Advice on a build

[Backshoot]

Long time shooter but new to ARs. On the advice of others I've been looking around here and some other places to gather some knowledge on my own but would like to turn to the experts now. I'm looking to build a nice rifle as a project, as much for the experience as to have a nice rifle in the end. I've started assembling a parts list and am looking for feedback as far as what I've picked, what I might have missed, and if there's anything I should be looking at instead. Accuracy is important (an accurate gun is an interesting one) as are quality and to an extent, aesthetics.

Screenshots of Builds

Would appreciate any advice you all have to give.

 

[CohenJ87]

Re: Advice on a build

Shit for that much you could get an SR-15 or almost any other AR-15. They both sound like super high end pieces though and you can't go wrong. In my opinion though it it is kinda overkill like the spring. I would personally save some money on some of the parts that have no reason to be top top notch and buy a can of ammo! I am on my 3rd AR-15 build and before optics my most expensive has came in at $1300.

 

[Backshoot]

Re: Advice on a build

Thanks, that's the kind of advice I'm looking for. Being new to ARs I wasn't sure which parts were best to make a sacrifice on. In the case of the buffer would this be more appropriate perhaps?

Low Mass Buffer

Any other parts I'm making huge overkill on?

 

[CohenJ87]

Re: Advice on a build

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php...-stock-kit.html

Now this is just my opinion but I think your whole lower is complete overkill unless your life is riding on this rifle day in and day out. Even your upper is a lil pricey but if you are gonna put the money into something on your rifle it should be the upper and the scope.

 

[CohenJ87]

Re: Advice on a build

I really like Palmetto State Armory, Yankee Hill Machine, Stag, and magpul for parts and I am a big fan of Black Hole Weaponry's barrels. They will even custom profile them for free.

 

[CohenJ87]

Re: Advice on a build

You could seriously build 2 different AR's like one 16 inch and one 20 inch that are very nice for the cost of either of your builds.

 

[kvwpwr]

Re: Advice on a build

Tell us what kind of shooting you are planning to do with the rifle.

 

[Mil.Dot]

Re: Advice on a build

There is nothing 'wrong' with your builds, they should be very nice rifles, particularly if you like JP. As alternative options, I would also recommend looking at following options which should be similarly accurate and very-high quality.

-BCM stainless-barreled uppers
-Centurion Arms stainless barrels/uppers
-High Caliber Sales barrels/uppers
-LMT MRP stainless uppers/rifles
-Noveske stainless uppers/rifles
-Rainier Ultramatch uppers/barrels
-LaRue uppers/rifles (you'll have to wait)
-White Oak Armament barrels/uppers

Others have already noted that you can do it for less, but it looks like you may being looking for a 'top tier' sort of rifle. Each of these options will be pretty close to each other for cost.

Whatever you decide, definitely keep the Geissele trigger (also consider the SSA-E or SD-E for precision).

 

[LongArm]

Re: Advice on a build

Get a Tubbs spring not the JP buffer sys/spring. It works just as good. It will last for 500,000 spring compressions.

Go with the carbine h or h2 buffer (for the UBR, cause it does not take the standard size, it is has a carbine buffer and it's own carbine length tube).

As for the gas block and tube go with the DA7 adjustable gas block. It is adjustable so you can tune the gas sys. It only takes one allen wrench and can be take apart and cleaned. It has a captured detent so the setting will not change after it is set unless you want it too. It is cheaper and will work better. I currently run one on my patrol rifle and one on a 308. DA7

For charging handles get a
BCM Gunfighter charging handle. I would never pay $80.00 for one, not because I am cheap but because there is no need for one to cost that much. The raptor will hang up on everything. I am also left handed.

The JP heat sink is nice but I do not see it being necessary. But that is just personal opinion.

The JP rail seems to really expensive for what is available on the market today. For that price you could one of Seekin's new rails that would match your upper. I like the Troy TRX Extreme Alpha rail. I also like the Rainier Arms rails. They are both cheaper and give you more adaptability with less cost/weight.

After having both the Accu-point and the Larue mount if I had it to do over I would go with a regular mil-dot scope and a BoBro mount. I could never get good accuracy from the Accu-Point due to the triangle. They are great for fast shooting and running game. They (accu-point's)have great glass as well. For the price I pick BoBro over LaRue, and Bushnell HDMR , Vortex PST, SWFA Super Snipers over the Trijicon. Vortex and other manufactures also have a lifetime warranty Trijicon only has a 10 year warranty.

For the BUIS I would suggest MagPul's I know the Troy's are awesome (I own one) but so are the magpul's and will they actually get used? We run the magpul's on our patrol rifles for work and they are tough.

These are the changes I would make if I was building the rifle. I also know that with more research you can get the items on your list cheaper (like the trigger) with discount and such. Hope this helps.

 

[LongArm]

Re: Advice on a build


5.56 OBR $2245.00

or

308 OBR $3370.00

 

[CohenJ87]

Re: Advice on a build

I have had 2 sets of magpul sights and on both of them I had to have the windage all the way to the right to sight in the open sights. This seems to be very common. Like was said I never used them so it didn't really matter. I suggest to you learning on irons with a stock trigger and then after you get nice and good with that then swap the trigger and throw some glass on it and you will be a much more rounded AR-15 shooter and learning with a stock trigger and irons will improve you skills with it when you slap the glass and match trigger on it. If you want a top end build just to say its top shit or your life rides on it everyday then by all means build one of those builds but if not I suggest with going with a much cheaper build that is still gonna do absolutely everything you want it to do.

