Can a Fire Damaged PSA AR-15 be saved? - Part 1
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- This AR was donated for educational purposes only. Don't try this at home.
We will continue this video series until we can safely test fire this AR.
Stay tuned for more videos.
I’m just saying, why save a psa ar15 at all? It’s gonna cost more to save it than to buy a new one from the store.
wHy sAvE A pSa aR? tHe RePaIr WiLl CoSt MoRe ThAn It'S WoRtH!
why even take your dog to the vet, you might as well kill it and buy a new one
@@SchooloftheAmericanRifle I'm actually unironically asking the same question. What would be the point of going this route instead of just buying a new one, other than sentimental value. I'm not a gun knowledge person, are this rare in any capacity?
@@radiod698 Read the description
@@bweh2150 I know this is for education purposes. That's readily apparent.
Obviously the labor to resurrect this AR is far more than the cost of a complete replacement, but still fascinating to see the process.
Imagine a world where you can't just go out and buy replacements
But now he has experience with fire damage repair. For a weapon with historical or sentimental value, it might be worth the cost.
especially since PSA offers a lifetime warranty on all the guns they produce themselves, the cost of a replacement would be $0.
@Lucifer Morningstar this is for if you can't just go get new parts, and to find out what happens.
@Lucifer Morningstar 🤣🤣😱
Looks like the same dude who did that buffer spring installation did the electrical wiring in the house. 🔥 Lol
Lol
Pretty sure it was opened up and inspected before being sent off. Possibly by the insurance company. And then put back together incorrectly
@@davisjames8484 I don't know...he actually broke the takedown pin trying to get it out. I'm thinking it was probably safety checked and that's about it. Chad says (and shows) that there's actually an impact mark on the lower from the carrier key impacting it. I think the owner was firing it like that personally. Probably would have seemed noticeably over gassed to someone who knew what they were doing. I'm thinking this owner probably wasn't that person though 😅
That pistol grip looks california compliant, meaning it makes the rifle highly inaccurate and irresponsibly dangerous.
Ca compliant rifles be like: (I’m Californian sadly)
Well a ca compliant gun wouldn't have a 30 round mag in it because no sane person outside of cali would use a cali grip
@@Mari-sd5mw they do be goofy
@@Mari-sd5mw that looked like a pretty short bastardized mag to me, it screams California haha
thats democrats for ya. making everything less safe while taking your liberties away at the same time.
I chuckled when you pulled the buffer out backwards. I like you doing CSI because it's very educational on what happens to a rifle that's been in a fire.
*charred and mangled corpse of an AR
*Sees reversed buffer assembly
"THERE'S your problem!" 🤡
@@OutsideTheTargetDemographic ok Karen
That poor rifle probably started the fire after being assembled like that :)
@@OutsideTheTargetDemographic 😂 HAHAHAH
I was thinking the same thing before I came to the comment section. Like wtf!?
Backwards.... no wonder the buffer spring came out jacked up. Damn.😞
Guy told his insurance it was a Knights Armament SR-15 with an Eotech Exps3
Classic PSA owner...Sight Mark and a backward buffer...
the owner did us proud!
A friend had his gun shop broken into years ago. The fools attempted entry with a torch and ignited a few boxes containing Mk18s and the place went up. Insurance paid out and I was able to bring home a mpx, a 6920, a ddi ar15, a sig 938, and a vepr in 308. None were as damaged as yours, mainly some flash rusting. All have been refinished with cerakote and are fully functioning firearms today. Beat $100 I ever spent.
Not that I actually care about compliance with gun control, but out of curiosity how does that work? When the guns are burned up does that count as them being "demilled" so no transfer is needed? That's an awesome haul btw. I had a similar feeling several years ago when the milita I was working with we found and raided a big cartel "base" of sorts. The local police chief wanted to reward us and so I asked for the DTNVG night vision unit after it was cleared by evidence and checked to not be stolen military hardware. The local swat thought it was a handheld unit so they passed on claiming it, not realizing you can buy a dovetail arm to mount it to a helmet.
