I have numerous .223, .300 AAC, .308 and 6.5 creedmore builds. Anyone have any fun ideas for something different? Thought about a .458 but open to seeing what other folks have done.
Fun AR variant builds?
- Thread starter TheDude219
- Start date
I have a 6.5 Grendel that absolutely hammers.
A dedicated 22lr upper is a must in my mind. Wife and kids get a ton of trigger time, and it's cheap.
I set mine up exactly like my rifle, so I'll run drills with it to get extra trigger time.
I set mine up exactly like my rifle, so I'll run drills with it to get extra trigger time.
I have multiple .223 builds that I take out west to hunt P. Dogs plus another upper chambered in .204 Ruger that is an absolute hammer. (All 26" H.B.B. +2" pipes). I have owned an AR10 in 6.5 Needmoor with a 2nd upper in .308 Win that I have since sold. I built a 6.5 Grendel upper that I take with me down to Florida to hunt hogs with at a friends place west of Sarasota, this thing drops them in their tracks. Not sure what's next on the agenda, but more than likely once I've shot out one of my .223 barrels, it will be another 26" +2" .204 Ruger upper.
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depends on what you find fun.
Personally I've been slowly building up an unusual setup to deal with local restrictions on cartridges for deer hunting. rather than just doing a basic .350 Legend upper and calling it a day, I decided to put it on a FightLite SCR lower and do some custom lightweight woodwork for the front end, it's still an AR, but looks more like a classical hunting rifle, and has been a fun experience doing custom woodwork (wanted to build my skills for other gunsmithing projects in future)
not quite done yet, but I was debating posting it here after I get done with it, since it's not really accuracy or precision based.
Personally I've been slowly building up an unusual setup to deal with local restrictions on cartridges for deer hunting. rather than just doing a basic .350 Legend upper and calling it a day, I decided to put it on a FightLite SCR lower and do some custom lightweight woodwork for the front end, it's still an AR, but looks more like a classical hunting rifle, and has been a fun experience doing custom woodwork (wanted to build my skills for other gunsmithing projects in future)
not quite done yet, but I was debating posting it here after I get done with it, since it's not really accuracy or precision based.
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Mebbe try a WWSD clone? Definitely different
I'm thinking 6mm ARC in both semi- and bolt configs 'soon' I've got other rifles to buy/build first tho
M
I'm thinking 6mm ARC in both semi- and bolt configs 'soon' I've got other rifles to buy/build first tho
M
I’ve got a WWSD like the one 9 Hole Reviews shot. Fun gun, but not as accurate as my other builds.
Having a 22LR version is always fun and good training. Top has a 18" 1-8 twist barrel with 223 Wylde chamber. Bottom is a heavy 16" CMMG dedicate 22LR barrel.
Whether you reload or not is a factor. Another consideration is bolt face diameter and if there's more than one source for quality bolts and barrels. X-Caliber has decent barrels, and their list of chamberings and twists is a good place to see what is somewhat commonly available, even if you get your barrel elsewhere.
I built mine with an 'enhanced lightweight' BCM barrel cause I saw the videos with the Faxon barrel and said 'no thanks.'
It isn't the barrel causing me to miss shots in the 2 gun matches I've run this rifle in
M
6.8SPC SBR. Great round for 16" and shorter. Even better if you reload.
Gathering the parts to build one right now. Will post pics once finished
FWIW, my 9MM Colt Pattern PCC is pretty fun at the action range.
Yes they are fun. I have a CMMG Colt style lower with a Fulton Armory 601 upper for the old school look.
6mm ARC in a 18" or 20" gas build sounds like fun. You get the longer range that that .223 can't do as well.
I sure am liking my 6 ARC build with an Odin Works 18" barrel. In fact I haven't even shot my 6.8 SPC upper since building the 6 ARC.
I have no need for a big straight wall caliber or even the 300 BLK. Between the 6 ARC, 6.8 SPC, and my large frame 308, my hunting needs are covered. My 9mm AR and several 22LR AR's cover my needs for a fun day of plinking.
