Sticky

This is the official /k/ Sticky. It is suggested that you read all of the information here (as well as the Disclaimer) in full. This sticky is really a compilation of information; none of the information on this page is original content. The original author will not be cited, since it is too much work. However, if you want the source, just google part of the passage and you'll probably find it.

Gun SafetyEdit

See: Gun Safety Rules for more detailed information.

Gun safety is a collection of rules and recommendations that can be applied when possessing, storing, or handling firearms. The purpose of gun safety is to eliminate or minimize the risks of unintentional death, injury or damage caused by improper possession, storage, or handling of firearms. Therefore, four major rules have been universally recognized.

Jeff Cooper, an influential figure in modern firearms training, formalized and popularized "Four Rules" of safe firearm handling:

All guns are always loaded.
Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

Weapon NomenclatureEdit

Firearms GlossaryEdit

If you have any questions about what a word means when pertaining to firearms, check these two links before posting a question!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_firearms_terms

http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/USGlossary.pdf

Firearms Actions ExplainedEdit

Bolt Action.Edit

The Bolt Action Rifle is a manual-operation firearm. Specifically, this means that after each pull of the trigger, the operator has to pull back the bolt, which releases the spent casing, and push it forward again, loading a fresh cartridge into the breech. The rifle is once again ready to be fired. Bolt Action Rifles are usually seen storing their ammunition in either an internal, nonremovable magazine, or an external, detachable magazine.

Break Action.Edit

2A - Break Action — Break Action Diagram

The Break Action Rifle is another type of manual-operation firearm. It is usually seen in shotguns, with two barrels, either in a side-by-side or over-under configuration. To load the firearm, a latch is activated, which releases the barrel assembly to be swiveled away from the receiver, allowing the breech to be exposed. Shells are inserted into the breech and the mechanism is closed and latched. Then, the hammer is pulled back and the weapon is now ready to fire by squeezing the trigger. After firing, the break action is unlatched and the barrel and forearm are allowed to fall forward. This will cause a spring-loaded extractor to automatically remove the spent shell. The weapon is now ready for a new cycle.

Pump Action. Edit

Nearly all pump-actions use a back-and-forward motion of the forend to cycle the action. The forend is connected to the bolt by one or two bars. The motion of the bolt back and forth in a tubular magazine model will also operate the elevator, which lifts the shells from the level of the magazine to the level of the barrel.

Before firing a round, the bolt is unlocked and the forend is free to move. The shooter pulls back on the forend to begin the operating cycle. The bolt unlocks and begins to move to the rear, which extracts and ejects the empty shell from the chamber, cocks the hammer, and begins to load the new shell. In a tubular magazine design, as the bolt moves rearwards, a single shell is released from the magazine, and is pushed backwards to come to rest on the elevator.

As the forend reaches the rear and begins to move forward, the elevator lifts up the shell, lining it up with the barrel. As the bolt moves forward, the round slides into the chamber, and the final portion of the forend's travel locks the bolt into position. A pull of the trigger will fire the next round, where the cycle begins again.

Most pump-action firearms do not have any positive indication that they are out of ammunition, so it is possible to complete a cycle and have an empty chamber.

Lever Action.Edit

2A - Lever Action — Lever Action Diagram

Lever actions are mostly equipped with tubular magazines. They are either fitted with a spring-loaded plunger mechanism that holds the loaded cartridges in place, or a simple rotating shroud. To load cartridges into a tubular magazine, find the release mechanism that will either rotate a small shield, revealing a port in the tube to allow the insertion on new cartridges, or that will release the plunger which should be removed, similarly revealing a loading port. After loading the magazine, close the rotating shield or re-insert the plunger.

Cock the rifle by pulling down the lever and then pulling it back up. Be sure to move the lever through its full range of motion to ensure that the action is fully cycled.

Pull the trigger to fire the rifle. To fire again, you will have to cock it again, in between each shot. Once you pull it down, it ejects the last spent casing, and pulling the lever up prepares the next shot.

