Spare parts for AR platform

[Labeeman]

If a man was looking to buy some spare parts for his AR, what parts would be best to buy? There probably will be many opinions which is great, so let me know what you think. I know it’s a pretty reliable platform, but in in a nut shell I’m looking for the most common parts that would wear out or break. Thanks and I hope all of the Bayou Shooter community is doing well.

 

[Yetimaltz]

Spare parts:

bolt
extractor (if shooting 7.62 or 6.5G especially)
gas rings
charging handle

 

[Gator 45/70]

Bullets
Bolt charging group usually takes the most beating, Get parts to rebuild it.
P-Mags, Just because.
Charging handle

 

[swampfoxx]

I keep a spare bolt, a spare BCG, spare gas rings, charging handles, a lower parts kit, lots of springs, pins, detents, extractors, etc. Just a few examples below.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016702990?pid=862947

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019428041?pid=372872

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1017939778?pid=225996

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022909373?pid=999055

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022577533?pid=512759

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018111966?pid=857826

Chuckie says that he will push to outlaw all AR parts as well as the entire rifle. I have enough parts to assemble two entire rifles and keep them running for years. If you have not been acquiring parts and ammo since Trump took office, I fear that you are too late to the party.

Good luck, as a lot of parts are out of stock and backordered.

 

[Blackhawk]

After many years of experience with the AR15/M16 (golly, got my first M16 in 1968, got my first AR15 in 1974, how time flies), only parts that I've seemed to need extras of would be the extractor spring and firing pin retainer pin. And usually it's because they get lost during cleaning, rather than break. Nowdays I just keep a spare bolt and bolt carrier group on hand. Seems that spare gas rings would be sometimes needed, but I think it would take a lot of rounds downrange for that much wear.

 

[Labeeman]

Thanks for the reply’s, action taken.

 

[TonyAngel]

Yeah, an easy way to do it is to just have a complete BCG as a back up. 99% of what can/will go wrong can be fixed by replaced the BCG.

There are grips that will fit a complete bolt in them.

 

[Magdump]

I have picked up a few field repair kits when I catch them cheap. CDNN carries the DPMS kits sometimes and their small parts are pretty cheap. They also have cheap flat rate shipping. Look for parts kits for the most bang/buck, bolt repair kit is a must! ejector, extractor, pins springs and gas rings, firing pin and retainer. I keep a spare BGC in my range bag that has come in handy on several occasions to either keep somebody shooting or diagnose a problem. $70-80 all day long for a decent cheapie but the PSA premium go on sale for that pretty regularly. If you’re thinking about any scenario you may do better going with a LPK and then just the gas tube and roll pin and maybe a spare charging handle.

Here’s a link the the CDNN parts section at the start of the AR parts.

Gun Parts

CDNN Sports

www.cdnnsports.com

 

[Jstudz220]

Here’s a video from Brownells on the subject…

 

[TonyAngel]

Just don't cheap out on small parts. The little springs and pins are what keep the AR running. I usually get them from BCM, FCD or the like.