I have no need for a big straight wall caliber or even the 300 BLK. Between the 6 ARC, 6.8 SPC, and my large frame 308, my hunting needs are covered. My 9mm AR and several 22LR AR's cover my needs for a fun day of plinking.
@TheDude219 you could build a high speed low drag competition rifle. Even if you don't compete its a fun and enlightening experiment to assemble a rifle designed for minimum recoil and in a configuration that everyone will tell you won't work. You haven't lived till you've shot an AR that recoils like a 10/22.
I think 375 Raptor will be my next. 16" barrel throwing 225gr at 2400 fps. 400gr subs too.
it's a fun caliber, I've entertained the idea more than once of combining a law folding mechanism and the cry havoc take-down mechanism (which the USAF uses on the modernized crew survival guns) to make a back-packable/concealable thumper. could probably get away with a 12-14" barrel
"what's in the backpack"
"my take-down, suppressed, elephant gun, with a 40rd mag"
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Another vote for Grendel.
Easy to shoot and boringly easy at anything under 500 yards. I take it to 800-1K often with little effort.
Lots of different factory ammo as well.
Easy to shoot and boringly easy at anything under 500 yards. I take it to 800-1K often with little effort.
Lots of different factory ammo as well.
"west of Sarasota"??? In the gulf??? Anyway, I also have a 6.5 Grendel build for hogs but need a friend with land in central FL.
Is that a 16” RL gas with low mass reciprocating guts?
I have a 16” light weight mid gas that doesn’t get much love. Thinking about a rebarrel to RL 16”. Only thing stopping me is that damn thing will eat absolutely anything reliably.
Curious how picky that set up is if you where to go from 55gr to 75?
Nope. I have a fleet of 16" RLGS barrels. Had to spice it up some. It's a 17" RLGS +1". Works great from a 55gr at 2600fps load up to a 77gr at 2750fps load with no tuning needed to go back and forth. Titanium BCG, low mass captured spring/buffer with some magic magnets to eliminate bolt bounce. Been used in a few matches, from 20 to 90 degrees, loaned it out to a few competitors, they ran a hodgepodge of garbage ammo through it and it worked great.
just need one of the receiver sets with a bunch of speed holes to make it look the part!
neat build though, got a link to the bolt bounce mitigation stuff you're using?
Haha, no thanks. Every now and then I see a skeletonized set that looks cool but I don't think I could ever talk myself into one.just need one of the receiver sets with a bunch of speed holes to make it look the part!
neat build though, got a link to the bolt bounce mitigation stuff you're using?
This is the buffer: https://unrivaledproshop.com/product/2-stage-dead-blow-buffer-udb-m4-c/
Although I just remembered that the lower used in that video had this buffer in it instead:
ULW Carbine Buffer System for AR15-223 | Taccom3g
Taccom 223 carbine length recoil system let's you lighten up your recoil system for a tuned, flat shooting competition gun. We STRONGLY recommend utilizing both adj gas and lightweight bolt with this system.
taccom3g.com
Dude, you don't have to limit yourself like that, pretty much any state from Texas to the Carolinas has hogs. Here in AL we can hunt year round and even at night, same for yotes.
And its a very simple build. Do you have an AR-15 you never really shoot much? Buy a new 6 ARC barrel and the bolt, and a couple of 6 ARC magazines. That is all it takes. A good flat shooter with little recoil. The original ballistic tests were done with a 24" barrel but aren't many people who use a barrel that long except distance shooters. Do it, you won't be disappointed. Pretty simple to do.
The 6 ARC is definitely a fun caliber with not much more recoil than 5.56. I'm really liking my Odin Works 18" 6 ARC barrel. And the ASC 6 ARC mags have been great for me.
I had a Barrett REC7 in 300 BO that I never shot. Put a Proof Carbon barrel in it. It now weighs less than 7 lbs
I'll just make another upper with a barrel, AGB, bolt, etc. Should work just fine.
My 6.5 creedmoor upper build started with a NOS 16" BA barrel I picked up for $50. I rushed to get a bid on some ammo and accidentally bought 6.5 Grendel, so I picked up an 18" BA barrel for $130. I've finished the lower and everything else for the upper will be here tomorrow, too bad I didn't accidentally buy 6 ARC ammo...
