School me on a do all AR15

I've got two that should handle many varieties of skunks out to 600yd.

Starting with the Lower. I have three of them, identically configured. The same mods are awaiting delivery of the PA-10 Lower.

PSA PA-15 Complete Classic Lower; a very good starting point
PSA Nickel Boron Two Stage Trigger; absolutely essential to better marksmanship.
AR Stoner Extended Bolt Catch; a genuine convenience during reloads.
Missouri Tactical Products LLC M27/HK416 Style Recoil Pad, I like it.

Two Uppers.


AR Stoner 16" M-Lok 1:7" Upper, for them run of the mill skunks. Think: IMI 77gr Razor Core

or;

AR Stoner 20" 6.5 Grendel; for them bigger skunks. It handles the Wolf 100gr Military Classic steelcase about how you'd expect from steelcase. Its 24" bigger brother shoots 95gr V-Max sub MOA at 100yd, but I haven't tried that yet in the 20", that's for next time out. I think it's going to be exceptional with 120gr Fed Fusion MSR, if it ever comes back in stock.

I have all these choices, I gave them all their first shakedowns within this past week, and I pronounce them "skunk ready".

They are going to get better with age and load development.

Greg

The skunks may be a joke to you but around here... skunk is life. They rape an pillage under my house in a way that makes Vikings look like teddy bears. I'd like a weapon light for this reason.

I have a yard light that gently lights up the back yard but the skunks come out on the dark side. I heard one come out and booked it to the gun and outside. As I was pieing this corner where the skunks come out and cross into the light I realized there was no skunk waiting in the light but he was actually at my feet. It just got worse from there.... skunk... is... life...

I really appreciate all the input. There does seem to be two trains of thought when it comes to the "quality" of the lower. Can someone flush this out for me or point me in a direction that I can read up on both sides?
 
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Not joking, just expanding the definition to include those skunks with other than four feet...

I sorta put my faith in the MilSpec standard Lower, and also try to stick with Upper configurations that are closer to the original Stoner design. While I expected cycling issues with these combinations, I have yet to run into any. I figure start basic, add features/upgrades as one perceives the needs. Keep it simple, and unless there's something you deem essential that costs a bunch, stay as economical as you can. Be ruthless about need vs want. That's what I do, and it been working. No bets about the future, but I'm probably at my limit anyway; six lowers, eight uppers, If that doesn't do it, I'm in trouble.

I think in terms of capability and fun; my rifles are, hands down, hobbyist rifles. A pair of Stag Model 6 Super Varminters (one from the factory kit version) so my family can compete with each other at semi-precision distance shooting. A CMMG 16 Bull Wasp Upper, a 16" Lowest Dollar Slumdog Franken-Upper to learn the basics of upper constructing. The two similar Grendels as an affordable experiment in 6.5 semi-auto. A basic PA-10 308, and a 16" basic M4gery.

Personally, that's plenty, a ton even.

If I had my choice, I would do skunks as a "defense in depth" process; I.e. shoot 'em somewhere off the main compound whenever possible.

Greg
 
I got watching some videos on ARs and I had to stop. So much tacticool. One guy was telling me what to put on my AR and was dressed up as an operator the whole time.... literally why I haven't bought an AR yet.
Dude, I feel you on that one. Mine have optics. That’s all. Simple LPVO set ups. I’m not a door kicker or even a Cub Scout so all that add on stuff does zero to improve my shooting.
 
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You can get a White Oak SPR complete upper with charging handle and bolt carrier group for $650. It will get you out to 500 with ease. Add a lower with a decent trigger and you're in business.
 
Horrible advice. Here’s the problem. You’re going to build one, decide to change the trigger out for some reason. Well you can’t just let that trigger lay on the bench so you build another one. Then you swap out the gas block for an adjustable and the old gas block is sitting there on your bench...


Trigger? Gas block? I found a roll pin this morning and started contemplating a new build, and I'm not totally sure which roll pin it is...
 
I found a roll pin this morning and started contemplating a new build, and I'm not totally sure which roll pin it is...
Then you can understand the pain my little unneeded parts pile is causing me.
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I need to hide this stuff before a new rifle appears.
 
Well I ordered this M4e1 reciever set. Should be a good start for not too much $$$. Not sure if the tensioning set screw between the upper/lower is a gimmick but this set seems feature ritch for its price ($159).
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Building it just seems like too much fun. Thanks for the help guys.
 
Barnes rifles are top notch. Andrew is a step above. Not from NC but glad to finally see his name pop up here. The top line rifles are $1800 or so but as you said the basic package is $800 or so.

Give them a look:


My personal favorite is not a player on the national stage, but is very well known and respected in central North Carolina: the various models from Barnes Precision Machine. Andrew's rifles aren't cheap. But every bit of the thing other than barrel blanks is machined right there in the BPM factory, down to the pins holding everything together. The blanks - I forget who he sources from - are machined on-site.

I had (since sold for a .223 bolt gun) a Barnes AR in the DMR configuration. It was a solid 1MOA @ 100 yards rifle with now-discontinued Hornady Steel Match 75gr BTHP ammo, reliable 2-2.5MOA rifle 300-500 meters. I wasn't handloading .223 at the time; I'm sure it would have done better with good ammo.

