First AR build: budget precision AR

[BoilerUP]

About 6 weeks ago I posted asking questions about a possible RECCE-concept build for a scoped general purpose AR, used as a range toy for paper and steel targets out to a maximum of 650yd but with typical shots inside of 300yd.

I took everyone's input, did a lot of research all over the internet, and finally decided to give the project the greenlight. I elected to go with an SPR-style build, and since I've built a few Savages myself I decided I would take the opportunity to do my very first AR build.

Here's the upper parts list thus far:

Surplus Ammo & Arms stripped upper
Surplus Ammo & Arms upper parts kit (FA/DC/CH)
Black Hole Weaponry SS416 1:8 18" 5.56 rifle length gas barrel
Midwest Industries SS-15 Gen 2 handguard
Surplus Ammo & Arms low-pro gas block/gas tube/pin, flash hider & crush washer

Without BCG, I'm into the upper for right at $480.

If I buy a stripped SAA lower locally (to match the upper), use a MOE stock kit I already have, and get a MOE LPK and BCG from Palmetto State Armory, I would have right at $800 invested in the complete rifle. Add a Burris PEPR, a set of JP trigger springs, and a Weaver 3-10x40 robbed from another rifle and I should be ready to shoot for less than $900.

I know this parts list isn't "top tier", but then again, none of my shooting gear is

My accuracy expectation is 1.25 MOA or better with factory 75/77gr ammo (FGMM, Black Hills, Hornady Match/Steel Match, etc.) from a rest, and hopefully MOA or better using tuned reloads.

Pics to come once parts start arriving...

 

[George63]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

hard to beat a white oak 18" rifle gas upper for 650 with the BCG

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: George63</div><div class="ubbcode-body">hard to beat a white oak 18" rifle gas upper for 650 with the BCG </div></div>

I looked <span style="font-weight: bold">quite</span> hard into that option; in fact I was quoted $625 for a complete upper with 18" SPRr barrel by WOA three weeks ago. In the end, going the complete WOA route and later installing the handguard I wanted would cost an extra $170.

In the grand scheme that's not a TON of money, but does represent a couple hundred rounds of ammo...

I look at it kind of like my Savages - may not be "as good" as a custom, but the cash outlay is lower, I have the pride of building it myself, and it'll be a while before the weapon system is more limiting on accuracy than my own marksmanship ability.

 

[Temp9]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Why not a WOA barrel? They're known performers and should get you down closer to 1MOA (5 shot groups) with match ammo - .75MOA with handloads.

Also, I wouldn't waste my time with a standard single-stage trigger. Even with lighter springs, they suck. Use a good 2-stage, and you'll get a much better pull, even with a full power hammer spring. Since you're on a budget, look at the Armalite 2-stage or the RRA 2-stage. Since this is a budget build, you probably don't want to put the cash out for a Geissele, but I have a feeling you'll end up with one eventually anyways.

 

[Mil.Dot]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

I agree with Temp9, WOA is top notch in terms of accuracy and affordability in the precision world.

On the other hand, if going with the Black Hole barrel will allow you to get a Geissele SSA-E or SD-E trigger, I would go that route. The Geissele will allow you to be more consistent at the trigger and help maximize what you have for a barrel (given good ammo and glass). If you have the WOA barrel and a lesser trigger, even if the barrel is capable of more accuracy than the Black Hole barrel, you'll be more inconsistent at the trigger and degrade accuracy. It's not that you can't shoot accurately with lesser triggers, but it will take a lot more skill.

Honestly, the BHW and WOA barrels should both be sub-moa with good ammo (Rainier guarantees sub-moa with there select barrels, which are supposedly BHW barrels). WOA may be more accurate, but at this point, there are no data that I know of directly comparing these barrels.

Still others would say, "precision" and "budget" don't play well together, so save a couple more months and get a WOA and Geissele or bring your lunch to work, skip buying coffee, etc . . .

 

[TenZero]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

I have a 20" DPMS upper with the heavy slick side upper, .920 heavy barrel and free float handguard, and it is an absolute laser. Shoots consistently between 1/4 and 1/2 moa at 100 with the right loads. MSRP under $600, but I run an expensive trigger in it, which makes a big difference, as others have said. DPMS are not the sexy brand, but all mine have been shooters, no question.

 

[Beef82]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Good job. My budget precision build came out right around but just over 1K without any premium parts, sans BUIS and before optic, kinda disappointing, kinda. Make sure that gas block is really low pro, that MI doesn't leave much room below the barrel, MI's own will contact.

