Hello all, I'm fairly new to the AR15 platform. About 6 months ago I bought the basics M&P 15 Sport without forward assist or dust cover. The rifle has been flawless with 500 rounds through it of steel case Russian ammo. Initially I thought I wouldn't really need/want the FA & DC but now seems that my mind has changed, I'd feel better if my only AR15 rifle would have FA & DC, so I've decided to buy a new upper that already comes with these two features installed in it for $80, so the question is, how much should I pay to have this installed on my M&P 15 Sport? What's a fair number? Should I even consider doing the installation myself? Thanks in advance for your constructive comments.

Actually, you really don't need those items, all M16s issued to the USAF in the Nam era didn't have them. But as you wish. There is no reason you can't do it yourself, there are many, many You Tube videos addressing all you need to know. You may need to purchase a few tools, but those are good to have anyway. Everything else, barrel, hammer and trigger, take down pins and safety and buffer tube should just transfer over. It is a very easy rifle to work on. Good luck.

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Bring it to my house. I'll do it for free.

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Just out of curiosity, what changed your mind after 500 flawless rounds?

You'll want an upper receiver vice clamp and a barrel nut wrench (tapco is a decent one). Remove the hand guard, remove roll pin retaining gas tube (pay attention to how the gas tube runs through the barrel nut/delta ring so you know how it should be orientated upon assembly), put upper receiver in vice clamp and tighten in vice, unscrew barrel nut (you'll be pushing the wrench into/up against that delta ring(which will stay assembled on the barrel nut as it comes loose). Once barrel nut is completely unthreaded from OEM upper, pull off barrel. Put new upper in vice block/vice, insert barrel and tighten the barrel nut to anywhere from 30-60 ft lbs of torque, whats more important here is lining up the barrel nut to allow the gas tube to go in to upper receiver. Install gas tube and roll pin (probably want a new roll pin here).

That's about it other than putting your charging handle, BCG and whatever rear sight from old upper to new upper.

As far as what a gun smith will charge, I'd have no idea, but I wouldn't think it would be too much.

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Rod
M&P 22A, 40c, 15A, 15-22

Thanks for all your comments. It seems that most of you are in favor of me doing it myself, it sure gives me a lot of confidence. According to some of your comments it does not seems to be too complicated. To address cyphertext's question, it came down to aesthetics and "what if SHTF" type of situation, it would make me feel more at ease to have it than to not have it, just in case. Lastly, the price is right. For $79.00 free shipping no tax, I can by a very good assembled upper from Aero Precision.

Anyway, if one of you has any idea as to what the cost of installation should be for this job, then that would be a deciding factor whether I'd do it myself or just have someone else take care of it if it isn't too steep that is. Thanks again.

Aero Precision has a good reputation and 80 bucks for an assembled upper is quite good. However, assembling the forward assist in an upper is a near no brainer no effort task. What is tricky is installing the barrel and getting the barrel nut torqued properly. The cost for having this done by a gunsmith will probably be rather close to the cost for the tools to do it yourself. So, if it's only going to be a one time deal you may want to pay to have this done. If you think you may build some more AR's down the road, a purely enjoyable thing to do, spend time on youtube and learn how to do it for yourself. One big plus for the AR is that even the "difficult" part of putting one together isn't Rocket Science and is actually more a matter of paying attention to details rather than being super skilled.

And the Truth-O-Meter says 50% true. AF M16's of that era did not have FA which Eugene Stoner always said was unnecessary and was mandated by the Army but did have dust covers. As a matter of fact prototype SN 000002 had a dust cover, but what did those guys know, many of today's Sport owners say it's not needed so there you go.

My serial numbers 000046 and 000047 have the dust cover and FA

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Rod
M&P 22A, 40c, 15A, 15-22

I always thought the first ones had the ejection port cover, but on a show I saw last night, they stated that the original design did not have them... they were added at the same time the forward assist was added for the Army.

Thanks so much guys. I just ordered the upper and have decided to have it installed, I was quoted between $45 - $60 by a local gunsmith so it shouldn't be too bad. I decided since the rifle is coming completely apart I will have a single point sling mount installed on it as well. I'll come back to this post and follow up after the install and give you guys a range report once I get to shoot it. Thanks again

picture too!

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Rod
M&P 22A, 40c, 15A, 15-22

Most definitely

Saying that the Air Force got along fine without the FA is not a good endorsement for not having one. Let's face it, it wasn't the AF slogging through the mud.

The forward assist serves one great function, getting the bolt closed that last 1/8". If you do a chamber check, and you should, there is a chance that the bolt could stay back a tiny bit. Yes, you could use your thumb in gas port recess in the bolt carrier, but the FA is better.

