Making an AR a single shot for kids learning to hunt??? How to do it safely

S

SalemDawger

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I was going to buy my two oldest bolt guns for Christmas but decide they needed shotguns when I found an awesome deal on two new semi auto 20 gauges. I will have them hunt by loading only one shell at a time for safety and teaching like my dad did with me.

I am building a light carbine for them over the next few months for their birthdays. I was thinking, how could I build them without the gas tube so the will not repeat while they are learning? This way they could cycle the gun for followup shots.

Is tis possible? Could I safely install the gas block forward thus blocking the gas port?

Anyone ever do this?
 
get an adjustable gas block and close it off. or you could probably move the gas block to not line up with the gas port.
 
Originally Posted By: goose_boyAnd think about building them as side charge uppers, so they can somewhat stay on target.

I totally agree! I have a left charge OPS4 upper in my calling gun, I wish I could find two more. I saw some company a while back that had moved a CH forward atop the hand guard, very cool but out of my price range. I wish DPMS still made a pump charge AR upper. I think I' might try to machine a left charging port myself A gun smith quoted me like $450 to do it, it can't be that tough, can it?
 
The adjustable gas block is the simplest...

Consider finding an inexpensive five round magazine that you can block the follower to remain in the up/empty position (can't be loaded by small fingers) so that when they feed the rounds, the cartridges don't fall out through the bottom...We had a gal shooting benchrest that had done pretty much the same thing and it allowed her to feed cartridges that were over length in a single shot manner...The magazine follower will lock the bolt carrier group back after each shot as well..
 
The simplest is to put one bullet into the rifle, remove mag or put one round into mag. Why go through changing the gas block etc , etc. just load one round at a time for now.
 
Seems like a lot of trouble get them some handi rifles untill you are sure they respect and handle the weapons to your satisfaction,then give them their ars. After all it's kind of like giving someone a corvette and only let them use first gear.
 
Quote:Seems like a lot of trouble get them some handi rifles untill you are sure they respect and handle the weapons to your satisfaction,then give them their ars. After all it's kind of like giving someone a corvette and only let them use first gear.,,,I have to think you maybe have never raised kids on a limited budget and have money for multiple purchases..

Having been in the position of having to work two and three jobs to make ends meet and still provide a few 'toys' for my kids to enjoy, I can understand his thinking...Why by small and then have to upgrade to larger as they grow?? Just an extra expense when the future economy is so questionable and 'hyper-inflation' is potentially right around the corner...I remember the mid '70s when Jimmy Carter drove the interest rates for homes to 17 & 18% and wages didn't match...
 
Originally Posted By: coloradocatSeems like a lot of trouble get them some handi rifles untill you are sure they respect and handle the weapons to your satisfaction,then give them their ars. After all it's kind of like giving someone a corvette and only let them use first gear.

Because you won't have to try and sell the Handi for a huge loss once they grow up a bit.

Buy once, cry once...
 
OldTurtle you are right on here!

First off my kids don't NEED anything. They could hunt with the Rossi 243 we have for years to come and do just fine, well maybe, but I am growing tiered of buying "entry level" equipment for them, only to have to upgrade due to poor performance or them outgrowing stuff too quickly. In the last few years I have had to replace/ upgrade more than I can remember. Let me think, "kids" fishing rods and reels, a single shot 410, a cricket 22 rifle, two kids bows ( $100 pos that broke)cheap binoculars, cheap Kmart camo clothing and coats ( cold boys have no fun), cheap hiking boots (kids with blister have no fun), cheap rifle scopes, cheap snowboards and skateboards, entry level metal detectors and pin pointers, and on and on. I know I would be money ahead if I had just spent the extra money upfront for good equipment for them in the first place, plus learning might have been improved and I would have had to deal with less problems.

When my I turned 12 and was legal to hunt my dad gave me a beretta AL3 shotgun, that was 29 years ago and I still hunt with it. No, my boys don't need an AR, but I know me, and them, and it will not be too long before we will want a little better equipment. In time I know they will want one because I hunt with ARs anyways.

I will say the Rossi Trifecta has been a good little gun, I probably have the only "good one" they made and my son does not want to sale it.


Other benefits to an AR for my boys and me are, first I already have a lot of parts from my own builds, so I'm already ahead $ wise. Next, a sliding C.A.R. Stock is faster and cheaper than replacing a bolt action rifle stock I had to cut down and they have outgrown. My sons have shot mine a fair amount so they are comfortable with them. They can upgrade parts as they go including building their own uppers in larger calibers if they want to rifle hunt slightly larger game like antelope. They also already know how to clean an AR!

I know a semi auto is not the best way to learn to hunt, and I know if they are not used properly they present a possible danger in the excitement of shooting a coyote, that's why I will do as suggested above and make them hunt with an AR single shot.

By the way, I have nothing against handy rifles, and I fully understand some people will think I'm crazy for buying my 10 year old an AR 15, but to me a gun is a gun is a gun and I see no difference, they are nothing more than a tool that I am teaching my sons and one day my daughter how to shoot, own, and take care of with all appropriate safety and respect.

Thanks for the great input!
 
Salem, you're doing it right! Keep em to singles until they show you that they are ready. My 9 year old daughter just earned her first AR (my old one with as many light weight parts as I could stuff into it) I told her that once she proved herself with it, it was hers. It took her 2 years of one-at-a-time practice.

I started her with only 1 round in the mag at a time. I'd give her a couple extra mags, but only ever let her load 1 round in each. That way, it's still a single shot, and she was forced to practice the full mechanics of a safety check and a reload with every shot. It also gave me a chance to make sure she was doing everything right, every time. After 2 years of shooting one at a time, she graduated to 2rounds , then 3, etc (still only under full supervision). I think it also made her the dead eye that she is, she can out-shoot both grandpas and momma with it, and I fear I might be on the list soon too. Her first couple stands will still be single shot stands until she shows me that she can stay calm, focused, and safe.

Keep those kids outside! Whatever it takes.
 
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Mutthunter, thanks for the encouragement! My boys would be impressed by your daughter for sure. We have been fighting eye dominance problems. My right handed boy is left eye dom. But he has struggled for three years shooting left handed. I switched him back to shooting right handed and he is doing much better. My 7 year old is shooting well but is struggling to acquire targets in a red dot or scope. I have him shooting with open sights until he gets the feel of it.

Warboar, thank you for the awesome tip! That's why I love this place, I think you have found the cheapest and easiest solution!
 
I pulled the gas tube on my carbine to determine weather it was over gassed vs bad barrel (bad barrel). Without the BCG slamming into the bolt it was very hard to eject the spent case. I needed a block of wood and a hammer to tap on the BCG to unlock the bolt. If you have a well polished chamber, and light loads it may work. Good luck!
 
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