PRS Upper (small frame)

For barrels I’d recommend Craddock Precision

Do you intend to compete in PRS? If so I strongly recommend you attend some matches and talk to the shooters.

If you just want a precision upper, there are many. I like the RRA Predator myself.

DocRDS said:

Yup. We don't have a lot of gas gun shooters tbh. Trying to spice life up a bit. Our range is a bit shorter (660 max shots), I am feeling my age and was like "this calls for an AR"

I'll check out RRA. I want a heavy barrel cause thats what all the cool kids have. More length=more speed. Really all i care about is "does it run". I may just throw a scope on my 16" Timmy rifle and give it a shot tbh.

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RRA also has varmint uppers, I have a 24" and it is a heavier profile than my Predator 20". But for position shooting I think the predator has much better balance.

I’d look at 6arc offerings or maybe the 6max with a SOLGW upper.

DocRDS said:

Been thinking about doing small(standard) AR for PRS. I used to live in tatical timmy world and it seems like a big chunk of the AR world is still there. I was thinking a heavy barrel 18+ inches and the lookings were pretty slim. Lots of MK12s but those seem a bit overpriced and they are not heavy barrels. White Oak has been sold, Fulton has not handguard for arca rails/bipods.

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I'm following down the same path, PRS guy trying to build out an AR to play in the long range DMR match space. Craddock was one of my top choices, but they didn't have the Bartlein blanks in stock so you had to order custom (with longer lead times).

I ended up putting in an order for a custom Bartlein barrel from Paul Ross of Ross Precision Machine. He's formerly from Compass Lake Engineering but went out on his own. Don't have the barrel yet but cost and lead times were both reasonable, and he was very helpful chatting through details on the phone.

I can't say how competitive a small pattern AR will be in PRS, even with a 6 ARC or 22 ARC in it, though a 22 ARC shooting our 75gr TAC's has been really impressive on steel lately. We have 22 ARC barrels available and we are almost ready to go with the next batch of 6mm ARCs

I would prioritize two things. A rigid forearm to receiver interface, and a reliable as possible cartridge.

I have had 3 x 22 Grendel's/ 22 ARCs, a 6.5G CTR-O2, and for a short time a 6mm AR. None of them are as ....across the board..... reliable as a .223. And only the 6.5G approached the consistent accuracy of the 223. The 223 gives up a fair amount to these other cartridges in longer range performance, but you aren't getting anywhere without reliability and accuracy. If you're having some sort of malfunction or severely limited mag capacity, it just doesn't matter. You can't make that up in later stages with a few more hits in longer stages. And my most accurate small frame is always a 223 Wylde. I really want 22 ARC to be the answer but I just can't get it to compare to straight 223 in the accuracy department. So much so that I bought Alpha 22 ARC brass to see if I can get it to stop with the flyers. I have a full custom 1:7" M24 contour barrel that I'm going to have a very good smith cut to see if I can get to match my $275 WOA SDM barrel.

For a precision AR, I pretty much won't even F around with something that isn't semi-monolithic. When you have those classic AR flyers in a group, you don't want to be wondering if it's some basic mechanical flaw of the platform. Just eliminate that variable.

For a longer than 16" barreled "factory" upper that is semi-monolithic and precision oriented.... I think a JP CTI-23 is the answer. It also has the generous inside diameter handguard that will accommodate big assed PRS barrels and AGBs. And they offer long handguard sizes like 17" for all that prone bipod stability.

if you go 24cal, go 6max as you'll have a better bolt strength as it utilizes the 556 bolt face for 65k pressures than the gren and spc faces. for receivers the aero precision enhanced version
https://www.aeroprecisionusa.com/ar15-bar-barrel-nut
(uses the handguard below)

if wanting an ambi lower

barrel of make is your choice as i haven't had very many custom ar barrels made. not knowing the parameters of any prs shooting are i couldn't give a best/better cartridge to use? as far as barrel profile choice, it depends on a "run & gun" or more static shooting for lugging/swinging a heavy firearm around. modified socom/hbar hits the in-between weights.

What about a Seekins DMR? Complete rifle or they might make you just an upper if you give them a call/email. From what I have read that are as close to bolt gun accurate as possible plus the comfort of Seekins customer service. Might be worth a look.

There's a Seekins small frame DMR kit for sale in the classifieds right now for a pretty good price. This problem could be solved today

@cypriss32

I can solve your problem quick sir……