AR-type Rifles

[Red Leg]

Armadillos are extremely destructive with all their rooting around. I have a 10/22 that I shoot suppressed with a thermal to control them on my friends golf course. They can do thousands of dollars damage to a green in a single night.

Red Leg, does that M&P Sport cycle subsonic ammo well?

Yes. I have had no issues with them. However, I prefer full velocity - particularly on something like an armadillo. But in a backyard, they make less noise than a pellet rifle.

 

[mdwest]

Ive used a LOT of PSA parts in all of my builds (I mentioned prior that I have 4x AR's currently.. but over the years I've probably built and owned 10 or more different ARs)..

Never had a problem with any of them..

 

[wesheltonj]

They have been discontinued in 5.56, but I have two SIG 516. The SIG 716 on 7.62 are still available new.

 

[Red Leg]

What's the reason for shooting armadillos?...never heard if it before....mind you I know zilch about them either...

They are the scourge of God and considered destructive pests in Texas. Though, I wish the little ones weren't so damned cute.

For decades (before antibiotic treatments) the only mainland leper colony was in South Louisiana. A major carrier was and is the armadillo.

 

[YancyW]

I have a couple of DD rifles, one of them is a near stock DDM4v11 Pro, it shoots as well as any other AR I own. I had it at a DMR class a while back, shooting 55gr ball ammo, I was ringing steel out to 750. It is a 1:7 twist, so I mostly run 77gr SMK, it will do sub-MOA all day. I also have an MK18, it is my rifle I would grab if I needed a rifle in the worst way.

I have a LaRue DMR upper on an Aero lower that shoots very well. LaRue ultimate upper package is a really good deal, I have one in 5.56 and 6.5cm. Just throw it on an Aero or Spikes lower, drop in a nice trigger and you are good to go. BCM also makes a very reasonably priced upper, plus they actually have some in stock.

If you are looking to buy several and just stack them for later, any of the M&P line is pretty good for the money. 6 months ago was the time to buy in bulk, but they are still cheaper today than they might be 6 months from now. I bought a pile of them back in 18 when things got really cheap.

I have 6.5cm and 308 Larue uppers, both shoot very well, but lightweight is the last term I would use to describe them, if you are looking for lighter weight AR-10s, building one out is likely the best route. Faxon makes a 16" 308 barrel that is super light, so not really made for run and gun type stuff. 2A Xanthos receiver set is the best of the lightweight crowd, IMO. If you pick the parts right, you can get under 7lbs very easy, and with a proper recoil system, it will be easy to shoot.

Spare parts to stock: buffer springs, cotter pins, gas rings, extractors/springs, and gas tubes. All of which are very cheap parts, you can get a replacement set for every rifle for under $20 apiece.

 

[WAB]

My DPMS (similar to AR-10) in 7.62 (.308) is built on a CMT upper/lower. It is very accurate but it is not light. I identify with Red Leg’s comments. If I had it in a good position I could command a lot of ground with it. However, it tends to stay in the safe as I don’t like humping it around. Something that deserves serious consideration is the 6.5 Grendel. This cartridge generates incredible ballistics in a light AR15 platform. Mine is an absolute tack driver and flattens hogs with the 123 gr Hornady SST at roughly 2500 fps.

 

[Saul]

So is Daniel Defense the best that you can get or just the best off-the-shelf option?

 

[Saul]

If you are looking to buy several and just stack them for later, any of the M&P line is pretty good for the money. 6 months ago was the time to buy in bulk, but they are still cheaper today than they might be 6 months from now. I bought a pile of them back in 18 when things got really cheap.

I am worried about a potential ban in the next few years so I am considering doing just that. However, I do not believe in selling firearms so they will just be for me

 

[mdwest]

So is Daniel Defense the best that you can get or just the best off-the-shelf option?

I think "best" is a relative term.. When you step into the realm of the higer end manufacturers, its sorta like asking which super car is "best"... is it a Ferrari, Lambo, Bugatti, etc? Which is "best" really depends on the preferences of the owner..

You cant go wrong with Daniel Defense.. They are certainly on the higher end of the scale.. but.. I think most would consider them one step down from say a Noveske or an LMT.. Others might tell you a Wilson Combat AR is "the best"... it just depends on the buyer... truthfully all of them are accurate.. all of them are reliable.. all of them are exceptionally well made, etc.. Its really as much about what you like and what is available when you go to purchase than one really being "better" than the other..

