First AR Build - going 5.45x39 - opinions needed

[Junior_357]

OK...I am finally going to try my hand at building an AR from scratch.

I'm thinking of going with a 5.45x39 upper just to be different. But who makes the best upper that isn't going to break the bank? So far I am partial to the Spikes Tactical one...if they ever make them or I can find one. I would go Adams Arms or Huldra Mark IV if I wanted piston driven, but I am thinking it would be better to keep it simple on the first build.

Also leaning towards the fixed ACE skeleton stock...but will the 5.45 carbine upper run properly with an A1/A2 length buffer tube?

Any/all opinions welcome...but let's not turn this into a "just build a 5.56" discussion, please.

 

[sovietak474u]

Just make sure whatever you get that you buy a heavy buffer. It won't run right without it. The Adams arms upper is awesome as much of the 5.45 is corrosive and the piston upper makes cleaning a breeze. If you have any trouble shoot me a pm as I've built one successfully before.

 

[Junior_357]

Just make sure whatever you get that you buy a heavy buffer. It won't run right without it. The Adams arms upper is awesome as much of the 5.45 is corrosive and the piston upper makes cleaning a breeze. If you have any trouble shoot me a pm as I've built one successfully before.

Thanks, man.

AR noob question: By heavy buffer...do you mean a heavier spring or the weight of the buffer itself? I'm obviously in the research stage...the lower won't be here until September or October.

 

[sovietak474u]

Thanks, man.

AR noob question: By heavy buffer...do you mean a heavier spring or the weight of the buffer itself?

The weight of the buffer itself. Called a heavy buffer. Spikes makes a great one. That's what I used. Had nothing but problems then I used it... Ran like a top.

 

[Junior_357]

Cool...I'm surfing looking at parts. Might be a Franken-Gun when I am finished...but at least it will be what I want...or what I think I want at the moment.

 

[patracy]

I can only echo what soviet has said. I've got a AR setup with the Adams Arm's upper in 5.45x39. I fought and fought with it trying to tinker with the buffer. Finally I caved and bought the spike's heavy buffer. Works like a charm.

If you're going to play with a slide fire or anything like that, you'll also want a wolff heavy buffer spring as well.

 

[sovietak474u]

I can only echo what soviet has said. I've got a AR setup with the Adams Arm's upper in 5.45x39. I fought and fought with it trying to tinker with the buffer. Finally I caved and bought the spike's heavy buffer. Works like a charm.

If you're going to play with a slide fire or anything like that, you'll also want a wolff heavy buffer spring as well.

This helps as well. Patracy and I had a whole thread of us going back and forth getting them to run right haha. Good times.

 

[sovietak474u]

Cool...I'm surfing looking at parts. Might be a Franken-Gun when I am finished...but at least it will be what I want...or what I think I want at the moment.

Nothing wrong with a frankin gun at all. I plan to build a 9mm ar pistol to put my can on once odt lower #2 comes in.

 

[Hayata]

I have an AA upper in 5.45 with a New Frontier Armory polymer lower. If you go 5.45 and you want to shoot cheaply then you shoot Russian surplus ammo, which is mildly corrosive. So, with that in mind, you may or may not want to go piston-driven. I chose the lazy route.

I am lazy by nature. Which is why I chose the Adams Arms piston upper. Cleaning is much simpler this way. Otherwise, the cleaning process with a direct impingement coupled with corrosive ammo will be a little more involved...meaning, more time devoted to cleaning.

All of that being said, if you shoot surplus ammo you HAVE GOT TO USE A HEAVIER HAMMER SPRING. The AA upper comes with one. You will HAVE TO replace your current hammer spring with the HD hammer spring. If you don't you'll be lucky to get half of your surplus rounds to fire first time. So, replacement is in order. This is a very simple process if you have a hammer and a punch set. Believe me, I installed it backwards and found out REAL SOON at the range of my problem. I went home (hat in hand) and reversed the installation. Duh. Noob.

Even with the HD hammer spring you may have a round or two that doesn't ignite out of every couple of hundred rounds. NONE of the surplus rounds I've sent through for the second time failed to fire.

With the NFA lower I did have to pull out the trigger assembly and buff-out the protruding die marks to get 'er to run without having to push the trigger forward to get it to reset. This condition happened initially and lessoned during break-in but I wanted something completely reliable. No issues since the "polishing". I even bought a DPMS "standard" trigger spring but never installed it. The NFA lowers have less trigger pull resistance than normal lowers.

PM me if you have any questions, I'll be happy to share what little I've learned.

Good luck in your build!

 

[patracy]

Almost forgot. DON'T waste your money on Tulammo in 5.45x39. That stuff is CRAP.