A compensator is a muzzle device designed to reduce muzzle rise. A compensator will “compensate” for a firearm muzzle’s rise after you fire a shot, this directly affects follow-up shots because they help you recover your sight picture by shooting flatter.
There are many articles about what is best out there. We leave that up to you.
You want to make sure your compensator is timed correctly. Timing is simply insuring that the ports are properly positioned. With the proper tools and hardware provided with your device I can get you timed and aligned correctly.
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
I started working on a holder for the AR15 Bolt Carrier Group (BCG) Pins. The idea came from School of the American Rifle. I wanted to be able to remove the pins if needed. I also did not want to paint my pins for GO / Warn / NO-GO. Here is what I came up with.
Got everything printed up in the right colors and numbers. You can switch it up how ever you like:
Everything printed up in the right colors
Then I put it all together. I had to cleanup everything with sandpaper, file and an Exacto knife. With a little help from a small nylon hammer. I got everything in place. Even tried a little infill using model paint.
AR-15 BCG Test Pin Tray Put Together
Added all the pins in:
AR-15 BCG Test Pin Tray All together
So far it is working out pretty good. It is another tool in the toolbox when troubleshooting AR15 Bolt Carrier Groups (BCG) The pin sizes are born out of the data I pulled from my research HERE.
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
REF: Army TM 9-1005-319-23&P Nov 2008, Page 0021-10:
Check free length of action spring. RIFLE ONLY: The free length must be between 11 3/4 in. (29.85cm) minimum and 13 1/2 in. (34.29 cm) maximum. CARBINE ONLY: The free length must be between 10 1/16 in. (25.56 cm) minimum and 11 1/4 in. (28.58 cm) maximum. If measurements are notaccurate, replace. Do not attempt to adjust the length by stretching the action spring.
Your manufacture might be different, in making the jig I used the above.
If you have a 3D printer it is a cheap print. This is too long for a standard print bed, I used my Ender Extended 400×400 print surface for this one.
You can download the STL on Thiniverse
To help check the length of your buffer spring I created 2 versions of the AR15 Buffer Spring Measurement Jig; Rifle and Carbine length. The Center is minimum length and the other is maximum length. Your printer might be different so double check measurements after printing.
AR15 Buffer Spring Measurement Jig 01AR15 Buffer Spring Measurement Jig 02
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
A tool to help hold your gas block while you are trying to drive the gas tube pin in or out. It is plastic, if you beat on too hard or too many times it will break. Not to fear! it is a cheap and relatively fast print.
AR15 Gas Block Tool main jig
As an extra bonus, I created a extension tube holder!
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
Dimpling your barrel to help secure your gas block is key to ensuring the gas system of your AR will continue to function correctly. A loose gas block can cause havoc to the cycling of your AR. I dimple at least once directly under the gas port. I can dimple twice, but realize that different manufactures have different spacing for the second screw. If you want or need to change your existing gas block you have to use a gas block with the same set screw spacing. Not a huge issue for some, but if the new gas block you want has a different spacing you would need to get another barrel to accommodate the different spacing.
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
My Present Arms Gunners Mount Kit is awesome. The one thing I wanted different was the Receiver Alignment Block. It does not seem to fit right on non-mil spec buffer tubes I work on. How can they know all the sizes?
You can see the gap here, it will not seat all the way.
You can see the gap here, it will not seat all the way.
And that is because the buffer tube rail is too wide.
And that is because the buffer tube rail is too wide.
So I do what I do and made one. Seats all the way down
So I do what I do and made one. Seats all the way down
And tightly fits the buffer tube rail
And tightly fits the buffer tube rail
The metal rod it ¼ inch and I cut it down to just below the top.
The metal rod it ¼ inch and I cut it down to just below the top.
Then topped it off with a couple of the included caps.
Then topped it off with a couple of the included caps.
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
A sleeve to help hold your castle nut wrench firmly in place while cranking it down on your Present Arms Gunners Mount.
I can not claim this idea as my own, I was watching this video from School of the American Rifle and though “What a great idea”. I did not have any 1 ¼ inch PVC laying around, but I do have a 3D printer and PLA. This is what I came up with for the below wrenches.