 

[CAustin]

I bought the Colt M4 in 5.56 NATO just because of the pedigree.

 

[YancyW]

So is Daniel Defense the best that you can get or just the best off-the-shelf option?

Best isn't how I would frame it, they are in the top tier. You can build a better rifle if you have a very specific need, but for 95% of people that doesn't make sense.

 

[Hogpatrol]

My 2¢, buy a cheap hard anodized lower, a Geissele or equivalent trigger and a high end White Oak upper. It will do the same thing as the uber priced, status rifles like DD, LWRC and others of their ilk that are made for EXTREMELY HARD usage. On the 80% lowers, the feds may not know who owns them but unless they were paid for with cash, they do know who bought them. One issue with them is once you drill the holes, you're down to regular, unhardened aluminum with the associated wear issues. I still have two of them sitting in the safe I bought ten years ago. As usual, everyone's MMV.

 

[YancyW]

My 2¢, buy a cheap hard anodized lower, a Geissele or equivalent trigger and a high end White Oak upper. It will do the same thing as the uber priced, status rifles like DD, LWRC and others of their ilk that are made for EXTREMELY HARD usage. On the 80% lowers, the feds may not know who owns them but unless they were paid for with cash, they do know who bought them. One issue with them is once you drill the holes, you're down to regular, unhardened aluminum with the associated wear issues. I still have two of them sitting in the safe I bought ten years ago. As usual, everyone's MMV.

I'm not sure I understand, if I buy a billet 7075 receiver, where would I have unhardened aluminum after completing the milling?

 

[Hogpatrol]

I'm not sure I understand, if I buy a billet 7075 receiver, where would I have unhardened aluminum after completing the milling?

This is for those that are hard anodized on all surfaces before any machine work is done.

 

[YancyW]

This is for those that are hard anodized on all surfaces before any machine work is done.

Got it. I did the milling on two of them, first one I screwed up, the second one works fine, but it is a real pain in the ass to do. I didn't realize how hard 7075 would be to work with, at least for a layperson like me.

 

[Saul]

I lament the look of most of the new "top tier" ARs with all of their skeletonized stocks and handguards. Getting used to the looks of a Colt or S&W AR is hard enough for me.

I have also noticed that almost every AR I have seen from "top tier" makers uses direct impingement. I would have thought that a gas piston would be more desirable.

Does anyone have any criticism of Rock River Arms?

If I wanted to build my own without it being traceable, would I have to mill it myself from an aluminum block?

 

[Hogpatrol]

I lament the look of most of the new "top tier" ARs with all of their skeletonized stocks and handguards. Getting used to the looks of a Colt or S&W AR is hard enough for me.

I have also noticed that almost every AR I have seen from "top tier" makers uses direct impingement. I would have thought that a gas piston would be more desirable.

Does anyone have any criticism of Rock River Arms?

If I wanted to build my own without it being traceable, would I have to mill it myself from an aluminum block?

RRA are a good value in an AR. As far as making your own lower? Do you have CNC machinery and the code? I know how to do it and wouldn't attempt to make one from scratch. Check the print here and see if you can read it.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1067/2310/files/AR15_Lower_receiver_blueprint.pdf?3587052860788957110

 

[Saul]

RRA are a good value in an AR. As far as making your own lower? Do you have CNC machinery and the code? I know how to do it and wouldn't attempt to make one from scratch. Check the print here and see if you can read it.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1067/2310/files/AR15_Lower_receiver_blueprint.pdf?3587052860788957110

Luckily, there are people much smarter than I who would gladly read it for me. At least for the time being, though, I can rule out milling my own.

 

[WebleyGreene455]

This is my AR-15 in carbine configuration. I have two uppers, a rifle and carbine, for one rifle-style lower. The rifle upper is a 20" XM16E1-style upper, the carbine upper is inspired by the XM177E2 upper, and the lower is XM16E1-style as well.

 

[Saul]

If you were to build your ultimate example of an AR for SHTF defense situations, which parts would you choose if price were of no importance, just as long no machining is required?