All posts in M4 Carbine Parts

Bobro Mounts for Vortex Optics, Trijicon Optics and Aimpoint Red Dots

Bobro MountsB13-111-002-3TEveryone once in awhile we come across a company that is built on ingeniousness.  One of those is clearly Bobro Engineering.  We first heard about their mounts while talking to a Representative from Aimpoint on what kind of mounts we should keep in stock after becoming an Aimpoint dealer.   There are always going to be slight pros and cons for each device you put on your AR15 or other long gun, but since we did not have access to some of the Larue Mounts, we went with Bobro.  Then I started to notice that some of the quick detach mounts we already had in our store for Trijicon TA44 Optics where all Bobro mounts. Later we became a Vortex Optic dealer and ordered a few Vortex mounts and found out that those we also Bobro mounts.   It’s time to build up our inventory on Bobro mounts then, huh?

If you notice, Eotech holographic sights have had some changes and several models were discontinued and now are issued with QD or Quick Detach mounting systems.   It’s pretty much the standard now, that if you have optics on your AR15, you should have backup iron sights, but if your optics go down, do you really want to worry about breaking out tools to remove it. Sure the Leatherman Mut is a nice tool to keep around but whether you are on the range plinking or in a bad situation, there is the possibility that a broken optic is going to be a major liability until you get it off.   We will be constantly expanding our Bobro Mounts as well as bringing in more of the mounts for many of the Vortex Optics that are inbound.

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Was their something wrong with Glock Magazines? Stick with Magpul PMAGS for your AR

MAGPUL PMAGSMAGPUL Glock MagazinesI’m getting sales calls from people asking about the Magpul Glock magazines and maybe it’s just me, but I have no idea why Magpul is bothering with this?  We had a lot of issues with the Magpul AK magazines and I can’t say that it’s all the magazines fault, it’s more like… how the heck are you going to make a Spec Magazine for a firearm that has so many manufacturers?  We have enough problems with customers walking in and asking for Glock holsters and finding out some of the Gen 1, Gen2, Gen 3 and Gen 4 Glock handguns don’t all fit in the same holsters.  There are slight trigger guard differences and you never know when there might be a slight variation in production that will affect you in someway, it’s just a reality of manufacturing.

We’ve seen so many recalls in this industry from hammer springs causing failures to fire, trigger bars sliding out of triggers after a certain round count, out of spec AR15 Bolt Carriers and even some bad runs on Magpul PMAGS.   I still highly recommend using PMAGS but all of this venturing into making magazine for Glocks and AKs just doesn’t seem like a good idea.  Now with Kalashnikov USA moving production to the United States, I’ll have to consider doing a review of Magpul AK Magazines working in an American Made AK and see how they run, but there are so many after market magazines out there that Magpul venturing into too many things seems to diminish their image in my opinion.

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Mako stocks and accessories, easy to install and worth consideration

Mako AccessoriesWe definitely have the sales data to show that Mako Group accessories move.   I sometimes get a headache thinking about what I should consider changing on any of My AR15 rifles out, the real answer it to buy another Carbine and do it to that and not remove anything that is on My gun.   People tend to overthink the AR15 and there’s a pretty funny picture that’s been around for over a decade of a guy with an AR that has everything from a camera to a can opener on it but it’s somewhat accurate as to many bells and whistles people put on there rifles.  The saying the Mission drives the gear should apply to your personal firearm, if you don’t use it, and don’t need it, you should probable not put it on, with every screw and battery or wired device, there’s another thing that can fall off or fail, and that’s how you should think when accessorizing.

One accessory we are selling a lot are the Mako Accessories like the Mako AR Magwell grip, this is an easy thing to put on and something to consider if you aren’t sure what kind of foregrip to put on your carbine.   That might mean needing a Magpul MOE stock, or a Midwest quad rail system.  Now there are keymod options that can make you feel like you’re researching for a science project.  The Mako Flashlight adaptors are also big sellers and work with many of the Surefire flashlights.  There is a standard and side mounted version and they work very well if you mount your light correctly.  The Mako Front Grip Magazine holder is also something we sell a lot of.  Mako is also the same company that makes the Meprolight M21 Optics which is another outstanding option for an AR optic.

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Gun Makers, Bladesmiths and Swordsmiths and Windham Upper Receivers

Windham Complete Upper ReceiversThere is always going to be politics in firearm discussions but the eyes of many are being open now that the anti-police mentality is starting to backfire.  A free society is an armed society and when good men have the ability to defend and protect, whether they are uniformed Police or protective father’s or husbands.  Sure there are people that are arms dealers that do not care who they are selling weapons too and the result is what you see going on in the MiddleEast and other 3rd world Countries, but here in America, gun makers should be respected like Bladesmiths and Swordsmiths.   Back in the day if you made a sword that broke, it meant losing your life and your wife or all of your possessions were now in the hands of Ghengis Khan.

