Ok... So I lied... And so it begins, again!

[rickyrick]

I swore and meant it when I said I'd never build another AR. Well I lied. However, I'm not sure what it's gonna be yet. I'm tossed between a .223 varminter or a .300BO.
I'm not going to load my own so all the other choices don't really make a lot of sense to me at the moment.
I'm not going NFA or SBR, because they are not allowed where I live at the moment. I don't hunt anymore right now either, but if I did I now have the .25 caliber restriction.
So I still have some thinking to do. I do have an optic already on the shelf if I go .223 varmint. So that may play into the decision.

 

[rickyrick]

Ok, so this is the built upper, minus the gas block.

Ps:
Why has no one told me that the hogue tool is a piece of crud? Grrrr!!!!

Well at least the DPMS tool can be used from the back of the nut.

 

[kcub]

Well since you lied I'm not sure I believe you.

But then perhaps if saying you lied was a lie then it's a self fulfilling proposition.

 

[rickyrick]

Lol, I think everyone lies to themselves when they say one last rifle, lol.

 

[Sharkbite]

Without loading your own ammo AND not being able to play the NFA game...id take 300blk off the short list.

Im a HUGE Blackout fan, but i load for it and run SBR's exclusively in the caliber.

With you already having a nice optic for the 223 varmint rig... Id go that route

 

[Ibmikey]

Ricky, I too live in Washington and a SBR is lawful if taxed by the Feds (still no full auto stuff). Like you I took the pledge to stop building AR's (let's face it twenty five is getting a bit much) and have solved the dilliema by simply giving some away. The only problem is the total always seems to find it's way back to 25. Having a nice receiver like you posted should certainly be motivation to build another rifle, I have found that excuse by having as little as a LPK or BCG in the parts bin and realizing that with only a few more parts another rifle could be built.
My last was a 300 Blackout with a 16" CMMG barrel, Aero upper and lower and carbine gas, I built it as a fairly light weight plinker since I love to shoot the BO cartridge. I shoot only Supersonic in all of my 300 Blackout's and the above combination has worked just fine as about three hundred rounds have gone down the tube so far without incident.
I also have a heavier Blackout using a Rainier barrel and Nikon optics that is extremely accurate
One good thing now is my renewal of the pledge to abstain from further acquisitions........except just this morning I found a barreled upper sitting in a corner looking forlorn......lets see with just a few more pieces a rifle can be completed.........

 

[fourbore]

I am doing my first build and assembled my anderson lower yesterday. Looking for ideas for the upper.

Ricky,

Could you give me quick rundown on barrel, caliber & source, price and any other detail you can easily recall such as hand guard source and model, gas block?

I found I could save a few dollars on my lower buying all the parts from the same supplier.

 

[stagpanther]

Without loading your own ammo AND not being able to play the NFA game...id take 300blk off the short list.

Im a HUGE Blackout fan, but i load for it and run SBR's exclusively in the caliber.

With you already having a nice optic for the 223 varmint rig... Id go that route

I disagree--even though I load my own there are now many options for 300 ACC factory ammo--both super and sub sonic, and in fact they are quite cheap. I buy 100's of them just to harvest the brass--even though I used to reform my own from spent 223.

As for that Hogue tube rail--I bought one for my Core 15 varminter rig to replace the stock magpul MOE guard and the first time I went into the brush I hated the way the thing rang out like a wind chime every time I brushed by something--plus it weighs a ton. I ended up attacking mine with a drill and making a piece of swiss cheese out of it--and spray painted it with several coats of dull paint--but it still rings a bit.

