Looking at ARs for hunting. What to know?

[Sanderguy777]

@Sanderguy777 I used a PSA lower that previously had a PSA A4 6.8 SPC upper on it. I did change out the rifle buffer system for a carbine buffer system so that I could install a MagPul PRS Lite stock. I also swapped out the GI trigger for a Larue MBT-2S trigger. For the upper, I am using an Anderson receiver I had siting in the safe along with a spare bolt carrier.

I can't answer your question on which is better between CMMG and Odin Works. The only CMMG products I own are dedicated 22LR stuff (which is good to go). My 6 ARC setup is the first time using anything from Odin Works. The barrel, gas tube, adjustable gas block and bolt are from Odin Works. I have been very pleased with everything and accuracy is good at the distances I have shot the rifle at. I haven't pushed the rifle past 300 yards yet. When I bought the barrel, Odin Works was cheaper and in stock.

Ok, makes sense.

First I heard pf CMMG was that they were the guys that built the mk47 (like a Ruger SFAR, but porting AK mags into an AR platform). I was all over that idea, but there's fewer mods than ARs, and like the SFAR, I can't change much other than the furniture. And I think AR mags have come some way from the times when they didn't feed 7.62x39.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Ok, makes sense.

First I heard pf CMMG was that they were the guys that built the mk47 (like a Ruger SFAR, but porting AK mags into an AR platform). I was all over that idea, but there's fewer mods than ARs, and like the SFAR, I can't change much other than the furniture. And I think AR mags have come some way from the times when they didn't feed 7.62x39.

I had a 7.62x39 AR for a short while and the ASC mags were OK, seemed like they needed to be broke in some before being at 100 percent reliability. I didn't try the Duramag ones.

 

[Sanderguy777]

I had a 7.62x39 AR for a short while and the ASC mags were OK, seemed like they needed to be broke in some before being at 100 percent reliability. I didn't try the Duramag ones.

Thanks!

I'm debating. 223 and 7.62x39 as my "cheap ammo" upper. I want both, but then I wouldn't get the 6mm. I'd rather have the 6mm, but for $900, plus the cost of the lower, it's too expensive. Only thing I can think of is getting some super cheap upper, then putting a cheaper barrel on top for $600 total. That would let me get the IWI Z15, but then I need tools for changing barrels.


Bare bones 6mm is $1050 as far as I can tell

 

[12Bravo20]

CMMG started business in 2002 as a small shop just outside of Columbia, Mo. They helped make AR's popular right after the AWB expired in 2004. They would get surplus or overstock AR rifles and go through them to fix anything wrong and then sell them at gun shows for a low price. Guys in Missouri would always look for the CMMG booth and their "barrels of cheap AR's"

CMMG has definitely grown over the years and expanded their product line. And their dedicated 22LR conversion kits and 22LR dedicated barrels and bolts have pretty much become the defacto industry standard for 22LR AR's. CMMG took the Atchison/Ciener AR conversion kits and improved upon them.

Yes their centerfire AR's are quality but not always the best priced.

 

[Sanderguy777]

CMMG started business in 2002 as a small shop just outside of Columbia, Mo. They helped make AR's popular right after the AWB expired in 2004. They would get surplus or overstock AR rifles and go through them to fix anything wrong and then sell them at gun shows for a low price. Guys in Missouri would always look for the CMMG booth and their "barrels of cheap AR's"

CMMG has definitely grown over the years and expanded their product line. And their dedicated 22LR conversion kits and 22LR dedicated barrels and bolts have pretty much become the defacto industry standard for 22LR AR's. CMMG took the Atchison/Ciener AR conversion kits and improved upon them.

Yes their centerfire AR's are quality but not always the best priced.

Oh, cool!

 

[Hunter 08]

@Sanderguy777 I used a PSA lower that previously had a PSA A4 6.8 SPC upper on it. I did change out the rifle buffer system for a carbine buffer system so that I could install a MagPul PRS Lite stock. I also swapped out the GI trigger for a Larue MBT-2S trigger. For the upper, I am using an Anderson receiver I had siting in the safe along with a spare bolt carrier.

I can't answer your question on which is better between CMMG and Odin Works. The only CMMG products I own are dedicated 22LR stuff (which is good to go). My 6 ARC setup is the first time using anything from Odin Works. The barrel, gas tube, adjustable gas block and bolt are from Odin Works. I have been very pleased with everything and accuracy is good at the distances I have shot the rifle at. I haven't pushed the rifle past 300 yards yet. When I bought the barrel, Odin Works was cheaper and in stock.

What's your take on an adjustable gas block vs running a standard "fixed" gas block on a rifle like that? Especially if a lot are not going to run sppressed.

 

[12Bravo20]

I like adjustable gas blocks especially on anything other than 5.56 since I can tune the AGB for my loads. That being said, I have not had to adjust the AGB on my Odin Works barrel, it ejects the cases in a nice small pile at the 3:30 position.

 

[Sanderguy777]

Out of curiosity, what barrel length do you recommend? Odin has 18" and 21" barrels, and CMMG only offers 16". The 16" seems like the better one for what I'm doing (hunting in forested areas), but the 18" seems like it would be better for the cartridge, since it's so heavily designed towards long range.

