Which AR15 (if any) for my use-case?

[MrBitey]

I'll admit up front that this may not make sense, but lately I've been itching to get an AR15 for target shooting, and also because I like to tinker with mechanical things. I'm on a 1-2 year waiting list to join an outdoor range and currently shoot at a 25 yard indoor range. I'm planning to get a suppressor, but I'm left handed and want to minimize gas blowback.

Given the use-case of lefty shooting suppressed at indoor range, what are your recommendations for a first AR? Should I buy off the shelf or build? I'm thinking 16" rifle, but wonder whether a pistol would be better with the suppressor? Any particular rifle/suppressor combos that work especially well together? Or is this going to be so loud indoors that I should just shelve the idea until I have access to an outdoor range? I do have a Sig MPX K pistol that I enjoy shooting indoors.

Thanks in advance!

 

[AK Hunter]

There are a lot of striped lefty uppers out there. It's not hard to build but it is cheaper to do it yourself for the most part.
I don't shoot subs but the 300 Blackout is one that everyone likes to use for sub shooting.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

I wouldn't get too wrapped up being a lefty using a right handed AR.

All my AR's are right handed, I shoot left.

I would build the lower yourself, buy the upper off the shelf.
I get picky about the lower's ergo's and trigger. The lower really isn't difficult to put together.


If you are considering a suppressor, you might look into an adjustable gas block like from Odin works or similar.

I think 16" is a pretty flexible barrel length and simplifies things with the .gov.

 

[adcoch1]

Primary arms (I believe) had left hand bcg and upper receiver kits on sale the other day for around 225 bucks. That would be a good starting point. 300 blk is a paved road to subsonic shooting, lots of info out there for it. 350 legend may be another good one to look at for use with a can. 5.56 is kinda loud even through a can comparatively.

 

[herrwalther]

One of the best things about an AR is you can fit the rifle to your needs. If you shoot left handed, and don't want brass ejecting next to your face you don't have to. Try a couple regular ARs first if you haven't already. That will give you a good idea on what you like and what you would change on a custom build.

As far as suppressors, I don't have any input. I started down that rabbit hole path myself. And the finances just didn't play out for shooting quieter. Just know, it can get pricey. You can easily spend more on the can than the rifle itself.

 

[adcoch1]

It was ar15discounts....

https://ar15discounts.com/products/left-handed-ar-15-upper-receiver-bcg-combo/

 

[BigBore44]

You can easily spend more on the can than the rifle itself.

That’s a fact. Even in today’s market. A good can with tax stamp will cost you almost a grand.

To the OP, how far is the outdoor range? An AR will be “quiet”. A bolt action will be even quieter, and you don’t have to mess with cycle issues if shooting subsonic. Do you reload already? If so, that will help mitigate expensive subsonic ammo. @MachIVshooter can provide more insight with the can.

As far as whether to build or buy, I’d definitely build. Just be sure you get an AGB.

 

[CapnMac]

Blackout is probably idea for your shooting situation as a caliber.

Left hand set up is more down to the shooter and their experience. I've met a lefty or two who had issues "wrong handing" their LH arms for not having a case deflector.

Now, I've heard an excellent argument for having two uppers in .300bo, the canned one and the loud one. Mostly for having the gas settings exact for either version that way. (Which also argues for getting an integral can, maybe.)

 

[Varminterror]

I built an AR on lefty Stag components for my niece. Ambi controls, but the port points away from her face. Not a big deal either way. I use ambi controls on all of my personal AR’s; I usually run the mag release with my left hand as I draw the mag (not much occasion for tactical mag changes where I literally drop my mags), and I usually manipulate the safety with the base knuckle of my trigger finger, rather than with my thumb, and I most commonly charge right handed as well, since I do most of my shooting supported... pretty much everything backwards...

Suppressed lefty? Personally, I’d buy a lefty upper and carrier assy, ambi safety, charger, and mag release, picking a charger with a gas lip or at least RTV the seal, detent adjustable gas block, longest gas system the barrel will accommodate, and an H2 of H3 buffer.... which is pretty much everything I build for myself as a right handed rifle, save the lefty components...