BCM blem upper, PSA lower, DPMS MK12 barrel, CMMG 2-stage LPK, Fulton A1 stock, MI SS GenII 15", Magpul MIAD, FNH BCG, PWS FSC 556, MI lo pro block, DPMS CH, don't recall make on the small upper parts, Weaver Super Slam Euro 1.5-6. I still haven't drug it out and shot it

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Beef, I'd be really curious to know how that DPMS Mark 12 barrel performs.

I was seriously thinking about going the BCM blem/DPMS barrel route myself, but the "buy a BHW barrel get a free stripped upper" offer from SAA seemed a better value, especially once research showed many folks were pleased with the accuracy of their BHW barrel.

 

[lonestar1845]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

For the price, the DPMS barrel works very well. I have one on my take of a MK12 build. 1" 10 shot groups are easy with MK262 and Hornady 75grn match ammo. I can hold .5 MOA 5 shot groups with decent consistency as well, with a suppressor. There's nothing budget about my rifle besides the barrel, and that's because I was proving a point that cheap barrels can shoot very well...

Do yourself a favor and save up for the Geissele SD-E or SSA-E. It's a must in my book.

 

[IslandTime]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Nice work!! Will be good to see results after you take it out.

 

[Bennybone]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

What I did for my recent budget / precision build was buy a New Frontier polymer lower for 100.00.

I was leaving myself the option to buy a drop in AR trigger after I received it, this polymer lower gives you that option as opposed to the plum crazy (trigger can't be removed).

As budget would have it I haven't been able to afford the drop in trigger but I am still using the gun and Im happy to have saved a couple of hundred on the lower.

YMMV,

BB

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Ordered/purchased the rest of my parts today:

Surplus Ammo & Arms stripped lower
JP Enterprises "Yellow" Trigger Spring Kit
Palmetto State black MOE lower build kit
Palmetto State M16 MPI BCG

Total invested in parts after shipping/tax: $833.38

This morning PSA had their complete MOE lower build kits back on sale, so I elected to buy one of those instead of just getting a LPK and robbing a stock from my existing carbine.

As for comments about the trigger...I hear ya loud and clear. My plan is to first shoot the completed rifle with mil-spec trigger and see how it performs, then install the JP springs and see if their reduced pull weight provides any marginal improvement in accuracy (for $10, why not?). I'll probably end up installing an SSA-E in the spring, but I do want to see how it shoots first.

 

[smschulz]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

I dunno ~ something about budget and precision in the same sentence.

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: smschulz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I dunno ~ something about budget and precision in the same sentence.

</div></div>

Lots of folks seem to have issues with those two words paired together...and I'm really not sure why.

Does one really need to spend thousands and thousands of dollars for a precision rifle?

In my marginally skilled hands, my Savage 223AI built for $1000 in my basement (sans optic) has proven to be an honest sub-0.5 MOA shooter.

Perhaps if I were shooting something built by SAC, GAP, Robert Snyder, Crescent Customs, etc. for 2.5x the cost I'd be able to notice an improvement in accuracy...but I doubt it. That doesn't mean those customs aren't more accurate than my Savage, only that **I** wouldn't be able to recognize their accuracy potential.

As such, the price delta is better spent on components and practice...plus there's an intangible of knowing you assembled it yourself.

I take the same thought process into this AR.

Will my homebuilt 'budget precision' AR shoot as well as high-end precision ARs? No, probably not. But as long as it meets or beats my expectations for how I plan to utilize it, I will be happy.

 

[CohenJ87]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

I have a Black Hole barrel and absolutely love it. They will even custom profile one for no extra charge.

 

[kvwpwr]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

I think your accuracy expectation is definitely possible.

I am also piecing together a budget upper. Mostly as an experiment for myself to see what kind of accuracy I can get with less expensive parts. So far I have a clearance psa upper, clearance Jp handguard, and a joebob outfitters m16 bcg. I just need the barrel, flash hider and gas block. I'm going with an arp barrel.

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Yesterday, the rest of my upper components sans BCG arrived via Brown Santa, so I set out to get everything assembled. Using MidwayUSA's "how to build an AR" tutorial, I got everything put together in about 2 hours. Not too bad for my first upper build, though I had a hell of a time getting the FA pin installed. I did check headspace with GO and NO-GO and that turned out just fine.

Wanting to test the upper for function, I threw the BCG from my other AR into the assembled upper and bolted everything to my other AR's lower since Palmetto State took their sweet time shipping the lower build kit and BCG.

Today I bought a Rock River 1" cantilever mount ($60) from my local gun shop and mounted an old Swift 4-12x40AO scope for the purpose of initial testing, got it mounted up, and headed to the range.

