So now im looking at AR15...

[Idahou]

Recently i had dilema, couldnt decide between some surplus guns and it was quite paintfull. At the end i just saved the money for something less obsolote, more usefull and overal just better choice.

And since i kinda want only things that arent that popular or standard i was looking at Galil Ace, Steyr Augs even Beretta AR70 (i suspect that they will come in local shops since Italian LE and navy selling their stockpilles of diffrent weapons) etc...

But oddities ussually comes with price and not just in money (obsolete design, poor or nonexisting aftermarket and so on).

AR15 just seems like better choice despite fact its far less supported and popular here than in US. So i would like to disscus it with more experinced ppl and verify some of my assumptions

Currently im looking on two options - Stag Arms Bones (withour stock and handguard) 16 inch, .223 wylde or Taurus T4 wich have 14,5 inch barell, its designated as 5,56 NATO and it seems that unlike Stag, it comes with two mags. Price is almost same

Can i really easily change calibres just via diffrent upper? There are litterally 3 in all shops in my country, but still it would be nice option. I know i may need diffrent buffer spring but thats it? I will just slap that pieve on lower and im good to go? Short midwest industries 9mm is avalaible here and looks neat, CMMG Bravo adapter would be nice for training

Is there some catch in changing handguard or can i just slap this one on, loctite in and im good to go?

5.56 NATO vs .223 Wylde are basicly same with hair more accurate .223 in Wylde chamber, correct (ish)?

16 inch barrel means more velocity which is, against 14.5 inch barell, better long range performance, better fragmentation/tumbling at impact and less interferance from wind and other light factors, but doesnt affect accuracy, right?

And finally - Taurus or Stag? I know Stag have better reputation and Taurus had (have?) problems with quallity controll. but it seems that now he offers a little bit more economical package and i quite cant decide if i want 16 or 14,5

Gun itslef will be probaly most of the time just in safe (meaning no active duty or so) but i would like to have rifle on what i can count on and use it even it some long-term critical situations like that ones with the fan. Frome time to time i would like to use it on 100 - 300 meters range

Currently prices in Europe are going to sky rocket, so its look this setup would cost me much more after New Year

 

[trackskippy]

As long as the round you choose other than 5.56, that can fit in a standard AR mag/magwell, you can swap the uppers at will. With a mag adapter (in a standard lower), 9mm will work too with the right upper.

Not sure what your laws are and if someplace like PSA, etc, will ship to you, or what the duty on stuff like that might be, but if that works, you can have pretty much anything you want if you have the lower. Keep the calibers the same, and its basically as simple as pushing two pins and a swap.

You know better what the regulations on your end are, but here, the lower is the part thats considered the actual gun and depending on where you are and who you buy from, may or may not need to be registered.

Uppers and parts (with maybe a couple of exceptions) are not regulated and can be bought anywhere you find them, as much as you want, as long as your wallet or CC hold out. If you can have/get them shipped to you without a problem on your end, even with just one lower, can have all sorts of different guns.

There is always the option of just buying a stripped lower too, and building the whole gun or just buying different complete uppers. But again, different countries, different laws, import, customs, duty, ect. might not make this all feasible.

I have AR's with 10", 16", and 20" barrels, and, other than one thats set up as a precision type rifle, and has a SS match type barrel on it, I dont see a whole lot of difference in the accuracy between them. Velocity will be a little different between them.

Dont have any experience with either make you mentioned. AR's are pretty simple guns, and as long as they are in spec, kind of hard to screw them up. I have higher end AR's and guns put together from the cheapest parts I could find, and all have worked and shot fine.

 

[twarr1]

No US manufacturers can ship outside the country without an export license.

 

[Olympus]

Stag > Taurus

 

[taliv]

past several years, people have shoehorned just about every caliber into AR15s because it's such a great platform. So since you didn't narrow it down much, be advised a change in calibers may require
- obviously a change in barrel to change the chamber, but potentially also a change to bore diameter
- change in bolt if the diameter of the case head changes, eg. moving from 223rem to 308win
- magazine well size may require a change to a large frame 308 style AR, or if going down to pistol caliber, a spacer or insert
- most rifle calibers are typically gas operated but if you change to a pistol caliber, it may be blowback
- the feed ramps are often extended into the upper receiver, instead of just being in the receiver extension. size and shape may be caliber dependent

so, assuming bolt face and magazines are same, like changing between 556nato and 300blackout, yes, swap upper and you're done. 9mm needs more


choice of barrel length is a trade off between ease of handling in tight spaces (e.g. vehicle) and muzzle velocity, which affects trajectory and terminal ballistics

wylde chamber is often used on match barrels and is considered more likely to be accurate, but i don't think i've ever seen any data to prove it. it's my personal preference

 

[jmorris]

And since i kinda want only things that arent that popular or standard...

