Which AR flat top receiver should I buy?

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fariaguard

New member
I have a pre-ban (purchased new 1993) Colt Match H-Bar with the A2 non detachable carry handle receiver. It works great and is sub MOA with the factory peep sights with good ammo from the bench if I do my part. However I want to mount an optic with back up folding front and rear sights.

Which manufacture of flat top receivers do you recommend that are compatible with this particular Colt?

I also want to replace the hand guard with one that is free floated. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
 
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Ibmikey

New member
Your best bet would be to leave the Colt intact and purchase any number of brands of AR's that would fill your needs nicely. Of the components available on the market today I choose Aero Precision for my builds, their lowers have a nylon tipped tension screw to take any slop out of upper/lower fit and machining is nicely done on their products.
 
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F

FrankenMauser

New member
Nearly any name-brand A3 upper will be just fine.


But, if it were me, I'd keep the HBar upper as-is and build or buy a new upper to meet the desired specs.
Right now, it's a buyer's market. You can buy a complete upper for less than you can build one (sometimes much less). And, generally, you can find an upper configured exactly how you want it.



I'd still build it, but I'm a glutton for 'overpaying' in the name of doing it myself.
 
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fourbore

New member
Right now, it's a buyer's market. You can buy a complete upper for less than you can build one (sometimes much less).
Click to expand...

GLUT!! It looks more like a shortage to me. I been waitng a month for local shop to get lowers. No problem, just saying business is goign crazy for black gun. Try and get a S&W Sport either price is $700 or shop asking anywhere near $600 and the shelves are bare. I can go to popular builder websites and all I see is back order,back order after back order. At Midway 50% of my tool cart is on back order! If this is a glut, I am sure happy we are not seeing a shortage situation.

I am new to AR scene. I would have assumed I could always buy a whole assembly for less than one piece at a time? The reason to build being to get exactly what you want right from the get go.

I was under the impression one nice feature of the AR was the 15 seconds easy upper swap. Is there some reason a colt is not suitable for an occasional upper swap? A quality upper with a scope like white oak or somebody should be easy peasy?
 
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Mobuck

Moderator
"GLUT!! It looks more like a shortage to me. I been waitng a month for local shop to get lowers. No problem, just saying business is goign crazy for black gun. Try and get a S&W Sport either price is $700 or shop asking anywhere near $600 and the shelves are bare. I can go to popular builder websites and all I see is back order,back order after back order. At Midway 50% of my tool cart is on back order! If this is a glut, I am sure happy we are not seeing a shortage situation."

I don't depend on Midway for anything anymore. Yes, there are things like upgrade furniture and parts on back order or sold out, but I find the common parts available and ready to ship. My local dealer showed up with a box the size of a large suitcase full of lowers a while back and was selling polymer lowers for $25 on a one day special(which I unfortunately missed). One weekend, he was selling forged lowers for $45(cash only) and guess what, I had only lunch money in hand(my bad again). He was making the money selling the LPK and buttstocks for 100% profit.
 
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smee78

New member
I agree with leaving the Colt alone and building or purchasing an additional upper. I have had pretty good luck with Palmetto StatenArmory, if your patient things will come back in stock and they have an option to select that will e-mail you when said item is in stock.
 
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