@@DaveSmith-cp5kjwtf lol where do you live?
@@jakisfly California. There is a LOT of cartel and terror cell activity throughout this state, and consequentially there are a lot of militias that popped up. Cops are also blocked here from doing a lot of policing by corrupt state and city officials so they frequently call on volunteers on the down low. For example it is illegal for cops to use thermal imagers to look for pot houses or use water test kits chemical warfare agents in water runoff of a backyard, but legal for an average citizen to do so and then report their findings through the crime tip network. Stuff like that.
@@DaveSmith-cp5kj that’s honestly insane and fascinating, I’m surprised they don’t call you vigilantes and try to prosecute you all for protecting your communities.
@@jakisfly Oh they do for sure, the county DA for example tries to get involved to stop it, and we have had negative press from our local paper twice (which of course is owned by USA Today, so it it is regular corporate propaganda). But we make sure we review the law before we do anything, and every single thing is recorded and names taken down to prove what we are told. Generally if things get too heated the Sheriff steps in who can actually override the police department's arrest due to being an elected official rather than appointed. It's important to know your local government well, and on a personal level.
There are of course some militias that go "black" and do whatever they want as true blue vigilantes, but you would never find them. We only know they exist because they pull a batman kind of thing where they anonymously report the leftovers if it is something that needs LE review such as the presence of chemical weapons, enslaved children (more common than you would think), drugs, or something of that danger. That was the thing when Biden first took office and there was surge of crossings over the southern border and there was a ton of gunfights happening with bodies littered across the entire border, most of that was probably black militias because it makes zero sense for cartels and illegals to kill each other. Typically cartels use rip crews which just steal product from other caravans, they don't resort to violence because there is no need and most rip crews are composed of middle aged people with dad bodies and junk. So I can't see them getting into night-time firefights.
The FBI is definitely focused on looking for black militias, and personally I believe that's probably why 2021 was the deadliest year for the agency with nothing to show for it. They aren't even releasing the total casualty rate anymore, as they used to state the agent's full identity and the situation they were killed in to honor them. Considering how many times the FBI has been caught doing felonies as of late, the context of their death probably is something they don't want to draw attention to.
Buffer in backwards, “PSA owners be like:”
WOW 😳 I was sure wondering what had happened to you and this great channel ! Been awful boring not seeing your awesome content , sure have learned a lot from your videos ! Thanx 😊👌
I would definitely attempt to make it functional. It would be a great challenge/labor of love. I love resurrecting things others have written off.
Doing a Rockwell hardness test on the upper and lower seems like it would be the quickest way to find out if the gun is salvageable or not.
But that would be pretty short content.
it's aluminum.
@@SignalJones it is indeed aluminum
@@jstud999 the issue isn't hardness, you don't exactly temper aluminum like steel. The receivers have probably been annealed, true. But they could be rehardened by holding at 250f for 24 hours then air cooling. Keep in mind though - kitchen ovens aren't usually up to the task, and vary wildly in actual temperature over their run cycles.
Looking at PSA's website and seeing how cheap it is to buy a replacement is quicker.
Wow haven't seen this thing since I worked for Weatherby. every once in a while, I'd get a rifle like this in. The quickest test is with a Rockwell test measures the depth of penetration of an indenter under a large load (major load) compared to the penetration made by a preload (minor load). of critical areas to see if the metal has lost its hardness.
If not, it was only a matter of refinishing the metal and replacing certain items.
I would like to see the accuracy once the restoration is completed.
Had that happen to a couple m4s, and m2, and a 120mm mortar at work in a vehicle fire. Aim points on the rifles worked just fine but armament took said they were total losses, m2 and the 120 are still kicking though.
That backwards buffer was very unexpected
This video should of been 2 hrs long. Best thing I've watched on a Saturday night in months.
I can't believe the buffer was in backwards 😂😆😂
I imagine that the composition/integrity of the steel components changed, depending on the temp of the fire.
