AR build in MA. Now AR-9!

[SKumar]

Is the gap between the handguard rail and upper rail concerning? I figured it would be more flush both being KAC....

Not concerning, but it would drive my OCD nuts. Make sure the barrel nut is torqued on real good, then make sure the handguard has some mechanism (i.e. 3rd set screw) to keep it from shifting forward. If the hanguard is pure clamp-on, make sure it's on stupid tight!

 

[Soundwave]

Not concerning, but it would drive my OCD nuts. Make sure the barrel nut is torqued on real good, then make sure the handguard has some mechanism (i.e. 3rd set screw) to keep it from shifting forward. If the hanguard is pure clamp-on, make sure it's on stupid tight!

I feel like it's to spec but on the higher end. That's using the tool kits included torque wrench though. I feel like I had to back the hanguard off a lot to center it before the barrel nut. Is there a trick to that?

 

[SKumar]

I feel like I had to back the hanguard off a lot to center it before the barrel nut. Is there a trick to that?

Not sure I understand what you mean.
If the back face of the handguard is flush (i.e. no tabs sticking out to fit into an upper receiver), then it should be able to slide back all the way until flush.

Btw, nice setup. I like the 18" barrel with adjustable gas block. You're all set for 200yds scoped.

 

[Soundwave]

The handguard screws directly on. Not sure what you mean about tabs or sliding it? @SKumar

So I guess it's a KAC thing. You would think having an upper and hand guard by them it would screw in perfectly. Instead it had me back it off to align the rail.

 

[SKumar]

The handguard screws directly on. Not sure what you mean about tabs or sliding it?

Anti-rotation tabs. Some handguards have them to fit to specific upper receivers. Otherwise, itll just prevent the handguard from sliding in flush.

 

[240Geezer]

Couple of things if I might.
I assemble mine on the kitchen counter.
The lowers can be a pain in the tail to assemble without dedicated tools but not super hard.
Channel locks with a wrap of electrical tape for the bolt catch pin and trigger guard pin.

Wheeler cheapo pin tool for the detent pins.

Combo wrench for the buffer tube castle nut.
I do not stake castle nuts.

Loctite or Vibratite for screws.
(Yes I've had a handguard come loose. Kept shooting though.) So stupid tight on those.

I typically find a very flat surface, flip the upper and handguard upside down to make sure they are parallel, tighten well. Check alignment. Then tighten the bejeebus out of it. Don't strip or break the screws.
There should be minimal mismatch in those two surfaces. You should be able to slide a rail accessory without hanging up.

Any handguns that screws together needs to be timed. You do that with barrel shims and trial and error until it "clocks" to the right alignment.

The above is worth exactly what you paid for it and I defer to an actual gunsmith or armorer..

 

[Soundwave]

No castle nut either! Rifle length buffer. Has a screw through the back of the stock into the buffer tube. That screw had loctite from factory. I don't know if I'll ever be able to get it out and remove tube from stock.

 

[jayhitek]

No castle nut either! Rifle length buffer. Has a screw through the back of the stock into the buffer tube. That screw had loctite from factory. I don't know if I'll ever be able to get it out and remove tube from stock.

Is there a spot near the screw you can get heat to it? heat gun or plumbers torch?
That's one of the tricks to getting loctite screws to move.. heat.

 

[Soundwave]

Is there a spot near the screw you can get heat to it? heat gun or plumbers torch?
That's one of the tricks to getting loctite screws to move.. heat.

Because the screw Is in the polymer Magpul stock I'm afraid to use heat.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Because the screw Is in the polymer Magpul stock I'm afraid to use heat.

Use your SO's hair dryer.

 

[Soundwave]

About to pull the trigger on a vortex viper gen 2 2-10x scope unless anyone has any better suggestions. Didn't want to spend that much but F it. Was also eyeing trojicon credo 3-9x...

Also any reasonable bipod suggestions?

 

[paul73]

About to pull the trigger on a vortex viper gen 2 2-10x scope unless anyone has any better suggestions. Didn't want to spend that much but F it. Was also eyeing trojicon credo 3-9x...

Also any reasonable bipod suggestions?

2-10x is not great. 1-10x lpvo swampfox is the cheapest available 1-10x. Or bite the bullet for a vortex razor.

Avoid expensive glass until you are positive of what you want.

I have a 1-6x vortex pst2 lpvo I probably do not need also, but it costs more than seampfox.

That is my take now - a 1-10x, and next would be a 3-15x scope. 2-10x is not really fitting nowhere nowadays.

This 3-15x is at $650 now
Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II First Focal Plane Riflescopes Amazon product ASIN B01N5NTOHLView: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5NTOHL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_R72NBJFXEF9ZN7NZYEJD?psc=1

 

[Soundwave]

2-10x is not great. 1-10x lpvo swampfox is the cheapest available 1-10x. Or bite the bullet for a vortex razor.

Avoid expensive glass until you are positive of what you want.

I have a 1-6x vortex pst2 lpvo I probably do not need also, but it costs more than seampfox.

