AR-15 ( M&P15R 5.45x39 ) Take Down / Field Strip

[OCG35]

what exactly is the red plastic spacer (between upper & lower)? I have excessive play in my M&P 15 - and would like to find a fix.

[ericandamanda338]

@OCG35 It's a rubber spacer thing called an Accu-wedge. Basically it's designed to take the play out from the upper and lower. On the M&P 15 like this one, you may have to trim the accuwedge down to fit. I guess S&W uses a slightly different lower than bushmaster, dpms... that this is designed for. It is made by dpms, so that makes sense. But it will work on a Smith and Wesson if you carefully trim it down. I like it, it's just kind of a pain in the ass to trim.

[kumadog286]

Im actually looking at one of these for my first rifle... do these accept regular .223 ar mags or do they need a special 5.45 magazine?

[ericandamanda338]

@kumadog286 You can use 5.56 mags, they just wont fit as many and may jam up on you. The 5.45 mags work flawlessly. I saw on smith's website that they are no longer making this rifle, or the upper. I may be wrong, but it isn't on there site anymore.

[igotmoreguns]

"Charging handle, set it where ever the f&ck you want, doesn't matter'.... L'dMAO at that !!!!

[ericandamanda338]

@igotmoreguns LOL, yup, that's how my dad and brothers talk all the time.

[scottagillette]

Thanks for the Video Eric, very helpful for my first time cleaning my M&P 15.

[ericandamanda338]

@scottagillette Your welcome. At least someone got some use from the video haha. I made it for my dad, but he has still yet to take his Colt apart to clean it. Shame on him lol.

[clap5]

the bolt for the 5.45 is different from the 5.56 right? or can you use any 5.56 ar bolt on your ar?

[ericandamanda338]

@clap5 Yes, the 5.45 bolt is different. The case head of the 5.45x39mm is larger than the case head of the 5.56 thus requiring a different bolt. I can put a 5.56 bolt in my carrier, but then I have to put on a new barrel with a caliber that can use a 5.56 bolt.

[clap5]

well now I need to look for a 5.45 bolt. SW doesn't sell individual parts do they?

[sullysbeer]

You mean no one noticed the BALL GAG shown at 1:56, 2:07 and really good at 2:53??

[ericandamanda338]

It's a toy for my cat... but whatever floats your boat.

[TheBaByHaDes]

u have 5 mags?

[ericandamanda338]

Yes.

[TMHonfire]

does it get dirty faster then a 223 ar?

[ericandamanda338]

No, not really. I clean every time I shoot it and never allow it to get really really dirty. The only difference is cleaning up after I use corrosive ammo. But you know all about that from your AK-74. To be honest, I feel that the 5.45 is a better round for the AR than the 5.56. I've shot over 1200 rounds of the cheapest ammo out there and haven't had a single problem.

[bamdizzle08]

do those lil wobble stoppers really work my m&p is loosening up on me.

[ericandamanda338]

It really does help a lot. Do you have an M&P lower or another lower? If you have an M&P lower you will have to trim the accuwedge a lot. I had to trim it down to almost nothing to make it fit in my M&P lower. If you have a mil-spec lower, then it should just pop right in without modification. It is well worth the 3 dollars.

[bamdizzle08]

its an m&p15x i was told its milspec, just no auto. im a little confused now as to what lower i have, like i said i was told its milspec.

[ericandamanda338]

Sorry for the confusion. I am by no means an expert. When I refer to mil-spec, I mean the lowers used by Colt, Bushmaster, DPMS, etc. The accuwedge is designed for these lowers. Our M&P lowers are slightly modified. Hence the accuwedge not being able to just drop right in like in Colt. I checked the S&W website and didn't see that the lower is "mil-spec". That is why I say the M&P is not mil-spec. I may be wrong, but I think the Colt and others are considered the stardard in lowers.

[bamdizzle08]

10-4, im no expert either, always willing to learn though. another question for ya. did you buy yours brand new? if so, did it come with any chromed components?

[ericandamanda338]

Yes, I bought mine brand new. I had a 5.56 Rock River on order and had already waited 3 months for it, with no clue as to when it would arrive. Then I saw the M&P15R and had to have it. Especially because of the ammo price and avaiability. And the bore, chamber and the insides of the bolt carrier are chromed. I want to get a fully chromed carrier, but I can't find them anymore.

[bamdizzle08]

yeah i know what you mean, availability of accessories has gone to shit. you would think that all these companies would be busting ass a lot more than what they are. i know i like making money. lol

[xycoordinatex]

Damn M16 lower...that'd cost as much as a new car lol. That old 75 ammo i got is REALLY dirty to the extreme. You could smell the different powder composition between 270-81 vs. 75. I got some smoke fume in my glasses and that thing burns my eyes like onions!!! no lie!

[ericandamanda338]

You're right, it would cost me as much as a car lol. That's exactly why I don't have one. Was the whole batch of ammo the 75 stuff? I've heard the older stuff is really dirty, didn't realize it was onion powder in disguise lol. I want to try a gas piston system but they're damn expensive and I know if I put it on myself, something is bound to go wrong.