Semi-Automatic ActionEdit

2A - Semi Automatic — Semi-Automatic Diagram

Semi-automatic rifles may be operated by a number of mechanisms, all of which derive their power from the explosion of the powder in the cartridge that fires the bullet. Widely used mechanisms include:

Blowback

In "blowback" operation, the bolt isn’t mechanically locked at the moment of firing. The bolt is relatively massive and is kept forward by spring tension alone. This simple design is mainly seen in firearms designed around relatively low-power cartridges, where spring tension and the mass of the bolt (or slide) are sufficient to keep the bolt forward until chamber pressures have receded to a safe level.

Gas Piston

Gas piston operation uses the high pressure gas ported from the barrel to drive an enclosed piston back against an operating rod, which in turn unlocks the bolt and drives it rearward, ejecting the spent case and cocking the hammer or striker spring. The bolt moving rearward also compresses a strong recoil spring which subsequently returns the bolt forward, stripping a fresh round from the weapon's magazine and forcing it into the chamber in the process.

Direct Impingement

The tube carrying the high pressure gas ported from the barrel emerges inside the action of the rifle, where it mates up with a "gas key" which is integral to the bolt carrier. Thus, the bolt carrier itself functions as a piston, similarly to the Gas Piston System.

Recoil-Operation

Recoil-operated arms operate similarly to blowback arms, except that the bolt is mechanically locked or "delayed" in some manner at the moment of firing. In some designs, the barrel is locked to the bolt and travels a short distance rearward with it until it unlocks, allowing the bolt to continue rearward in its cycle.

Knife NomenclatureEdit

History of FirearmsEdit

1364 - First recorded use of a firearm.
1380 - Hand guns are known across Europe.

At this time, guns were fired by holding a burning wick to a "touch hole" in the barrel igniting the powder inside.

1400s - The matchlock gun appears.

With this innovation, a shooter uses one hand for firing, and a prop to steady the gun. The first device, or "lock," for mechanically firing a gun is the matchlock. Powder is held in a "flash pan," and ignited by a wick, or match, in a movable clamp. Both hands remain on the gun, vastly improving aim. Early matchlock guns are extremely rare.

1498 - Rifling principle is discovered.
1509 - Invention of wheel lock (rose lock).

The next major advance, the wheel lock, generates a spark mechanically. With no wick to keep lit, the wheel lock is easier to use, and more reliable than the matchlock. However, wheel locks are expensive to produce. Matchlocks, at half the cost, remain in common use. This is an early (ca. 1540) multi-shot, wheel-lock pistol, made for Emperor Charles V. In this weapon, two locks are combined in one mechanism, to give each barrel separate ignition.

1540 - Rifling appears in firearms.

Rifling is the process of making helical grooves in the barrel of a gun or firearm, which imparts a spin to a projectile around its long axis. This spin serves to stabilize the projectile, improving its aerodynamic stability and accuracy.

1630 - The first true flintlock.

The flintlock solved a longstanding problem. Some time in the late 1500s, a lid was added to the flash pan design. To expose or protect the powder, the lid had to be moved manually. The flintlock mechanism was designed to push back the lid and spark a flint at the same time. The flintlock ignition system reigned for two centuries, with virtually no alteration.

1825 - Percussion-cap guns are in general use.

The percussion cap was the crucial invention that enabled muzzleloading firearms to fire reliably in any weather. This was significant because a flintlock was prone to misfire in wet weather. The percussion cap is a small cylinder of copper or brass with one closed end. Inside the closed end is a small amount of a shock-sensitive explosive material. Pulling the trigger releases a hammer which strikes the percussion cap and ignites the explosive primer. The flame travels into the gun to ignite the main powder charge.

1835 - The first Colt revolver.

Samuel Colt developed the first mass-produced, multi-shot, revolving firearms. Various revolving designs had been around for centuries, but precision parts couldn't be made with available technologies. Colt was the first to apply Industrial Age machining tools to the idea. Mass production made the guns affordable. Reliability and accuracy made the Colt a favorite of soldiers and frontiersmen.

1840 - Guns begin to use pin-fire cartridges.