A file could probably give you a quick test as to whether any annealing happened.
Projects like this have value learning techniques that carry over to other applications.
Gun was loaded with round in chamber, magazine round cooked off first, the heat took longer to get to the ro und in the chamber.
when the chambered round went off, the imagines was already blown so it didn't rechamber a round because the mag was blown. The gun didn't fully go into battery after firing.
I've been waiting for this after you made that community post! This is gonna be good!
Just stumbled upon this video, wow , educational, and the backward buffer , wow ! Man I love your videos! I share them all the time . Jeez this is a first for me , fire damaged and seeing the possibility of some components being saved . Thank you for the education.
I can’t believe the buffer was in backwards. Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if it came that way from PSA.
Or assembled by the average PSA customer
Nah. It was definitely the person that put the sight mark on it
No way that PSA QC is that bad? I got 1 GF3 1AKP and 1 AKV all psa and they are all pretty damn nice.. I should have bought zastava m70 due to heavier construction or a iwi galil ace but I went PSA (not a fanboy of psa but likes them)
I could see a parts seller at the gun show packing a buffer/tube kit like that before bagging it, but I'd have to be a dummy to install it in that order...
@@boogalooslav6943 yes PSA qc is that bad, i had several bad ones before i learned my lesson
I like using a pvc pipe section, one end capped and one removable for soaking. Takes less of your solution to fill.
As he pulls out the backward installed buffer spring and buffer... "Well, it is a total loss now!!" lol
How did primers get on the buffer if it was installed backwards 🤔 love the content man great job
I’m surprised the insurance company paid out, they don’t like writing checks for firearms.
They do if you specifically have insurance for firearms. Most people with insurance overlook that when getting insurance.
THANKS FOR SHARING!! And to the sub who provided it!
I’m impressed that they got the buffer in there backwards. I’ve never seen that before, first time for everything I guess.
I know right. On my first build I wanted to see how easy it is, since the dems say it is, so I did my assembly with only any instruction included with parts, then went back and did a shit ton of videos and reading and even on my first try I round tell which direction the buffer went. Assembly isn't that hard but Def tricks and specs are important so I re built. Was more just to familiarize myself.
It's not camera-friendly, but what I did when I needed to soak my No 7 bench plane in Evaporust was I got a 24" length of 4" ID schedule 40 and a couple drain caps. It minimizes how much Evaporust you need to pour to submerge a long, narrow object. Highly recommend it, use a siphon pump to transfer into and out of the pipe.
Daaaaaaaaaaaaamn. That thing is toasty.
"Original condition, fired once..."
My mind was blow seeing the buffer put in backwards lol. Now I’m curious would it still fire and function like that?
The impact marks on the lower from the carrier key impacting it seems to suggest it would kind of work 🤷♂️ it would definitely seem over gassed if it did function though and sooner or later things would certainly start to fail
I bought a complete a2 stock/buffer kit. There was a plastic cap screwed over the tube to hold the spring/buffer in the stock, and when I removed it the buffer was in backwards. It was done this way so the buffer wouldn't fly out and hit someone in the face while unpacking/assembling. My theory is that this guy's buffer/tube was packaged in a similar manner, and since it was his first build he didn't realize it was shipped backwards for safety purposes.
@@jeffjefferson2853 I doubt that considering the gun has been fired a decent amount but I guess it’s possible I suppose
First time I used Evaporust was on a blued piece that had some rust showing. Bluing is a form of rust...something I hadn't thought of at the time! I surprised to return to a completely shiny piece of steel after it has sat for a bit. That stuff works! Great for prepping for a complete re-bluing.
I thoroughly enjoy your content. Great stuff. Thank you. And yea, I chucked too when the buffer came out backwards, and with the primers stuck to the tail end of the buffer to boot!