[xycoordinatex]

If it's gas piston don't you have to take off the gas block? I pretty much hate anything that has to do with taking gas block off the barrel. I'd rather buy a new gas tube every ummm...5 years or 10000rnds or so lol...cus all I'll be doing is punch off the roll pin, yank the tube off, and put a new one in. But yea, I don't know...I want one too lol.

[xycoordinatex]

Oh, forgot to mention one thing. I wish I can make a vertical grip spring loaded that slide free back and forth along with recoils...that'd def make bumpfire a dream come true. You know what I'm talking about?

[ericandamanda338]

Yeah, I definetely know what you mean in both cases. Gas tubes are easy to change, I think the only advantage of the piston is not getting all that gunk in the receiver. Is it worth a couple hundred dollars, hell no. I could put that money to another gun, or a couple thousand more rounds of ammo lol. That's not a bad idea about the vertical grip. It would really feel good during bump/full auto fire. I'm no engineer (molecular biologist actually) but that doesn't sound hard to make.

[ericandamanda338]

You know what would also be really cool. If someone would start producing brass and bullets for reloading the 5.45. It wouldn't be cheaper than the surplus, but it would be cleaner and probably a little more accurate due to better quality bullets. Plus the brass cases would be nice as opposed to the steel. I don't think that steel will wear anything out faster, but it's by no means as soft as brass.

[xycoordinatex]

LOL!!! EXACTLY I saw several 5.45 dies set and bullets but no brass to be found anywhere.

[ericandamanda338]

I read somewhere that you can make the brass from .222 Rem cases because they have the correct head size. I haven't seen any bullets for them, so I am very curious as to where you found them? That would be a big step in the right direction. In the same article I also read that you can swage? .224 bullets down to the correct size via a special kind of die.

[xycoordinatex]

I found dies on midway but bullets on some weird outter US website. You know, maybe the dies arnt for 5.45x39 but rather than for 5.45x18...a really weird russian pistol round. I still don't think it will ever happen in this life time lol.

[xycoordinatex]

Hey, that cheap ammo I told you about from sportsman's guide actually shoots pretty awesome...feels just like wolf, fair accuracy out to 5-600yrds! but they still can't beat silver bear though. They looks ugly with lacquer coated and a little bit dirty, as dirty as wolf with gum and waxes...but mildly corrosive. I already sent them a complaint cus they said its "non-corrosive" when it is. For half the price, I am buying some more this week 600 more rounds!

[ericandamanda338]

Cool. I'll have to get some. I for the price of that ammo, I'll take the extra time to clean my rifle. I still want to try the silver bear too, but like you said, it's pricey. Thanks for keeping me posted.

[xycoordinatex]

Hey I just bought the same rail panels lol but only 2.

I got a question. My flash hider seems to be positioned @ 11 o'clock tight on its thread (pointing muzzle down range), does it supposed to do that?

So, far I got a very good news on silver bear 60gr. I've tried wolf milclass 70gr and 60gr, both are dirtier than silver bear and less accurate...about 3moa or so. But silver bear can cut down to 1.25moa. And now I got to test the up-coming Bulgarian non-corrosive 52gr!

[ericandamanda338]

I haven't tried the silver bear yet, but I will now after your recommendation.

Generally you want the want the flash hider @ 12 o'clock, depending on the hider. Are you using the A2 flash hider or do you have an after market one? Is there a crush washer or peel washer behind the flash hider?

I want to buy a case of the Bulgarian surplus too. I hear all of it is corrosive regardless of the advertising. Did you find some that isn't corrosive?

[xycoordinatex]

Wait, my bad it wasn't Bulgarian, I got mixed up saying something else. It's a 1990's 5.45 but alright I'm not going to be an AMMO HOG! =]

I got it from sportsman's guide website, those thing ran out fast...they still got 52gr. 300 for $45 or 600 for $87. They are non-corrosive, not like russian 7N6 surplus. I want a 1080rds tin can but they don't have those. Silver bear are much more expensive I paid $82 for 300.

[xycoordinatex]

Yea, its an A2 flash hider and has washer behind it...so I got to fix that too then! Darn it, first they came with a bent dust cover that doesn't close properly until I fixed it and...now they got a bent flash hider too lol...more work for me.

[ericandamanda338]

Dang, the dust cover was bent. What did you have to do to fix that? About the flash hider, you should be able to just torque it down to get it aligned right, its easy. Unless it is torqued past 12 o'clock, then you may need a new crush washer, about 2 or 3 dollars. Good deal about the ammo. I've got to save a little money fist though, just bought 2 Mosin-Nagant 91/30's. I'm glad you're not one of the people hoarding up on ammo. It's getting ridiculous. I can't even find 9mm ammo anymore.

[xycoordinatex]

Yep all sold out in every walmart nation wide. One of my friend she thought she got a good deal on a 9mm online but she didn't read it carefully, and ended up getting a 1000 brass cases lol. Sent them back though.

Oh that I just bent them back using pliers. I didn't know it was bent at first, the dustcover didn't close at all..so I thought its the spring and I almost screw that part up until I realized it was bent, not sure why. Now its almost perfect.

[xycoordinatex]

YESSS finally someone do a review on M&P15R...now I can finally delete my unwanted videos.