What ranges do you have access to? When I was in NC, it was mostly shorter ranges on the civilian side.
I also went through multiple AR-10s in .308 and .260 Remington, then tinkered around with 6.5 Grendel, which really grew on me and started replicating like Gremlins.
Grendel basically replaced anything I would normally use an AR-10 for, but I have access to lots of vast expanses of terrain for long range, and none of the beautiful trees and forest that is in NC/Eastern Seaboard.
I started with 16” Grendel, then 17.6”, 18”, 22”, then 12”, which I like the best for a do-all blaster. It has ruined any excitement I used to have for 5.56x45, which I’m stacked-deep in as well.
You're killing me with all this Grendel speak tonight. My FAFO meter is pinging! I thought I had myself pacified on my builds
I'll have to look at the terminal ballistics of the Grendel. I have AR rigs for "Zombies" (77SMK 5.56 2750fps) all other rigs are slated for DRT TX hogs. Hogtober next month BTW! OINK.
Edited: Ok, I saw in another post you're killing hogs with the Grendel...yup!
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Here in AL hog season never ends, 24-7/365! I don't eat them (my gout trigger), so not too much into hunting them. I'll shoot them and leave them lying there.You're killing me with all this Grendel speak tonight. My FAFO meter is pinging! I thought I had myself pacified on my builds
I'll have to look at the terminal ballistics of the Grendel. I have AR rigs for "Zombies" (77SMK 5.56 2750fps) all other rigs are slated for DRT TX hogs. Hogtober next month BTW! OINK.
I get 1-2 10 day trips a year to vermin reduce off the TX ranch. Eat the straps out of a couple under 100lbs. Let the coyotes, bobcats, buzzards clean up the bodies. Sometimes shoot the yotes if bored.
I’m not hog-hunting yet, but lots of people have been hog-slaying with Grendel since it came out.You're killing me with all this Grendel speak tonight. My FAFO meter is pinging! I thought I had myself pacified on my builds
I'll have to look at the terminal ballistics of the Grendel. I have AR rigs for "Zombies" (77SMK 5.56 2750fps) all other rigs are slated for DRT TX hogs. Hogtober next month BTW! OINK.
Edited: Ok, I saw in another post you're killing hogs with the Grendel...yup!
We don’t have hogs in Utah. Elk, mulies, and speed goats are the main things we hunt here.
My main fun is shooting steel out in large range complexes with Wile E. Coyote backdrops.
MUTT'S NUTS! Hell yeah!I’m not hog-hunting yet, but lots of people have been hog-slaying with Grendel since it came out.
We don’t have hogs in Utah. Elk, mulies, and speed goats are the main things we hunt here.
My main fun is shooting steel out in large range complexes with Wile E. Coyote backdrops.
You're killing me with all this Grendel speak tonight. My FAFO meter is pinging! I thought I had myself pacified on my builds
I'll have to look at the terminal ballistics of the Grendel. I have AR rigs for "Zombies" (77SMK 5.56 2750fps) all other rigs are slated for DRT TX hogs. Hogtober next month BTW! OINK.
Edited: Ok, I saw in another post you're killing hogs with the Grendel...yup!
May I introduce you to the 375 raptor? its a wildcat based off the .308 win, so everything but the barrel is still standard .308, but it has some crazy nice properties. It was originally created as a short action option for hunting african dangerous game because of the legal requirements there for .375 cal and up.
its expressly designed for shorter barrel lengths too. Maker Bullets makes a 400gr copper monolithic for the caliber for subsonic use.
I didn't want another 5.56/Wylde, 300BO, 6.5G, 6ARC, or .308 build and assembled a 7.62x39 build with parts I had around and a POF 16.5" barrel when they closed them out. With Duramags, enhanced bolt/firing pin, and a Larue MBT (with extra power springs) it has been flawless. No adjustable gas block was needed. This was my least expensive AR to assemble and it gets the most attention at the range outside of my SBRs.
It's fun to shoot less expensive ammo.
It's fun to shoot less expensive ammo.