A pinfire cartridge is an obsolete type of metallic firearm cartridge in which the priming compound is ignited by striking a small pin which protrudes radially from just above the base of the cartridge. Its history is closely associated with the development of the breechloader which replaced muzzle-loading weapons. Pinfire cartridges were convenient in that they could contain percussion cap, powder and shot in a neat pre-loaded package which was several times faster to fire and reload and was inherently safer.

1850 - True shotguns in common use.

In the second half of the 18th century, musket design branched out. This period produced a number of single-purpose firearms. The forerunner of modern shotguns was the fowling piece, developed specifically for hunting birds. Among the upper classes, fowling was a leisure sport. Fowling pieces for the very affluent were often lovely works of art, but impractical for hunting.

1859 - The first full rim-fire cartridge.

A rimfire is a type of firearm cartridge where the firing pin strikes the base's rim. The rim of the rimfire cartridge is essentially an extended and widened percussion cap which contains the priming compound, while the cartridge case itself contains the propellant powder and the projectile. While many other different cartridge priming methods have been tried since the 19th century, only rimfire and centerfire technology survive today in significant use.

1860 - Spencer repeating carbine patented.

Introduced at the start of the Civil War, Spencer repeating guns were technically advanced, used cartridges, and could fire 7 shots in 15 seconds. But the Army didn't want a repeating gun, fearing that soldiers would fire more often, constantly need fresh ammunition, and overtax the supply system. But in 1863, President Lincoln test-fired a Spencer. His approval led to the purchase of 107,372 Spencer repeating carbines and rifles (of 144,500 made), and the Spencer became the principal repeating gun of the Civil War.

1862 - The Gatling Gun is invented.

The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun.The Gatling gun's operation centered on a cyclic multi-barrel design which facilitated cooling and synchronized the firing/reloading sequence. Each barrel fired a single shot when it reached a certain point in the cycle, after which it ejected the spent cartridge, loaded a new round, and in the process, cooled down somewhat. This configuration allowed higher rates of fire to be achieved without the barrel overheating.

1869 - Center-fire cartridge introduced.

A centerfire cartridge is a cartridge with a primer located in the center of the cartridge case head. Unlike rimfire cartridges, the primer is a separate and replaceable component, allowing these cartridges to be reloaded with new powder, bullet, and primer, and reused.

1873 - Winchester rifle introduced.

Winchester rifles were affordable, and produced in such great numbers, that the Winchester became the generic rifle. The Winchester had such a powerful hold in some regions that it actually became known as "the gun that won the West." In 1887, Winchester came out with their first repeating shotguns. The next major milestone for Winchester came in 1903, when the company introduced the first automatic rifle that would become widely used. *

1877 - First effective double-action revolver.

In a double-action (DA) revolver, the stroke of the trigger pull generates three actions: (1) the hammer is pulled back to the cocked position (2) while the cylinder is being indexed to the next round, and then (3) the hammer is released to strike the firing pin. Thus DA means that a cocking action separate from the trigger pull is unnecessary; and every trigger pull will result in a complete cycle. This allows uncocked carry while also allowing draw-and-fire using only the trigger. A longer and harder trigger stroke is the trade-off, but this drawback can also be viewed as a safety feature, as the gun is safer against accidental discharges from being dropped.

1879 - Lee box magazine patented.

The most popular type of magazine in modern rifles and handguns, a box magazine stores cartridges in a column, either one above the other (single-stack) or staggered zigzag fashion(double-stack). As the firearm cycles, cartridges are moved to the top of the magazine by a follower driven by spring compression to either a single feed position or side-by-side feed positions. Box magazines may be integral to the firearm or removable.

1892- Advent of automatic handguns.

The first automatic pistol was created by Joseph Laumann in 1892. But the Borchardt pistol of 1893 was the first automatic with a separate magazine in the grip, and this remains the defining feature of the breed. More automatics came in rapid succession, including Browning, Luger, Mauser, and Colt models. By the turn of the century, just 8 years after Laumann, automatics were firmly established.

1900 - Historical firearms period concludes. Contemporary period begins.

Gun PoliticsEdit

Gun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, as well as distribution of firearms. Gun control laws and policy vary greatly around the world. Some countries, such as North Korea, China, the United Kingdom or Germany, have very strict limits on gun possession while others, such as Yemen and the USA, have relatively lenient limits.

