Hello, I am new to this forum and so far I have found a great deal of good reading on the forums here!
I am yet another guy looking to get their first AR I have done a great deal of bench rest shooting and varmint hunting with my Remington 700 in the past. I also have an older Ruger Mini-14 that I like to shoot around with as well. I found that I just can’t get the accuracy I would like from the mini-14 and this lead me to the modern generation of AR’s!
I was in the store today looking at the Smith and Wesson M&P15T. I like the design and feel of the riffle but it is a little expensive @1300. It also has a 16” barrel. Will a 16” barrel produce enough muzzle velocity and accuracy for long range shooting for coyotes and prairie dogs? The salesman in the store said the S&W was good out to 400m. I was hoping to go with a 20” barrel if I could as tight groups at the range are an important factor as well. I have been reading several posts on the site today and am already learning a great deal in terms of separate upper and lower receiver combinations as well as mid-length versus carbines. One post mentioned that I should make a list of uses for my riffle as well as possible accessories in terms of getting the most help form the other experienced members of the forum.
Uses: Mostly target/bench rest shooting and varmint hunting out here in Colorado.
Options that I would want for my AR:
- A4 upper receiver so I can mount a scope
- 4 rail forehand grip “free floating” barrel. I really like the “YHM LIGHTWEIGHT FOUR RAIL FOREARM SYSTEM”
- 4 or 6 position adjustable stock like on that of the M&P15T
- Bipod
- 20" barrel (match grade?)
- folding front and rear sights also like the ones on the M&P15T
I would probably be wise to purchase completed upper and lower assemblies for the first time as I have no prior experience working with AR’s. If so can I put a good upper and lower together for less than the retail price of the M&P15T I was looking at? Also where would the best place to be to start shopping around for the upper and lower receivers? In a perfect world I would like to build for 800 dollars or less.
Thanks for any insight as it is greatly appreciated and sorry for all of the questions.
-Joe
I am yet another guy looking to get their first AR I have done a great deal of bench rest shooting and varmint hunting with my Remington 700 in the past. I also have an older Ruger Mini-14 that I like to shoot around with as well. I found that I just can’t get the accuracy I would like from the mini-14 and this lead me to the modern generation of AR’s!
I was in the store today looking at the Smith and Wesson M&P15T. I like the design and feel of the riffle but it is a little expensive @1300. It also has a 16” barrel. Will a 16” barrel produce enough muzzle velocity and accuracy for long range shooting for coyotes and prairie dogs? The salesman in the store said the S&W was good out to 400m. I was hoping to go with a 20” barrel if I could as tight groups at the range are an important factor as well. I have been reading several posts on the site today and am already learning a great deal in terms of separate upper and lower receiver combinations as well as mid-length versus carbines. One post mentioned that I should make a list of uses for my riffle as well as possible accessories in terms of getting the most help form the other experienced members of the forum.
Uses: Mostly target/bench rest shooting and varmint hunting out here in Colorado.
Options that I would want for my AR:
- A4 upper receiver so I can mount a scope
- 4 rail forehand grip “free floating” barrel. I really like the “YHM LIGHTWEIGHT FOUR RAIL FOREARM SYSTEM”
- 4 or 6 position adjustable stock like on that of the M&P15T
- Bipod
- 20" barrel (match grade?)
- folding front and rear sights also like the ones on the M&P15T
I would probably be wise to purchase completed upper and lower assemblies for the first time as I have no prior experience working with AR’s. If so can I put a good upper and lower together for less than the retail price of the M&P15T I was looking at? Also where would the best place to be to start shopping around for the upper and lower receivers? In a perfect world I would like to build for 800 dollars or less.
Thanks for any insight as it is greatly appreciated and sorry for all of the questions.
-Joe