 

[Skeptic13]

Will they let you shoot and AR with a rifle caliber at a 25 yd indoor range? You might think about starting out with an AR styled 9mm. Then when you can start shooting outdoors invest in an AR in a rifle caliber. I don't like shooting indoors and it drives me crazy when people at the indoor range blasting away with their ARs. Don't get me wrong I own multiple ARs but the noise and concussion of an AR indoors is unbearable for me. Maybe a suppressor would help. Don't know.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I'm planning to get a suppressor, but I'm left handed and want to minimize gas blowback.

That's going to be accomplished with a lower backpressure design or oversized bore (.30 cal cans), and by use of adjustable gas blocks. There are a couple other tricks to mitigating gas coming back through the receiver, but those are the big ones; reducing the amount of backpressure present in the first place, and tuning it to keep the bolt closed as long as possible. Those will also help with port noise, which is not insignificant, even on a tuned AR. Expect it to be pretty borderline for naked ears at best if it's actually cycling, mid-high 130 dB range at your ear. ARs with the Stoner gas system are the best hosts; pretty well any other gas operated rifle, including op rod ("piston") ARs, is gonna be over 140 at shooter's ear no matter what you do. They're worth suppressing, but usually not very tolerable with naked ears.

I'm thinking 16" rifle, but wonder whether a pistol would be better with the suppressor?

.300 Blk subsonic is best suited to 8-10" barrels, so pistol/SBR would be a better plan for most purposes.

Any particular rifle/suppressor combos that work especially well together?

Like I said, you probably want to be looking at .30 cal cans for your purposes, most likely in the 6.5-8" length range. Aside from that, just buy a quality unit with the features that appeal to you. Something that is Bravo ("Hybrid", Omega .300", "ASR" in the form 1 world) compatible is usually a good idea, too. That is, it will accept mounts & adapters with 1-3/8 24 TPI male threads. It's an industry standard that most manufacturers are on board with, but not everyone.

 

[MrBitey]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and info!

I wouldn't get too wrapped up being a lefty using a right handed AR.

I figure I'll start with right handed AR with ambidextrous controls.

To the OP, how far is the outdoor range?

It's only a 10-15 minutes drive . They have 8 or 9 ranges going out to 300 yards.

Will they let you shoot and AR with a rifle caliber at a 25 yd indoor range? You might think about starting out with an AR styled 9mm. Then when you can start shooting outdoors invest in an AR in a rifle caliber. I don't like shooting indoors and it drives me crazy when people at the indoor range blasting away with their ARs. Don't get me wrong I own multiple ARs but the noise and concussion of an AR indoors is unbearable for me.

Yeah, I don't like shooting next to the big guns indoors either. I'm mainly planning ahead for outdoor shooting at longer distances.

Expect it to be pretty borderline for naked ears at best if it's actually cycling, mid-high 130 dB range at your ear.

Understood. I've been looking at the Silencerco 36M; any thoughts on that can? I'll look at your recommendations, thanks!

 

[stillquietvoice]

My first Ar is a psa, palmetto state armory kit, 16" mid length gas system. The kit came with a complete ept lower build kit, I had to get a stripped lower and assemble it. I bought it a couple of years ago for 339, prices due to panic, covid are higher, and about 100 for the stripped lower.

I don't know what your accuracy requirements are, but mine shoots about 1.5 moa. I did scope it because of aging eyes but I can hit with it at 300 meters. I did shoot it with its peep sights and grouped 2moa at same distance with bulk Winchester white box 55fmj.

There are a lot of precision barrels, triggers.... To improve accuracy and quite a few manufacturers that use kreiger barrels in their uppers, they cost more but are far more accurate.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Understood. I've been looking at the Silencerco 36M; any thoughts on that can?

They're solid cans. SilencerCo makes good products

Of course, I prefer my own.

 

[ontarget]

I have never fired with a suppressor so I have no idea how that would effect gas blow back. I am strongly right handed but frequently shoot all of my guns left handed cause well...you just never know. I've not had a problem with gas from my ARs shooting lefty.

