AR uppers w/o bolt and charging handle question???

[TerryR]

If I buy an AR upper w/o bolt and charging handle, then buy a bolt later,
is it already headspaced?
Thanks TerryR

[Kirk]

No; the bolt has to be headspaced to the barrel.

[BlitzKrieg]

Yes Sir, that is the most accurate words on this subject. Bolt has to be correctly headspaced. Same with a M1 Garand bolt.

Now this runs counter to the logic of the parts swappers who buy parts and slap them together and insist that head space is not an issue. Well, it is an issue and if you slap parts together and make a weapon and not have a properly head spaced bolt...............then your brain has a head spacing problem.


The truth is the truth. Its all about safety and the lack of it. Simple logic for those with correct head spacing above the shoulder line

[TerryR]

Thanks for the Info guys. I have headspace gauges for the Garand, and do check everytime a bolt changes in a recvr. Didn't know if they came up with something new for the AR.
Answers my question!
Take care TerryR

[hagar in SC]

An AR is not an M1 or M1A. You can safely interchange bolts between different uppers if both are in spec.

[bd1]

Check ADCO's prices for barreled uppers complete w/ bolt carrier, bolt & CH. You might decide it makes sense to get the whole thing, cry once as they say.

[TerryR]

Thanks for the complete upper advice. I've already made up my mind, and I'm going to purchase a COMPLETE Upper.
Thanks guys
TerryR

[jmoore]

Too funny! The only out of spec setups I have ever seen were all short chambered by the Mfg. (5.45x39 prototype barrels). Bolts will shed lugs or barrels will be ruined before wearing enough to throw headspace out of tolerance. Mind you, I don't mess around w/ crap imitation stuff very much...

[us019255]

An AR is not an M1 or M1A. You can safely interchange bolts between different uppers if both are in spec.

If this is true why does U.S. MARINE CORPS TECHNICAL MANUAL TM05538C-23&P/2 RIFLE, 5.56-MM, M16A2 W/E NSN 1005-01-128-9936 say, page 2-15, "Do not interchange bolt assemblies or components from one weapon to another. Doing so may result in injury to, or death of, personnel"?

As a practical matter, practice during the service life of the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine included rather indiscriminate swapping of bolts. In fact ordinance had special bolts for the carbine at least to make sure this was possible.

My bottom line is: Check head-space when swapping bolts and be safe, no matter what is supposed to be possible.

[BlitzKrieg]

The Military as stated does not allow swap out of bolts. Yet it has been stated to be entirely OK in this thread by a civilian. This is the old problem of what facts you decide to accept. The qualified vs. the unqualified. I mean no disrespect here but facts vs opinions are exactly what is at clash here.

The problem with the AR is the simplicity to build a rifle from a pile of parts one has gotten over time (often of various levels of quality from sources that may or may not have tolerances correct). Thus there is a huge legion of AR owners with weapons that may or may not be working correctly and over time will show the results.

My suggestion: pay attention to head space. Buy right the first time and buy the best parts you can get.

I see lots of AR with the cheap receivers that have alignment hole problems, fit loose and have a truck load of problems looming over a lifetime of use.

However: most folks do not run their AR very hard and the problems may never surface at all.....but it does not mean they are not there.

I like facts: Military does it: thats solid for me. You are entitled to your opinions but not your own facts.

Buy cheap, do it cheap and .......... does that shoe fit? What on earth are you doing? If you are going to build, just do it right. The $100 extra for doing it right will pay off in the long haul.