Now, I've shot thousands of rounds through my AR. I've also done thousands of administrative loads. I've also done thousands of dry presses. Thus, I've done thousands of chamber checks. Not one malfunction of any kind in all those shots, loads and dry presses. I've never had to use the FA. Still, I want it there for that one possible time.

Definitely better to have it and not need it than...

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Freedom isn't free.

Many of you know I also have the Sport w/o FA or DC. I certainly can't imagine a time a dc would ever benefit me but on a rare occasion maybe the FA. On that rare occasion I like the idea of popping the FA as apposed to thumb or I guess trying to recharge using CH. in fact I have come to feel that for a SHTF scenerio I want nothing to do with an AR, I will trust my life with the AK with its ease of bolt manipulation. Not trying to start a war and I do enjoy the Sport. I have just purchased a scope for it as most of you know from another post. But as flimsy as AR bolt manipulation is with that hard to grab in a hurry CH, is is really taking extremes to have a FA that can be easily snapped forward in an unlikely scenerio? Of couse this brings us back to the always imp question: what is the main purpose for the Sport?

thoughts....

You should be able to get it done for $50-$75 if you don't want to buy the tools and do it yourself.

Being new to ARs, you might consider holding up a bit until you learn what rifle you really want. If someone else does the work, you'll have $150 more into a non-benefit addition to a $500 rifle. If you use the labor money to buy the tools and do it yourself, that's money well invested in education and tools.

A $150 trigger would be a great improvement to the rifle.

Thanks ChattanoogaPhil, just out of curiosity, what are the tools needed for this job?

Armorer tool, vise block to hold receiver, vise, hammer, punch, torque wrench... I might be forgetting something.

Dust cover for SHTF.

Camo duct tape satisfies my cool factor needs.
Only kidding.
Jim

Cypher covered it. An A2 front sight block is used by some but isn't necessary.

There's a lot of great vids on the Net to help build confidence before tackling. Brownells has some good vids on front sight and barrel removal/replace.

As long as you're at it... might do some shopping for a free float handguard, low profile gas block and folding front sight... just a thought.

Caution, spending money on these guns is addicting and never ending!

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How about u

Sorry, you are right, we did have the dust cover, old age memory again.

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Endeavor to persevere. <><

Just to bring things into perspective, after TET Offensive the AF Security Police did A__ in the Grass duty also. We took over all outer perimeter security, including ambushes outside the bases. It was a fair deal as up to that time Army and Marine forces had helped with that. Westmorland set things straight. Also,thanks for your service.

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Never let it be said that I tried to diminish the value of any military member's service to our country. If my comments came off that way, please understand that was never the intent.

Still, in the interest of truth about the use and operation of the M-16, you have to admit that the USAF is not the standard by which its durability was established. All the while, not forgetting that the USAF Para-Rescue team is the most difficult training and duty in all of the armed services. Not only do those guys have to be Seal level combat experts, they have to be paramedics as well.

The reason the USAF did not receive M-16s with FAs and DCs was more due to the lack of assets than the reliability of the original M-16 design. It was the Army and Marines that get the first upgrades when it comes to general rifle issue.

Now that time has passed, all the M-16s and M-4s in service have both FA and DC. Even the really old ones (I used an M-16 recently that had the word Auto scratched out and replaced with Burst on the selector).

So, I reiterate, the FA and DC are hardly necessary for the average civilian. Even so, if you want to be the best prepared you possibly can be, the FA does have some value.

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If there's a stoppage during a fight, I would't first be playing around with the FA but rather slap the mag to make sure it's seated then pull back on the charge handle to get another round chambered.

It's too bad the guy can't just get his rifle the way he wants without all the rhetoric...

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Rod
M&P 22A, 40c, 15A, 15-22

But there is usually some pretty good info and history from members like Phil, Rastoff, and Padre.

I recently had the same decision on DIY or find a gunsmith as the OP. I was building up a AR15A1 out of a repatriated Colt A1 parts kit. The cost to have the upper built up by someone who built ARs for a living was about the cost of the tools. Since I don't plan to assembly any more ARs and already had a Sport, I had the upper built. Plus I know the work was done right.

I know the OP differs, and I respect that, but having both a FA upper and a slick side upper, I don't miss the FA and DC.

Here are some pics if the final product. Have not shot it yet but the gunsmith did test fired it OK, he also installed a single point sling attachment, so for both installations (Upper swap and sling attachment that is) I was charged $50.00 the only two things I will add very soon are: an Aimpoint Pro and a forend grip.

Let me know your thoughts.. Thanks!

Looks great!

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Rod
M&P 22A, 40c, 15A, 15-22

Looks good to me. I expect to hear a range report soon.

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Freedom isn't free.

Very nice, your guy did well.

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SFC, US Army, Retired