Country-Specific LawsEdit

Gun Laws in:

If your country is not listed, go here: http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/

USA Gun Laws at A GlanceEdit

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

A well written, unbiased look at Amendment II and the court cases which changed its meaning: http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/second_amendment

What is this NFA thing I keep hearing about?

NFA refers to the National Firearms Act which is legislation passed back in 1934. It regulates the ownership of certain types of firearms and firearm accessories including machine guns, short barrel rifles, suppressors, short barrel shotguns, destructive devices and a group of items called "any other weapons". All these devices have therefore become referred to as NFA items.

These items have never been illegal at the federal level. However, states can (and do) have their own separate laws regulating ownership and use of NFA items. For example, some states prohibit the ownership of suppressors. Suppressors are legal in Georgia and the devices are legal to use for target shooting but are illegal for hunting. Thus, you should check with your local laws regarding possible ownership and use restrictions.

Learn more @: http://accurateordnance.com/cgi-bin/imcart/read.cgi?article_id=6&sub=2

What's the AWB?

The Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) of 1994, a federal law in the United States that included a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms, or so called "assault weapons". The 10-year ban was passed by Congress on September 13, 1994 and repealed in 2004. In the former U.S. law, the legal term assault weapon included certain specific semi-automatic firearm models by name (e.g., Colt AR-15, TEC-9, non-select-fire AK-47s produced by three manufacturers, and Uzis) and other semi-automatic firearms because they possess a minimum set of cosmetic features, such as a semi-automatic rifles able to accept detachable magazines with a folding or telescoping stock and Pistol grip. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban

Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act

The "Brady Act" instituted federal (NICS) background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States. It was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on November 30, 1993, and went into effect on February 28, 1994. The Act was named after James Brady, who was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. during an attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981.

The ATF

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is a federal law enforcement organization within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevention of federal offenses involving the unlawful use, manufacture, and possession of firearms and explosives; acts of arson and bombings; and illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products. The ATF also regulates via licensing the sale, possession, and transportation of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in interstate commerce.

CCW laws

Concealed carry, or CCW (carrying a concealed weapon), refers to the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in proximity. In the USA, one would need a permit to CCW. To learn about CCW laws in the USA, (since they are state-regulated and not federally regulated), check out:

http://www.handgunlaw.us/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_the_United_States_by_state

FFL (Federal Firearms Licenses)

A Federal Firearms License (FFL) is a license that enables an individual or a company to engage in a business pertaining to the manufacture of firearms and ammunition or the interstate and intrastate sale of firearms. There are different kinds, such as a type 1, type 3, etc. Check out the kinds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Firearms_License

How to become an ffl: http://www.atf.gov/firearms/how-to/become-an-ffl.html

Choosing a Gun to PurchaseEdit

First RifleEdit

The first firearm purchase for a new gun owner should be a .22 rifle. Some reasons include:

1. The .22lr cartridge is low recoil. Low recoil allows you to shoot all day long without pain, discomfort, or generally wearing you out. With many things, practice makes perfect, and low recoil allows you to practice more. It also makes you more inclined to go to the range more often.

2. The .22lr cartridge is cheap. Cheap means you can buy lots of ammo at once, instead of buying "a few boxes on the way to the range" thus hurting your wallet, and limiting your range time. Even the "good stuff" (CCI mini-mag) is currently $8.50 for a box of 100 rounds. If you have a bolt action, you can even use the "cheap stuff" with no worries ($15 for a brick).

3. The .22lr cartridge is plentiful. There is a low chance of the .22lr becoming obsolete, ~~hard to find~~, or banned.

4. The .22lr cartridge is "range friendly". Even the most restrictive of indoor shooting ranges do not hesitate to allow the use of a .22.

5. The .22lr has a low report. If you live a few miles away from anyone, you can setup a range in your back yard and plink without paying any range fees. Research your local laws on this!

6. The five above items make the .22lr FUN! If you aren't having fun, its a chore. Chores are usually put off, forgotten, or abandoned. Fun means you do it more often.

