Revised AR15 build - need affirmation or condemnation

[charliebrown1999]

After having read most all the threads here on the .224 Valkyrie and most of the other forums, I have decided to forego a .224 Valkyrie build. So, instead I am going forward with a .223 Remington/5.56 NATO build chambered in a long heavy barrel. Why you ask? I just want to sit on a bench and pull that LaRue MBT 2S trigger on my Saint lower over and over and over again at 600yds without working too much. So, please let me know your thoughts on the following:
WOA 26" SS heavy barrel 1 in 8" twist 223remington/5.56 rifle +2 with included and gas tube, Toolcraft nickel boron BCG, BCM gunfighter charging handle 4b, Aero Precision M4E1 enhanced receiver and quantum hand guard. The whole thing is just $700 not including a magpul BEV. I will be using my Saint lower. I have 7000rds of inexpensive brass cased 55gr ammo and hopefully a couple years remaining on 77 year old eyes and an arthritic fingers.

 

[spife7980]

The 8 tiwst should be fine for all but the 85+ grain bullets but my question is on the +2 gas: Do you really need a +2 over just standard rifle length gas? (I dont know, Im legitimately asking)

 

[padom]

Your not gaining anything with 26" unless you plan to single feed so you can load them long and maximize case capacity. If you plan to run in mags, you cant stuff enough powder in the case. My 223 Wylde 26" bolt gun running 75 ELD runs out at 2.49" @ 3030fps no pressure signs vs a 20" AR 15 223 Wylde that sees pressure at 2.29" with 24g 8208 and 77smk around 2800fps...

Also, that big, heavy barrel your gonna want a Seekins IRMT3 or Mega SBU upper receivee that are both much thicker and beefier to support that big, long, heavy barrel. Build a 223.bolt gun if you want a 26" 223.

 

[charliebrown1999]

The 8 tiwst should be fine for all but the 85+ grain bullets but my question is on the +2 gas: Do you really need a +2 over just standard rifle length gas? (I dont know, Im legitimately asking)

I don't have the experience or knowledge to know the advantages and disadvantages of a rifle +2 gas system. I do not know why WOA uses the +2 on that barrel. People at Rock River Arms tell me on their 24 inch barrels they use "rifle length". They say it is unnecessary to go beyond "rifle length".

 

[charliebrown1999]

Your not gaining anything with 26" unless you plan to single feed so you can load them long and maximize case capacity. If you plan to run in mags, you cant stuff enough powder in the case. My 223 Wylde 26" bolt gun running 75 ELD runs out at 2.49" @ 3030fps no pressure signs vs a 20" AR 15 223 Wylde that sees pressure at 2.29" with 24g 8208 and 77smk around 2800fps...

Also, that big, heavy barrel your gonna want a Seekins IRMT3 or Mega SBU upper receivee that are both much thicker and beefier to support that big, long, heavy barrel. Build a 223.bolt gun if you want a 26" 223.

Thank you for the candid advice. Please educate me on the parts and pieces I would need to acquire for a bolt gun.

 

[padom]

Thank you for the candid advice. Please educate me on the parts and pieces I would need to acquire for a bolt gun.

A action ( would get a Bighorn Origin) a prefit barrel (nut or shouldered) from Bugholes, Keystone Accuracy, Patriot Valley Arms, Shilen, Criterion, etc. They all shoot. A trigger, a stock or chassis of your choice.

 

[mheimer_45]

I’d forget about the +2 gas system and go shorter than ur handgaurd and run an adjustable gas block. Either jp or slr. Much sexier that way.

 

[ShooterwithNoName]

I'm in the process of piecing a similar build together. As mentioned above a 26" heavy/bull barrel is a lot of weight on a standard upper. I'm building a dedicated match rifle. It's going to be an optics match upper so no need for the extra long barrel to gain sight radius. The old Colt Match Targets and Bushmaster Varminters were my favorite long barreled ARs. They had 24" barrels but from the gas block forward the barrel diameter was .750"/.720. They were great shooters and were surprisingly well balanced.

I'm having Compass Lake turn me a 22" Criterion 1:7.7 twist, 223CL chamber. That's 1" under the handguard like a Service Rifle barrel to the gas block, rifle length gas. It has .875" gas block journal then tapers to a nice .850" muzzle. They will thread the muzzle for free if you desire but I'm going with a standard 11° crown. I get tired of cleaning carbon off the crown of my service rifle crown which is threaded with a flash hider.

Anyway they can turn you a barrel up to 26", either with the .875 profile or .936 bull. Choose 223Wylde or 223CL chamber, 1:7 or 1:7.7, fluted, they even do SDM fluting. They do Bartlein, Kreiger, Douglas, Criterion, etc. If your gonna mount this barrel on a standard upper I would keep it around 24" or less. Also an 1.0"/.875"/.850" profile is plenty heavy to get you to 600 without your upper feeling like there's a fat girl straddling it from the barrel weight. Both my SDM-R barrel and service rifle barrel hit 600 with 77SMKs from the mag and single loaded 80VLDs. They are both 20", rifle gas barrels with a .750"/.720" profile from gas block to muzzle.

Either way good luck with it, WOA makes great barrels and I like they're products and service. That 26" barrel is more geared toward someone shooting matches with a purpose built heavy rifle. But as mentioned above a Mega upper or a heavy side charger would be a nice match for that barrel. I've never used +2" gas system I just never shoot barrels long enough to need that. I think they do the +2" gas systems on those extra long barrels for dwell time and bolt locking/unlocking tuning.

 

[spaniel]

With my precision .223 AR I stuck with a 22" barrel. I also would not recommend the 26".

If you are interested in the bolt gun, get any short action Rem700 pattern action of your choice. Get a Remage barrel in the length and contour of your choice from Bugholes, McGowen, or another source. McGowen will sell you a standard Savage-pattern nut; I do have an affinity for the Bugholes nut though I've never had a problem with the standard ones. With a barrel vise and action wrench you can put it all together yourself using a "go" gauge and a couple pieces of scotch tape to turn it into a "no go" gauge.

If you want to spend the money there are a lot of nice Rem700 clone actions. I've never had a problem getting the accuracy I want from Rem700 donor actions. The last one I built used the cheapest REm700 ADL donor I could get at the Gander going-out-of-business sale and is a 6X45 shooting .5MOA or better groups.

 

[awpk03s]

As others have said too, I really think you’re beyond the point of diminishing returns on that 26” barrel...

My thought if it were me would be 20” or 22” and rifle gas.

 

[RFutch]

I would go 20" or 22". I also don't think you'll be happy shooting cheap 55 grain ammo at 600 yards. IMO you're gonna wanto something loaded with a 77 SMK.

 

[Qazwsx]

maybe look at prebuilt varmint upper from white oak or something like that? That way you can be sure its all specd to work together correctly.