 

[Backshoot]

Re: Advice on a build

I appreciate all of the help, I tried to incorporate the advice I've been given and cut down on some of the cost without sacrificing quality. I should have been clear in saying that while I want a high quality rifle I likely won't be shooting beyond 300 yards so it doesn't have to the absolute best available.

One part in particular that I still have some questions about is the bolt carrier group. Will I regret having a bolt carrier group that specifically says it is not notched for the forward assist?

I have looked at buying complete rifles (specifically Larues and Seekins) but the long wait is a deterrent as well as my interest in having a project.

Let me know if you have any other feedback or if I missed any other parts.

Revised Builds

 

[LongArm]

Re: Advice on a build

I would try to find a carrier that has the notches on it for the forward assist. That being said there are two trains of thought on forward assist.
1. If you need to uses the forward assist to get a round in the chamber, its a bad round just eject it. Having a bad round (out of round, dented, longer than spec'd cartridge) fired and or stuck in your chamber is a bad thing.
2. Forward assists are used for press checking to see if you have around in the chamber (this is an old and out dated method). After checking to see if there is indeed a round in the chamber you release the charging handle and hit the forward assist to insure that the round is seated. The forward assist is also used during malfunction drills to insure that the round is seated after certain types of malfunctions.
These are older types of thought and it makes more sense to me to just eject the bad round not use the forward assist to jam it deeper in the chamber.

If you want to load the rifle and check to see if the round was chambered try this;
1. Take a loaded mag, look at the top round and see which side of the mag it is on.
2. Then load the mag into the empty rifle and chamber the round.
3. Then pull out the magazine and see if the top round is gone and if the second round is on the other side (now on top). If it is then you have a loaded rifle.

This is a method I believe Vicker's and other Delta members use/teach.

This will also work in the dark.


That being said I would get a bolt carrier with notches. I think that the Seekin's are awesome looking, if you are open to others Mega billet fitted combo would be my choice due to quality/price.

 

[Takashi]

Re: Advice on a build

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LongArm</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would try to find a carrier that has the notches on it for the forward assist. That being said there are two trains of thought on forward assist.
1. If you need to uses the forward assist to get a round in the chamber, its a bad round just eject it. Having a bad round (out of round, dented, longer than spec'd cartridge) fired and or stuck in your chamber is a bad thing.
2. Forward assists are used for press checking to see if you have around in the chamber (this is an old and out dated method). After checking to see if there is indeed a round in the chamber you release the charging handle and hit the forward assist to insure that the round is seated. The forward assist is also used during malfunction drills to insure that the round is seated after certain types of malfunctions.
These are older types of thought and it makes more sense to me to just eject the bad round not use the forward assist to jam it deeper in the chamber.

If you want to load the rifle and check to see if the round was chambered try this;
1. Take a loaded mag, look at the top round and see which side of the mag it is on.
2. Then load the mag into the empty rifle and chamber the round.
3. Then pull out the magazine and see if the top round is gone and if the second round is on the other side (now on top). If it is then you have a loaded rifle.

This is a method I believe Vicker's and other Delta members use/teach.

This will also work in the dark.


That being said I would get a bolt carrier with notches. I think that the Seekin's are awesome looking, if you are open to others Mega billet fitted combo would be my choice due to quality/price. </div></div>

It is worthwhile to note, however, that press checks are sometimes done at night (or mid-mag), and for the tactile feedback, you almost certainly have to pull the bolt back to feel what is in the chamber, similar to the press check on a bolt gun.
The forward assist may come in handy in this situation, though I have never done a press check and the rifle not go fully into battery, I still hit the FA.

 

[Temp9]

Re: Advice on a build

After a press check, I just reach up with my right thumb and push the bolt forward using the groove in the BCG. My upper doesn't have a FA.

 

[Backshoot]

Re: Advice on a build

so being my first build and not having all the necessary tools I've decided to go ahead and go with a version of build 1 (complete upper so I can avoid a few tools at this point).

Still have a question about the Seekins uppers though. I have tried to contact them but haven't been able to get an answer the last couple days. The question concerns the barrels Seekins has available. They list a SS match barrel and a 5R cut rifled barrel. Any idea what the difference is in the barrels? Does the 5R cut rifle barrel really justify the 200 extra dollars?

 

[splean]

Re: Advice on a build

+1 for WOA barrels.
+1 for the Tubbs flat wire buffer spring.
+1 for Geissele trigger.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Backshoot]

Re: Advice on a build

OK, so I looked around a little more and it sounds like 5R is basically rounding the rifling grooves in the barrel to lessen bullet deformation (increasing accuracy) and increasing barrel longevity by decreasing wear.

Is my impression at all right? If so does it justify a 200 dollar difference from the standard SS match barrel? (If it is of interest Seekins uses Rock Creek Barrel blanks)

And Spleen, thanks for replying, I liked the WOA barrels but I think I'm going to stick with the complete upper. Will keep your advice about the geissele and the tubbs in mind though!