[mele]

Lets just say....

If I were to build an AR for my personal collection, and I were possibly thinking about chambering it in either 6.8 SPC or 6.5 Grendal or maybe even .223, and I needed it to be a flat top.

What has been the general experience of quality between the various upper and lower manufacturers?

Keep in mind, I would like to build this rifle from a stripped receiver (lower and upper).

So, specifically provide some experiences.

Comments would be appreciated specifically on
DMPS
LAR
EGW
Calvary Arms
Fulton Armory
Armalite

I'm assuming I'll end up with different brand upper vs lower, what about parts... like bolt carriers, etc. Do they need to be the same brand?

thanks.

MEL

 

[Recoil]

*Deleted*

 

[mele]

I wanted to use RRA, but its a matter of availability and ease of access for me and the arrangements I have

MEL

 

[madgunsmith]

The parts do not need to be the same brand.

The very best value in AR parts today comes from Rock River Arms. I have closely examined two RRA upper receivers. One was an A2 and the other a flat-top. Both uppers were very, very well made. Another good thing about RRA uppers is that they are made to fit tightly. So expect to have to a little rubber hammer to tap your upper and lower together. This probably will translate into extra accuracy.

You can get a RRA flat top for $105 plus $6 shipping from Legal Transfers in New Hamphire. Check out their website. http://www.ar15sales.com
The head honcho of Legal Transfers is a guy named Pete. Pete is great to deal with and you should call him.

Regarding bolt carriers: I compared head to head a Bushmaster bolt carrier assembly with a Rock River Arms bolt carrier assembly. Both were chrome lined and both were of obvious quality. The RRA carrier had a nicer darker parkerizing and was a better value. The RRA carrier assembly is available from Pete for $118 plus $6. The Busmaster carrier assembly costs $129 plus $12 shipping. I like both carrier assemblies, but the Rock River assembly is a better deal. And Pete's customer service is another reason to choose RRA.

As for barrels, I compared a Bushmaster barrel to a RRA barrel. Both were chrome lined. The Bushmaster is made of a higher grade of steel, but with the chrome lining, I'm not sure that there is a real difference. Both barrels feature the 5.56 Nato chamber. The Bushmaster is obviously a nice barrel, but the RRA has a nicer, darker parkerizing. Both barrels feature a forged front sight block and both featured quality parts throughout. Bushmaster holds the front sight block on with solid steel tapered pins. Rock River Arms also uses solid steel pins, but the pins are straight and not tapered.

Were I in the market for a barrel, I'd get either an RRA or a Bushmaster. I would check the various dealers for availability.

For a match barrel, I'd look long and hard at the Wylde chambered .223 stainless barrels that RRA has that are made by Wilson.

For lowers you can use whatever forged lower you can get your hands on. But the nicest lower I've ever seen is the milled from billet lower made by KT Ordnance. And you are near KT Ordnance and it might be interesting to go there and build your AR on his machinery.

That's my take on it, but then I'm



Mad.

 

[JRP3]

And Pete's customer service is another reason to choose Bushmaster.

Did you mean to put RRA instead of bushmaster here? It seems like you did, but like you said..

You are, Mad.

John :twisted:

 

[madgunsmith]

I meant to say that Pete is a good reason to choose RRA.


That was funny. But then again I am nucking futs.


Mad

 

[caver101]

OH BOY! Mele is going to offer a SC-AR!

I have used 2 DPMS and 1 Bushmaster lowers for builds. All internal parts are RRA. The bolt by RRA is the best on the market and is a fair price. I used 2 RRA LPK's and 1 Bushy LPK. The quality on the RRA was just a hair better than the Bushy. Uppers - RRA all the way! Or you could go with a CMT "T" marked upper or a Mega upper. The last build I did was a Bushy lower with bushy LPK, RRA bolt, Colt A2 upper with NM sights, bushy superlite 16" chrome lined barrel. It is a nice setup and Spade came up last Wed and rang the 300yd gong with iron sights with it.

You NEED a RRA bolt and LPK! The DPMS and bushy lowers are fine, but I would check out the Mega lowers and uppers before shelling out major money on the other name brand lowers.

Are Montanna Rifleman going to do the barrels? if not what are you going to use????

Edit: LPK=lower parts kit

 

[caver101]

Let me say it this way:

DMPS - quality lower, decent price from the right guy
LAR - have no first hand info
EGW - who?
Calvary Arms - I do not like the one piece lowers at all
Fulton Armory - Good, but $$
Armalite - Good, but $$

Please look at Mega, RRA and CMT. Good solid product at a fair price! I would say Stag Arms, but I do not like the deer on the side of it.

 

[mele]

Thanks everyone for the input.

The order was placed for a RRA upper and lower yesterday.

OH BOY! Mele is going to offer a SC-AR!

what! Who said that! :wink:

exploritory investigation only .....

So who knows what about 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendal builds?

MEL

 

[JRP3]

I would think that the only difference are the mags. I would also think that you would not want a carbine length gas tube, maybe a mid or rifle length. I'm sure someone will chime in with more than "I think".

John

 

[mele]

No problem with the gas tube, as these will be full length, carbine doesn't fit into my plans

But, from what I understand, they both require a different bolt. But what about bolt carriers?

MEL

 

[JRP3]

As far as the 6.8 goes..

Parts that are different
1)Bolt
2)Barrel
3)Mags

They use the same carrier and the gas systems lengths are the same between a 6.8 and a .223. (i.e. carbine gas tube 6.8 same as carbine gas tube .223)

I would assume that 6.5 grendel is the same, but I will look into it and find out for sure.

John

 

[caver101]

As far as the 6.8 goes..

Parts that are different
1)Bolt
2)Barrel
3)Mags

+1

 

[caver101]

For the 6.8 check out Zack Smith's site and Faq on the 6.8

http://www.demigod.org/~zak/firearms/6.8SPC/loads.php

Lots of good info there on the 6.8

 

[mele]

thanks for the link caver101.

Okay, next question (the million dollar question at that)

Now that the project has begun:
What can I do to this rifle to make it "unique" and not like all the other heavy barrel AR15 rifles out there? I have some ideas, but want to hear everyone else's.



MEL

 

[madgunsmith]

Free floating carbon fiber handguards and the Chip McCormick match trigger.

Mad

 

[mele]

Free floating carbon fiber handguards and the Chip McCormick match trigger.

$$$ CHA-CHING $$$

Okay, possibilities. Others?
Any opinions on the Badger Ordnance handguards?

MEL

 

[madgunsmith]

RRA 2 stage trigger. DPMS free floating aluminum handguards.

Accuracy on a budget.

The Badger handguards looks a little odd to me. But I suppose they might be a good idea for benchrest shooting.


Mad

 

[caver101]

First you need one of those magpul stocks :wink:

Hard to say b/c everyone is making a rifle now. The hot thing now is the 18" SPR (I think it is anyway).

What is the target price? I guess that we can reverse engineer it from there to meet your price.

This is the hot rifle right now (and its in 6.8 too)

 

[mele]

I'm not sure on the price yet.... I know I cannot compete with dpms or bushmaster in terms of price, etc, so I have to stand out in another way.

I like the 2 stage trigger idea.

I really like the magpul stock.... of course, it'll be spendy also. But I may have to settle for doing a more high end AR geared toward our community...


MEL