The ability to put a bullet on an X is the same science that puts a Satellite in orbit around Jupiter, Eugene Stoner, John Moses Browning were all extreme intelligent engineers and there are many like that in the industry today.  One thing I have noticed is there are several “creators” that started Companies, got out of the business and then came right back and started another.  Windham Weaponry was started by one of the Founders of Bushmaster Firearms and one of our most consistent selling Complete upper receivers are the Windham Complete Upper Receivers. Sometimes people can make a living doing things they enjoy and sometimes its cool to buy products from Companies that have that much heart.

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Eotech Holographic Sights making some changes, Is it important to be able to remove an optic quickly?

Eotech Holographic Sights New Eotech Laser Battery CapAll you have to do is look at some of the real combat images and see that optics get shot off of rifles and sometimes concussion and shrapnel can damage an optic, for most of us this will probable never be an issue, but if you have learned to use a Carbine for defense purposes, how would you feel if your optic was dropped or hit by something and the lense was shattered to the point you couldn’t look through it, what if your optic had damaged electronics and it no longer functioned.   Sure you can send it in for warranty or repair, but what if you were in the middle of defending yourself or needed to hold off in attack or intruder.  Would you want to fumble around the house looking for a screwdriver or allen key to remove your optic?  I see Larue Tactical and Bobro Engineering mounts everywhere and they have outstanding reputations, but this year it looks like Eotech has discontinued a whole bunch of Holographic sights in their line for newer quick detach versions.

I was hoping there would be some major technological improvement to the battery useage but I still can’t seem to NOT like Eotech Holographic Sights.   I find the Eotech EXPS2-0 to be my favorite do to it’s size and especially, if you are using an Eotech Magnifier.  There are plenty of ways to get around buying the Eotech magnifier but there are definitely some quality issues.  I personally find the reticle to have improved clarity when using the model G33 Magnifier. The red dot market is changing and recently we have seen that L3 Inc has axed the  556, 553BLK, 553TAN, 516 and 517 for the new 518 and 558.  Also check out the new laser battery caps, there is a visible laser version and a civilian legal IR cap.

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Rifle Sight, Carbine Sight, Shotgun sight upgrade?

Rifle SightsShopping online can often be overwhelming when it comes to parts and accessories because we all know how difficult it can be to reach some companies technical support via phone or email.    We often get complaints from customers that tried to call a manufacturer and couldn’t get a hold of someone.  Usually it is followed up by words like “I can’t tell from the picture” or “it doesn’t say in the description if it has”, and people are left in the dark.   A few months ago I had someone walk in with Troy Carbine sights and he had the incorrect front and rear sights because he didn’t buy them as a set.  He found out the hard way during carbine qualifications.   The best way to know you are buying the correct item is to deal directly with the manufacturer, sometimes gunsmiths are good sources of information but I have often found out that many of them have a niche they are good at and aren’t good at everything.

It’s fun to accessorize, it’s a guy thing, but plain black on black front and rear sights only work  in certain lighting and it can pay in competition sports or defensive situations to have an illuminated front sight.  Some of the Hiviz sights work well for rifle sights,  level action sights, shotguns sights and even revolvers like the Ruger LCR.  Everyone has a preference with sight picture and just like choosing eyewear and sunglasses, it’s whatever fits your comfort and visibility level.   Different apertures make a big difference and being able to hit a target which is the reason so many AR15 rear sights have atleast 2 flip sight options, long distance and short distance sight picture.  Ask a friend that is using a sight and look around the next time you’re at the range and see what is being used and ask questions.  You might find out your shooting proficiency will improve with a better sight setup.

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Magpul Slings and all those rail attachments and push buttons and claws

Magpul SlingsIf it has a screw on it, it can come loose.   That’s why you see a lot more of the quick detail mounts on optics rather than screw on.   Loctite everything that has a screw and make sure you don’t over torque anything.    I personally mark all of the screw points with a blue marking pen so I can visually see what might be coming loose because I’ve had thousands of rounds through some of my carbines and after almost 10yrs of owning them, even though they have been very reliable, every tool has it’s failing point, and every mechanical part will wear out at some point.   Guns jam and things break in this industry and there are horror stories out there where Law Enforcement and Military deaths occurred while there jammed or broken firearms were discovered next to them.  In Vietnam there were serious issues with the M16 when it was first issue and the ammunition was the primary problem, do you really want to keep the cheap stuff around and think just because your Carbine runs with cheap ammo that your life should depend on it?

Properly mounting optics, flashlights and having extra batteries available are added insurance but don’t forget to check to make sure your stock is securely tightened down and if you are attaching sling attachements, make sure you are keeping an eye on them.   We try to keep the Magpul Slings in stock because it’s yet another one of those things that you need to know what you are buying and know how to attach it to your AR15 carbine before you go home and find out that you have the wrong sling attachments or it just doesn’t fit you right.   I lean heavily toward the Magpul MS3 and the Magpul MS4 due to the fact that the MS3 is a much better design over the previous MS2 which the MS2 Sling had material that frayed and the clamp wasn’t as sturdy.   Many of the stocks and quad rails we see now have QD attachment points so you don’t have to go out and buy another screw on device just to keep the sling where you want it and then have to wonder what that failing point is.  All these accessories that go on your firearm can be an asset but everyone of them needs to be put on right.

