KAC, LMT, PSA Premium will all come factory with the reliable , quality components. If you building one, stick to a reputable manufacturers for parts like the above mentioned and you will almost always end up with good components. Other sources for parts also include VLTOR and Battle Arms Development. Primary arms is a great website to get alot of quality components. Be very cautious of Amazon and some odd ball web sites. If pricing is way less than normal parts your looking at, its for a reason.

As far as optics, its 100% dependent on what you want to do witht he rifle. That can and has been an entire thread worth of info too.

Slings are all preference too, 1, 2, and 3 point slings all have their purpose and some people like certain styles better than others. I like single point slings on my carbine if I am in a match, but then prefer the 2 point for use on rifles like my 20" NM gun.

that Wilson combat BCG is NP3 as well..huge difference in less friction even over a NIBx

 

[brad sweet]

Respectfully and IMHO

I would nix or reduce the broom handle. In my limited experience, mostly from watching others run them, they tend to snag A LOT. Especially if you're running a plate carrier or transitioning from back carry etc. I run an AFG2, but I'm strongly considering nixing it. It is far less prone to snag, but I feel like I need to start heeding the advice of many who get that elbow up for better, faster target transition.

I feel that the RVG magpul you are more deliberate with your moves letting down the rifle and transitioning to pistol..i have had snags but more so with the AFG