 

[rickyrick]

Fourbore,
The upper is a Rainier upper, got on an Email deal blast.
The hand guard is a Hogue Overmolded free float tube, not real cheap, but I just wanted a tube.
Gas block will be a Troy gas block.
The BCG, is a PSA premium .... Also snagged on an email deal blast.
The barrel is an Anderson mfg.... .223 Wylde chamber 1:8 twist, phosphate finished 416r stainless... I can't prove the material lol, all I know is it looks great.
I had several leads on barrels waiting to come back into stock. Anderson was the first. Their varmint rifles are highly thought of and I've used one of their barrels in the past.
I have to say that the Rainier upper has the best fit to lowers that I have seen.
Ended up performing a light lapping of the receiver face, I know that this is controversial, but I figured that if I did it lightly and didn't get carried away that it couldn't hurt.

I the rings are leupold rifleman.


Ibmikey,
Thanks for the information on SBR in WA, there's a lot of misinformation out there.
I also was told that .223 for varmint and coyotes was illegal and it turns out it's not. That's why I shelved hunting when I moved here.

 

[fourbore]

I like it, thanks.

I got a Hogue grip and very nice. Under rated. Or perhaps or I am not reading enough. I also tried Ergo grips on my colt. For my large hands, the ergo fit a lot better than stock but only slightly better fit than the Hogue. That Hogue just feels sooo good. I will go Hogue if I ever need another.

I need to get on more mailing list. More I look, more I like your barrel. Then bright stainless would be fine too.

I looked at anderson web, all 18" wylde sold out. Most other sizes too, but dont want a carbine or 24". This shortage is crazy. The price a lot better than some of the other big names. I guess. I need to revist white oak and others again. I keep going off this way and that. Looking 6.5 one day, 458 the next and back to good old 223 today. Anyone ever try to find 458 parts? Not even a hint. There is a guy on long island selling complete uppers. Maybe he got all the parts cornered?

I am at Rainer web now. Interesting ,,,, you gave up the forward assist. seems like heresy Yea practical, .... And you say they fit. Ok, here is another with parts and FA a little more.

I have a theory that those little gaps from upper to lower result in wobble over time. And a tight fit does not give recoil the opportunity to work on the upper pin holes. Just a wag.

 

[rickyrick]

Try JSE surplus, they have quite a few DPMS barrels.

 

[Ibmikey]

Rickyrick, You think you have the big lie and are building another AR, today a friend who has seven kids stopped by and asked if i would build a rifle for each of his kids. Actually for six of them as i previously made one for the oldest. He left eight lowers and $5000 in hundred buck bills to pay the bill, oh what fun i am having spending some money that did not squeek when being drug out of my wallet. I got a real nice rush punching the buy button at PSA for six of their Freedom kits on sale today......once the six are assembled i shall make two rifles just for him and using all high end parts....best thing is i have a free hand to assemble them as i would for myself. I plan to use cerakoated enhanced receiver/rail units from Aero precision in Tacoma and go from there. Barrels seem to be the hard part, he wants 1/8 twist and about all the good stuff is out of stock. I will make another report as this project progresses.

 

[rickyrick]

I'm jealous,
The best part of ARs is shopping for parts and putting them together, especially since I can't get out and shoot as much.

Even though this was meant as a spare upper, I'm already considering just putting together a lower for it.

 

[Model12Win]

Love the .223 minters. Keep em comin!!

 

[rickyrick]

Well, the gas block is on, nothing fancy, just a gas block.
I thought the engraving was interesting.... For a gas block lol

 

[surveyor]

Yep the fun part is deciding what it is going to be when it grows up.
Iwas doing a new build, then decided that I never shot the blackout upper, not even 1 round, or loaded from the dies.
So I decided to sell the barrel, dies and components off to get into a wildcat.

Well the thing is after the wildcat will be built, I'm a barrel and gas tube away from another rifle with the leftovers from the 300 blackout.

Decisions, decisions.

 

[PoiDog]

This seems appropriate, and I'm as guilty as anybody:

 

[rickyrick]

Haha
That's funny right there

 

[smee78]

Ya I am guity as well, I promised my with I was done building AR's. I went digging around in one of my parts box and here I go again on a long barrel this time. It really is so easy to just pull out a few parts and the next thing you know your jumping up and running to the door everytime you hear the post office, ups or fedex driver pull up.lol