OP
OP
Hokie_PhD
Member
That's great as ARs aren't for everyone but the point of the thread was to figure out various configurations. So mom isn't an option.
What ARs to have?
- Thread starter Hokie_PhD
- Start date
- Status
OP
OP
Hokie_PhD
Member
That's the problem it is addictive. I'm working on a gun I plan to use for three gun and already thinking about my next build.
Once it's done I'll compare it to my carbine and see what I like and want different.
That said if the Hearing Protection Act is passed I'll do a surprised Blackout. If not I'm thinking AR10 or 6.5. Something better suited for long range than 223/556.
Or the other option is something totally different hence this thread.
Nature Boy
Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2015
- Messages
- 8,250
To me, and to be economical about it:
1 lower with 2 uppers, both chambered in .223
16" Carbine for plinking
20" free float heavy match barrel for accuracy
That would scratch my AR itch
1 lower with 2 uppers, both chambered in .223
16" Carbine for plinking
20" free float heavy match barrel for accuracy
That would scratch my AR itch
Careful my Recce/MK12/3 gun inspired build made my generic M4gery carbine expendable.
mstreddy
Member
I like this thread.
Here are my picks.
SBR lower with uppers -- whatever strikes the fancy -- but so far...
1 - 16" 300 Blackout
2 - 10.5" 300 Blackout
3 - 10.5" 5.56
4 - 10.5 7.62x39 -- didn't someone ask about this? though I'm working on a couple of kinks with it.
5 - 16" 22 LR
I'm also researching how to get a 9MM upper to work well with a mag well block adapter for Glock mags
20" A2 style rifle
16" Gas Piston M4 style
16" 9MM rifle (Colt mag)
16" M4 style
16" S&W M&P 15-22
Here are my picks.
SBR lower with uppers -- whatever strikes the fancy -- but so far...
1 - 16" 300 Blackout
2 - 10.5" 300 Blackout
3 - 10.5" 5.56
4 - 10.5 7.62x39 -- didn't someone ask about this? though I'm working on a couple of kinks with it.
5 - 16" 22 LR
I'm also researching how to get a 9MM upper to work well with a mag well block adapter for Glock mags
20" A2 style rifle
16" Gas Piston M4 style
16" 9MM rifle (Colt mag)
16" M4 style
16" S&W M&P 15-22
OP
OP
Hokie_PhD
Member
That's what I'm afraid of.
Right now I like my PSA carbine but there are many things I think could be better. Such as the hand guard, the trigger, and the stock. I also don't mind the recoil but I'm building a rifle length for even less!
Acera
Member
Just curious, why .223 and not 5.56 or .223 Wylde?
Especially when talking being economical.
.
Yeah I read thru your other thread, I really screwed up on mine I used a 16" White Oak mid weight barrel. stuck a Geissele G2s trigger in it a hung a 3-9X Leupold Mk AR scope on it. It weighs right at 8# with a 20 round mag in it and shoots jagged holes at 100 with ammo it likes.
I have a 24" 17 Remington, 24" barrel AR-15 and a 204 Ruger, 26" barrel AR-15 for varmint service.
Both are heavy guns (12 pounds or so) and might be considered "crew served
))" but deadly on prairie dogs.Definitely an option for AR-15s different from the typical "mall ninja" versions.
cdb1
Member
I totally disagree with you. There are many people I know of that fit your description. I also know a few people with only one rifle - that are DEADLY with that one rifle. You would not want to mess with them.
I think it is great if a person likes AR's and has many. I also think if a person has one or none and that's all they want it is great too.
I also don't believe you must have an AR, much less a 16" or shorter barreled AR to defend your home well.
I wouldn't mind having two AR platform rifles. I have one, a flattop with 20" barrel, A2 stock, BUIS, VX-R and a 3lb Timney trigger. Chambered in .223/5.56, it also has a doo hickey to mount a flashlight or my XLR 250. It works fine for coyotes though I normally use my .243. It works fine on hogs though I normally use my 30-30. I know it will kill deer just fine with 64 grain PowerPoints but I prefer to use my 6.5x55.
I believe it would be excellent for HD though I hope to never find out.
I wouldn't mind an AR in 6.5 Creedmoor, Creedmore, Creedmoore but gots to get a fast twist 22-250, 6.5 SAUM and 6mm-06 first.
An AR with a 16" barrel or less may not be needed to defend your home well, but a home defended by an AR with a 16" barrel or less is well defended
cdb1
Member
True statement, never said it wasn't.
Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 14,888
I think breaking down categories of AR's in this way is mentally a good exercise to service would-be AR buyers. I follow the same mentality, effectively, because you can really feel a difference, and notice a difference in the field or at the range when you slide longer and longer tubes into place. Within the lengths you mention, I don't tend to notice as much difference in performance and handling from a 14.5" to an 18", so for me, as strange as that seems. The 18-22" ballpark is a rifle with huge potential for me, a real "do-all" AR-15. I also spend a lot of time varminting, or building AR's for varminters, and there's a fairly significant difference there for 24" rifles compared to 20's. And of course, I have to acknowledge the NRA High Power Match rifle. My first foray into AR's were 3 Gun rifles, but I quickly found a lot of satisfaction in CMP/NRA Service Rifle, and a few years later, built my first 27" 22 PPC NRA-HP Match Rifle. Completely different animal, much like a 32" 300 win mag.
