Just bought my first AR 15..

[Hellbound13]

Anything I should know, good accessories?

I got an armalite short barrel. I got a nice arm sling too.

The gun shop has an EO red dot scope for $400, worth getting?

Im a bit confused on the firing process. You load the mag, but then do you pull the carrier back or push the bolt button on the side to chamber a round? I hear you can do either?

[jeepin08]

there is a thread just for this stuff

http://jk-forum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=101

[sacdaddy03]

Anything I should know, good accessories?

I got an armalite short barrel. I got a nice arm sling too.

The gun shop has an EO red dot scope for $400, worth getting?

Im a bit confused on the firing process. You load the mag, but then do you pull the carrier back or push the bolt button on the side to chamber a round? I hear you can do either?

EoTechs are a real good sight, thats what I shoot!! It dont have any zoom but its pretty cool to shoot with, just have to look through it to see what I mean! And far as the firing steps.....My PMI(primary marksmenship instuctor) told me dont treat it like a nice female....Load the mag, SMACK the bottom of it, rack back the charging handle and sent it home! Dont ride it back forward, let it go!! The "bolt button" aka forward assist....Its not really needed if your not gentle with sending the bolt forward, but it dont hurt to give it a tap......:thumbsup:

[Hellbound13]

EoTechs are a real good sight, thats what I shoot!! It dont have any zoom but its pretty cool to shoot with, just have to look through it to see what I mean! And far as the firing steps.....My PMI(primary marksmenship instuctor) told me dont treat it like a nice female....Load the mag, SMACK the bottom of it, rack back the charging handle and sent it home! Dont ride it back forward, let it go!! The "bolt button" aka forward assist....Its not really needed if your not gentle with sending the bolt forward, but it dont hurt to give it a tap......:thumbsup:

Ok that is what I figured. But I read that you can also use the button on the side to load instead of pulling the charging handle back? Also when I pull the charging handle with the gun unloaded it does not snap back, I have to move it forward, is this normal?

[sacdaddy03]

Ok that is what I figured. But I read that you can also use the button on the side to load instead of pulling the charging handle back? Also when I pull the charging handle with the gun unloaded it does not snap back, I have to move it forward, is this normal?

No....You cant not load it it that way, all thats for is to make sure the bullet is seated in the chamber correctly! Not sure what you mean snap back:thinking: If you dont have a mag in, it wont catch catch itself on the pull back....only if you press the bolt catch on the left side then will it catch if you dont have an empty mag in....

[Hellbound13]

No....You cant not load it it that way, all thats for is to make sure the bullet is seated in the chamber correctly! Not sure what you mean snap back:thinking: If you dont have a mag in, it wont catch catch itself on the pull back....only if you press the bolt catch on the left side then will it catch if you dont have an empty mag in....

Thanks that cleared it up. Guess I wll get to know it better at the range this weekend.

[USAF_GroundRat]

I am not sure what you are asking exactly (maybe I should read it 3-4 times, LOL). Anyway, the BUTTON on the LEFT side of the rifle is the bolt carrier group release button, if the bolt is back you slap (or push) this button to allow the bolt to go forward to chamber a round (or close the bolt). When you have a magazine in the rifle and it becomes empty, the bolt will stay back to allow you to replace the mag, slap the button on the side to chamber the next round and get back to shooting...

Now... as for accessories... get all the high cap (30rnd) magazines you can afford now. Who knows what is going to happen with the incoming administration. Get yourself some rails and a forward grip, Harris bipod, the Eotech sight is one of the best you can buy. That is about the going price. The infared compatible one goes for a few bills more. If you have a flat top upper get a couple of back-up iron sights and a carrying handle... if you have one that has a permanent carrying handle, get a rail to fit that... there is so much you can do with an AR!!!

You could get an 9mm bolt and barrel with a Sten mag adapter (FYI, M-16 pictured, basically the same thing as your AR... just full auto):
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n306/usaf_groundrat/M16_9mm-1.jpg

You can get a 7.62 bolt and a Beowulf barrel and shoot 50 cal Beowulf (basically same as 500 S/W):
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n306/usaf_groundrat/beowulf.jpg
Damn that is fun on the M-16 lower and on Full Auto... muuhahahahahaha. I digress.