Forward Controls:
A sleeve to help hold your castle nut wrench firmly in place Forward ControlsA sleeve to help hold your castle nut wrench firmly in place Forward Controls
Magpul:
A sleeve to help hold your castle nut wrench firmly in place MagpulA sleeve to help hold your castle nut wrench firmly in place Magpul
Wheeler
A sleeve to help hold your castle nut wrench firmly in place Wheeler
Family Shot:
A sleeve to help hold your castle nut wrench firmly in place all 3
Present Arms on all sizes:
A sleeve to help hold your castle nut wrench firmly in place Present Arms
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
AR Compensator (Flash hider) No Torque, timing value with the procedure in the Army TM. Hand tight and then tighten a minimum of 90 degrees but no more than 450 degrees to timing. Don’t over tighten, don’t loosen.
AR Barrel Nut 30 Ft. lbs. Minimum, not to exceed 80 Ft. Lbs. to align the next slot in the barrel nut. The 80 Ft. Lbs is not stated in the TM, but I don’t know how you would line up the gas tube, without going over 30 Ft. Lbs. Unless you use shims. I don’t think most folks will have any laying around. This torque spec is common across the community and internet.
AR Carrier Key Screws 50-58 INCH pounds torque
AR Lower Receiver Extension (Buffer Tube/Castle Nut) 40 Ft. lbs for both Rifle and Carbine.
M-LOK Accessories:
For attaching metal accessories to metal hand guards: 35 in/lbs
For attaching polymer or metal accessories to polymer hand guards: 15 in/lbs
For attaching polymer accessories to metal hand guards: 15 in/lbs
The installation torque values are not minimums, they are recommended limits. The nylon patch compound may slightly affect the torque reading if using an in/lb torque wrench.
Using a small hex wrench should prevent over-tightening. Remember that the recoil lugs are doing most of the work, and excessive torque on the nuts is not required
My Comments:
The rest of the items in the research below I could not find in the Army TM, manufacture website or in common reference. Until I can find it, I am going with ‘tight’ and the appropriate thread lockers. ‘Tight’ might be the values listed.
I am not saying that the info below is wrong or bad. I could not readily verify it. The above is what I will use, at the end of the day I am responsible for my decisions and you are responsible for yours.
########### RESEARCH ITEMS BELOW ###########
AR Compensator (Flash hider), 15-20 Ft. Lbs. Torque *1
AR Compensator (Flash hider) *3 (No Torque, timing value)
Army TM Flash Hider
AR Handguard Screws, 20-30 inch pounds torque *1
AR Gas Block Set Screws, 25-30 inch pounds torque *1
AR Barrel Nut, 30 Ft. lbs. Minimum, not to exceed 80 Ft. Lbs. to align the next slot in the barrel nut. *1 *5
AR Barrel Nut, 30 Ft. lbs. *3 (I cant find the 80 Ft. Lbs. In the TM)
Army TM Barrel Nut
AR Carrier Key Screws, 50-58 INCH pounds torque *1 *2 *3
Army TM Gas Key
AR Grip Screw, 15-20 inch pounds torque *1
AR Lower Receiver Extension (Buffer Tube/Castle Nut)
Rifle: 35-39 Ft. Lbs. *1 *3
Army TM Lower Receiver Rifle
Carbine: 38-42 foot pounds *1 *3
Army TM Lower Receiver Carbine
M-LOK Accessories: *4
For attaching metal accessories to metal hand guards: 35 in/lbs
For attaching polymer or metal accessories to polymer hand guards: 15 in/lbs
For attaching polymer accessories to metal hand guards: 15 in/lbs
The installation torque values are not minimums, they are recommended limits. The nylon patch compound may slightly affect the torque reading if using an in/lb torque wrench.
Using a small hex wrench should prevent over-tightening. Remember that the recoil lugs are doing most of the work, and excessive torque on the nuts is not required
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
Not all feed ramps need to be polished. If you fire quality ammo with good quality barrel and upper, you might be good. If you reload and like to try different projectiles, cast your own or you are having feed issues, good idea to polish them up.
When I polish feed ramps I do it with the barrel removed from the upper. I am not going to risk screwing something up on the upper. It is more work to remove the barrel but worth the effort for a better finished product.
All Documents posted on this site are for informational use only. If you make ANY modifications to your Weapons based on this site, you do at your own risk! If done incorrectly, you can render you weapon unsafe and / or unusable.