All these reasons make the .22 rifle the best FIRST gun since only with practice, training, and more practice, can you learn MARKSMANSHIP. There are many sayings about this: You can't miss fast enough to hit your target, You can't miss enough times to get a hit. Only hits count.

The .22 rifle should not be the ONLY gun, just the FIRST. There is plenty of time and money to buy other specialized guns later, but this one is specialized for target shooting, small game, all day shooting, and fun.

First PistolEdit

Buying a handgun can be a dizzying ordeal. The popularity of them ensures that you have enough choices to make your head spin, with prices ranging from an expensive lunch to a used car.

For as many handguns as there are, surprisingly few become truly popular. But they are popular for a reason, so start narrowing down your choices and preferences by examining popular models. Smith & Wesson, Glocks, HKs, Sigs, CZs, Berettas and Rugers. There are tons more, but don't get ahead of yourself.

Pick a frame size first. Full size handguns generally offer longer grips, higher capacity magazines and longer barrels. Semi-compacts usually still have long enough grips that fingers aren't left without purchase, they accommodate fewer rounds (usually 2-3 less) and have shorter barrels. Compacts usually have very short grips for easier concealment, even fewer rounds and even shorter barrels. Pocket guns are very small, very thin, nearly always single stack, with very short barrels. Grip diameter will almost never differ between different frame sizes of the same model.

Ergonomics are somewhat difficult to nail down, because when you pick up a gun you "like," you're going to WANT to like it and you may overlook its flaws or uncomfortable features. Try some prospects out, use popular, readily available handguns as a springboard to decide what you do and don't like. Be critical. Does it hurt your hand someplace? Do all your fingers have purchase? Can you reach the controls? Can you manipulate the slide? Does your resting thumb prevent the slide stop from working? Can you reach the magazine release?

After you've handled or at least researched some, take the list of features and requirements you like and narrow down your options further. Maybe one of those popular guns is your baby girl. Maybe one's very close but you'd prefer a parallel option. Maybe you're a hipster and want to carry a Dardick 1500 because I'm sure you've never heard of it before. Finding what you want is the easy part, it's knowing what you want that's hard.

Why no revolvers? Because we're lazy.

Gun Buying GraphicsEdit

The AR-15Edit

So you want to get an AR-15? This magical modern sporting rifle is light, versatile, can shoot a shit ton of calibers, can be customized to your wallet's content, and have great parts interchangability with almost every other AR out there. So the first question you need to ask yourself is whether or not you want to build or buy. NOTE: This guide is set up for a basic 5.56 caliber build. Yes there are other calibers out there, but I'm going to ignore those for now.

BuyEdit

So you want to take the easy way in. Thats fine. Not all of us have the ability, inclination, skills, and/or tools to build their own rifle like the Kube intended. The main thing you need to focus on is budget. AR's range in price from anywhere around ~$500 all the way up to $6000-$7000. $7000 rifles are for people who shoot competition or are super elite operators. Since you're reading this guide on a Taiwanese scrapbooking website, I'll assume you're not in one of those groups. Generally speaking you want to spend around $800-$1000 on an AR, around that price range is where the good quality stuff gets you your best bang for the buck. Do you have to spend that much to get a decent AR? Not at all, but around that range is the sweet spot in terms of quality, reliability, and bang for your buck. Does that mean that a $1500 AR will outshoot/be more accurate than a $500 AR? Not at all, although generally the more you spend-the more accurate the rifle, I have yet to shoot a $1500 rifle that shoots $1000 better than a $500 rifle.

Bear in mind if you're on a budget, don't be afraid of low-tier ARs. A Smith and Wesson M&P-15 will shoot just as well as a DPMS which will shoot just as well as a Wyndham Weaponry. Of those brands listed I recommend the M&P-15. Its an excellent starter rifle. When you get really comfortable with the M&P, you'll be more understanding of what you want more of in an AR. Plus you can upgrade the M&P however you want to over the time you own it.

Another option is to sort of mix and match. The upper receiver and lower receiver are separated only by two take down pins. You can buy a cheap lower from say Palmetto State Armory, and buy an expensive upper from BCM. If you're going to take this route, spend more money on your upper than your lower. The upper is where all the magic happens and its where you should invest a bit more of your money.