That is my take now - a 1-10x, and next would be a 3-15x scope. 2-10x is not really fitting nowhere nowadays.

This 3-15x is at $650 now
Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II First Focal Plane Riflescopes Amazon product ASIN B01N5NTOHLView: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5NTOHL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_R72NBJFXEF9ZN7NZYEJD?psc=1

Interesting. Thanks for the post. I've got carts full on multiple pages to compare pricing lol I hadn't really thought about 2x being that bad. Guess I'll look at a few more.

Atibal X 1-10x30 Rifle Scope Atibal X 1-10x30 Rifle Scope, Color: Black, Platinum, Tube Diameter: 35 mm, Up to 15% Off w/ Free Shipping — 3 models

That's catching my eye.

 

[paul73]

Interesting. Thanks for the post. I've got carts full on multiple pages to compare pricing lol I hadn't really thought about 2x being that bad. Guess I'll look at a few more.

Atibal X 1-10x30 Rifle Scope Atibal X 1-10x30 Rifle Scope, Color: Black, Platinum, Tube Diameter: 35 mm, Up to 15% Off w/ Free Shipping — 3 models

That's catching my eye.

1-10x is all the craze now but be very careful. I looked at 3 diff models and can only say good about swampfox, specifically with MIL crosshair reticle.

Swampfox Optics | Swampfox Scopes and Sights for Hunting, Target Practice, or Tactical Operations! — 55 products / 135 models

Shop Swampfox optics like Kingslayer, Sentinel, Blade, and Arrowhead. Swampfox red dot sights, rifle scopes, tactical scopes for hunting or tactical operators.

www.opticsplanet.com

There may be newer other brands I did not see, but, be careful.

 

[Soundwave]

1-10x is all the craze now but be very careful. I looked at 3 diff models and can only say good about swampfox, specifically with MIL crosshair reticle.

Swampfox Optics | Swampfox Scopes and Sights for Hunting, Target Practice, or Tactical Operations! — 55 products / 135 models

Shop Swampfox optics like Kingslayer, Sentinel, Blade, and Arrowhead. Swampfox red dot sights, rifle scopes, tactical scopes for hunting or tactical operators.

www.opticsplanet.com

There may be newer other brands I did not see, but, be careful.

Well I went ahead and ordered the swamp fox 1-10x with the aero precision SPR mount? UTG bipod and the Magpul rubber grip. It's off getting the gas block I mangled replaced and muzzle brake pinned and welded.

 

[Mesatchornug]

Because the screw Is in the polymer Magpul stock I'm afraid to use heat.

If you want to heat the screw directly, while minimizing the heat to surrounding components, hold a soldering iron to the screw for a minute.

 

[Soundwave]

So I just picked up an Aero M5 lower. Had decided on a prebuilt M5E1 upper but now I'm second guessing myself! How much am I really gaining by using a criterion barrel or something else? Looking into 20" barrel and shooting 300yds.

 

[paul73]

So I just picked up an Aero M5 lower. Had decided on a prebuilt M5E1 upper but now I'm second guessing myself! How much am I really gaining by using a criterion barrel or something else? Looking into 20" barrel and shooting 300yds.

it is a wrong question, really.
criterion or any comparable top tier barrel producer provides you with a quality product you can rely upon to be decently accurate. that is all it does.
what product you choose, and what build you make is up to you. any gas rifle should be seen as a combat platform first and everything else second, really, so you will have less accuracy compared to a non-gas bolt action gun on a comparable barrel. how much to pay for a top tier barrel and if you need it, really, is a budget question.
i do not know, say, what point it would be to pay $$$$ for a .308 barrel, as you not going to shoot it at 300+ yds with a precision expected out of 6.5CM or 6CM.
so it all depends of what you would put into your build.

i use only aero for lowers as i see no reason to use less quality product there, as for uppers - just see what is on sale and choose from the available products. i looked right now at PA and ar15parts - it seems most of good stuff is sold out, probably due to the holidays rush. good thing is - a quality lower like m5e1 will serve you well with any upper. i have 2 built, for redundancy, and have 6.5CM and .308 uppers on them - .308 sees almost no action, on wilson 18" barrel and it is 1MOA good in average. not 1/2 or even 3/4MOA - 1MOA. 6.5CM 20" barrel is a bit better, shoots reliably under an MOA accuracy but it is not even remotely in the same universe with 24" 6.5CM bergara - so as long as you do not have unrealistic expectations it is all nice and fun.

 

[SKumar]

So I just picked up an Aero M5 lower. Had decided on a prebuilt M5E1 upper but now I'm second guessing myself! How much am I really gaining by using a criterion barrel or something else? Looking into 20" barrel and shooting 300yds.

100% get the Palmetto State complete upper. 20" stainless barrel with rifle-length gas port.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/ar-10/ar-10-upper-assemblies.html?caliber_multi=.308+Win

 

[paul73]

Palmetto State complete upper

yuck.