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The Magpul MS3 and MS4 Slings and other Magpul Accessories

Magpul AccessoriesWe are often confronted with questions but many of our customers are not prepared to have us question them back before we can answer them.   Working in the Fire Industry, Emergency Services and Law Enforcmenent can be very technical when it comes to uniforms and gear and we often find that even our customers don’t know what a product is called, just what it looks like and what it’s fire.   Recently we got asked about pager holders but until the customer came in our store and measured the pager, we wouldn’t have known which holder to order for them.    The same type of thing occurs when people are shopping for a gun case, the barrel length of your AR15 is not going to determine what gun case it’s going to fit it, the overall length of the gun is.   If you are looking for a handguard like the Magpul MOE in black, flat dark earth, Foliage or OD Green, you need to know if you have a rifle length, carbine length, or mid length.  It only takes a second to measure your handguard before you want to replace it but we are often faced with the “I don’t know” when they ask us if we carry handguards.

When it comes to slings, unless you really know what  you are looking for, I wouldn’t be so worried about buying the wrong one, if you get a sling that you don’t like, replacing attachment plates or RSA Rail Attachments are only a $10-$15 trial run but it’s always best to go to the range and try somebody elses setup.  If you are ready to take a trip to Rogue Elite Tactical for Magpul Accessories for a sling or a gun case, do yourself a favor and get the specs on all of your AR15 Carbines that you are looking to equip, do you have a gas block?  When length handguard length do you want?  The iron sights you might want on your gun might not be right and you might find out at the wrong time that you purchased the wrong rifle stocks or accessories.  We have been highly recommending the Magpul MS3 slings because so many people are not sure if they want a single point sling or a 2 point sling and since the MS3 can do both, and has a quick adjustment loop, this really is the best of both worlds.  If you want the quick detach MS4 Sling, you’ll have to make sure you have those attachment points on  your stock, receiver, or handguard.  Let us know what you have and we’ll tell you what you can do.

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Slinging an AR15, things to think about and Spikes Tactical Upper Receivers might be for you

Spikes Tactical Upper ReceiversWe are often asked if we “sell slings” because everyone that takes a carbine course is going to have to have one, but there really is a lot to think about and we are often opening up boxes or showing them in display with one of our plastic black rifles at work just so the customer comprehends why you might want one over the other.    The most popular sling we sell are the Elite Survival Systems Single Point bungee slings but even though I have one on one of my carbines, I’m liking the Magpul MS3 Sling more and more each time I use it that I might do an eventual overhall of the firearm.   The most common problem we find people have when looking for a sling is finding out they have to get a sling attachment plate and the next thing is not knowing how to remove the plate they have.   It’s not a hard thing to do, but i have to admit that I know of 2 incidences where the detent on the rear take down pin of an AR can easily be lost because it will fly out of the back of the rifle when you are taking the castle nut off and replacing the Sling Attachement plates.   You just have to watch it on Youtube before you do it, and then take it slow and do it right.

Now that machining firearms is such an easier process, some of the quadrail systems out there like the Spikes STU5025-S2S have the QD (quick detachment) holes in them that you have multiple points on these Spikes Tactical Upper Receivers where you can place your sling.   Between have an MS4 sling and an AR15 with this type of AR15 Complete Upper Receiver, you are going easily be able to transition the firearm in multiple situations like climbing up ladders, kneeling positions or just standing guard.   It might not just be what type of sling you have anymore, the stocks, upper receiver rail systems, can all give you a edge in being a highly productive operator.

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Vertical Grips vs Angled Foregrips vs Magpul Hand Stop, Why?

Magpul Stocks and AccessoriesSo much of this industry is about customizing the Carbine to the person, the accessories you want on you firearm can change depending on your line of work or which range you are going to.   I see guys bring their Eotech or Aimpoint Magnifiers with them to certain competition shoots but most of the time leave it off because those magnifiers are a separate optic and having them on all the time means carrying a M4 Carbine with 2 optics on it.    The original trend towards using vertical grips was because of the flashlights, pressure switches, lasers and IR gadgets that many in the military were using, it’s hard to have a traditional rifle hold and still be able to access all of the buttons and switches.   I’ve personally run out of rail space on one of my AR’s and I’d have to make a decision about putting an extended rail on it or removing one of my optics and putting on an Aimpoint Micro T-1 or the Eotech EXPS2-0 just so I have the space to mount a laser or IR.

The angled foregrips can work as a slide stop but keep in mind, if you are using a flashlight and don’t have a pressure switch, you’re going to have to think long and hard about where you want to access flashlights because as soon as you put on another Magpul Grip, Rail Cover or other panel, you make a jigsaw puzzle for yourself.  One of the best ideas for AR15 Rifles is the Magpul MOE Stock because it gives you a better starting point and if you make major changes it might only mean having to buy a few different Magpul MOE Rail Sections instead of having to drop $180-$250 on a whole knew quad rail.   Most of the Magpul Stocks and Accessories we sell  have features on them that you should educated yourself about before you buy, like QD

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