I don't plan on a suppressor, but it might happen sometime. If it did, I'd probably just get a different barrel or even upper, idk.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Out of curiosity, what barrel length do you recommend? Odin has 18" and 21" barrels, and CMMG only offers 16". The 16" seems like the better one for what I'm doing (hunting in forested areas), but the 18" seems like it would be better for the cartridge, since it's so heavily designed towards long range.

I don't plan on a suppressor, but it might happen sometime. If it did, I'd probably just get a different barrel or even upper, idk.

Generally speaking, smaller diameter bullets will loose more velocity from shorter barrels than larger diameter bullets, so a 24 cal bullet will loose slightly less velocity than a 22 cal bullet out of a shorter barrel. That being said, you don't have a whole lot of powder in the AR-15 cartridges such as 6 arc and such, so you should probably get the longer barrel to take advantage of every last inch of pressure pressing against the bullet.
However that's not the whole story, I have a 26in 25-06 with a 1in7.5 twist and it shoots Hornady 117gr factory ammo 100fps slower than the box spec. That was with our old chronograph though. We havent tried the LabRadar yet with a rifle.

 

[12Bravo20]

If I ws using my 6 ARC for serious long range competitions, I would have went with the 21" barrel. But since I don't compete I went with the 18" barrel. The 18" barrel is better for my use.

I know I posted this target in other threads but I'll share again. This is a 8" target at 100 yards shooting Hornady 108Gr ammo in my Odin Works 18" barrel. I didn't even take the time to really break the barrel in either. I am using an Arken SH4 6-24 scope on this rifle.

The shots circled in green and blue were from me getting it on paper at 100 yards. The group circled in yellow is a 5 shot group.

 

[Sanderguy777]

Generally speaking, smaller diameter bullets will loose more velocity from shorter barrels than larger diameter bullets, so a 24 cal bullet will loose slightly less velocity than a 22 cal bullet out of a shorter barrel. That being said, you don't have a whole lot of powder in the AR-15 cartridges such as 6 arc and such, so you should probably get the longer barrel to take advantage of every last inch of pressure pressing against the bullet.
However that's not the whole story, I have a 26in 25-06 with a 1in7.5 twist and it shoots Hornady 117gr factory ammo 100fps slower than the box spec. That was with our old chronograph though. We havent tried the LabRadar yet with a rifle.

Oh, that makes sense.

If I ws using my 6 ARC for serious long range competitions, I would have went with the 21" barrel. But since I don't compete I went with the 18" barrel. The 18" barrel is better for my use.

I know I posted this target in other threads but I'll share again. This is a 8" target at 100 yards shooting Hornady 108Gr ammo in my Odin Works 18" barrel. I didn't even take the time to really break the barrel in either. I am using an Arken SH4 6-24 scope on this rifle.

The shots circled in green and blue were from me getting it on paper at 100 yards. The group circled in yellow is a 5 shot group.

View attachment 1168468

Yeah, I think the 18" is enough. The 21" is only 3" longer though, so we'll see. I like the barrel sticking out of the handguard look, too.

 

[12Bravo20]

With any +2 gas system, you are going to want a 15" handguard so that most of the gas block is covered, unless you don't mind the gas block sticking completely out.

Here is what the Odin Works 18" with +2 rifle gas looks like with a 15" handguard.

 

[Sanderguy777]

With any +2 gas system, you are going to want a 15" handguard so that most of the gas block is covered, unless you don't mind the gas block sticking completely out.

Here is what the Odin Works 18" with +2 rifle gas looks like with a 15" handguard.

View attachment 1168476

What is +2?

 

[12Bravo20]

+2 means that the gas system is 2 inches longer than standard rifle gas length

 

[Sanderguy777]

+2 means that the gas system is 2 inches longer than standard rifle gas length

Really? Ok, I thought it was pistol, carbine, mid, and rifle only. I didn't know they had a rifle +2 one.

 

[mcb]

Really? Ok, I thought it was pistol, carbine, mid, and rifle only. I didn't know they had a rifle +2 one.

If you look you can find someone that will make you a custom barrel you can have any length gas system you want. Several of the makers will also make you a custom length gas tube to go with you custom length barrel. Not much reason for it in most cases but you can do it if your so motivated. I had to order a custom length gas tube for my 5-inch 300 BO barrel. It's roughly 2-inches shorter than the typical pistol length tube.

 

[Sanderguy777]

If you look you can find someone that will make you a custom barrel you can have any length gas system you want. Several of the makers will also make you a custom length gas tube to go with you custom length barrel. Not much reason for it in most cases but you can do it if your so motivated. I had to order a custom length gas tube for my 5-inch 300 BO barrel. It's roughly 2-inches shorter than the typical pistol length tube.

Wow! I didn't realize they offered that service, but it makes sense they would, it's easier to make a custom gas tube than a custom barrel!

I don't think I need that though. The only thing I'd consider would be a specific barrel profile, like a bull barrel, or something.