The Official AR-15 Picture Thread

[JB62]

Nice build ! Like the color.

We shall see.

I went a little crazy with parts on this one. I wanted something to stretch the legs of the ar platform and not sold on the arc round so went this route. The parts accumulated over time so was not a one time hit to the wallet. I have had good success with all the parts on the list outside of the Odin stuff. There are a couple other barrels out there that get great reviews for the 6.5G but most do not come threaded and probably outshoot my abilities!

Part of my reasoning on this setup is Sika Hunting. I occasionally have access to an awesome farm that during firearms there can be some pretty long shots. Wanted something very accurate as they are not big critters especially 200+ yards out. This cartridge is not over doing it on them and has energy would want when stretched out a bit.

 

[trickg]

Nice build ! Like the color.

We shall see.

I went a little crazy with parts on this one. I wanted something to stretch the legs of the ar platform and not sold on the arc round so went this route. The parts accumulated over time so was not a one time hit to the wallet. I have had good success with all the parts on the list outside of the Odin stuff. There are a couple other barrels out there that get great reviews for the 6.5G but most do not come threaded and probably outshoot my abilities!

Part of my reasoning on this setup is Sika Hunting. I occasionally have access to an awesome farm that during firearms there can be some pretty long shots. Wanted something very accurate as they are not big critters especially 200+ yards out. This cartridge is not over doing it on them and has energy would want when stretched out a bit.

Gotcha - I may have to do that at some point.

My build started out kind of weird. Years ago I bought a stripped lower just prior to FSA2013 and it sat and sat, and I also picked up a stripped upper, which also sat and sat. Then I stumbled into a deal on a cheap blem Delton HBAR rifle kit with a completed upper, and that was my first AR rifle. It shoots pretty well - I can tear out a 1" or so raggedy hole at 50 yards with it using the Primary Arms 3x prism scope I put on it. My next build was also a completed upper on a lower build, so that upper sat and sat.

Finally I stumbled into a deal on a relatively inexpensive Faxon HBAR barrel, so I decided to build out a rifle, and I bought all the parts I need to build it at the same time and from the same place - Palmetto State Armory. It was a bit of a hit on my wallet, buying all the parts at once, but I definitely enjoyed doing the build.

I've come to a similar conclusion with ARs that I came to with drums and drumming years ago. A person "can" get into drumming with some inexpensive gear, and it will get you where you want to go, but if you want better performance, you've got to spend a little to get a little.

 

[trickg]

I took two ARs to the range today and I'm happy to report that they both seem to do what they need to do as long as we're doing our part, but it took a bit to get the optics dialed in.

18" 223 Wylde Upper, 3.5 lb Lantac single stage trigger, Cabela's AR 4-12x42 scope
16" 5.56 Faxon HBAR Barrel, PSA EPT trigger, Athlon Talos 1-4x24 scope

Bore sighting with the little laser bore sighter only went so far. It got us on the paper at 50 yards, but both rifles were still inches off in two directions. Some judicious twiddling of the dials put both scopes right about where they needed to be, and once we were confident with what we were doing with it, both rifles started to group pretty tightly. My son created a raggedy hole roughly an inch or so in diameter with the 18" AR with the 12x scope, and I was able to string together some tight groups with the 16" FDE rifle with the 4x scope - not quite as precise as what he was doing with the 12X scope, but solid enough that I'm confident I could hit center mass on a man-sized target at 200-300 yards. Both rifles ended the day being dead on from a windage perspective, but of course elevation is going to be variable.

The triggers are also substantially different - the 18" rifle has a 3.5 lb (actually measures around 4-4.5 lb with the gauge) Lantac trigger, and the 16" FDE rifle has the PSA EPT trigger which pulls between 6-7 lbs, but it's a very smooth trigger, so the extra weight doesn't seem to hurt it too much. I wonder if dropping in a trigger with a lighter pull weight, or swapping in some JP springs on the EPT trigger would help it.

On another side note, I had 3 types of ammo there:

5.56 - Winchester M855 Green Tip (62 gr FMJ)
223 - 55 gr Berry FMJ boat tail over 26.0 gr CFE223
223 - 55 gr Berry FMJ boat tail over 22.5 gr IMR 3031

From an accuracy perspective, although it's anecdotal, (I didn't actually do any legit accuracy tests) my reloads seemed to be more accurate. From a casual observation, both my son and I shot tighter groups with the reloads than we did with the Winchester Green Tips. Doing some quick Google-fu, I guess this isn't surprising - Winchester Green Tips aren't exactly known for fine accuracy. I bought it because at the time I had no AR ammo, and it was the only thing I could find.

In any case, it was a good day at the range - both builds will definitely get the job done, and that's all I wanted them to do.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

I've come to a similar conclusion with ARs that I came to with drums and drumming years ago. A person "can" get into drumming with some inexpensive gear, and it will get you where you want to go, but if you want better performance, you've got to spend a little to get a little.

You have no idea how true that statement is. Imagine a sub-moa 300BLK SBR with a 10.5 inch barrel. Ok, call it half MOA. It wasn't easy to do, nor was it cheap, but it was worth it when dropping a deer at 114 yards, quartering away and threading the needle, when entering just in front of the hind quarter and exiting just behind the front quarter on the other side.