 

[Soundwave]

100% get the Palmetto State complete upper. 20" stainless barrel with rifle-length gas port.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/ar-10/ar-10-upper-assemblies.html?caliber_multi=.308+Win

Why you gotta throw me curve balls like that. That is a good price and actually has the BCG and charging handle unlike Aero. Who does Aero use for it's barrels in complete uppers? Are they ballistic advantage?

 

[SKumar]

Why you gotta throw me curve balls like that.

Or if you want to build your own, wait until individual parts are on sale, but there are some good deals on complete uppers. You want to hit 300 yds without refinancing your house, right?

 

[Soundwave]

I'm at about $1,000 in my cart building my own.

 

[paul73]

Why you gotta throw me curve balls like that. That is a good price and actually has the BCG and charging handle unlike Aero. Who does Aero use for it's barrels in complete uppers? Are they ballistic advantage?

PSA is a russian roulette - you may get a good sample and be as happy as with anything else, or get not such a great sample and join many others.
there are middle tiers available and they were available all summer at primary arms or ar15parts, but now you may need to wait for them to re-appear.
i do not see one i got, but it was similar to this one, just cheaper. and you need to buy it when PA runs 12% discount. $475 or $465 something was the price for upper with no bolt/handle.

Aero Precision M5 Barreled Upper .308 Rifle Atlas S-ONE FDE - 18"

DetailsAero Precision M5 Barreled Uppers are changing the way you shoot large calibers out of a semi-automatic AR-10 platform. The AR-308 platform is not as plug and play as the AR-15 platform and can be a headache when building a gun from the ground up from different manufacturers. Solve that...

www.primaryarms.com

 

[paul73]

Who does Aero use for it's barrels in complete uppers

Aero subcontracts barrels from ballistic advantage. yet not all products from BA lineup go to Aero.
that is the good middle tier - BA, wilson combat, etc. makers will give you a guaranteed 1moa or may be slightly sub moa product.
the 6.5CM 20" barrel i have is BA and it shoots adequate, not too great, but, adequate enough.

odin, criterion, larue, noveske etc top tier - PA sells something from Odin now, if you want, but it may or may not have sense to do depending upon of what you want.
like, i never wanted to buy a bolt gun in .223/5.56 so i opted for LaRue there as it gives best accuracy on the AR15 gas platform and i love it.
but i see 0 reason to buy their .308 or 6.5CM as for same $Xk they want i can get much better and more accurate bolt gun. and so on and so forth.

 

[DarthRevan]

About to pull the trigger on a vortex viper gen 2 2-10x scope unless anyone has any better suggestions. Didn't want to spend that much but F it. Was also eyeing trojicon credo 3-9x...

Also any reasonable bipod suggestions?

Harris, maybe an Atlas if you want to flex on the poors.
Credos are good but I can’t recommend enough to pinch your pennies for a while and get a TenMile ffp 3-18. I f***ing love mine.





It’s made the rounds on a couple different rifles and it’s been fantastic on them all.

 

[Soundwave]

Harris, maybe an Atlas if you want to flex on the poors.
Credos are good but I can’t recommend enough to pinch your pennies for a while and get a TenMile ffp 3-18. I f***ing love mine.

View attachment 544812

View attachment 544813

It’s made the rounds on a couple different rifles and it’s been fantastic on them all.

Maybe I'll look into that for my AR-10!

 

[paul73]

Maybe I'll look into that for my AR-10!

speaking of scopes make sure to check this page for deals that pop-up in there, saved one i have is for vortex, but they have more.

Vortex Closeouts

Get smoking deals on Vortex riflescope closeouts - limited stock, so limited availability! The best deals on your favorite reticles and optics!

www.eurooptic.com

from vortex closeouts for AR10 the 3-15x PST2 MRAD EBR-2D is pretty good for $550. a $1600 razor 3-18x is better.

 

[Soundwave]

Uh oh. Someone seems to have it in stock.... Anyone use this vendor before?

https://www.graniteridgeoutfitters.com/Aero-Precision-M5E1-20-308-CMV-Barreled-Upper-Receiver-APPG308554P27.htm

 

[paul73]

Uh oh. Someone seems to have it in stock.... Anyone use this vendor before?

https://www.graniteridgeoutfitters.com/Aero-Precision-M5E1-20-308-CMV-Barreled-Upper-Receiver-APPG308554P27.htm

pricey... this is a same product, and same 4150 BA barrel btw.

20" 308 WIN Upper - Ballistic Adv Heavy Modern Series Barrel - 15" Rail - Comp Brake

20" 308 WIN Upper Receiver - 15" Rail & Competition Muzzle Brake - 20" 308 WIN Ballistic Adv Heavy QPQ 4150 CMV Modern Series Match Grade Barrel w/1x10 Twist & 5/8x24 Threads

ar15parts.com

and nickel boron bolt for $195. make sure to select the correct upper in the selector on the right - aero m5. comes to total $715 with bolt, handle and competition brake you'll need in MA.

mine is similar but fluted 18" which is a bit less heavy.