A lot of new AR buyers get disenfranchised because they buy a 16" carbine, because it's cheap, then want it to do something it's not really designed to do, but a 24" would do incredibly well. Using my own example, almost 20yrs ago when I built my first AR for 3gun, it did very well on coyotes as well, but when I took it to my first G3 (Glassed Gas Gun) Benchrest match, I quickly realized my short, light, and fast handling AR was NOT a master of all disciplines. Servicing over 800 AR's later, I really can't see any way I would be satisfied with less than a dozen AR's, let alone culling down to just one...
So my breakdowns are a little different, but generally in the same type classes:
- Pistol/SBR = sub 14.5"
- Carbine = 14.5-16"
- Standard/"do-all" = 18-20"
- Varmint/Bench = 22-24"
- HP Match = 24-27"
Even in sliding around different cartridges, these don't really change much for me. Smaller bore cartridges might need to bump up a couple inches, and larger bore cartridges typically can bump down a couple inches and stay at the same effective range, but overall, we're still talking about a 5.56 length cartridge case.
Nature Boy
Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2015
- Messages
- 8,250
Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 14,888
If you're really talking economical, then 223 vs. 5.56 doesn't matter anyway. There aren't any 5.56 specific dies, and bullet seating depth is under your control when you're really being economical.
It's REALLY hard to find a 223 rem (true SAAMI 223 rem chamber) AR anyway. Even those listed as 223rem are typically 223 Wylde when you call and ask for the print.
It's REALLY hard to find a 223 rem (true SAAMI 223 rem chamber) AR anyway. Even those listed as 223rem are typically 223 Wylde when you call and ask for the print.
No AR can be hence the reason for having multiples. But to an extent I disagree with your 20" do all IMHO a 16" makes a better jack of all trades for a decathlon event for ARs
BrocLuno
Member
Yeah gotta have a Viet Nam M16 clone. All rough and worn. Preferably a Hydramatic Div and select fire engraving, even if the safety won't actually go there ...
^First couple posts pretty much nailed it^
Only ones that I can think of besides the AR's above are ...
•an A2 National Match for High Power/Service Rifle competition
•a A4 National Match for High Power/Service Rifle competition
•or a 14 inch carbine with permanently attached flash hider or muzzle brake to get it up to 16 inches
•. •. •. •
Most of the guys I know who are into AR's typically have between 3 and 6 AR's. For instance if it were 6 AR's there would typically be a couple 16 inch carbines (as they're typically the most common, one with a red dot and one with a scope), a 20 inch of some sort (either a coyote rifle/general purpose hunter or an A2A4 NM), an AR pistol, an AR in something other than .223/5.56 (6.8, 6.5, .300 Blk, .458 Socom etc) and then a wild card of some sort (18 inch competition model, 14 inch lightweight or whatever).
Varminterror
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 14,888
I didn't ask you to agree with me, but frankly, there is no shooting sport in which the 16" has proven to be as effective as the 18-20". This includes the gamut from action shooting sports like 3 gun clear down to slow fire precision matches.
So while YOU might find the 16" to be more of a jack of all trades than a 18-20", the rest of the industry has not.
Last edited:
cdb1
Member
Makes sense to me.
Yes that's what IMHO means "in my honest opinion"
And reread my post I specifically put 20" vs 16". Yeah 3 gun is dominated now by 18" but there are a lot more 16" carbines shot in 3 gun than 20" especially 20" heavy guns.
OP
OP
Hokie_PhD
Member
I thought of another
The famous spare parts/take off build.
The famous spare parts/take off build.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
What ARs to have? or How many ARs to have?
Seriously, I figure it is a matter of personal taste. My answer would be one AR rifle is enough while some would argue that one is one too many. Then others would argue that a dozen is about 12 less than needed. I have four, there are two Colt SP1 rifles, being a Vietnam Veteran I gravitated to them and one of them was a brother who needed money. I have a Colt Sporter Target simply because it came along at a good price and I have a mutt which is a Double Star with a 26" Kreiger barrel, not pictured with the Bi Pod. Then there is an AR 10 match rifle which I really enjoy. I am not an AR type, matter of fact I like my M1A (trained on the M14) better than any of my AR rifles. I do like 1911 Colt guns, I like them enough that I have about a dozen Colt Series 70 guns and would like to grab a Series 70 9mm. My brother questions why I have over a dozen Colt Series 70 guns including some Gold Cups? I guess for the same reason some people have a dozen AR rifles and are waiting for their next, Go figure huh?
Ron
Seriously, I figure it is a matter of personal taste. My answer would be one AR rifle is enough while some would argue that one is one too many. Then others would argue that a dozen is about 12 less than needed. I have four, there are two Colt SP1 rifles, being a Vietnam Veteran I gravitated to them and one of them was a brother who needed money. I have a Colt Sporter Target simply because it came along at a good price and I have a mutt which is a Double Star with a 26" Kreiger barrel, not pictured with the Bi Pod. Then there is an AR 10 match rifle which I really enjoy. I am not an AR type, matter of fact I like my M1A (trained on the M14) better than any of my AR rifles. I do like 1911 Colt guns, I like them enough that I have about a dozen Colt Series 70 guns and would like to grab a Series 70 9mm. My brother questions why I have over a dozen Colt Series 70 guns including some Gold Cups? I guess for the same reason some people have a dozen AR rifles and are waiting for their next, Go figure huh?
Ron
ColoradoShooter77
Member
300 blackout is very appealing because it uses the 5.56 bolt and magazines. The ammo is expensive though, 50 cents/round. I like to shoot 60 rounds/session and that would be too expensive.
- Status
Similar threads