 

[trickg]

You have no idea how true that statement is. Imagine a sub-moa 300BLK SBR with a 10.5 inch barrel. Ok, call it half MOA. It wasn't easy to do, nor was it cheap, but it was worth it when dropping a deer at 114 yards, quartering away and threading the needle, when entering just in front of the hind quarter and exiting just behind the front quarter on the other side.

That's quite impressive - people don't associate that kind of accuracy out of barrels that short, and it sounds like it was either that shot, or no shot at all - it's awesome that the gun was up to the task. I'd be curious to see the specs on that. Also, did you customize a reload for it, or was that with a factory load?

 

[calicojack]

That's quite impressive - people don't associate that kind of accuracy out of barrels that short, and it sounds like it was either that shot, or no shot at all - it's awesome that the gun was up to the task. I'd be curious to see the specs on that. Also, did you customize a reload for it, or was that with a factory load?

I have read time and time again that increased barrel length only guarantees more velocity but does not increase accuracy. The best increase in accuracy I have seen is by going through the SOTAR build class.

 

[-Mil-Surp-Phreak-]

Finished up my budget 16" RECCE AR and got back from shooting out to 500 yards on the mountain. Does the job out to 500 yards for under $800 all in so I am beyond happy with it.

 

[outrider58]

Finished up my budget 16" RECCE AR and got back from shooting out to 500 yards on the mountain. Does the job out to 500 yards for under $800 all in so I am beyond happy with it.

Very nice!

 

[DaemonAssassin]

That's quite impressive - people don't associate that kind of accuracy out of barrels that short, and it sounds like it was either that shot, or no shot at all - it's awesome that the gun was up to the task. I'd be curious to see the specs on that. Also, did you customize a reload for it, or was that with a factory load?

Aero Precision upper
Aero Precision lower
Aero Precision buffer kit
Spikes Tactical T1 buffer
Magpul CTR stock
Strike Industries Enhanced LPK
Giesselle SSA-E
Magpul MIAD grip
Radian Raptor charging handle
Aero Precision BCG
Faxon Match Series 10.5 inch 300BLK barrel
SLR Sentry 7 clamp on gas block
Spikes Tactical gas tube
YHM flash hider QD mount
BCM KMR 9 inch
Vortex 2 inch offset cantilever mount 30 mm
Vortex Strike Eagle 1-8x24

Factory load for hunting ammo. 110gr VMAX.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

I have read time and time again that increased barrel length only guarantees more velocity but does not increase accuracy. The best increase in accuracy I have seen is by going through the SOTAR build class.

You have no idea how true both of your statements are.

 

[JB62]

You have no idea how true both of your statements are.

Very true. I have a 10.5 Noveske barrel 300blk with somewhat similar build list that shoots lights out. I cheated on that on and engage put together for me but did a great job.

 

[-Mil-Surp-Phreak-]

Very nice!

Thanks Bryon. I've been working on this thing since you lent me the reaction rod several years back to put the free float tube on. Bits and pieces and several years it has evolved into its current form lol.

 

[Bertfish]

I have read time and time again that increased barrel length only guarantees more velocity but does not increase accuracy. The best increase in accuracy I have seen is by going through the SOTAR build class.

I know this is true but I still was a 24" bull barrel AR10 just cause

 

[teratos]

Very true. I have a 10.5 Noveske barrel 300blk with somewhat similar build list that shoots lights out. I cheated on that on and engage put together for me but did a great job.

Yeah, I have a home built .300BLK AR with a Noveske barrel on an Engage upper/lower set. It’s an MOA gun with good ammo. I just put an adjustable gas block on it and made it a straight pull charger. Have a Super Hogster r with battery pack for 12 hours life.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

Very true. I have a 10.5 Noveske barrel 300blk with somewhat similar build list that shoots lights out. I cheated on that on and engage put together for me but did a great job.

I did all the work on mine.

 

[outrider58]

Well, since we're breaking out our sub-MOA-SOTAR-built-300Blk-SBRs, Here's mine. I built it at the inaugural SOTAR Build Class. On a good day, it will shoot single jagged holes.

10.5" Rainier Ultramatch barrel.

First target is a cold bore three shot group with hand loaded supers.

Second is a 7 shot group with my sub reloads, both at 100 yds.

 

[teratos]

Well, since we're breaking out our sub-MOA-SOTAR-built-300Blk-SBRs, Here's mine. I built it at the inaugural SOTAR Build Class. On a good day, it will shoot single jagged holes.

10.5" Rainier Ultramatch barrel.

First target is a cold bore three shot group with hand loaded supers.

Second is a 7 shot group with my sub reloads, both at 100 yds.

Nice group on the subs! Real nice on the soopers.

 

[Redbean]

Sweeeeeet!

 

[JB62]

Duplicate

 

[JB62]

Yeah, I have a home built .300BLK AR with a Noveske barrel on an Engage upper/lower set. It’s an MOA gun with good ammo. I just put an adjustable gas block on it and made it a straight pull charger. Have a Super Hogster r with battery pack for 12 hours life.

Looks very familiar. Mine is built on the billet engage upper/lower too and usually has an sdn6 as well on it. Do not have fancy optics like that, an eotech currently resides on it.