The fact that the buffer was in backwards it saved it from melting haha.. what a cool video..
well that took a strange turn real quick when the buffer spring came out
Never thought of this, can't wait to see the final result
1:02 I'm a little confused about the 275 degree limit for 7075 aluminum. Some bake-on coating manufacturers state that coated parts should be baked at 300 to 325 degrees for an hour. Is that a no-no?
7075 is tempered between 300-500 degrees CELCIUS, so maybe there’s where the confusion lies.
@@PS-rr2jt I'm pretty sure both temps are in Fahrenheit. SOTAR (Chad) is an English-speaking American residing in the U.S., and the coating companies are located in the U.S. as well.
@@blueeyeddevil1 I know he’s American. CELCIUS is the what scientists and engineers use (regardless of what country they live in) and 7075 is tempered at 300-500*C. That’s all I’m saying. If he’s saying that 275*F will damage the aluminum, he’s wrong.
@@PS-rr2jt No, I get you. Perhaps he'll replace and clarify it.
Maybe he’s concerned about annealing the frame, 275C is just below the annealing temp. 275 jumped out to me when he said it because I’ve used Cerakote on receivers.
Oh yeah man I’d tell my insurance company that was 100 percent an original EOTech
Spit shine and shell be back in commission in no time, I love how the buffer was in backwards haha that lower will be fine tho love all your videos man keep up the great work 👍
Good to see you back! Great content! I've learned a lot from you!
One thing is for certain, the configuration it was received in still wasn't NY compliant.
I jest.
Thank you for posting again on CZcams. In my country I can not reach your own private website so the only way of reaching your content is through CZcams. Thank you.
Get a VPN, then you can reach content anywhere.
Vinegar works well to remove rust. I'm guessing that's probably the main ingredient in that Vaporust
nice, thanks for doing this video appreciate the art that takes place in these videos
14:29 "This thing is toast."
Sir, that thing was toast before it ever left the box.
The real crime is the choice of optic
Glad to see another video from SOTAR. You had me worried!
What in the house fire!!!! poor little guy hope it makes a full recovery
Although it is comfornia compliant so on the other hand it got put out of its misery if it don't make it
That ar-15 is in better shape than some of the old horse equipment I've been working on lately
Really enjoy these restoration type videos, nice work!
AK guys are like "I don't see anything wrong, should work fine...." Thanks for a great video !
Dang I've been putting my buffers in backwards all this time?
That sightmark lockup.. lawd geezus talk about securely mounted hardware
"So you've torched your PSA AR-15 in a trailer fire because you passed out drunk with a lit marlboro in your mouth again? Well this is the video for you"
Dayummmm. Got to see where this goes.
This the most extreme torture test Ive ever seen.
"It wouldn't be something I would trust for a defensive or duty gun."
I wouldn't trust a brand new PSA for either of those things.
Very interesting, Chad. Been waiting to see this. If anyone can restore it to it's former glory it is you.
Happy to see a new upload from you 👍
Alright, can't wait to get that out on a tray.... awesome video, can't wait to see the rest.
Great little series. Thanks for sharing your work on this.
Id almost guess someone was shooting reloads that were dropping primers into the buffer tube due to the buffer being installed wrong.
Buffer assembly was backwards, castle nut wasn't staked, and I can only imagine what the torque values of everything were set to. I would say that gun being put to the fire was a blessing 😂
I enjoyed your video. It's the only one of its kind out there!
Amazing video. Looking forward to the follow up video.
Can’t wait to see the finished product
Looking forward to the next few videos on this!
Use Kano kroil on the barrel nut. It works great. It will also work on any heat frozen parts
I'm a huge fan of Evaporust. I've used it for both firearms and automotive applications. Fantastic stuff.
Rather than the plastic bins, I wonder how those vacuum garment storage bags would work for soaking parts? Might minimize the amount of fluid necessary for a longer assembly..
Yeah but it's hard to keep the fluid where you want it I would put it vertically in a pipe with a cap.
the fluid also off gases as it works, so you do not want it sealed up in a bag.
