someguy2800
Member
I have been listening to everyone and there brother talk about building AR15's and how fun they are for 15 years so I decided to finally find out what all the fuss was about. After looking into some options I decided what I could really use is a utility rifle to keep handy for varmint such as raccoons, coyotes, skunk, beaver and such. Between my place and my father in law's farm I seem to I find myself in need of a rifle for some such reason every other month or so and I thought a 16" AR15 carbine kept in the shed or back of the truck would fit the bill and save my other guns from getting drug over fences and through the brush.
I've never been into AR's but my biggest complaint when shooting them is I just hate hate hate the rear charging handle. I'm sure it make sense for a combat gun but growing up with 10/22's, semi auto shotguns, and garands it is just so natural for me to grab a charging handle on the right side and rack one in, so my first requirement was I wanted a side charging upper. I ordered this right side charging upper from Bear Creek Arsenal.
https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/bc...-upper-receiver-bcg-combo-5-56-223-urbcg-dc15
Next I made a trip to the local gun shop which builds AR's to get some parts and advice. They set me up with a stripped Anderson lower, and an Alex pro firearms lower parts kit with a magpul grip.
https://andersonmanufacturing.com/product/this-well-defend-lower-receiver-2235-56/
http://www.apfarmory.com/ar15-complete-lower-parts-kit/
I do not like colapsable stocks so I decided on a UTG fixed A2 stock kit with buffer
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/pro...tg-black-storage-compartment-4712274529861.do
After getting the lower together two things were apparent. I was not going to be happy with the mill spec trigger and I hated the straight magpul grip that came with my lower parts kit. I do trigger jobs on every gun I buy so before spending money on a drop in trigger I looked around and found this writeup.
http://www.junkyardgenius.com/firearms/ar-15/ar08.html
I did this as described to remove all the travel from the trigger and I also honed the sear surfaces. The result is a very nice 4 lb single action trigger that is as nice as most stock bolt guns I've ever fired.
For a grip I went back to the local dealer and he had a nice looking ergo grip with a thumbrest and a storage compartment for $20. I threw away the package and don't remember what brand it is. Mabey somebody knows what it is?
Now for the barrel. I intended to shoot this with iron sights and also be able to put a scope on it if I wanted so I was looking for a 16" mid length barrel with provisions for a mill spec front sight base and a free float tube. I wanted the free float tube to literally be a tube with no rails or keylock holes or whatever. I found on Delton's website they had a lightweight midlength barrel kit with front sight base on sale for only $110 shipped. I read good reviews on delton barrels so I ordered one with a $20 upgrade to add a free float forend.
http://www.del-ton.com/Del_Ton_Barrel_Kit_p/kt1008.htm
After I started to get some parts together and playing with some scopes I had on hand I changed my mind on the iron sights and decided to just mount a scope on it so I ordered a low profile gas block on ebay. I chose a cheap bushnell 3-9x40 scope that I got on sale a couple years ago from gander mountain for $80. I bought it for another rifle but quickly found that the eye relief is too short for a high recoiling rifle so it is only suitible for a 223 or 22. It has a little white fade to it but the redeeming part about it is that the field of view is excellent and the power ring is very easy to turn which makes it very well suited to this application. At 3 power the view is very clear and wide even at 5 foot distances.
Here is what I paid for everything including shipping
Bear Creek side charging upper with bolt carrier group $126.98 (georgia shore tactical)
Stripped Anderson lower $75 (local dealer)
APF lower parts kit $50 (local dealer)
UTG A2 stock kit with buffer $60.32 (ebay)
Delton barrel kit and free float tube $130 (delton website)
ergo grip $20 (local dealer)
magpul 20rnd Pmag $20 (local dealer)
action wrench $12 (ebay)
accuwedge $5 (ebay)
total = $499.30
extras;
low profile gas block (didn't use) $8 (ebay)
UTG quick release scope mount $16.10
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HICPB8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
bushnell custom series 3-9x40 scope $80 (gander mountain)
After all the parts finally arrived I started mocking thing up. Here is the first mockup using a set of spare extra high rings out of my ring drawer and the ebay gas block.
I decided I did not like the look of that front gas block and there is no provision for a sling so instead I just cut down the front sight base that came with the barrel kit. I also ordered a more substantial set of rings. Here is the end product. Everything went together like an errector set and required no modification beyond the trigger job and front sight base.
I shot about 30 rounds through it just to verify function and get the scope zero'd and today I went out to shoot a group with it. This was 8 rounds that were left in the magazine after zeroing the scope. It measures about 2 inches. I think I can pull that in to about 1-1/2 with this load as it wears in and I get used to shooting an AR. My 4" plate at 200 is not difficult. I have about 75 rounds through it now. I will be sure to try some other powders and bullets to see what this thing can do.