You can get a 7.62 bolt and shoot 7.62x39 (ak-47) rounds... :ya:

You can also get a .22 kit and plink around with some .22 LR!!! :clap:

Lets put it this way... modding your AR-15 can be like modding a Jeep... :eek2:

Have fun with it and look into some NRA training or join a local gun club.

[Hellbound13]

I understand that button chambers a round, so I guess what I am asking is when do I use the button and when do I pull back on the charging handle. If all I need to do is slap a mag in and push the button to chamber a round, what is the charging handle for? :thinking:

Sorry for the NOOB questions. I have only owned shotguns up to this point.

[Robar]

I understand that button chambers a round, so I guess what I am asking is when do I use the button and when do I pull back on the charging handle. If all I need to do is slap a mag in and push the button to chamber a round, what is the charging handle for? :thinking:

Sorry for the NOOB questions. I have only owned shotguns up to this point.
The button will only chamber a round if the bolt is locked back otherwise it has no use except to lock the bolt back. The charging handle is just that. If the bolt is closed and you have a loaded mag locked in the well use the charging handle to cycle the bold and load a round into the chamber.

[USAF_GroundRat]

I understand that button chambers a round, so I guess what I am asking is when do I use the button and when do I pull back on the charging handle. If all I need to do is slap a mag in and push the button to chamber a round, what is the charging handle for? :thinking:

Sorry for the NOOB questions. I have only owned shotguns up to this point.

Well... you should store the weapon with the chamber clear and the bolt closed. You can also carry the weapon with a loaded magazine and nothing in the chamber. The charging handle simply pulls the bolt back and chambers the round. You also use the charging handle to pull the bolt back and leave it back... to do this you must also use the bolt release button. If you look at the bolt release button it is on a pivot. The fat part of the button releases the slide, but the smaller part of the button on the opposite end can be pressed down while you are pulling the charging handle back to catch and hold the bolt carrier group back. If you have ever used a semiautomatic hand gun or any other semiauto weapon... then this is same methodolgy. You sound like you need to get some education on this weapon through your local NRA group. Just please be careful and do not point that weapon at anything you do not intend to destroy. You need to be intimately aware of how your weapon operates so you can make sure that you and others around you are safe. You are also going to need to learn how to take it apart and clean it. Damn... where are you located. I can give you a class on it!

P.S. I just looked up your location... send me a plane ticket and I will hook you up... LOL.

[Hellbound13]

Well... you should store the weapon with the chamber clear and the bolt closed. You can also carry the weapon with a loaded magazine and nothing in the chamber. The charging handle simply pulls the bolt back and chambers the round. You also use the charging handle to pull the bolt back and leave it back... to do this you must also use the bolt release button. If you look at the bolt release button it is on a pivot. The fat part of the button releases the slide, but the smaller part of the button on the opposite end can be pressed down while you are pulling the charging handle back to catch and hold the bolt carrier group back. If you have ever used a semiautomatic hand gun or any other semiauto weapon... then this is same methodolgy. You sound like you need to get some education on this weapon through your local NRA group. Just please be careful and do not point that weapon at anything you do not intend to destroy. You need to be intimately aware of how your weapon operates so you can make sure that you and others around you are safe. You are also going to need to learn how to take it apart and clean it. Damn... where are you located. I can give you a class on it!

P.S. I just looked up your location... send me a plane ticket and I will hook you up... LOL.

Im in New York. That would be one hell of a travel to teach me. :rotflmao2:

Ill ask more at the range, the guys there are pretty knowledgeable.

[Robar]

Im in New York. That would be one hell of a travel to teach me. :rotflmao2:

Ill ask more at the range, the guys there are pretty knowledgeable.

Good idea. The ar-15/m-16 rifles are easy rifles to use if you have a little understanding. If you don't know how they work they can be a bitch to get operating if there is a jam or other malfunction. Once you get accustomed to it you can have hours of enjoyable shooting. They really are great firearms.

[Hellbound13]

One more thing..

It says that I need to break in the rifle? Something about shooting it and cleaning it every five rounds for a certain amount of total rounds. Is this really nessecary? Seems like a PITA.

[Robar]

One more thing..

It says that I need to break in the rifle? Something about shooting it and cleaning it every five rounds for a certain amount of total rounds. Is this really nessecary? Seems like a PITA.
It is a PITA, but a proper break in will increase the accuracy and long term life of the barrel.