1st AR Build

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I'm picking up a lower on Sunday from a FFL. I have most of the parts I want in my head, except the caliber and if I want a slick side or forward assist. Already asked about the upper though.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/276939-Forward-Assist-vs-Slick-Side

I'd like to take the rifle deer hunting up in NH this season. I have a Springfield Socom 16, so I have a short carbine already. I've thought of a few calibers and I'd like to hear what you all would choose for a first upper.

.223 - easiest to do, but I just don't know if it's big enough considering some of the deer are 200, 250lbs way up north. Does Maine or VT have a bore diameter restriction if I want to go to those states?

.25-45 - uses regular AR mags, can re-size .223 brass, but only one company sells ammo and uppers/barrels for it. Plus it still seems a little small.

6.8 SPC - seems to be the best one all thing considered.

7.62x39 - good general purpose caliber but not as good for 300 yards + and sometimes I read the mags and uppers work great, like YHM, or sometimes they blow hard.

7.62x25 - probably not realistic but I've wanted a 7.62x25 AR for awhile and I have hundreds of pieces of once fired brass.

What do you guys think?
 
Caliber restrictions are a consideration , I don't know the state's. I hunted with my dad in NH a few times in my teens. 30/30 was the gun of choice back then.
How comfortable are you taking shots out past 100-200 yards?
The 6.8 should do well as it's close to a .270 which was also pretty common back then.
I could see the something like the nosler 6.8 accubond doing well on whitetail ?
 
My .02 is build a 5.56 AR and buy a deer rifle. AR will be cheaper to shoot and you can pick up a nice deer gun. I have just never been a fan of deer hunting with an AR even if was in a reasonable caliber, which I don't think .223/5.56 is.
 
Caliber restrictions are a consideration , I don't know the state's. I hunted with my dad in NH a few times in my teens. 30/30 was the gun of choice back then.
How comfortable are you taking shots out past 100-200 yards?
The 6.8 should do well as it's close to a .270 which was also pretty common back then.
I could see the something like the nosler 6.8 accubond doing well on whitetail ?

I can shoot fine out to 200, but I've never had the opportunity to shoot beyond 200, so I can't say. I'd love to try though (on paper first).
 
My .02 is build a 5.56 AR and buy a deer rifle. AR will be cheaper to shoot and you can pick up a nice deer gun. I have just never been a fan of deer hunting with an AR even if was in a reasonable caliber, which I don't think .223/5.56 is.

Look at 300 Blackout... It's used for deer and even wild hog hunting with great success. Especially when you use the Barnes VorTex 110 grain rounds.

Another thing I like about 300 Blackout is you get 100% capacity in standard 5.56 magazines. Which means 30 in a 30 mag... [smile]
 
I can shoot fine out to 200, but I've never had the opportunity to shoot beyond 200, so I can't say. I'd love to try though (on paper first).

I have not hunted in over 20 years. Just lost interest not in hunting but the process of going.
If I could just walk out my back door or even a short ride maybe I would get back into it.
I hunted in MA 99% of the time which means shotgun. The places my dad and I went where not rifle friendly anyway. Swamp,brush and would try to push deer. Most shot presentations where less than 50 yards. When we went to NH and VT most spots where near a clearing and hoped a deer would cross.
I don't think any one of our spots presented 200+ yards .
Personally if your dead set on the AR for hunting I would go with a round that has the best ballistics for what you plan on hunting. Like I said the best choice should cover your hunting needs. If you just want a AR in a non common cal then that what you do.
If I where to get back into hunting AR would be for varmint. If I where going for white tail a bolt gun.
If you want a bit of recoil reduction .270 does well. I know back then the 25-06 was up their in popularity. Funny though the 30-30 does very well still to this day...
 
Look at 300 Blackout... It's used for deer and even wild hog hunting with great success. Especially when you use the Barnes VorTex 110 grain rounds.

Another thing I like about 300 Blackout is you get 100% capacity in standard 5.56 magazines. Which means 30 in a 30 mag... [smile]

Or or even better go 6.8 SPC for deer and hogs. My point is still the same, it's just my opinion is all. I am just not a hunting with an AR guy. I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to hunting weapons I guess. And I want to shoot my ARs as cheap as possible when it comes to just plinking.
 
Decided on 6.8 SPC. The .300 Blackout shines when used with suppressed SBRs. Since I'm building an unsuppressed rifle (no can hunting in NH), it takes away the big advantage the 300 has.

I also went to Kittery and the Cabela's in Scarborough, ME today to figure out what I want for a stock. Settled on a fixed stock. If anyone has a suggestion, let me know [grin]
 
Decided on 6.8 SPC. The .300 Blackout shines when used with suppressed SBRs. Since I'm building an unsuppressed rifle (no can hunting in NH), it takes away the big advantage the 300 has.

I also went to Kittery and the Cabela's in Scarborough, ME today to figure out what I want for a stock. Settled on a fixed stock. If anyone has a suggestion, let me know [grin]

You don't need to suppress 300 Blackout for it to shine. You can just easily have either supersonic or subsonic rounds for the same firearm. I have an AR pistol in 300 Blackout (10.5" barrel) as well as a carbine (16" barrel). I can feed them any of a wide range of projectile weights too (10.5" barrel is 1:8, 16" is 1:7 twist rate). With how the 110 grain Barnes VorTex round performs, it makes a great hunting round (DRT). Plus, with the ONLY difference with your other 5.56 uppers being the barrel and muzzle device, it's also more versatile. You share the same upper, BCG, gas system, etc. I went with a carbine gas system in both of my builds.

