AR Spare Parts

[james]

I have a Rock River X-1 series 223 rifle and was wondering what spare parts I should have on hand. I really don’t shoot it much however i don’t want to be caught without a spare part in the event of unexpected breakage.

thanks

 

[Walt Krafft]

Buy another rifle. You will want it anyway.

 

[hpshooter]

"Buy another rifle. You will want it anyway."

Not a bad idea, can be a lower cost firearm like a PSA or another RRA in a different configuration. At minimum, it is nice to have a lower receiver parts kit, gas rings, and a spare complete bolt.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Lower parts kit, bolt carrier group, buffer and spring, gas tube and all the pins, furniture, barrel and extension, gas block, upper receiver, lower receiver, buffer tube.... at minimum

 

[hoz53]

Lower parts kit, bolt carrier group, buffer and spring, gas tube and all the pins, furniture, barrel and extension, gas block, upper receiver, lower receiver, buffer tube.... at minimum

That’s the whole gun I guess that’s the point

 

[jelenko]

I compete with an AR - I carry a spare complete BCG and a broken shell extractor. The parts in a BCG are the mostly likely to fail. The broken shell extractor because I reload the same brass a few times.

 

[Cemetery21]

A bolt at minimum. Only broken part I've replaced in 35 years of prairie dogging with ARs is an extractor and it was on a buddy's rifle. I had one trigger go wonky, so a spare trigger group of your preference isn't a bad idea if you think they won't be available in the future. A set of springs and pins won't cost much or take up much room.
In seven years as an armorer (stateside) the only parts I replaced were broken handguards and a few lost firing pin retaining pins. Those were on A1s that only left the arms room for field exercises and annual qualification.

 

[Liven The Dream]

BCG Mil. spec .
Gas Tube and Pin
Buffer and Spring
1Bottle CLP 3-4 OZ .
2 20 Round GI Mags

 

[GuitarmanNick]

I keep a DPMS Ultimate repair kit in my range bag. Have used a few things to help others at the range. Ultimately, a spare bolt is also a good idea. Like most that have put an AR together, I have enough parts to put at least one more together in either a pistol or rifle configuration except for a barrel and the upper/lower receivers. Everyone should have a few AR-15s in different configurations. I was only going to build one. Then I wanted different rifle barrel lengths, a pistol, a 9mm, etc...
Careful, they multiply rapidly!

 

[jepp2]

i don’t want to be caught without a spare part in the event of unexpected breakage.

I'll list a few items:
FP retaining pin - you might want to upgrade this or could lose it
Bolt extractor pin - easy to lose this
Gas rings - you will need to replace them if you shoot much
Extractor spring and buffer - you might want to upgrade what your bolt has in it now

If I told you how many rounds I have put through an AR, you probably wouldn't believe me. But in those years and all those rounds, I have never had any part (as part of the LPK) break. But if you start changing things out, detents, springs, and other parts can go missing.

I'll show two AR Stoner (certainly not the best, but adequate or better than nothing) that will cover almost everything you could lose when you take apart your AR.

Available from MidwayUSA and probably other places. If you start buying parts individually, you are going to pay way too much.

 

[Hino895]

The problem with spare parts is you get tired of looking and not using them.
So you end up using the spare parts to build another blaster.
Which means buying more spare parts, it’s a vicious cycle......

 

[jelenko]

The problem with spare parts is you get tired of looking and not using them.
So you end up using the spare parts to build another blaster.
Which means buying more spare parts, it’s a vicious cycle......

It is amazing how whole rifles accrete around a spare trigger, a spare BCG, a spare forend.

 

[hpshooter]

It is amazing how whole rifles accrete around a spare trigger, a spare BCG, a spare forend.

Like cells dividing and replicating themselves or what we did with Erector or Mechano sets in the 50's.