I built an AR that I was hoping would be as close as possible to a do-it-all rifle. I wanted as much accuracy as possible in as light a weight as possible. I chose a BCM 18" 410SS barrel in 1:8. I chose the 410 because it is a tiny bit harder and more durable than the 416 used in most other barrels. The 1:8 allows the use of the widest range of bullet weights that I would fire. It has a medium contour so is a bit lighter than a full bull. Also, the 18" barrel has a rifle length gas system so as to keep port pressure and recoil to a minimum.
I chose the Troy Claymore linear compensator to put as much noise down range, rather than laterally as possible. And to reduce the dust signature from muzzle blast.
For an upper I chose the VLTOR MUR-1. It's a bit heavier than a standard forged upper but has the highest build quality and tolerances of any forged upper.
I chose the Midwest Industries SS GenII forearm because it's lightweight, slim, high quality, customizable and very reasonably priced.
The Giessle trigger should be self explanatory. It's the best at what it does.
For a buttstock I went with the VLTOR A5 system. It has a great reputation for smoothing out the recoil and operation of unusual barrel combos. I didn't want to run into issues with the short dwell on my barrel and didn't want to be continuously futzing around trying to find the perfect buffer weight.
For a scope I wanted as much utility as the rifle it was to be mounted on. I chose the Leupold VX-R Patrol 3-9X40. It offered a clean and clear reticle with minimal holdover points and a single illuminated dot. It has capped turrets to insure no change in settings in field conditions and is only 12" long and weighs only a pound.
I went with the American Defense Recon mount because it has an excellent reputation for quality. And was a bit cheaper than the Larue. If I were on my way to Afghanistan, I would have chosen the Larue. For Central Oregon coyotes, the Adco is super okay.
That's about it. There were some other incidental parts, but that's the meat of the matter. Very accurate so far and light enough to shoulder. About 8lbs or so. Heavy for an AR but not unreasonable, especially considering its capabilities.
DSCN1071 by
barlow.bum, on Flickr
DSCN1068 by
barlow.bum, on Flickr