EngrBob

Actually most of the head bad guys live here, too dangerous for them in Juarez. There are so many CBP, FBI, DEA and military living in the neighborhood that we could probably hold off a fairly concentrated attack, and have essentially no crime. By the way, I know what you mean about the ditch, chasing little springs and retention pins exercises my engineering creativeness - a magnet drag across a semi-shag carpet!!!! :banana:

Not my first post, but haven't gotten around to introducing myself. I am Bob, currently living and working in El Paso, Texas. I am new to the AR 308 and am nearly finished with my first (I see the disease and am afraid I have caught it already) build. Hanging out and gaining information from all of you has been a great help in making the process fun and keeping me generally out of the ditch. I look forward to many more builds and learning more from the masters here. ::)

Nathan, I told you!

OK, while waiting for the replacement gas block I attached the barrel and hand tightened the brake to ensure the threads were not damaged. It is starting to look like something.

Fortunately Faxon has already gotten back to me and they will deal with FedEx directly. I would like to but because of my job I could be accused of using my position to extract revenge. I have sent Faxon detailed pictures of the crown and at this point they do not feel there is any damage or issue. The barrel itself (an 18" moly steel QPQ nitride) is beautiful, smooth as a baby's bottom, very even color, and I did headspace it with my bolt and it checks out perfectly (getting the ejctor and extractor out and back in were a challenge - it was very tight). I will mount it later once I get final word from Faxon that they believe the barrel is OK and the gas block gets here). Unfortunately since they use FedEx exclusively the gas block may never get here. I did slide the barrel into the upper and hand tightened the barrel nut and everything fits together very nicely. Since we are heading to Alpine and Big Bend for Memorial day this will need to wait until I get back, and by that time I may cool down sufficiently to enjoy putting everything together. The bright side of this adventure has been the response of Faxon which has been exceptional so far (although they use FedEx exclusively).

Well, the scum sucking turds at FedEx Ground delivered the barrel. Of course the package was open, the packing at the crown of the barrel was missing as was the gas block. The red plastic covering the crown is marred so I don't know whether the barrel sustained any damage. Interestingly the barred had a pink/red tape around the open end with a lable with a series of numbers and a date, which was when the package was sitting in the FedEx depot in Hutchins, TX. Incompetent and thieves as well.

I was just going by the recommendations I picked up elsewhere on this board. I don't mind trying different approaches so I will keep these as potential changes in the future if not satisfied with Slash's. Thanks for the recommendation.

Thank you. Excellent presentation.

The 5.5 oz and no, the price he wanted for his tube was a bit too steep for a mil spec tube.

Yes, I have a six position carbine mil spec buffer tube, Magpul ACS-L stock, and Slash's heavy buffer and spring. These are installed and in the picture I posted earlier. The barrel is supposed to arrive tomorrow.

Here is a picture of the rail in its original box. Along side is the rail I will be using which is identical except that it is low profile. The rail in the box is DPMS high profile. The package includes the rail, barrel nut and lock washer, barrel wrench, spacer washers, and three two-slot rail sections that can be added at either the 3, 6 or 9 positions. According to the documentation the rail weighs 14.7 oz and is a 13" rail. It does havr anti-rotation tabs. Mfgs. suggested price is $155, I paid $130. Will trade for similar priced item (Lantac Dragon, upgraded stock, etc.) or sell for what I paid and I will eat standard shipping. Sorry for the delay in posting pictures but it has been a busy week.

To be safe, I ordered both the high and low profile versions of this rail (includes barrel nut, wrench,three additional rail segments, spacer washer). The lo-profile fit perfectly so I have the Hi profile in the box and never opened. I paid $130 and am willing to trade or sell for what I paid (I will eat ground shipping). If interested PM me.

No, it hasn't. It was shipped Wednesday and got to Hutchins, TX (outside of Dallas) yesterday afternoon but has been sitting there ever since. I just received a message from FedEx Ground that it would be delivered next Tuesday instead of Saturday with no other explanation. This is the only real shipping hangup I have had, everything else is here including the head spacing gauges. By the way. using the barrel nut I checked the UTG DPMS lo rail (I ordered both since it really looked like it measured high - 3/16") but the low profile fits perfectly. Good luck!

A bit late for me. They did send me the pins and the bolt catch and mag button.

Faxon web site lists the gas port diameters for both the 18" stainless and moly barrels at 0.081.

It is AIM Surplus. Go to the Accessories Store then down the sub-menus on the left side until you get to 308 AR Accessories. You should be able to go from there. They carry 3 which appear to be the same with different finishes, phosphate, nitride and NiB.

AIM Surplus is a distributor, apparently down the street from Faxon in Ohio. Some have said that Faxon uses their BCGs in testing but I don't know that for a fact. I did ask AIM if they were going to carry the Faxon 308 barrels, since they do carry the the 223 barrels, and they said they had ordered them but may not have them for a month or so. Since I plan on checking the headspace anyway, and since Faxon says their guarantee is to do what is necessary to make things right, I will send it back to them if I can't headspace with guages.

Actually I have decided (and ordered) to go with the Faxon 18" QPQ Nitride barrel and the AIM Nitride BCG. I expect to use this for both hunting and on the range and felt the nitrided parts would be a bit tougher. I did order the low profile gas block and tube from Faxon under the assumption (and you know what they say about ass_u_me) that their block should fit their barrel well. Now I can start thinking about rail, compensator and glass since I also ordered an ambidextrous charge handle. I am right handed but left eye dominant so I shoot lefty so teh ambi feature is a nice to have.

OK, ignoring the hijacking, here is the completed lower with slash's buffer, the Geissele G2S trigger, an Ergo grip and the Magpul ACS-L stock. Backing uo a bit and attaching the upper.

The Faxon 18" 4150 QPQ barrel is listed as about 2 lb. 5 oz. which is about 2 oz. lighter than the Rainer 16" select and 5 oz. less than the Rainer 18" select which are my other choices long with the Fulton Armory (Criterion) 18.5" lightweight which is about 2 oz more than the Faxon. I am not sure the FA is worth the additional expense compared to the Rainers and the Faxon.

You are most welcome. My eyes are considerably older than yours and I will likely end up with the 18".

I don't know if they are rebranded or not. The engraving says Spikes Tactical, Apoka, FL and has the Spikes spider and logos for fire and safe. I will finish the lower by the end of the week and will try to post pictures at that time.

I did order both the upper and lower of the Spikes .308 from different shops. The lower did NOT come with the pivot pins, bolt catch or magazine release; however, after calling Spikes they sent these to me. Unfortunately I had a .308 LPK and this lower does not use the allen screw pin for the bolt catch and I had to get a pin kit to get them installed. I have a Geissele G2S trigger, a HeavyBuffers weight and spring, a mil spec tube and a Magpul ACS-L stock arriving tomorrow to finish the lower build (my first). Impressions of the set is that they fit perfectly, no visible machine marks, and have extremely nice marking. My S/N is 314 so I expect there are a few out there. I expect to add an AIM NiB BCG and either a Faxon or Criterion 18" or 20" barrel over the next couple of months. Not sure what rail or optics yet, but I have time for that. By the way, discovered that I could get the vice blocks for both the AR-15 and the AR-308 from PlastiXrevolution for about 1/3 of the cost at any other supplier. I have them and they work perfectly. I have been lurking in preparation for this build and appreciate all of the information available in the discussions here. Thanks guys.