AR rebuild kits

[Badgersmilk]

DPMS sells these kits for all their AR type rifles.  And most gun sites offer the kits for sale.  Of all the people out there with any brand AR, who's had to ever replace pieces inside the receiver?  Springs, pins, anything?  Wondering if the kit is really something practical to keep on hand.   

[m25operator]

Although you will probably never need it, I like extra parts, especially when they fit in a blister bag the size of 2 credit cards, that said, and AR is one of those rifles to the newbie, can hurl little springs and detents far, far away, and be very hard to locate, not a bad idea in that case.

[bafsu92]

I personally feel you should keep at least one spare of every spring, pin detent firing pin and extractor kit etc. for each rifle. If you're really serious about being prepared your next items to keep spares are a complete BCG or at the very least another bolt with extractor installed & retainer pin, a charging handle and a gas tube and pin. Most people don't think to keep a spare charging handle but it has a pretty decent chance of getting damaged, is pretty cheap and there's really no way to make your rifle run without it. I've upgraded all my rifles to either Gunfighter or Gas Buster charging handles but kept all my mil-spec take offs as spares. I keep one in my truck, one in my bug out bag parts kit and another few in my parts box at home. There are lots of places to pick up cheap spares individually, Whenever I place an order with PSA I add about another $10-$15 in pins, springs etc. I now have a tackle box full of parts and can always build another rifle without ordering a LPK if needed. If they or someone else has deals on LPK kits, like when they run their kit with magpul grip & trigger guard on a good sale I'll buy 1 or 2 and put it up.

Here's a good starter parts kit that includes a firing pin for $20: http://www.jsesurplus.com/dpmsfieldrepairkit.aspx
or a really good parts kit for $35: http://www.jsesurplus.com/dpmstheultimaterepairkit.aspx

Unless you can afford it I'm not suggesting buying a couple hundred bucks in parts just to sit on but if you're ordering something from anyone who stocks small parts buy $10-$20 each time you order. Most pins, springs etc. are a dollar or less so you'd be surprised at how fast you'll build a quality spare kit. Another good thing is to keep a generic roll pin kit, like from an auto parts house. A lot of things can be improvised with something like that.

[twyacht]

Wow bafsu,....nice prices at jse.

To the OP.....Yes, Yes, and Yes.....Keep spare everything. Heck, a complete upper, bolt assembly, firing pins, lower kits. You never know, when you might need it.

And the prices are subject to change.. Just ask those Saiga 12g folks....