AR Mega Thread

Boghog1

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So I purchased an bare upper and lower and since I don't know what I don't know I thought it would be nice to have one place to go to get an understanding of the different choices available to me in making my build. Since AR15.com/Brownell's is blocked at work I was hoping we could create a thread that explains various build options. I am looking for less opinion and more factual information. Barrel Lengths, Twist, Trigger options, Gas Piston vs DI etc... I haven't shot an AR platform since I was in the army back in the 1980s and those seemed to be worn out pieces of poo from Veitnam, as a matter of fact when I turned in my rifle at the end of basic the bore gauge went all the way through the barrel it was that worn.

So with out further adieu post what you know that a newbie should no about when building
 
I think an inkling of what you're looking for in this rifle would be handy in narrowing down some choices. Varmint, Home Defense, smokin skinnies, action shootings, long range?

For any serious (HD/combat) application, there's a short list of companies you'll want to consider:
Noveske
LMT
Bravo Company
Spikes
Daniel Defense
Colt

Most of the other brand names, like DPMS, Stag, Bushy, Model1 will do you fine for non-essential uses (varmint, hunting, light competition etc).


Personally, I run a Colt HBAR 20" A2 upper. It has a 1-7" twist, which is as fast as you'll normally find, and which is also current mil-spec IIRC. 1-7 is appropriate for basically the entire gamut of loadings available in 556/223. Slower twist rates will generally not stabilize heavier projectiles.

In general, 16" is about 'standard' for a carbine-type rifle. 16" barrels are available with carbine and midlength gas systems. The carbine-length system is easier to find, and get handguards and shit for. The midlength is generally considered to run more smoothly with the 16" barrel. I've found guns with 16" barrels to be rather handy sized and typically balance in a way that works for most people.

18"-20" barrels will give you a full-size rifle. The Navy SPR and MC SAM-R run 18" and 20" barrels, respectively. Most combat applications of these length barrels will be designated marksmen-type roles. If you wanted to build a retro A1 or A2, 20" would be accurate.

24" barrels are usually found on varminter type guns. It's ALOT of barrel.


As for DI/Piston....DI works, if you take reasonable care of the rifle (oiled, clean it every now and again, keep as much dirt/sand out as possible) . Piston works too, but is typically a lot more expensive, and for the average user....not necessarily worth the cost.


As for triggers....I use a standard trigger. The RRA 2-stage, from what I've seen, is popular. Timney and Giessele (sp?) are pretty popular as well. Someone else will have to speak about the specifics of these triggers, though.
 
okay I got my matched set, looking to go as inexpensive as possible to unless people are looking to sell me equipment that they don't like it looks like I am going to go with a Del-Ton Kit
http://www.del-ton.com/AR_15_Rifle_Kits_16_s/57.htm
just don't know what one I should go with I know it will be a 16" use will be home offense, killing yotes, plinking. My goal is to have a rock solid reliable gun. I don't need sub MOA as my eyes are no longer sub MOA I figure I can upgrade components as time goes on
 
piston is only really useful if you're running suppressed or you don't like the aggressive nature of an SBR IMO. Regardless, owning both, my go-to firearm is a POF AR-10.. piston.. beats the hell out of my Noveske n4 anyday. Would like to compare it to an n6 sometime but don't know anyone with one.
 
Hmm.. Nice to find this thread, and hopefully it will get a lot of attention.

Someone on the boards that I've been getting a lot of useful knowledge from is sschevy...

I'm starting an AR build within the next week or two, and plan to have it as a winter project...

My goal is not to save money per se, I just want to build myself my go-to gun in the event shtf.

Right now, I've started with a TNW Billet matched upper and lower that I'll be picking up from Remsport next Tuesday, and I've also just ordered a Bushmaster lower parts kit and RRA 2-stage trigger...

The rest of the pieces, I have yet to pick out, and time to save for.
 
Boghog1, did you buy the Del-Ton yet?

For my second carbine I got:
Complete upper from smartgunner $350
Proper DD BCG from Brownells for $150
DD charging handle from Brownells for $27
Spikes complete lower from Brownells for $243

So $770 and you got a gun that is built and TESTED to mil-spec and has higher odds of going bang every time you pull the trigger with whatever ammo you slam in it.

I think you will find with the Del-Ton you will be replacing parts before to long.
 
So folks, this is what I have (either ordered, or planned to order)

Billet Matched Upper and Lower (Remsport / TNW)
14.5" M4 Barrel Stainless Steel Bead Blasted (Remsport)
Bolt Carrier Assembly (LMT or Les Baer)
Sights (Yankee Hill Machine or TROY)
Gas Block (Yankee Hill Machine)
Muzzle Break (Yankee Hill Machine)
Optics (undecided)
Charging Handle (BCM Gunfighter)
Lower Parts Kit (Bushmaster)
2 Stage Trigger (Rock River Arms)
Quad Rail Forearm (Yankee Hill Machine)
6-Pos Collapsible Stock (DPMS) [to be pinned]
 
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Billet uppers and lowers look cool, but forged will be stronger. I'm also a big fan of the mid length gas system. Piston conversions are snake oil IMO, however a true piston platform from the ground up a-la Sig556 shouldn't necessarily be overlooked.

Spikes or BCM is going to have probably the most competitive pricing, and are two of the premier rifle makers in terms of quality these days.

There is no reason to spend 400 dollars on a free float rail, not to say if you want to spend the money you shouldn't, but its not necessary. YHM makes great free float rails in the 100 dollar range, however.

Mike
 
Billet uppers and lowers look cool, but forged will be stronger. I'm also a big fan of the mid length gas system. Piston conversions are snake oil IMO, however a true piston platform from the ground up a-la Sig556 shouldn't necessarily be overlooked.