Below in the build guide, will be a parts list. Pay attention as some of these features are offered on cheap pre-built rifles and some are only offered to those super secret operators that hang out at your local gun store and are now too fat to walk.

Build Edit

So you want to build. Good job. This is the proper way to do an AR-15. You can pick all the parts yourself. Often times you won't necessarily be able to build for cheaper than you'd find pre-built rifles, but you can get some features and parts that are only really offered on higher end builds. Also there is an immense satisfaction to having built a rifle yourself. Here is a parts list of all the all the parts you're going to need. I'll have bullets below each part to explain the finer points of each.

Stripped Lower Receiver-This is the only actual part you need to fill out a 4473 for. A stripped lower receiver is considered a firearm by the ATF. Its basically a bare piece of metal (or polymer) with holes and pockets drilled and milled. Most lowers you come across are going to be forged. This means the metal is forced into a hot mold and subjected to a lot of pressure. The other type is billet receivers. Billet receivers are machined from a solid block of metal. Billet receivers look totally sweet, but are no more durable, lighter, or better than forged receivers. They are however a shit ton more expensive. Another option is polymer receivers. Its best to get a metal receiver, but if you want to go for a lighter receiver or get one in a certain color, polymer can be the way to go. Make sure its reinforced with some kind of metal however. Tennessee Arms Company usually offers a 3-pack for around $120 You can usually cheap out here. Anderson Lowers can be had for around $40-$50.
- 80 Percent Lower- There is however, a second option. If for some reason you are unable and/or unwilling to fill out the paperwork and are in need of a rifle, or are just interested in building an AR that from the ground up as much as possible, there is always the 80 Percent Lower option. An 80 Percent Lower is an AR lower with only 80% of its machining done, not enough to legally qualify as a firearm. As it is not a firearm this means that an 80 Percent Lower can be ordered, machined, and assembled into a fully working rifle without the need for paperwork or serial numbers. State and local laws may apply. Various websites sell both 80 Percent Lowers and the jigs used to machine them into fully operational 100% Lower receivers. While this may not be the most cost effective option, for the Dale Gribble inside of you the benefits may outweigh the cost.
- 0 Percent Lower- Literally, a billet of aluminum. This is only recommended if you have the expertise and access to specialty tools.
Lower Parts Kit- This is your fire control group (trigger), roll pins, hand grip, trigger guard, safety and takedown pins. Plus a shit ton of springs. Most cheap lower parts kits are built to mil-spec. They can be upgraded pretty easily with an aftermarket trigger. An aftermarket trigger kit made by RRA, Geissele, Timney, and ALG can make your gun wonderful to shoot. However, if it comes down to it, I'd put more money into the upper and buy a nicer trigger later.