Now onto the next project, I thought it would be fun to put together another upper to use on this lower with a better barrel and scope to make a medium weight varmint gun. I was planning on getting another Bear Creek side charging upper but I may have to wait and see if they go on sale again. I got this 20" 223 wylde barrel from Bergara for $132 shipped. I have shot a couple bergara Encore barrels and both were absolute tack drivers so I have high hopes for this one. The forend is a $40 ebay special
I'll be sure to post some results when I get around to putting that together. Here is a mockup.
I've never been into AR's but my biggest complaint when shooting them is I just hate hate hate the rear charging handle. I'm sure it make sense for a combat gun but growing up with 10/22's, semi auto shotguns, and garands it is just so natural for me to grab a charging handle on the right side and rack one in, so my first requirement was I wanted a side charging upper. I ordered this right side charging upper from Bear Creek Arsenal.
https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/bc...-upper-receiver-bcg-combo-5-56-223-urbcg-dc15
Next I made a trip to the local gun shop which builds AR's to get some parts and advice. They set me up with a stripped Anderson lower, and an Alex pro firearms lower parts kit with a magpul grip.
https://andersonmanufacturing.com/product/this-well-defend-lower-receiver-2235-56/
http://www.apfarmory.com/ar15-complete-lower-parts-kit/
I do not like colapsable stocks so I decided on a UTG fixed A2 stock kit with buffer
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/pro...tg-black-storage-compartment-4712274529861.do
After getting the lower together two things were apparent. I was not going to be happy with the mill spec trigger and I hated the straight magpul grip that came with my lower parts kit. I do trigger jobs on every gun I buy so before spending money on a drop in trigger I looked around and found this writeup.
http://www.junkyardgenius.com/firearms/ar-15/ar08.html
I did this as described to remove all the travel from the trigger and I also honed the sear surfaces. The result is a very nice 4 lb single action trigger that is as nice as most stock bolt guns I've ever fired.
For a grip I went back to the local dealer and he had a nice looking ergo grip with a thumbrest and a storage compartment for $20. I threw away the package and don't remember what brand it is. Mabey somebody knows what it is?
Now for the barrel. I intended to shoot this with iron sights and also be able to put a scope on it if I wanted so I was looking for a 16" mid length barrel with provisions for a mill spec front sight base and a free float tube. I wanted the free float tube to literally be a tube with no rails or keylock holes or whatever. I found on Delton's website they had a lightweight midlength barrel kit with front sight base on sale for only $110 shipped. I read good reviews on delton barrels so I ordered one with a $20 upgrade to add a free float forend.
http://www.del-ton.com/Del_Ton_Barrel_Kit_p/kt1008.htm
After I started to get some parts together and playing with some scopes I had on hand I changed my mind on the iron sights and decided to just mount a scope on it so I ordered a low profile gas block on ebay. I chose a cheap bushnell 3-9x40 scope that I got on sale a couple years ago from gander mountain for $80. I bought it for another rifle but quickly found that the eye relief is too short for a high recoiling rifle so it is only suitible for a 223 or 22. It has a little white fade to it but the redeeming part about it is that the field of view is excellent and the power ring is very easy to turn which makes it very well suited to this application. At 3 power the view is very clear and wide even at 5 foot distances.
Here is what I paid for everything including shipping
Bear Creek side charging upper with bolt carrier group $126.98 (georgia shore tactical)
Stripped Anderson lower $75 (local dealer)
APF lower parts kit $50 (local dealer)
UTG A2 stock kit with buffer $60.32 (ebay)
Delton barrel kit and free float tube $130 (delton website)
ergo grip $20 (local dealer)
magpul 20rnd Pmag $20 (local dealer)
action wrench $12 (ebay)
accuwedge $5 (ebay)
total = $499.30
extras;
low profile gas block (didn't use) $8 (ebay)
UTG quick release scope mount $16.10
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HICPB8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
bushnell custom series 3-9x40 scope $80 (gander mountain)
After all the parts finally arrived I started mocking thing up. Here is the first mockup using a set of spare extra high rings out of my ring drawer and the ebay gas block.
I decided I did not like the look of that front gas block and there is no provision for a sling so instead I just cut down the front sight base that came with the barrel kit. I also ordered a more substantial set of rings. Here is the end product. Everything went together like an errector set and required no modification beyond the trigger job and front sight base.
I shot about 30 rounds through it just to verify function and get the scope zero'd and today I went out to shoot a group with it. This was 8 rounds that were left in the magazine after zeroing the scope. It measures about 2 inches. I think I can pull that in to about 1-1/2 with this load as it wears in and I get used to shooting an AR. My 4" plate at 200 is not difficult. I have about 75 rounds through it now. I will be sure to try some other powders and bullets to see what this thing can do.
Now onto the next project, I thought it would be fun to put together another upper to use on this lower with a better barrel and scope to make a medium weight varmint gun. I was planning on getting another Bear Creek side charging upper but I may have to wait and see if they go on sale again. I got this 20" 223 wylde barrel from Bergara for $132 shipped. I have shot a couple bergara Encore barrels and both were absolute tack drivers so I have high hopes for this one. The forend is a $40 ebay special
I'll be sure to post some results when I get around to putting that together. Here is a mockup.
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