Spikes or BCM is going to have probably the most competitive pricing, and are two of the premier rifle makers in terms of quality these days.

There is no reason to spend 400 dollars on a free float rail, not to say if you want to spend the money you shouldn't, but its not necessary. YHM makes great free float rails in the 100 dollar range, however.

Mike

I've heard the argument both ways for Billet vs. Forged. I preferred the "perfect" look of the billet stuff, and got a good deal on it to boot.

I'm also not a huge fan of the piston system. I understand how it works, but I think under the conventional piston system, there are more moving parts to break, and why change a design that has been tried and proven.
 
Billet certainly isn't weak per se, but its not worth the premium if you are going for a SHTF rifle. If you get a good deal on it, and like it, the strength differences aren't really a deal breaker.

Mike
 
I saw a billet lower that had a neat feature, instead of a roll pin it used an allen screw for the bolt catch.

Neat feature, looked cool, but not worth the extra money to me.
 
Billet uppers and lowers look cool, but forged will be stronger. I'm also a big fan of the mid length gas system. Piston conversions are snake oil IMO, however a true piston platform from the ground up a-la Sig556 shouldn't necessarily be overlooked.

Spikes or BCM is going to have probably the most competitive pricing, and are two of the premier rifle makers in terms of quality these days.

There is no reason to spend 400 dollars on a free float rail, not to say if you want to spend the money you shouldn't, but its not necessary. YHM makes great free float rails in the 100 dollar range, however.

Mike

Spikes has some outstanding deals right now and the quality and finish is excellent. I have 2 lowers and love them.
 
So folks, this is what I have (either ordered, or planned to order)

Billet Matched Upper and Lower (Remsport / TNW)
14.5" M4 Barrel Stainless Steel Bead Blasted (Remsport)
Bolt Carrier Assembly (LMT or Les Baer)
Sights (Yankee Hill Machine or TROY)
Gas Block (Yankee Hill Machine)
Muzzle Break (Yankee Hill Machine)
Optics (undecided)
Charging Handle (BCM Gunfighter)
Lower Parts Kit (Bushmaster)
2 Stage Trigger (Rock River Arms)
Quad Rail Forearm (Yankee Hill Machine)
6-Pos Collapsible Stock (DPMS) [to be pinned]

Solid build. The only thing i would question is the barrel. Will it be a 1/9 or a 1/7 and is it a 5.56 chamber? The mil spec is 1/7 5.56. Now everyone likes to talk how 1/7 can't shoot 55gr and blah blah blah. Truth is it shoots it just fine and i think you would see more chances of accuracy degradation when if you shoot the higher grain bullets out of a 1/9. I look for confidence in the system and my preference is to have a 1/7 because i have more confidence it will eat anything i give it better than a 1/9.
 
Boghog1, did you buy the Del-Ton yet?

For my second carbine I got:
Complete upper from smartgunner $350
Proper DD BCG from Brownells for $150
DD charging handle from Brownells for $27
Spikes complete lower from Brownells for $243

So $770 and you got a gun that is built and TESTED to mil-spec and has higher odds of going bang every time you pull the trigger with whatever ammo you slam in it.

I think you will find with the Del-Ton you will be replacing parts before to long.

haven't pulled the trigger yet on the Del-ton Right now the only thing I have is the nmatched upper and lower from AWS
 
Boghog1

Consider the following option:
build your lower - LPK & stock set are all you need (buffer tuber, etc.)
buy a complete upper and get some shooting done.

Once you start fooling around and get impressions of how the gun works you can start to plan a build for the matched upper.

Honestly there are more options for an upper build than daily threads over on knee-oh

If all you want it a 16" carbine, order one from BCM and drop it on - this will get you up and running until you start bench building the matched upper.

I'm on my second upper build right now - this is after I built exactly what I wanted for the first one...I started working it and changed my criteria.

As for the actual builds, once I figured out what I wanted I started keeping an eye out for parts on sale, discounts and group buys here. This saved me a ton but it took some time to gather the parts.

If money is no object, go Noveske don't look back
 

What he said. Build it around a good upper, shoot it a lot, and you will find something you don't like and want to change. If you start with a good BCG, barrel, and upper receiver, it will cost less in the long run to change what you want around a good base.
 
Smartgunner.com has some great deals on Daniel Defense uppers.. Not a bad way to start out.
 
Solid build. The only thing i would question is the barrel. Will it be a 1/9 or a 1/7 and is it a 5.56 chamber? The mil spec is 1/7 5.56. Now everyone likes to talk how 1/7 can't shoot 55gr and blah blah blah. Truth is it shoots it just fine and i think you would see more chances of accuracy degradation when if you shoot the higher grain bullets out of a 1/9. I look for confidence in the system and my preference is to have a 1/7 because i have more confidence it will eat anything i give it better than a 1/9.

Yeah, it's probably the only part of the gun I went with a somewhat budget part. I wanted stainless (both for cleanability and for looks) and saw this, and got a good deal on it.

It's a 5.56, and 1/9 twist.

If it turns out I don't like it, I'll swap it out...

I think this build is my SHTF gun.
 
I'm working on my first build right now as well. Started with a matched upper/lower from the AWS group buy (very nice receivers). So far have a DPMS lower parts kit installed, along with an Ace skeleton stock and Noveske charging handle. My plan so far looks to be:

White Oaks Armament barrel, 18" w/ rifle length gas system
Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite rail
Troy front/rear BUS
Low profile gas block (undecided on which)
BCM or Daniel Defense BCG
EOTech (or similar) sight
 
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