But oddities ussually comes with price and not just in money (obsolete design, poor or nonexisting aftermarket and so on).

AR15 just seems like better choice despite fact its far less supported and popular here than in US.

Sounds like it is a good pick there anyway, except for the aftermarket but you already understand that about oddities.

 

[Zerodefect]

Stag bones kit is GTG. The Stag 15 Tactical (long rail) is a good rifle as well.

I've used tons of Stag parts, and they seem darn good to me. There's tons of 13'' rails that'll fit the milspec barrel nut. It's really a great way to start with AR's. Colt offers a Bones kit as well.

I have an extra scope, and all bolt a ton rifles that would work with it, seem perpetually out of stock. I might have to try one of those Stag 10 bones kits.

You need a quality SS barrel to see any advantage from .223 wylde. But my BCM 18" wylde ss410 does shoot nice. I wouldn't sweat that, for a first AR.

 

[Idahou]

Legally is almost everything inside upper "main part of weapon" which have to be registred = if i would build gun from scratch without licence i would have to carry seperate registration for each part or pay for certification as one pice, which would be probably more expensive than some gucci AR15 itself.

Uppers are here registred as one piece part with all needed for function (withou lower) and its "adapter". Well, in theory... Porblem here is that ppl likes to tinker with everything so "gun building" is restricted for everyones safety (like litterally) and our law isnt specific about uppers and lowers in AR15 context

Stand alone lowers are nonexisting at czech market, i guess its just because as main gun part it needs certification and that would be complicated

So whole adapter is only way

I had Hammerli Tac1 in 22LR with 16 inch barell and that was quite a long for me, so im leaning more to that 14,5 barell but it would be more of "dust catcher" gun so its not main parameter, stag seems more recommended

 

[LiveLife]

I switched from 7.62x39/7.62x54R to .223/5.56 and .308 for following reasons:

• Around $50 lower receivers and 80% lowers
• Available 16"/18"/20" AR kits to customize components (choice of barrels, etc.)
• Ability to reload commonly available .223 brass cases
• Cheap and widely available magazines
• Be able to shoot .300 Blk with upper change (Essentially 7.62x39 with better accuracy)
• Be able to shoot 9mm with upper change, heavier buffer, Endo mag kit and Magpul Pmag (Or build using dedicated Glock mag lower)
• Be able to shoot 22LR with CMMG conversion bolt and 22LR magazines
• .308 build uses larger lower but reloadable with readily available brass cases

Even with longer heavy barrel NHM91, I was not able to produce sub one inch 10 shot groups at 100 yards but I can with my 18" .223 Wylde barrel AR.

Not sure what component availability is in Czech Republic but I shot Steyr Aug and prefer my ARs and don't need to worry about blowing my left hand from gas port. (There's reason for that vertical hand grip)

Between your two choices, I would definitely suggest going with Stag 16" .223 Wylde.

Stag Arms Bones (withour stock and handguard)

Is there some catch in changing handguard or can i just slap this one on, loctite in and im good to go?

You need to replace barrel nut (which comes with hand guard you linked) and I torque my barrel nuts using a torque wrench (or really big box end/adjustable wrench)

And I use reaction rod to install barrel nut as it does not put pressure/stress on the receiver as all the pressure/stress is applied to barrel locking lugs



Here are different reaction rod comparison but any Geissele style will work the same.

 

[Idahou]

Thanks and sorry for late reply - working to overtimes to get more money to gun budget

In CZ we can get just few parts - lone lowers are non-existing, uppers are few (ussually one brand per calibre - midwest in 9mm, DD in 300...).
AR-9 are quite "common" so i guess there shouldnt be problem with spring but mags will be paintfully expensive
All that modular bussines seems possible... but nonody do it here, whcih makes me wondering if there is some catch what i missing (legaly i mean)

Im still torn, because want to reward myself (said overitimes, birthdays next month, Chrismas and Hans Gruber falling from Nakatomi Plaza), but in Europe is currently energetic crysis and we bleeding money just on electricity and heating (5 times more than ussally) and everything going to be more expensive as well

Plus my focus should be on pistol calibre weapon which i can regulary shoot at action style indoor range, but with AR build im on 40k Czk just to get to the that point and wihtou magazines and its not a weapons system which i would dream about - for same price i can get surplus Beretta 92 and new CX4, or Surplus Steyr Aug, Beretta M12 something else or i can just get ARX 160 in 22LR and save up money

Its just struggle of man who wants all and can affor just something