Buffer tube and/or stock-Here now is where things get a bit complex. You need to decide if you would like to build a pistol (an AR with a barrel shorter than 16" with no stock) or a rifle (a gun with a barrel of 16" or greater and a stock) or a future SBR (an NFA item that has a barrel shorter than 16" and a stock and a tax stamp).
- Rifle-Most people will build a rifle for their first and their is very little too it. You can either get a fixed A2 stock or a collapsible stock. Each requires different buffer tubes and buffers. I personally recommend the collapsible stock
- Pistol/SBR-This is basically a buffer tube that does not accept standard rifle stocks. They can accept braces (items that will help you brace the pistol when firing it (but not against your shoulder)), and wraps that will make it a little more comfortable to handle. Its ideal to buy a pistol buffer tube if you want to build an SBR because it can take months for the tax stamp to approve. Also having a lower with a stock and an upper with a barrel length less than 16" is defined as constructive intent by the ATF. With a pistol you can at least shoot it until your tax refund comes in.
Stripped Upper Receiver-This too is one place where you can cheap out on. This is basically where your bolt and barrel meet up. Palmetto State Armory frequently sells blemished ones (with next to no blemishes anywhere on them) for around $40. Some don't come with a dust cover and/or a forward assist. These are not quite necessary, but they're handy to have if you ever need them.
- Dust cover-Basically a little trap door that keeps closed while the rifle isn't in use, and pops open when you chamber or fire a round. It keeps dust out of the rifle. Unless you operate frequently in a sandbox, you probably will never need this in real life.
- Forward Assist- basically a little knob that you can push on to get a round fully into the chamber if it doesn't want to go quite in. Once again something you'll probably never need, but a handy thing to have around if you ever do need it.
Barrel-Here's where I recommend you invest some hard-earned dollars into. Barrels come in all shapes and sizes and while a barrel isn't the end all, be all of whether or not you will have an accurate rifle, there are some important factors to consider when choosing one:
- Material-Barrels are made of steel, but different alloys. The main two differences are Chrome-moly and Stainless
  - Chrome-moly- Most barrels you find are going to be chrome-moly. Chrome-moly is a strong steel used in most military rifles. Its cheaper than stainless and will wear a lot better than stainless in certain situations. Chrome-moly barrels are often chrome lined to enhance feeding and wear-resistance. If you're just planning to have a carbine or pistol and shoot at distances less than 100 yards, get a chrome-moly barrel
  - Stainless-Stainless steel is much more rigid, giving a more accurate rifle at longer distances. Generally if you want to shoot at greater than 100 yards and you are only going to be shooting small 5-10 shot groups, stainless steel is what you want your barrel to be made of. However it is much much heavier than chrome-moly. Bear this in mind when deciding if you want a stainless barrel or not.
- Profile-Barrel profile is basically how thick a barrel is from the base to the tip. There are several terms used:
  - Pencil-Super light and super thin-This is probably the lightest barrel profile out there. However it will be the least resistant to heat and wear. If you are doing an ultra-light build, get this profile. If not seek others
  - Government-This is the standard profile used by the military. It has a decent balance between rigidness and weight. Sort of a do-all profile. The vast majority of barrels will be government profile
  - HBAR/Bull barrel-This is the heaviest of all barrel profiles. A stainless bull barrel will be the most accurate barrel, but will also be super heavy. If you shoot from a bench/bipod for long distances, this is the profile you're looking for.
- Twist-Most barrels have 1/7, 1/8, and 1/9 twist. If you plan to shoot longer distance heavier bullets (62-77 grain) get a 1/7. If you only plan to shoot steel cased 55 grain, you can make do with a 1/9 barrel. However a 1/7 barrel will do well with 55 grain bullets as well. If you have to choose try to get a barrel in 1/7
- Length-
  - Pistol- Pistol lengths are technically anything less than 16". However 5.56 velocity drops off a ton after 10.5in. However 5.56 barrels come as short as 7.5". Do research to find out which is best for you.
  - Rifle-Most rifle barrels run the gamut from 16" to 20". A longer barrel does not guarantee more accuracy, but keeps the gasses from the explosion inside the barrel behind the bullet longer. This leads to a flatter trajectory and a faster bullet. If you're shooting for longer range and accuracy, an 18-20" barrel will suit you. If you just wanna operate around your house in your underwear, a 16" will do just fine
- Gas System-This is where the hole is drilled at the top of your barrel to allow the gases to come back into the upper to cycle the bolt. There are a few choices, but most of these choices will be made for you by manufacturers This can also affect your handguard placement later on.
  - Pistol length-Pretty much for pistols only.
  - Carbine length-You'll often see this for 16" barrels with an A2 front gas block (one with the triangular sight) M4's have carbine length gas systems. In all honesty you'll be fine with a carbine length, but its a bit more harsh on the gun (more gasses coming back = more pressure, carbon, and dirt in the upper) the gas port is drilled about 6-8" from the upper
  - Mid-Length- Usually seen on 18" barrels. The gas tube is drilled about 12" from the upper
  - Rifle length-Usually seen on 18" and 20" barrels. This is the gas system from the original M-16 and provides the least gasses going back. Many feel it is superior.
- Muzzle Device-For 75% of you, just get an A2 birdcage flash hider. Its ~$8 and will do you just fine. If you plan to suppress later, get a muzzle device that will fit the suppressor you wanted.
Bolt Carrier Group-This is another place where its worth it to spend a bit of money. Most bolt carrier groups come assembled and are a drop in. Try to get one that has been HPT/MPI tested and has a staked gas key. Nickel-Boron is also a plus, but isn't required. Try to get one that has a full auto cut as well.
Charging handle-this is what you use to pull the bolt back and chamber a round. Ambi charging handles are nice, but not required. You can cheap out here to unless you're a super operator.
Gas Block-part that sends the gasses back into the upper to cycle the bolt. Generally come in two different flavors:
- A2 Gas Block-Has the original M-16/M-4 triangular front sight on the gas block. Works great as an iron sight, however if you plan to install a free-float handguard, can be a bit of a problem
- Low profile gas block-a block without the A2 front sight post. Use this if you want a free float handguard
Handguard-These come in even more flavors and kinds than the scope of this little article to mention. However two main kinds need to be mentioned
- Drop-in-drops right on a standard AR. These touch the barrel and are often 2-4 pieces. Unless you're trying to hit field mice at 300 yards these will do fine.
- Free Float- These usually have a proprietary mounting system via a barrel nut. They don't touch the barrel at all and are generally more accurate, however they are more expensive.
Sights-If you have an A2 front sight block, all you need is a rear sight. However if you have a low profile gas block, you need both front and rear sights.

