This is as far as I've gotten on my first build.

[Cheapshooter]

ARAnonymous LOL
Seems the addiction is like what I have heard about meth. One hit, and you are hooked! Other than guns themselves, I think my "entry" was when I got into TC Contenders. Late in the game, but now I have about all the various barrels I want. Now, on to the AR's!

 

[HiBC]

Wait till you find a leftover barrel nut and get "inspired"

FWIW,I'd look close at the $ difference between a stripped upper and an assembled upper.plus the UPK.

I'd suggest looking at the Aero website. There are not that many outfits that actually make receivers. Aero does.
Many of the other brands just buy receivers from a supplier like Aero.

I've seen Aero on sale at Brownells or midway pretty reasonable before.

 

[Geezerbiker]

If I can afford it, I'd like to go with a Shilen barrel. If I do, the barrel will cost about as much as the rest of the rifle.

I got these 2 stripped lowers as part of the deal when I traded off my .223 varmint rifle. It was a good rifle but I didn't use it like I has planned to and I'm hoping to get similar accuracy from this AR15... I have one other .223 rifle and I've been loading for the caliber for about 5 years now and I have a far amount of brass and bullets for when I get it finished...

The second receiver that I plan to start on this time next year will be a lower cost .300 Blackout.

Tony

 

[HiBC]

I don't know the latest and greatest,but I suggest you look at the White Oak site for a source of accurate AR-15 build barrels .(triggers,too)
I might consider one from Wilson Combat.If my priority was higher volume/longer life.for maybe 3 gun,I might go with a hammer forged chrome lined Daniel Defense barrel.Its not a bad idea to order a matching bolt.

I mention those with due consideration for your budget.

Consider the upper is the interface between your sights and the barrel.

Also Zedecker wrote a book on building accurate AR's. It wouldn't hurt.

Think a while on your twist rate. A 1 in 9 will stabilize to about a 69 gr bullet.

A 1 in 8 will handle through 77 gr.

The heaviest expanding varmint(PD) bullet I know of is the 62 gr Nosler Varmint Ballistic tip.

Prairie dogs imply "Western" .Longer ranges and wind. I prefer the heavier bullets. The extreme velocity /lighter bullet plan might work better in closer country hunting. The HPBT bullets ,like 69,75,77 gr often poke a caliber size hole in a PD. Its mortal,but it might not be sudden death. IMO,the 62 gr Nosler is a good PD bullet. I like Benchmark. YMMV

 

[Geezerbiker]

I paid my CC bill and I noticed I had a cash back reward for more than this cost so I ordered one. It's an A2 stock from Midsouth in case you don't want to click the link...

There probably won't be any more parts for a couple months but at least it's going to look like it's going to be a rifle...

Tony

 

[GarandTd]

I'll be looking forward to seeing the finished product.

 

[Geezerbiker]

This is about as far as I can get for now. I hope to have more money for the project in a couple three months.

I took it all back apart and lightly greased all the bits before reassembling it. The trigger is less gritty now. Nothing I looked at said so but it seemed logical to lightly grease the buffer spring too.

Since I had 2 sets of action pins, I put the ones in the were slightly tighter. It's a small difference but who knows, it might help... I also took a sharpie marker to the tiny blems I made installing the bolt stop roll pin.

Tony