IF you want to go suppressed, load up some subsonic rounds and the gun becomes movie quiet... [smile]

- - - Updated - - -

Or or even better go 6.8 SPC for deer and hogs. My point is still the same, it's just my opinion is all. I am just not a hunting with an AR guy. I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to hunting weapons I guess. And I want to shoot my ARs as cheap as possible when it comes to just plinking.

Since the OP is in RI, I won't suggest he goes with an AR10... Chances are the round would leave the state if he missed his target. Or maybe even if he hit it. [rofl2]
 
I got my lower on Sunday and also ordered a JP lower parts kit and a Stark pistol grip. Going to get a YHM or Colt A2 buttstock and a Timney trigger as soon as I have the extra cash.

Got a question about uppers though.

Would you all buy a whole upper or all the parts? Think of either using a Windham upper receiver + YHM barrel and handguard or getting a whole Stag 6.8 upper and just changing out the handguard to a keymod later.
 
I got my lower on Sunday and also ordered a JP lower parts kit and a Stark pistol grip. Going to get a YHM or Colt A2 buttstock and a Timney trigger as soon as I have the extra cash.

Got a question about uppers though.

Would you all buy a whole upper or all the parts? Think of either using a Windham upper receiver + YHM barrel and handguard or getting a whole Stag 6.8 upper and just changing out the handguard to a keymod later.

There are deals for YHM parts in the members only section.
 
The only special tools requirement building an AR is mounting the barrel to the upper receiver. (Ideally you want the right kind of grease, a torque wrench, the wrench for whatever barrel nut you're using, and a vice block of some sort for the receiver). They're not that expensive - but if you're only doing one rifle you might be better off just buying an upper already assembled.

Also FWIW 300 Blackout seems to be getting pretty popular at least in our part of NH - talked with several folks building 'em.

(Finally, I'll say I think keymod advantage over (good) rails is more fashion that anything else. But to each their own. :) )
 
I got my lower on Sunday and also ordered a JP lower parts kit and a Stark pistol grip. Going to get a YHM or Colt A2 buttstock and a Timney trigger as soon as I have the extra cash.

Got a question about uppers though.

Would you all buy a whole upper or all the parts? Think of either using a Windham upper receiver + YHM barrel and handguard or getting a whole Stag 6.8 upper and just changing out the handguard to a keymod later.

This is dependent on what you want from the rifle. When I see or hear 6.8 I think set up for long range at least out to 600 yards.

I found it hard to build my national match rifle for less than I could just buy one in 2009
I built a 204 ruger (why is beyound me cool at the time) but I built mine cheap finding a 204 ruger kit for 400$ I never fired a shot from it.
I built a clone to the S&W performance center AR15 for about 800$ less than you could buy one.
When there where deals on the M4 upper kits you saved about 250 vs off the shelf.

I dont know how much a stag 6.8 upper goes for but I bet for not much more you can build a upper you like while upgrading a bit.
I love my chrome BCG and bolt, you could almost for sure upgrade the barrel vs the stag offerings. Then consider are you shooting irons or optics. plan ahead and get a flat top if you think both. factor in decent sights to take advantage of the accuracy potential of the 6.8 1/4 MOA adjust ability will do you better than 1moa of flip up sights?
The Key is to buy better quality than what they offer pre assembled. You need to look around for group buys, free shipping ( some shipping will eat up any savings) and clearance sales.
Barrels are the heart of the AR dont skimp out there. there are so many barrels out there but not all are going to deliver. A mil spec barrel is going to deliver mil spec accuracy or "hits on target" not hits where you want them on target.
 
This is dependent on what you want from the rifle. When I see or hear 6.8 I think set up for long range at least out to 600 yards.

I found it hard to build my national match rifle for less than I could just buy one in 2009
I built a 204 ruger (why is beyound me cool at the time) but I built mine cheap finding a 204 ruger kit for 400$ I never fired a shot from it.
I built a clone to the S&W performance center AR15 for about 800$ less than you could buy one.
When there where deals on the M4 upper kits you saved about 250 vs off the shelf.

I dont know how much a stag 6.8 upper goes for but I bet for not much more you can build a upper you like while upgrading a bit.
I love my chrome BCG and bolt, you could almost for sure upgrade the barrel vs the stag offerings. Then consider are you shooting irons or optics. plan ahead and get a flat top if you think both. factor in decent sights to take advantage of the accuracy potential of the 6.8 1/4 MOA adjust ability will do you better than 1moa of flip up sights?
The Key is to buy better quality than what they offer pre assembled. You need to look around for group buys, free shipping ( some shipping will eat up any savings) and clearance sales.
Barrels are the heart of the AR dont skimp out there. there are so many barrels out there but not all are going to deliver. A mil spec barrel is going to deliver mil spec accuracy or "hits on target" not hits where you want them on target.

Thanks for the input, can't give you more rep points yet [grin]
 
My next two AR builds next winter are going to be 300 Black Out, one in a carbine and the other in 20" for deer hunting. I am going to keep my 5.56 carbine for punching holes in paper and my stag model 6 for when I want to go coyote hunting, which coincidentally enough as you are aware of, can't be taken with anything more than 5.56. I guess you can never have to many guns, but you always can never have enough.
 
Thanks for the input, can't give you more rep points yet [grin]

I spent to much money and time biulding guns I ended up having no real use for...
from 9 builds and 3 bought new I have 1 factory RRA NM, 1 A2 milspec built from random parts and a "varmint" style rifle left from all that....although there are parts lingering around that may force one more build!.... thinking National match 22lr service rifle.?
oh I have a 22lr upper too
 
Got my Stark p-grip in. I also asked my dad for caliber suggestions and he said 7.62x39 or .223. I might just go .223 and use it as a coyote gun or a small bore DM rifle since I already have a .308 and a 12 gauge slug gun.

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