Looking for AR15 upper build ideas

bigblue

bigblue

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As the title indicates, I am looking for AR15 upper build ideas from the NES brain trust. I have two uppers and some cash. I have three registered lowers so pretty much anything but .308 is possible.

My rifle range goes out to 200 yards and I shoot it often with both uppers. I reload but don't really want to spend $400 on a whole new quick change setup for a new caliber unless its a super duper great zombie killing shtf TEOTWAWKI must have caliber. I also have plenty of muzzle devices that I can use for 5.56.

Currently I have the following uppers:

12" 5.56
8" 9mm (2)

I have scopes & dots on LaRue QD mounts that can be used if applicable as well:

Aimpoint M3
Vortex 2-10
SWFA 1-6


I have considered the following possibilities:

18" .223 wylde Green Mountain with 15" BCM Alpha handguard
8-10" .300 blk with BCM Alpha handguard

What say ye NES? Is a long barrel worth building?
 
My first build I met in the middle and went with 13.7" CIV Tactical barrel with Hera Arms LC GEN2 (pin and welded to meet the 16"). Used Aero Precision Enhanced Upper with Aero 15" Keymod Handguard.

Just purchased a 10.5" 300BLK from PSA for $199.99... waiting for the stamp.

If I were you I'd go with the 300BLK with BCM Alpha, would look sick!
 
Mk 12 variant was my first thought to get a little more velocity and flatter trajectory at 200m.

Any thoughts on barrels? Green Mountain has a nice 18" and PA has an Odin Works, both around the same price point and both in .223 wylde.
 
Go 20" and throw a nice fixed 10x power on it with a bipod. Then grab some varmint 40-50g ammo and start sniping squirrels and chipmunks for practice.
 
bigblue said:
All of those require modifications to the lower though, do they not?
Click to expand...

No . 10mm and 45 you can buy mags that work in normal mag wells "Olympic arms" .
45 uzi mags work in normal ar 9mm mag blocks with the same mods to the mags done . Few of my friends have just bought 9mm bolts and open the face up on a lathe.
10mm might work in Uzi mags I'm not 100% I know it dose on grease gun mags.



9x39 would use standard stang mags. 7.62x39 bolt .

Barrels can be had from 1/4 circle 10 . For 9 /357 sig / 40 / 10mm /45.
Bolts are pricey from them but mainly cause there's are made for glock mags. a normal 9mm bolt can have the bolt face and extractor adjusted for bigger cals.
 
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Go longer, like 24".

20 Practical AR Uppers Deliver Great Accuracy

20 Practical Upper? Do you have one?

The 20 Tactical in an AR-15
varmint_upper_low_pro_receiver__1_33pj.jpg

20pracuppers.jpg

whitley20prac001.jpg


This looks like a fun cartridge to play around with The idea is pretty simple. Just neck a standard 5.56/.223 cartride down to .20 cal and it shoots like a souped up .204. Out of all the .20 caliber wildcats this will feed and fire in an AR platform like a dream. A little pricy but looks like fun.
Click to expand...
 
If you don't have a standard length (which I consider to be 14.5-20"), Theres no doubt I'd go with that. This 9mm AR stuff is not making any sense to me. 6.8 SPC or 6.5 grendel would be an option as well.
 
frenchman said:
This 9mm AR stuff is not making any sense to me.
Click to expand...

1. Cheap to shoot
2. Identical configuration as an AR15 (manual of arms, accessories, etc.)
3. Accurate to 200m (I was shooting a rifle dueling tree at 200m on sunday)
4. Barrel length can be stupid short and not affect velocity or accuracy
5. Great round to run suppressed (not currently an option but I'm working on it)
 
Was just reading a bit about the .277 Wolverine lately. I guess it took the best things from the 6.8 (caliber), and .300 blackout (simple barrel replacement only).
 
bigblue said:
Mk 12 variant was my first thought to get a little more velocity and flatter trajectory at 200m.

Any thoughts on barrels? Green Mountain has a nice 18" and PA has an Odin Works, both around the same price point and both in .223 wylde.
Click to expand...

