Here is the story of my redneck/cheapskate SPR Not saying you have to do the same this is just what I did and the results.
It did not start as an SPR build. I ran across a stripped brownells lower for cheap. So I got it with no idea what I was going to do.
Fast forward several months perhaps a year. I decided to make a coyote/hunting rifle. Since I was not using it for CQB etc I got a cheap A2 stock and inexpensive lower build kit. I did get a CMC trigger, more on that later.
Well for the upper. I wanted a 20 inch barrel free floated. Why? Because I wanted the velocity and free floated barrel.
After looking around I got a Bear Creek upper with 18 inch barrel. Why 18? Because they didn't have a 20 in stock. This was supposed to be MOA guarantee. The barrel came in and it looked fine with a bolt carrier stamp MPI.
Now people will hammer me for getting a Bear Creek but I got a complete upper for less than I could get all the parts etc minus the barrel and put it together. If it shot like crap I could pull the barrel off accurate the upper with my tool and get a better barrel.
Optics. I had an old Leupold VX2 3-9x 40 laying around. Slapped it on. Good enough for what I was going to do.
I had it a few months and realized I had built an SPR rifle aka cheap skate version. Remember folks SPR/MK-12 is a concept not a parts list. If you are a clone type good for you. Go for it. I was just throwing together an AR for yots and the range not a combat tour.
Results. Its been a couple years. It will keep 1-1.5 MOA with good match ammo. You cant expect to put crap ammo through any barrel and get good results. Oh yea this thing has NEVER jammed on me. More than I can say for the M-16s I had in the Army.
The CMC trigger went to crap. It became soft and mushy and occasionally would not reset. I contacted them and they immediately sent me a return order. I got busy and pulled it out slapped in a stock trigger that came with my kit.
Its been a few months and I did not get around to sending it in yet and lost the paperwork. That is on me, I can not fault them. Now that I have it out I might call them and explain I am a dumb ass. I find it comical the one high quality part I put in failed. Again They were very responsive I don't want any misgivings to come across about them.
Lessons-
1. I am a cheap bastard. No secret there.
2. Your best accessory is ammo and trigger time.
3. Sometimes good enough is good enough. My complete build was around $500 if my memory serves me correctly.
4. You don't need a sub MOA rifle for everything. Yea I have a couple built rifles including a tac ops. Think of it this way. A human head is about 6 inches. A crap 2 MOA gun is a head shot at 300 yards. Be realistic. Very few true sub MOA rifle exist meaning they will do it consistently ie every time with the right ammo.
Anyway if you want to build a rifle but cant afford a top end perhaps you can get something cheaper that will get the job done. A lot of people here will disagree and say you have to put a mortgage payment or two for a gun then the same for the optic but just get something and get to shooting. Enjoy what you got instead of dreaming about something. The shooter is the most important part of the equation start building your skills now not in 10 years.
Well that's it from me. Hope I didn't hurt any feeling. No wait, I don't care. Just some feedback from an old man that may get some young guys out shooting instead of dreaming and and away from the keyboard.
It did not start as an SPR build. I ran across a stripped brownells lower for cheap. So I got it with no idea what I was going to do.
Fast forward several months perhaps a year. I decided to make a coyote/hunting rifle. Since I was not using it for CQB etc I got a cheap A2 stock and inexpensive lower build kit. I did get a CMC trigger, more on that later.
Well for the upper. I wanted a 20 inch barrel free floated. Why? Because I wanted the velocity and free floated barrel.
After looking around I got a Bear Creek upper with 18 inch barrel. Why 18? Because they didn't have a 20 in stock. This was supposed to be MOA guarantee. The barrel came in and it looked fine with a bolt carrier stamp MPI.
Now people will hammer me for getting a Bear Creek but I got a complete upper for less than I could get all the parts etc minus the barrel and put it together. If it shot like crap I could pull the barrel off accurate the upper with my tool and get a better barrel.
Optics. I had an old Leupold VX2 3-9x 40 laying around. Slapped it on. Good enough for what I was going to do.
I had it a few months and realized I had built an SPR rifle aka cheap skate version. Remember folks SPR/MK-12 is a concept not a parts list. If you are a clone type good for you. Go for it. I was just throwing together an AR for yots and the range not a combat tour.
Results. Its been a couple years. It will keep 1-1.5 MOA with good match ammo. You cant expect to put crap ammo through any barrel and get good results. Oh yea this thing has NEVER jammed on me. More than I can say for the M-16s I had in the Army.
The CMC trigger went to crap. It became soft and mushy and occasionally would not reset. I contacted them and they immediately sent me a return order. I got busy and pulled it out slapped in a stock trigger that came with my kit.
Its been a few months and I did not get around to sending it in yet and lost the paperwork. That is on me, I can not fault them. Now that I have it out I might call them and explain I am a dumb ass. I find it comical the one high quality part I put in failed. Again They were very responsive I don't want any misgivings to come across about them.
Lessons-
1. I am a cheap bastard. No secret there.
2. Your best accessory is ammo and trigger time.
3. Sometimes good enough is good enough. My complete build was around $500 if my memory serves me correctly.
4. You don't need a sub MOA rifle for everything. Yea I have a couple built rifles including a tac ops. Think of it this way. A human head is about 6 inches. A crap 2 MOA gun is a head shot at 300 yards. Be realistic. Very few true sub MOA rifle exist meaning they will do it consistently ie every time with the right ammo.
Anyway if you want to build a rifle but cant afford a top end perhaps you can get something cheaper that will get the job done. A lot of people here will disagree and say you have to put a mortgage payment or two for a gun then the same for the optic but just get something and get to shooting. Enjoy what you got instead of dreaming about something. The shooter is the most important part of the equation start building your skills now not in 10 years.
Well that's it from me. Hope I didn't hurt any feeling. No wait, I don't care. Just some feedback from an old man that may get some young guys out shooting instead of dreaming and and away from the keyboard.