One’s a bunch of slats, one’s a bunch of keyholes. Like the kind you’d find on those steel shelves in the garage. Which is better for all your accessories, optics, bipods, flashlights, and lasers? KeyMod or M-LOK? What are the differences? We’re breaking down both. We need to give a shout-out to The Broad Side self-defense…
Building an AR chambered in .308 is wildly popular, especially with the introduction of ready-to-fire uppers, 80% lowers chambered in .308, and complete build kits. But the original AR-10 has few to no aftermarket components for sale, prohibiting a custom build. This is not a concern with the introduction of the commercial LR-308 platform, designed by…
The AR-15 platform’s lower receiver is relatively standardized. Opportunity to customize your build truly begins with the stripped upper receiver, and the parts you install on it. This guide covers the various types of stripped uppers available for your build, the history of past receivers not frequently seen today in the market, and the various…
Like the gas system, the AR-15’s buffers play an important role in controlling recoil and, more importantly, assisting the bolt carrier group’s travel so it can reliably cycle whatever ammunition you feed through your rifle, SBR, or pistol. Depending on your AR’s configuration, you’ll need to pick the right weight for your buffer assembly. Effects…
This next section of our Master Guide to AR-15 Parts for builders dives into the components and functions of the AR-15’s gas system. Learn the differences between direct-impingement and piston-driven systems and all the important stuff you need to know for your build: Gas tube lengths, gas block diameters and types, and what setup you…
The bolt carrier group (BCG) is one of the most important moving parts in the AR-15. It takes the brunt of the recoil produced by the gas system while reliably cycling and ejecting ammunition. This builder’s guide explains the operation and individual components of the AR-15 bolt carrier group. Learn what a “full-auto” BCG really…
![The Complete AR 15 Parts List & AR 15 Build List [Infographic]](https://80-lower.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/blogs-posts-screen-shot-2016-05-19-at-10.04.18-am.png)
It’s easy to find an AR 15 Parts List breakdown in a list format online, but finding one that had visuals for each AR 15 part was a real challenge. Let’s face it, there are a ton of parts that go into an AR build and it’s easy to forget which goes where and even…