@@jasonpressler7111 ah, if it bubbles, that'd be a problem.
Prayers to whoever this AR came from. Had a house fire back in 2012, and even when the insurance comes through, it's a tough time while you're putting your life back together. I'm interested to see how the gun turns out.
Sightmark and a buffer installed backwards. Def a PSA owner.
Honestly gotta say this is amazing camera work, so glad is wasn’t shot on a tripod
That’s an FN made magazine too!!!! (Based on the code on the side of the mag).
Reminded me of the 2003 fire of the tent city in Kuwait. Where redeployment of troops from OIF. A USMC unit lost all their gear, just burned up weapons left.
Next week on Garand Thumb: Burning Rifle Test: AR vs AK vs Beretta vs Galil vs HK.
Really interesting look into a burnt up rifle
That will be an interesting fix
While guns are not creatures, and this might be silly, but I'd like to think if it had a soul, it'd appreciate being saved from being condemed to a shreder/garbage.
ALSO Judging by the way that mag looks, it looks more like it had a sharp force rip it apart ie the rounds inside might have cooked off in the fire blowing up.
I think that if it's unsafe for duty it's unsafe for rounds and rounds at the range. But it was interesting to watch. Thanks
Can't wait to see how it comes out. 👍👍
its either AvE or Elementalmaker but one of them has a video about diy evaporust if interested
I’m jealous seeing that seeing that much evaporust in one place it’s like 30$ a bottle lol
It probably went off, cycled, and went off again.
if the receivers are savable, that would be one heck of a brag. 'yeah, this rifle survived being on fire.'
i mean, i don't see it as more than a long shot, but you never know.
Another comment on how amazed I am at the backwards buffer... 😮 🤯 🤣
You should keep the Finish in its current state
Its Like a gun a pirate would use
Buffer and spring in backwards 😆 "Building" an AR is easy but I guess not easy enough for some people. This person was firing this thing like that? I'm guessing it seemed a little over gassed 🤔
I doubt the person that puts the buffer assembly in backwards knows what "over gassed" even means.
Order of events was probably:
1. Bought rifle
2. Fired half a mag at range
3. Stored loaded because it cycled all 15 rounds almost without issue
4. Is now self defense rifle
5. Currently in comments sections across the internet talking about how everybody is wrong and that his PSA rifle never had any problems
@@jpowens2253 the amount of carbon on the bolt boat tail (pt 2) this gun had 100’s of rounds through it. Just saying
It probably came from PSA like that lmao
Well being as the slip pins are all ruined and busted out of the fore and aft reciever group and bolt assembly I see the buffer and spring were installed reverse of what they should have been and temper is pretty much gone from the springs and frame groups the slide buffer tube is a part that needs to like the rest of the parts keep its temper. And if rounds cooked off in that rifle the frame works has to be checked for stress cracks blow out Mark's and scrap metal like primers and brass within the working inner surfaces of the bolt carriage assembly I'd be leery of the barrel as well check for projectiles lodged in the barrel from the cooking off of ammo.
Wow I thoroughly enjoyed watching this video! Awesome job! One question I have which may be kind of hard to answer but where do you purchase your "professional" firearm tools from such as your guages, mallets, punches, plastic tools and other parts you would consider required for gunsmithing? I know there's a good chance you buy from many different places but I was hoping maybe there was a store or website that focuses more on pro quality firearm tools that you may be willing to share. Love your chsnnel bro, Hope to get a response ✌️
I think damaged is an understatement
the magazine is now California compliant.
I didn't know I needed a bin of shame, but now I want one
Awesome. I saw your post about this video and I couldn’t find it for awhile. I would assume as long as the receivers aren’t warped a full restore is possible.
Couldn't help but laugh when you said you seen worse. This should be interesting.
10:40 "it looks like at one point it was a 30 rounder", and now it's a bottomless clipazine! imagine all the bullet you could fit in there! you could fit all the bullets in there!
This is like Mark At Anvil. I'm in to the end !!!