 

[MechAg94]

I have an OSS can in NFA jail right now. Might be able to tell you how well it works in the future. I got one of the Witt Machine suppressors. For a tiny little can, it does knock some of the sound down at the muzzle, but not as much as the larger cans. I don't think it is hearing safe, but they are cheap. Not sure where to find one in stock these days.

 

[DustyGmt]

That’s a fact. Even in today’s market. A good can with tax stamp will cost you almost a grand..

I can't really contribute on the Supressor side of things, have considered it at times but always thought I'd wait to go down that path once I could afford duty grade optics for all my carbines.

Something caught my eye the other day, may be of interest to the OP or possibly others. May be a crap can too, idk but I saw this company called WITT Machine and they have a suppressor called the Canooter Can and it gets pretty good reviews and apparently it's this company's aim to provide people with a quality can + the tax stamp with the intent of keeping it all under $500. Not sure how well they work, may be a good entry level can.

They (WITT) also make a non nfa comp/blast can shroud combo that looks pretty good. Apparently it does an excellent job of sending the noise down range away from shooters and bystanders. There is a video of a guy shooting one with no ear pro (not recommended) but claimed it did a good job mitigating perceived sound....

 

[MachIVshooter]

Something caught my eye the other day, may be of interest to the OP or possibly others. May be a crap can too, idk but I saw this company called WITT Machine and they have a suppressor called the Canooter Can and it gets pretty good reviews and apparently it's this company's aim to provide people with a quality can + the tax stamp with the intent of keeping it all under $500. Not sure how well they work, may be a good entry level can.

You can expect your 16" AR with that thing to sound about like an unsuppressed 9mm pistol. Nowhere near safe for naked ears.

Witt "suppressors" have been tested plenty, provide 6-12 dB reduction. A good can will be 25-35 dB reduction. And remember, decibels are logarithmic; 150 dB is 100 times louder than 130, not 15% louder.

Might be worth screwing around with if they didn't have a $200 tax stamp attached to them, but as it were, hard pass.

I would be very careful with the other muzzle device they're passing off as non-NFA, too. It really does meet the legal definition of silencer, and ATF has a hard on for anything that's towing that line right now, have shut down multiple solvent trap/filter companies, put out announcements that their product is contraband, and even made contact with customers using info from the seized company records.

 

[Bama59]

I'm a lefty with rifles installed Ambi mag release and charging handle on my M&P . Indoor range here requires double hearing protection in rifle section.

 

[milsurpguy]

Get a silencer with a simple internal design.
The fancy high dollar, over baffled, over sized designs will maximize blow back in your face. If you go really over board you could get a charging handle to the face.
Get one you can take apart a cheaper modular one is the way to go.

 

[bfoosh006]

Buy the best barrel you can afford.
Generally speaking, a great barrel increases your odds of meeting your target expectations.
They also tend to shoot a larger variety of factory ammo better.

I am oriented towards precision shooting. So my comment is "biased".

 

[MachIVshooter]

Get one you can take apart a cheaper modular one is the way to go.

There aren't any production serviceable, modular centerfire rifle cans on the market. That's custom build or Form 1 territory.

 

[milsurpguy]

Yeah I dont see my rebel 5.56 modular for sale anywhere any more.
Well the good news is you can form one a modular trap for about 1/2 to 2/3 of the rebel when it was available.
I couldn't wait to get my rebel out of nfa jail so I form oned a trap had the form one back about 6 months before the rebel was out of nfa jail.

 

[MrBitey]

Quick update: I ended up buying a 16" 5.56 rifle off the shelf (BG Defense Type-A) and will take my time and build a pistol in 300 blk as a separate project. A lot of the suppressors that I've been looking at are out of stock, so I'm leaning towards getting the Omega 300. Maybe I can find the parts I want and get the pistol built by time the stamp is approved.

 

[Random 8]

I see where you picked up a 5.56. Just wondering if a 9mm might make a lot of sense logistically for your short range indoor shooting. The round is naturally subsonic with 147 grain ammo, and other options are available (in more normal times) subsonic for significantly less money than .300 BO assuming you are shooting factory ammo.