I'm a broken record with this, but White Oak. Their 18" SPR Barrel is great

My DMR type build based around that barrel is one of my most fun guns to shoot.... It's also the most frustrating. If I don't group well on the paper, it's 100% all my fault.

I would like a .300 build, but a 6.5 Grendel side charger is my wet dream
 
I was looking at DD & Wilson Combat 18" barrels today but a basic upper build comes in at least $500. A White Oak upper is $675.
 
Coyote33 said:
Go longer, like 24".

20 Practical AR Uppers Deliver Great Accuracy

20 Practical Upper? Do you have one?

The 20 Tactical in an AR-15
varmint_upper_low_pro_receiver__1_33pj.jpg

20pracuppers.jpg

whitley20prac001.jpg
Click to expand...

This is the route I decided to go next.
18" heavy bull barrel. I went with a CLE varmint barrel with CLE match chamber.
I plan on going with a nice high MagX scope.
I have been from simple carbine to 24" 204 ruger. Shift back to basics
Standard A2 , RRA NM and sold a 20" "varmint" to build the 18" heavy.
The barrel was the most expensive part which I hope to improve my groups from sub moa to .5 or better on this build.

Might pick up some bag ridders come spring.
 
Arfcom has one too. Not sure how that helps compare a White Oak or Compass Lake upper to a build using DD or Wilson Combat match barrel.
 
teaser452 said:
My next idea is a 6.5 Grendel. Probably over 18 inches. Flat shooting long range. A little pricey to shoot but I think it's gaining popularity.



http://alexanderarms.com
Click to expand...
Grendel popularity at least amongst competitive shooters is near zero and dropping. There might be a few hold outs, probably shooting it necked down, (6mm RAT or something like that) but it's definitely not gaining.

Main reason, at least for competitive shooters, is that the Grendel case head is pushing the size limit for a 15 bolt. It doesn't leave much meat on the bolt face and as a result I've seen broken bolts first hand. It will work for a while but you'll shear locking lugs eventually, especially if you run it hot enough to shoot decent velocities even at mid range. (It's the same bolt face as the 7.62x39 but with a lot more pressure.) Forget about true long range, it's a non starter.

6.8 spc on the other hand has a smaller case head so you end up with more meat on the bolt. I have one necked down to 6mm and it shoots great at mid and short range out of an AR, no broken bolts yet and I don't exactly run light loads.... 6.8 also has a pretty big following in the hunting world (bigger than Grendel anyway) so factory ammo and brass is relatively easy to find.


Edit: Keystone Accuracy built my upper and supplies my barrels.
 
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Coyote33 said:
JasonS, have you checked out the advantages of .277 Wolverine over the 6.8?
Click to expand...

No, but with just a quick glance I don't really see the point of putting a .277 / 6.8 bullet in a 5.56 case. Sure you can share mags and bolts, but you lose out on the extra case capacity (and thus performance at range) you get from the SPC. Maybe it makes sense in a short range / suppressed application but that's not my thing, and even if it were I'd look at blackout first.
 
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shawsheenfirearms said:
Not sure what bandwidth limit exceeded means. Ill have to ask my IT guy. Stupid Computers!!!!!!!!!!!! It is working on both of my computers. I really hate computers!! Guns are so much easier to fix!!
Click to expand...
Generally speaking, it means you've gone over the amount of traffic allowed to your website every month by your hosting company. If it's working on your computers, you might be hosting it in-house, since bandwidth wouldn't impact it. Anyhow, a call to the hosting company is a good start.
 
bigblue said:
Arfcom has one too. Not sure how that helps compare a White Oak or Compass Lake upper to a build using DD or Wilson Combat match barrel.
Click to expand...

I can only say I bought a wilson combat match barrel

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/49...eight-contour-16-1-in-9-twist-stainless-steel

it shot about as well as my green mountain standard "mil spec" barrel. which even with reloads wasnot that great vs my RRA NM A2 which will shoot just under 1" with almost any decent bullet and load....now if I only could shoot to sub 4moa skills!

Every build so far I try to up the barrel quality.... mosr resent is a CLE with CLE chamber
 

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