MD Compliant AR15 Build questions

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  • jamesp15

    Active Member
    Jul 16, 2018
    420
    Southern PG
    I hope this post is ok. I recently purchased a bare AR15 lower and want to build it up. I understand that HBAR is required in MD.

    My question is... If I go with a piston system, does it still need to be an HBAR or could it be another barrel profile and be legal since its no longer a DI system like the Colts? I want to make it with an 18" or even 20" barrel and finding HBAR or ones marked heavy are not very common...

    Any other gotchas I need to look out for for MD compliance? This is my first AR build (have owned others, but they were all pre-built.)

    If in the future I decided to make one in 7.62x39, would that have to be a heavy barrel as well?

    If these are answered elsewhere I apologize, and could you provide a link or search term(s) to use? I could not find anything definitive with a quick search.
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    If it's a piston like HK MR556 or Barrett Rec 7, or LWRC it's not a copy of Colt AR15 and hbar shouldn not matter. You will find piston driven guns for sale in MD, with all sorts of barrels.

    Some people will be along to say however that piston driven ARs can be unforgiving for a home builder, are divas, and may not turn out to be reliable. The piston kits can be unreliable. If I really wanted a piston, I'd buy one from one of the aforenamed companies with a track record.

    There are *plenty* of 16, 18" and 20" heavy barrels from cheap to expensive. It does not have to be "marked" HBAR, just marketed or advertised "Heavy" Barrel. look for the magic word "Heavy"- thats the golden ticket. There are a shit ton of threads on which ones to buy. There is really no reason to go piston for the sake of the barrel. Maybe some other reason, but that's not it. Lots of us have built ARs with HBars on the market.


    7.62x39 or 300blk is also not a copy of Colt AR15, so you can get any barrel you want as well.
     

    smokey

    2A TEACHER
    Jan 31, 2008
    31,412
    Maryland sure does push you towards just tossing an sba3 on and making an AR pistol so you dont even have to mess with their dumbass rifle laws.
     

    jamesp15

    Active Member
    Jul 16, 2018
    420
    Southern PG
    I am a hands on learner who likes/wants a challenge (which I dont think it really will be much more of), I have always wanted a piston AR15. I do have friends who live out of state that I can tap into for a lot of help or even a "here finish this for me" if needed. (it wont be needed lol) I have broken down and rebuilt a few of the ones I used to have over time, just never done one "from the ground up" with parts I personally/individually hand-select. (which has an appeal to me, I do it with computers I build for myself and others and other hobbies) A benefit of going with an HBAR is that I could switch back to DI if needed I guess.

    Just concerned over legality of if a kit such as the Adams Arms piston conversion kits would make it different enough to not be a copy of the Colt's. I have found a few HBAR barrels that I could/would use one of, but was interested if I could go with a different barrel profile for whatever reason. Also if for whatever reason HB612 passes in an unmodified form, I would want to go piston then if it would be a legal "workaround".
     

    babalou

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 12, 2013
    16,016
    Glenelg
    My first AR purchase just prior to 10/1/13 was a long piston Primary Weapons Systems MK116. I love that rifle. PWS makes excellent long piston rifles, pistols, and complete piston uppers
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Maybe it is a weight concern?

    Isn't the jury still out on the DI vs piston debate?

    A pencil barrel piston AR weighs about as much as a fluted HBAR DI Gun. And all else being equal the HBAR DI Gun is probably going to be more accurate, can sustain high volume fire a lot longer and has parts that can be found easier.

    If you want a piston AR to have a piston AR, rock out with your bad self. Lower maintenance isn’t a good excuse as the AR design can easily run 1000+ rounds without cleaning and not choking.
     

    Boats

    Beer, Bikes n Boomsticks
    Mar 13, 2012
    4,073
    Howeird County
    A pencil barrel piston AR weighs about as much as a fluted HBAR DI Gun. And all else being equal the HBAR DI Gun is probably going to be more accurate, can sustain high volume fire a lot longer and has parts that can be found easier.