I bought that rifle used. About a hundred rounds in, it began occasionally locking open with one round left in the mag. Short story: I live 20 minutes from BPM's shop, and the company owner greeted me there, fiddled with the mag latch for maybe 10 seconds, and said there was a bit of something in the latch's spring well, showing me how the latch had some slop in it. He disappeared with it for maybe five minutes, gave it back to me, and it never, ever had any kind of malfunction for the couple of thousand rounds I put through it before trading it.

That crew knows ARs - both standard and large frame. They do some interesting things for the military (especially since Fort Bragg is just over an hour away). Any time I had a question - this was my first decent AR ever - I emailed the company "info" account and had an answer back from the boss within a day.

Since I started this, you specified a budget of $1000. You can get a Barnes basic rifle for that amount. The fully-featured ones are double that. I don't know what the new ones actually sell for (as compared to the prices on their web site). Yeah, you can build your own from pieces parts cheaper, at the potential "cost" of a steep learning curve figuring out why you can't get decent groups out of it.
 
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Noveske or any 18” with a Vortex 1-8 and a Streamlight TLR-1 HPL with remote pressure switch. I tested the light out to 200 yards in total darkness and it was plenty bright for offhand shots. At 1x it runs pretty well as a CQBR or house gun.

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How do you like the 18" for getting in and out of vehicles? Jk. But really for things that go bump in the night is it pretty handy.

As a do all it is perfect for me. It fits my needs as a truck gun under the back seat of my old F250. And as a house gun in the small town where I live it serves it purpose well.

I have a light 50g Vmax load that I’ve worked up for house duties. It likes to expand quickly and deliver energy where it is needed without over penetration.

I have carried this rifle at night and during the day around my home and am fairly confident that it would do well in a CQ scenario with the scope illuminated and on 1x setting.

Snap shoots at 10 yards to 200 yards are quick and easy. Dial it to 8x and 400 + is an option. Add in 77 grain OTM’s and it becomes an entirely different animal.

If you are looking for an all around rifle for CQ to long distance in a 5.56 / .223 caliber the 18” barreled upper is it. This gun has seen thousands of rounds and never skips a beat.

- Jon
 
I see...lol
I say the lmt for personal as well as practical reasons. the barrel change option is nice. If not a desire or cost sensitive, I'd build a short barrel 308 using aero stuff and get a bsa heavy ss barrel. You can put that together for less than 600 and it will run or at least mine did. A nice cheap beater that ate everything and was plenty accurate. cheaper than the socom as well and far more effective
 
For an off the shelf factory rifle the BCM® RECCE-16/18 MCMR Precision is hard to beat for the price.

on a build it approach i have been eyeballing the
Wilson Combat Paul Howe 16" Fluted for a while now... comes in at right around 28oz if memory serves.
i have been thinking that you pair that barrel with a quality rifle and a good LPVO. I am loving the new Nightforce 1-8x
offerings and you have a very potent package.

Does anyone have any experience with that barrel all the information i can find is about the complete rifle.
 
I've been doing a lot of research and think that my base rifle will end up very close to the Aero M4e1 16" rifle but I'll have some nicer bits thrown in.. I think it's a good start and dont see too many places where its lacking. If I do I'll change it.
 
I don't think that you can go wrong with a 16" or 18" barrel from a reputable brand, a decent quality trigger that you like, match ammo, and a capable 1-8x LPVO as many have said here. I only prefer 16" barrels over 14.5" because 16" barrels don't require the muzzle device to be pinned and welded on rifle lowers. 18" barrels do seem to be a real sweet-spot, performance-wise though for the AR when it comes to longer range shooting.
 
My M4gery:

AR Stoner Upper

PSA Lower

These^ two match up very nicely. Lightweight 1.7lb M4 pattern 16" length, 1:7" twist barrel.

PSA Nickel Boron Two Stage Trigger

AR Stoner Extended Bolt Catch

Nikon P Series Mounts

Angled Folding BUIS

AR SPARC II Red Dot Sight

or;

Bushnell AR Drop Zone 223 BDC Reticle Scope

Magpul PMAG Magazines

Limbsaver Recoil Pad

The recoil Pad allows quicker reacquisition of the sight picture. You may want to add a muzzle brake to add to this plan.

I always cringe when I see the term truck gun. They are brutal on optics. Something like this might help.

The two piece optic mounts are on mine because I use a Brass Catcher, and one piece mounts make the catcher mounting block harder to locate properly.

For me, one of the most important features is affordability.

Maybe most important; ammo:

Greg
 
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Updating from an earlier post in this topic, it looks like there my be a handloading workaround for the Fusion MSR drought.

It seems pretty likely that the bullets used in the load are the Speer Gold Dots. The 6.5 Grendels will be tested with the Speer 120gr Gold Dot.

I'm doing all of my testing with W748 since published loads exist for it with most bullet weights, and some Internet speculation suggests this powder, or something very much like it, may be what's being used for some of the more popular Grendel factory loadings.

The 120 Gold Dots will also be eventually tested in the .260 Remington.

There will also be testing using the .308/168gr Gold Dot as an SMK substitute in a 168SMK clone load.

Further testing will be done with Lehigh Defense 6.5 and 308 solid match bullets.

Greg