Once you have all of these you'll need a few tools to put it all together.

Hammer and punches-Buy them off amazon. Or use two sticks and a rock. whatever
Optional tools-These are not needed, but greatly enhance the building experience. Plus if you plan to build more than one rifle its handy to have these on hand
- Bench vise
- Upper receiver block-Holds your upper steady for barrel and/or muzzle device installations
- Lower block-basically a fake magazine to hold your lower in place while you hammer in those pins
- AR-Tool-go pick one up for like $10
- Front/Rear sight tools-for adjusting

This is not the final guide to buying/building an AR, but it should at least get you started on your path to owning one of the best rifles a person can own. The key to building a decent AR is to research, research, research. Figure out what you want to do with it and where you want to compromise. Or go nuts and order everything from the KAC catalog. Once you've got everything, watch videos and pay attention. Its not very hard and can be done in an hour or two.

Video tutorial on how to build an AR

http://www.itstactical.com/warcom/firearms/diy-ar-15-build-introduction-parts-and-tools-required Written tutorial with pictures

http://www.midwayusa.com/General.mvc/Index/how-to-build-ar-15-rifle

Buying a Gun OnlineEdit

Each website has its own policies when selling you firearms, but long story short:

You buy it online
You submit the info of a local FFL (usually a gun store/pawn shop/etc) of your choice to them
They ship it to the FFL
You pay FFL handling fee
You get gun

Some good places to buy (probably forgot a few):

atlanticfirearms.com
aimsurplus.com
classicfirearms.com
odcmp.com (Civilian Marksmanship Program; can sell M1 garands and other US surplus rifles straight to your doorstep)

Ebay/craigslist-type websites for firearms:

To find ammo for the lowest price, check gunbot.net frequently.

Poorfag Guns Edit

Got $300? Good, here are some cheap guns to buy that are of decent quality.

Marksmanship Edit

How to Zero In Your Rifle Edit

Minute of Arc/Angle (MOA) Edit

Choosing A Knife To Purchase.Edit

A Multitool is Kind Of A Knife... Right?Edit

6C - Multitool Comparison Chart — Multitool Comparison Chart

A multi tool is basically a pair of pliers with other useful tools that can be accessed from the handles. The concept was invented by Tim Leatherman while he was traveling through Europe. He found Swiss Army Knives lacking for his heavier duty work and developed a tool that included a good pair of pliers, as well as other things you would expect to find in a Swiss Army Knife: screwdrivers, a knife and a can opener. Other companies before him had made similar tools on a much smaller scale, but Leatherman brought multi tools to the masses. 25 years later, Leatherman is still the market leader. The biggest difference between multi tools and Swiss Army Knives is still the pair of pliers. Some Swiss Army Knives have pliers, but they are only useful for small jobs.