My 1st AR

Sirex · Oct 19, 2016

So, I finally joined the ranks of AR owners. I bought my AR last Wednesday. It's a Bear Creek Arsenal in 7.62x39 with a 1:10 HBAR barrel. Has a 30rd ASC mag pinned to 10. When I bought, for the first time ever, I got a DELAYED status. A week later, I got my AR. Bought it due to the low price, lifetime warranty, and since I have a bunch of 7.62x39, no 5.56, made sense to buy it ready to shoot, and buy a 5.56 HBAR upper later, with mags and ammo. I bought some extended firing pins, and a Wolf stronger hammer spring for the steel case, berdan primed ammo. Before buy, I emailed BCA and asked if using steel case ammo, or changing the stock, handguard, or grip would affect the warranty. They stated they didn't see why those would affect the warranty, even though it "recommends" on their website not to use steel case cheap ammo. Mainly due to the ignition issue with the harder primers. So, now I need a optic, since I have no sights. Probably going to use my TR25 for now, even though I am not 100% happy with it right now. Then change the furniture. Not digging the handguard. I am going to Youtube the crap out of AR disassembly and maintenance videos this weekend. It's weird, next to my Vepr, this thing feels like an airsoft gun. Light, plastic stuff on it, but neat. But, it's my toe into the AR pond. baby steps, baby steps.

outrider58 · Oct 19, 2016

Enjoy!

EKing · Oct 19, 2016

I recently bought a complete upper 7.62x39, think it may have been BCA, and it works great. I have shot only Russian steel case ammo through it and have had no issues with primer ignition. There was an issue with the Herter's 154 grain ammo, a few cases got stuck after firing, but the other stuff ran fine before and after the Herter's so it wasn't lacquer build-up.

Before installing the firing pin and hammer spring, try firing the gun as-is. If it works, then you have spare parts. If it doesn't, then try the parts you bought. i'm betting it will work fine.
Good luck!

ascorb · Oct 19, 2016

Oh no, why did you do that to yourself. These will multiply, I thought members here were joking but they were actually being very serious!

BLACKTALON · Oct 20, 2016

Never been a fan of 7.62x39 ar rifles feeding issues light primer strikes and hard to get mags that didn't work sometimes made me sell mine. If I was going to get something it would be the mutant or other offers that take Ak mags. If it won't light Russian stuff get a extra power springs I wouldn't leave them in there for the 556 upper tho

Bisondice · Oct 20, 2016

FEET?

yellowsled · Oct 20, 2016

Bisondice said:
FEET?

FINGER!

ted76 · Oct 20, 2016

I am getting ready to build an AR in 7.62 x 39, just waiting for the parts to arrive and my 7 day wait on the lower. I have already build one in 5.56 and own 2 others.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good functioning standard capacity 7.62 x 39 magazine brand and source for out off state acquisition?

outrider58 · Oct 20, 2016

yellowsled said:
FINGER!

Toe transplant??

davsco · Oct 20, 2016

you've been a member here for SIX years and somehow fought off the madness until now??? that is some restraint! now the floodgates have opened... enjoy!

clandestine · Oct 20, 2016

It does not need lots of maintenance or cleaning. If anything cleaning and constant disassembly will lead to you unducing a problem. Lube it and shoot it.

Mags are a big problem for 7.62x39 AR's. Label the mags so you can weed out bad ones.

Get a Colt Gold Extractor Spring and you should be set.

Sirex · Oct 20, 2016

Last night I forgot the debate was on until 9:30-9:45, so I was downstairs looking it over. Since it has no sights right now, I put my Bushnell TR25 on top, but the dot looks like a little blob. Not happy with my TR25 optic view, may send it back? I dropped on (temporarily ) a cheap Chinese sight which actually looks better. Used a laser bore sight to kinda line it up, and it looks good for now. Between a mortgage, car payments, after school care, medical bills, for now, this is gonna have to be an ultrabudget rifle. But, I got my AR before the new furor is sworn in. My wife and mother have been pestering me for a Christmas list, so they can get shopping done early. I usually tell them not to worry about getting me anything, but this year it's AR parts, and or/gift cards. My goal, is to buy parts as well, to keep it operational for years, in case BCA goes belly up after Hillary decides gun manufacturers are liable for everything, including global warming. I am going up to PA in a couple weeks for some mags (probably 20 rounders, as I read they feed better due to the less steep angle??), and the guy is going to show me all about ARs. Then I will need to grow a tactical beard, but I will have to wait until Christmas vacation, as my company doesn't like scruffy looking faces. Clean shaven, or beard, no growing one while in the field.

