So here is my first AR build (or upper build), made from parts I picked up here and there:
The project started when I picked up a lightly used complete large pin Colt A2 20" HBAR upper at a gun show a few years ago. It was very reasonably priced because everyone wanted a 16" M4 profile barrel at the time. I added a DPMS lower that I picked up from a local gun shop that does a lot of internet sales and mounted the upper to it with an offset bushing. I opted for a non-collapsible stock because I prefer how solid they feel.
Well, I never was happy with the gun when using the offset bushing - it just felt sloppy to me. So I picked up a flat top upper at another gun show that they were blowing out because they did not have the M4 cuts (just what I needed for this barrel. A little roll pin punching and wrenching and I had the barrel swapped.
I picked up the Nikon Monarch 1.5-4.5x 20mm scope at another gun show for a ridiculously low price. The rings came from a guy who got them as a bonus with a Redfield Tactical Scope. He mounted his scope on a hunting rifle with regular rings, so I bought these off him at a good price.
The BUIS is a Troy Industries knock-off from that big auction website. Works fine so far, but it hasn't gotten much use since I zeroed it in and added the scope. I had to swap out the front post for a 0.040" extended front sight post from Bushmaster. I learned the hard way that carry handle front sights and flat top front sights are different heights. If you ever meet the idiot that didn't match Flat Top upper sights to the existing with carry handle sights, please pop him once in the nose for me.
I was seriously considering adding a free floated hand guard, but the gun is more accurate than I am as is. Maybe the HBAR barrels are stiff enough to eliminate most flex. Might be something to do if I get bored with it.
I've got a couple of other ARs, both are 16" and one has an Aimpoint M4 and the other has a 2x Compact ACOG. I'm really beginning to like the variable scope optic the best. It can handle everything from 10 meters out to as far as I can shoot accurately with no problems. The Aimpoint on a 16" gun might be better if I spent a lot of time in door to door gun battles, but for just about everything else I give the nod to this build. It weighs almost 9 lb, so I guess I'm happy I don't have to carry it on forced marches.
I would definitely recommend looking at one of the low power variable scope options as a viable AR optic. 1-4x, 1-5x, or whatever is in your price range.
Total build price was about $700, and I still have a Colt large pin upper I need to do something with.
The project started when I picked up a lightly used complete large pin Colt A2 20" HBAR upper at a gun show a few years ago. It was very reasonably priced because everyone wanted a 16" M4 profile barrel at the time. I added a DPMS lower that I picked up from a local gun shop that does a lot of internet sales and mounted the upper to it with an offset bushing. I opted for a non-collapsible stock because I prefer how solid they feel.
Well, I never was happy with the gun when using the offset bushing - it just felt sloppy to me. So I picked up a flat top upper at another gun show that they were blowing out because they did not have the M4 cuts (just what I needed for this barrel. A little roll pin punching and wrenching and I had the barrel swapped.
I picked up the Nikon Monarch 1.5-4.5x 20mm scope at another gun show for a ridiculously low price. The rings came from a guy who got them as a bonus with a Redfield Tactical Scope. He mounted his scope on a hunting rifle with regular rings, so I bought these off him at a good price.
The BUIS is a Troy Industries knock-off from that big auction website. Works fine so far, but it hasn't gotten much use since I zeroed it in and added the scope. I had to swap out the front post for a 0.040" extended front sight post from Bushmaster. I learned the hard way that carry handle front sights and flat top front sights are different heights. If you ever meet the idiot that didn't match Flat Top upper sights to the existing with carry handle sights, please pop him once in the nose for me.
I was seriously considering adding a free floated hand guard, but the gun is more accurate than I am as is. Maybe the HBAR barrels are stiff enough to eliminate most flex. Might be something to do if I get bored with it.
I've got a couple of other ARs, both are 16" and one has an Aimpoint M4 and the other has a 2x Compact ACOG. I'm really beginning to like the variable scope optic the best. It can handle everything from 10 meters out to as far as I can shoot accurately with no problems. The Aimpoint on a 16" gun might be better if I spent a lot of time in door to door gun battles, but for just about everything else I give the nod to this build. It weighs almost 9 lb, so I guess I'm happy I don't have to carry it on forced marches.
I would definitely recommend looking at one of the low power variable scope options as a viable AR optic. 1-4x, 1-5x, or whatever is in your price range.
Total build price was about $700, and I still have a Colt large pin upper I need to do something with.
Would have done a straight A2, but I already have a flat top upper sitting here, and A2 uppers are kinda spendy these days.
