Well looking at building an AR. Need some input.

[Scotts556]

Hey all.
Im looking at dropping some coin on a long range upper. My
budget for the upper is bout 1400 bucks. There are alot of
long range rounds for the AR platform. But what would be a good one? I can reload. So factory offerings are not a deal breaker for me. I've been looking at the 6mmAR. It seems to fit the bill. But what else is out there. And Are side charging handle uppers worth the money?
Thanks

Scott

 

[Jumper]

Re: Well looking at building an AR. Need some input.

Since you mentioned the 6mmAR I assume you are building the upper in the AR15 format not an AR10 or equivalent. 6.5 Grendel is a pretty well established caliber. There is also the 6mm AR Turbo. I'm in the process of building an AR10 myself and I've found this out: There is much greater variety and parts availability for the AR15 platform than the AR10. There also much less expensive.

Side charging handles are just a preference thing if the weapon isn't strictly for tactical applications. One definite advantage is side charging handles are easier to operate if your scope eyepiece intrudes on the space for the normal top charging handle. Something you may want to consider.

 

[Bozcoyote]

Re: Well looking at building an AR. Need some input.

I love my .243 WSSM by Olympic Arms .
D tech makes one also and there righ around your price

 

[BCP]

Re: Well looking at building an AR. Need some input.

6.5 grendel? I think you can get an 18" sabre barrel + bolt in that caliber for 500 or so and then build the rest of the upper using normal parts.

Then just get grendel mags.

I thought about that for a long time and came to the conclusion that I'd rather have a large frame in 260.

 

[Casey Simpson]

Re: Well looking at building an AR. Need some input.

I'm an ocd sob. I researched ad nauseum large and small chassis Ar's and built both. The small chassis does all most of us need to do in 6turbo, 6Rat, or 6WOA. Mine is a Rat and it hammers. I love it and I think Rich Emmons loved it when he made 100% hits at 300yds.
Grendel is out of the running in my view, compared to the 6's ballistically.

My big chassis was (got stolen) a 6.5x47L. It nearly hammered. If you're taller than 5'9" and weigh more than 175 with a BMI of less than 25% you might not mind toting the big chassis. But go with a Armalite BCG. The others' firing pin holes are too fng big (freaks building these are not professionals).

You or a mass producer can sling a gun together and by chance it will shoot, but probably not. Part it. Get someone with a reputation for smithing fine Ar's like GAP, Madesha, Sabreco, Scottmilk, WhiteOak, Lee Wells, Craig Krebaum, Robert Whitley, Gary Eliseo, and "Bustin" here on SH, among many others. These are just a few.

I like to help other shooters avoid mistakes I've made.

P.S. Remember, these are all only opinions.

 

[hrfunk]

Re: Well looking at building an AR. Need some input.

I was evaluating the same options about a year ago. In the end I built a 5.56mm and called it good. One thing you might want to consider before you make a final decision is the cost of reloading components ( particularly cases), as well as their availability. One of the reasons I finally settled on the 5.56 is because I was not interested in paying two or three times as much for cases used by some of the more exotic cartridges.

 

[Peepaw]

Re: Well looking at building an AR. Need some input.

I know this won't help, and if anythng, will probaly only add to the "confusion", but which cal would you guys choose, if "long rangin" it...the .260 or 6.5 grendel?

Lets pretend that the AR never leaves a bench or prone or whatever (basically ONLY range shooting), so we don't have to look at weight and lugging it around, that way we can leave that equation out, which would you choose, 260, or 6.5 Grendel?

I don't think Im hijacking, but if I am OP, jsut let me know, and I ll delete...