AR-15 Advanced
13 expert answers on AR-15 Advanced. Practical guidance from a master gunsmith with 30+ years of experience.
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What Is the Best AR-15 Barrel Length for Home Defense, Hunting, and Range Use?
For home defense, a 10.5- to 12.5-inch barrel offers maximum maneuverability in tight spaces. For general range use and …
5.56 NATO vs .223 Wylde vs .223 Remington — What Is the Difference?
5.56 NATO is loaded to higher pressure (approximately 62,000 psi) than .223 Remington (approximately 55,000 psi) and has…
What Caliber Conversions Can I Do on an AR-15?
The AR-15 platform supports dozens of caliber conversions. The easiest require only a new upper (barrel, BCG, and someti…
What Is the Best AR-15 Trigger? Mil-Spec vs Drop-In vs Competition
A mil-spec trigger (5.5 to 8.5 pound pull, gritty break) is adequate for duty and defensive rifles. A drop-in trigger li…
What Are the Different AR-15 Barrel Profiles and Which Should I Choose?
Government/M4 profile is the military standard with a thin section under the handguard and a thicker section at the muzz…
Piston vs Direct Impingement AR-15 — Which Is Better?
Direct impingement (DI) is lighter, more accurate, has a wider parts ecosystem, and is the standard AR-15 operating syst…
What Is in an AR-15 Lower Parts Kit and What Do the Parts Do?
An AR-15 lower parts kit (LPK) contains all the small parts needed to complete a stripped lower receiver: trigger, hamme…
What Are the Best AR-15 Upgrades in Order of Priority?
The best AR-15 upgrades in order of impact: 1) Optic ($120 to $900), 2) Trigger ($100 to $250), 3) Weapon light ($100 to…
What Is the Difference Between Mil-Spec and Commercial Buffer Tubes?
Mil-spec buffer tubes have a 1.148-inch outer diameter and use a type III hard-coat anodized aluminum finish. Commercial…
What Is AR-15 Headspacing and Why Does It Matter?
Headspacing is the distance from the bolt face to the datum point in the chamber where the cartridge stops. Correct head…
How Do I Build the Best AR-15 Suppressor Host?
The ideal AR-15 suppressor host has an adjustable gas block, a mid-length gas system on a 12.5- to 16-inch barrel, a sup…
AR-15 Pistol vs SBR — What Are the Legal Differences?
An AR-15 pistol has a barrel under 16 inches and no stock (may have a bare buffer tube or brace), requires no NFA regist…
How Do I Build a Quality AR-15 for Under $800?
A reliable, accurate AR-15 can be built for $600 to $800 by using an Aero Precision M4E1 lower ($80 to $100), Aero compl…
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