Master gunsmith and author Patrick Sweeney guides you through more than a dozen projects that milk every ounce of performance out of your AR-15. Arming you with the technical details and data of critical performance parts, he demystifies the large and often daunting accessory choices available today and educates you on what upgrades perform best for what purpose. Best of all, he breaks down upgrading an AR into a simple-to-follow, step-by-step process you can complete in your own home with a minimum of tools. It’s no fuss, no muss gunsmithing that leaves you with a souped-up, hot-rod for a gun.

Learn To Customize Your AR-15 For

• Competition: Get clear on which details matter and what parts must meet competition specifications.
• Hunting: Customize your AR for anything from predators to big game, and tune the level of performance to your conditions.
• Self-Defense: Understand the best setup for defense, and which modifications are unnecessary or even ill-advised.
• Retro: Learn to recreate historically accurate versions with authentic parts and setup.

The era of plain vanilla ARs is over! Performance ARs have arrived, and Gunsmithing the AR-15 — Building the Performance AR gives you the technical details and the vital knowledge you need to create your own.

Contents

What the AR-15 Rifle is Made Of
BarrelsChapter 3: Barrel Installation
Bolts
Carriers
Buffers and Springs and Ports, Oh My Triggers
How Tight, What Color and What Rail?
The Truck Gun, Carbine & Handgun
The Truck Gun, SBR
Mk12, Mod 0 and Mod 1
Mk
The Varminter
Competition AR Open.
USPSA Tactical Limited
Heavy Metal
USMC M16A4
Service Rifle
Hog Guns & Blackout
Serious .30 with Wilson 7.62×40
Long Range 6.5 Grendel
Retro, the M16A1 & XM177
USPSA PCC
Big Bores
Rimfire for Practice and Varmints
Suppressors Uber Alles