EODJoe · Oct 20, 2016

My first AR was a Colt Sporter Lightweight in 7.62x39. The magazines were always the problem for me. I've had that rifle for 20 years now and the upper is wrapped up for long term storage while the lower sits underneath a proper 5.56 upper. The best luck I had with magazines for it were steel AK mags that had been modified by having the top of an AR mag welded to the AK mag. Ugly as sin but they work ok.

jimbobborg · Oct 20, 2016

Sirex said:
Last night I forgot the debate was on until 9:30-9:45, so I was downstairs looking it over. Since it has no sights right now, I put my Bushnell TR25 on top, but the dot looks like a little blob. Not happy with my TR25 optic view, may send it back?

Turn the light intensity down. Also, do you have astigmatism? I do, and I have this problem with red dots like that. When I turn the light intensity down to where I can just see it it's not a blob anymore.

kenpo333 · Oct 20, 2016

This can be contagous. After firing you will want to return to an ffl and purchase more. Still have the problem after 4 safes. I need a nf meeting but can't find a sponcer. No one wants to quit.

clandestine · Oct 20, 2016

Sirex said:
Last night I forgot the debate was on until 9:30-9:45, so I was downstairs looking it over. Since it has no sights right now, I put my Bushnell TR25 on top, but the dot looks like a little blob. Not happy with my TR25 optic view, may send it back? I dropped on (temporarily ) a cheap Chinese sight which actually looks better. Used a laser bore sight to kinda line it up, and it looks good for now. Between a mortgage, car payments, after school care, medical bills, for now, this is gonna have to be an ultrabudget rifle. But, I got my AR before the new furor is sworn in. My wife and mother have been pestering me for a Christmas list, so they can get shopping done early. I usually tell them not to worry about getting me anything, but this year it's AR parts, and or/gift cards. My goal, is to buy parts as well, to keep it operational for years, in case BCA goes belly up after Hillary decides gun manufacturers are liable for everything, including global warming. I am going up to PA in a couple weeks for some mags (probably 20 rounders, as I read they feed better due to the less steep angle??), and the guy is going to show me all about ARs. Then I will need to grow a tactical beard, but I will have to wait until Christmas vacation, as my company doesn't like scruffy looking faces. Clean shaven, or beard, no growing one while in the field.

Congrats on the purchase. The gun does not need a bunch of doodads. Just lube it well, dont use scrapers and metal brushes on anything. Get some sights, good mags, and decent springs. Shoot it and enjoy.

Be sure the AR info you get from this guy is not a bunch of ********. There will never be a shortage of AR or AK expert bullshitters around. Tread carefully over the "food" they serve you because it likely came from their @sshole.

Yes, generally the higher capacity mags for a 7.62x39 AR have more issues.

Dont buy mags from a gunshow, but them from a place that you can return them because you WILL have tobreturn some.

Number the mags and test them right away. Send back the bad ones, dont buythem and sit on them for months before testing.

Sirex · Oct 20, 2016

jimbobborg said:
Turn the light intensity down. Also, do you have astigmatism? I do, and I have this problem with red dots like that. When I turn the light intensity down to where I can just see it it's not a blob anymore.

I do have astigmatism in my right, dominant eye, but I have special toric (sp?) lenses, and the cheapo red dot looks fine. The TR25 looks kinda like a small glowing amoeba. I will fiddle with it this weekend. Needs to be ready for these clowns the kids are afraid of.

Sirex · Oct 20, 2016

clandestine said:
Congrats on the purchase. The gun does not need a bunch of doodads. Just lube it well, dont use scrapers and metal brushes on anything. Get some sights, good mags, and decent springs. Shoot it and enjoy.

Be sure the AR info you get from this guy is not a bunch of ********. There will never be a shortage of AR or AK expert bullshitters around. Tread carefully over the "food" they serve you because it likely came from their @sshole.

Yes, generally the higher capacity mags for a 7.62x39 AR have more issues.

Dont buy mags from a gunshow, but them from a place that you can return them because you WILL have tobreturn some.

Number the mags and test them right away. Send back the bad ones, dont buythem and sit on them for months before testing.

I don't plan to load it down too much, just a red dot for now since it came with no iron sights. The guy is a friend of mine, used to be our IT guy until a few months ago. He seems to be pretty competent, working part time at a gun shop and building his own guns. He had a shoot a few months ago, and let me shoot his 1968 Colt AR, a M16A2 clone I think, his Barret 50 BMG (which was actually tamer than I thought it would be) and he built an electronically fired 20mm canon.I will see if I can post the pics some time. He is also a srtamp collector. Likes his guns to whisper like a warm summer breeze. But, I hope this AR does me well, and I don't screw it up.

Sirex · Oct 22, 2016

So, my Bushnell, I am not having much luck. I have a cheap Chinese one that I will have to use until I can afford something better. I dropped a 7.62x39 laser boresight in, and zeroed the sight best I could for now. I have it tightend down good, and added some dynamat to help deaden any recoil to the crappy optic.

Boss · Oct 25, 2016

What 5.56 HBAR upper are you looking at?

My 1st AR

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