    If you want a piston AR to have a piston AR, rock out with your bad self. Lower maintenance isn’t a good excuse as the AR design can easily run 1000+ rounds without cleaning and not choking.

    I wasn't defending piston. All the ones I have built are DI, for the reasons you already mentioned: weight, simplicity, durability and accuracy, parts availability. But those were the conclusions that I came to. I didn't know if the real AR experts had settled the issue (more or less). Sounds like I made good decisions on mine.

    I will say I have borrowed my friend's H&K 416 and 417 (the semi auto civ models, anyway) and was really unimpressed with the weight and proprietary nature of them.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I mean, owning and building stuff because it is different is a darned good reason. Just if you are looking for the “best” of something...

    I own a Garand and it was the best damned
    Battle implement ever devised...as of 1936. Maybe even as of 1943. It wasn’t by 1945 and sure isn’t today. Different is good, just doesn’t make it best :-)
     

    jamesp15

    Active Member
    Jul 16, 2018
    420
    Southern PG
    Finally had some free time and got the lower receiver all built up. (paranoia? I edited out the serial on picture, its there on the gun still.) I am a bit of a Magpul fan, so lots of Magpul "bling".



    Building 2 seperate uppers and will later get another lower and build it up. (Limited to One every 30 days correct?)
    One will be a DI with 18" White Oak HBAR from Engage Armament, the other with a 20" Faxon SOCOM/Government Profile using a Superlative Arms piston whenever they come in stock (was told 6 to 8 weeks, but up to 12 weeks lead time yikes).

    Will post more pics as I progress.
     

    jamesp15

    Active Member
    Jul 16, 2018
    420
    Southern PG
    All done with 18" HBAR DI Upper.

    Noveske Gen1 Lower
    Engage Armament Billet Upper
    Engage Armament/White Oak 18" HBAR Barrel Rifle Length Gas System
    Midwest Industries MI-G3M17XR 17.5 Inch Free Float Handguard
    Velocity Triggers 4lb Pull
    Toolcraft BCG
    Radian Raptor Ambi Charging Handle and Talon Ambi Safety
    Lantac Dragon Muzzle Device
    Magpul FDE Furniture/Accy (BAD Lever, Enhanced Mag Release and ASAP QD Sling endplate)
    UTG Buffer Tube and Buffer
    S&W M&P Upper and Lower kits for springs/mag catch/bolt catch/detents/etc

     
    Feb 28, 2013
    28,953
    I mean, owning and building stuff because it is different is a darned good reason. Just if you are looking for the “best” of something...

    I own a Garand and it was the best damned
    Battle implement ever devised...as of 1936. Maybe even as of 1943. It wasn’t by 1945 and sure isn’t today. Different is good, just doesn’t make it best :-)

    To quote a once prominent feller here now banned....

    “ARs are for kids. Garands are for men.” :D
     

    4guyz1stool

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Apr 16, 2017
    172
    All done with 18" HBAR DI Upper.

    Noveske Gen1 Lower
    Engage Armament Billet Upper
    Engage Armament/White Oak 18" HBAR Barrel Rifle Length Gas System
    Midwest Industries MI-G3M17XR 17.5 Inch Free Float Handguard
    Velocity Triggers 4lb Pull
    Toolcraft BCG
    Radian Raptor Ambi Charging Handle and Talon Ambi Safety
    Lantac Dragon Muzzle Device
    Magpul FDE Furniture/Accy (BAD Lever, Enhanced Mag Release and ASAP QD Sling endplate)
    UTG Buffer Tube and Buffer
    S&W M&P Upper and Lower kits for springs/mag catch/bolt catch/detents/etc



    Both of your sights are on backwards.
     

    Steve_Zissou

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 11, 2017
    1,042
    Baltimore City
    If you want a piston AR to have a piston AR, rock out with your bad self. Lower maintenance isn’t a good excuse as the AR design can easily run 1000+ rounds without cleaning and not choking.

    ARs are far bigger gluttons for punishment than most give them credit for being. A well-built one will happily chew through thousands of rounds of cheap steel-cased Russian stuff without so much as a failure to feed.
     

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