I had 50 rounds total:

20 rounds of Remington/UMC 55gr Metal Case
20 rounds of 68gr HPBT/25.0gr Varget/Rem 6 1/2
10 rounds of 75gr HPBT/24.5gr Varget/CCI-450

I used the UMC to check function, get the scope on paper at 25yd, verify zero at 100yd, then fired two 4-shot groups. Groups were shot from a bench using a Caldwell Rock Jr rest and sand sock.

4-shot groups with the 55gr UMC were...unimpressive, though not entirely unexpected, at 3".

Next I fired three groups with the 68gr HPBT (2640fps); two 5-shot and one 10-shot. The first group was pretty good, measuring at 1.25" with four shots going into 0.8". Second group was worse at 1.5", and the 10-shot group had 6 shots into 0.9", 7 shots into 1.25", and three bad fliers that were pretty much me.

Finally I fired two 5-shot groups with the 75gr HPBT (2590fps). These were what I was hoping to achieve from this rifle, with the first group coming in right at 1" and the second about 0.85".

A few thoughts:

1. The old Swift scope suuuuuuuuuuuuuucks. I had major focus & parallax issues and even with the AO couldn't get a consistent sight picture. I'm certain a better scope, even one with less magnification, would have resulted in noticeably better accuracy results. I'm trying to decide if I should go with the Weaver 3-10x40 mil/mil (I already have one on my 22LR trainer and like it a lot), or if the Bushnell 3200 10x40 at $100 less would be fine since the rifle is dedicated to range work.

2. Ya'll were right - I need a good trigger. When the lower build kit arrives I'll go ahead and install the JP yellow springs, but I'm already saving my pennies for a SSA-E.

3. Rifle went BANG when it was supposed to and functioned as designed. I did have a couple attempted double-feeds but I was using a brand-new 20rd P-Mag and really didn't have much lube in the upper. I'll keep an eye on this going forward to see if it breaks in as it should.

All in all, it was very gratifying to put it together myself and have a generic 75gr HPBT load shoot two 5-shot groups of MOA or better.

Pictures when she's all put together on the SAA lower with a mo'betta scope...

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Here's the target with the two 75gr HPBT/24.5gr Varget/CCI450 five-round groups.

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Here's the complete upper on a temporary EA Co. preban cast lower..forgive the crappy iPhone pic

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Early last week the UPS arrived with the lower build kit and BCG from Palmetto State, and I got the stripped lower assembled fairly quickly. Replaced the junky Swift 4-12x40 with a Weaver GS Tactical 3-10x40 mil/mil from my Savage FVSR, grabbed a box of 75gr Hornady Steel Match from Bass Pro, and ventured up to the local public forestry range earlier today. Got the Weaver scope sighted in, then tested for accuracy off the wood benches with a Caldwell Rock Jr. rest and rear "rice sock".

First target with 5-round groups:

Second target with 5-round groups (and one rapid fire 10-round group on the left-most grey dot, last shot off the scan but the total group was <2 MOA)

Overall, I'm pleased with the accuracy of the 75gr Steel Match ammo in this rifle. The ProChrono showed it at ~2600fps (40 shots) and it does well from this 18" 1:8 AR barrel, much as it did the 26" 1:9 Savage barrel I used to have. I believe a quality trigger will do as much, if not more, to improve accuracy than swapping to a good optic. Well, that and more rounds downrange getting used to a gas gun...

Now the annoying part:

I had issues with the FCG in my assembled lower. After the initial function test, I elected to install the yellow JP trigger springs when I assembled the lower; function testing showed a bit of grit and creep but much lighter pull than my other lower, and a test case with primer went BANG. I did note the sound of the hammer falling during dry-firing the upper with BCG installed sounded...weaker, I suppose, than my other lower.

The first shot I fired from the SAA assembled lower worked great, but then I got weak primer strikes on three consecutive rounds. Swapped the upper to my other lower (which I brought just in case of a problem like this) and finished the magazine; everything worked as should.

I swapped out the yellow hammer spring for the OE milspec hammer spring, and did the same for the disconnector spring. This seemed to improve things a *little*, but I was still getting light primer strikes. At this point I said "eff it" and shot the upper on my other lower for the vast majority of the two targets above.

Research shows the light primer strikes to be a common concern using the JP kit with certain ammunition, so I'm gonna reinstall the OE springs for my next outing and see how things work, then maybe try the JP trigger/disconnector spring with the OE hammer spring and see how reliable it is.

Needless to say, that Geissele (or at least a RRA NM) is looking more and more likely near-term.

 

[kvwpwr]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Just get the Geissele and be done with it. Full weight hammer spring And it feels great.

 

[BoilerUP]

Re: First AR build: budget precision AR

Happy Black Friday to me...SSA-E for $186.99 shipped from Palmetto State.