Founding Fathers AR Improvements over Colt and Bushmaster

If building an AR and investing in a lower receiver then Founding Fathers is the way to go. They have cut out some arias of the lower as shown by the dotted lines “A” which is not needed for strength or function of the lower and moved the metal to needed week points all over the lower so as not to increase weight but increase overall strength. This sleight of hand of engineering has changed what people might think of as a normal or standard lower and created something special perhaps making it one of the strongest lower receivers for the AR for our time. One of the week spots on normal lowers is the spot marked “C”. If you break off one of these wings in assembly you must buy a new lower. Founding Fathers made this part solid as seen by dotted lines “B”. If investing in a lower perhaps it would make a lot of sense to have the best platform as a base for your AR build. No I do not work for Founding Fathers!  

Richard W. Norman

AR Barrel Brake In

Chrome lined barrels are dull after the plating process and it takes breaking in the gun before this lining is shine. I called Bushmaster and the two barrels they make chrome lined and stainless barrels. For stainless steel fire twenty rounds cleaning between each round with a solvent. For chrome lined it will take about 100 rounds before it breaks in but if you use a solvent it will prolong the break in period so use a dry patch. DPMS suggests for all their barrels Chrome, chrome molly, melonite, etc. for the first 25 dry patch after each shot. Then dry patch after each 10 shots out to 100 this should complete the breaking period.
 American handbook on Guns Ammo and Freedom

AR Head Space Gauges

 Head Space Gauges right now are like gold and so you should look for the best deal you can get. The question is whether you need one. Of course the gun needs to be checked with a gauge but depending on the gun shop this might be a nominal charge and keep you from having around  a product that you gave about $30 each for.

On the AR the bolt is removed and disassembled. The head of the bolt has the pins driven out and the ejector claw and the ejector cylinder pin removed leaving a striped bolt head. The striped basic bolt is temporally put back together and closed on the "GO" gunge and it should close. The bolt is removed from the receiver and the "No Go" gauge is inserted the bolt is brought forward but this time it should not close. The gun passed the test. If the gun will not close on the "GO" gauge it has a head space problem! If you shot the gun it may not close on a loaded round and you can have the bolt driven down your thought. If the gun closed on the No Go Gauge and you shoot the gun it can blow up.

Companies that make the gauges Forster, another Clymer,

Graff  and Sons sell  Head Space Gauges for about $5 to $10 under price of many others pricing and as much as $25  under others. www.grafs.com   No I do not have any connection with this company
Richard W. Norman Author of American Handbook on Guns Ammo and Freedom