Best factory build sub $1000 AR for coyote hunting?

Scsmith42

Scsmith42

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All my AR’s are custom built, but a friend of mine is looking for a factory AR in .223 to mount a NVD to for coyote hunting. It will be an occasional use gun.

SIG, PSA, Ruger, etc… which one should he look at for accuracy, light weight and dependability?

Excluding the NVD, he has a $1000 budget. He would like a setup that he can shoot day or night.

What is the collective wisdom?

Thx.
 
@Scsmith42 Honestly a PSA 10.5 inch pistol would do the job. I know a lot of the guys here run that with a 300 blk and its stupid light.

If he wants a factory gun not PSA you'd be hardpressed to find something better than this for the price.

SOLD - S&W M&P-15 AR 5.56 FS - REDUCED MORE- Trades added

I have a S&W M&P-15 AR 5.56 for sale. I added the rear sling mount for single point slings and the fat release for the charging handle so gloves are easy to use with it. It puts em in the same hole at 100 yards and cuts holes at 200 yards using 68gr fmjbt. - FTF meet up in Fuquay Varina, Holly...
carolinafirearmsforum.com carolinafirearmsforum.com
 
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based on the NVD requirement do not go piston. You will beat that optic to pieces with in 500 rounds. Unless he buys a mil-spec NVG/ Thermal.

Direct impingement, I would not go shorter then 16" barrel & carbine gas. Due to hot particle and lens concerns of a 15" or less barrel chamber spark and muzzle flame.

midgas for 16"and 18", rifle gas for 20" has WAY less muzzle flash and less hot particle's, stay away from the A2 bird flash hider too.

If its 16" + barrel length go 12" to 15" handguard. Due to the requirement of off hand shooting (hunting) and tunnel vision. Nothing makes forgetting about mechanical offset and shooting your barricade faster then a night fire with a thermal / NVD.

Thats my $1.00 investment in this topic.

If you buy match ammunition, any brand, WAY less muzzle flash. If you buy M193 55grn it will launch a pumpkin almost every shot.
 
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CZfool68 said:
Same answer I always give. Made right here in Apex.

BPM – BPM – Barnes Precision Machine

www.usamade-ar15parts.com www.usamade-ar15parts.com
Click to expand...
Word on the street is the quality took a hit after the blockbuster past 18 months of wide open production. Rifles built prior to last year will probably not suffer from this. And they are not generally under a grand.
 
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fieldgrade said:
Word on the street is the quality took a hit after the blockbuster past 18 months of wide open production. Rifles built prior to last year will probably not suffer from this. And they are not generally under a grand.
Click to expand...

Well don’t you spoil all the fun? That’s disappearing to hear. From his reputation I am surprised Andrew Barnes let that happen. Maybe new workers or something. Bummer.
 
I hunt with a PSA 18" 6.5 Grendel. I would suggest something bigger than .223, although you can kill them with that. I'm running thermal. My buddy was shooting a .224 Valkyrie, and he was having them get away. He's a decent shot too, but at night at couple hundred yards, it gets fuzzy with NV/Thermal and less forgiving.20200414_233205.jpg
 
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Most any reputable 223/556 will drop a coyote only out to 400-500. That’s my S&W amnesia linked (thanks). I’m 5-10 minutes from New Hill and I live on a farm so he’s welcome to shoot a few rounds before buying if he likes. I’ve had it a few years but rarely shot as I have some 300aac’s I shoot mostly. I have a DPMS Diva I’ll be selling soon in 5.56 & 300aac barrel setup but I suppose he doesn’t want a leopard print AR hahaha!!!Holler at me if he’s interested and good luck on the hunt! Thanks.
 
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CZfool68 said:
Well don’t you spoil all the fun? That’s disappearing to hear. From his reputation I am surprised Andrew Barnes let that happen. Maybe new workers or something. Bummer.
Click to expand...
I own one and am a fan. Toured his place maybe eight years ago. If I was looking for a base rifle like the one you posted I’d still probably buy it, because if it DID have a glitch I feel quite sure it could be easily rectified. Several dealers local to me are dealers for BPM, and of course BPM is right up the road.
 
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JBoyette said:
based on the NVD requirement do not go piston. You will beat that optic to pieces with in 500 rounds. Unless he buys a mil-spec NVG/ Thermal.

Direct impingement, I would not go shorter then 16" barrel & carbine gas. Due to hot particle and lens concerns of a 15" or less barrel chamber spark and muzzle flame.

midgas for 16"and 18", rifle gas for 20" has WAY less muzzle flash and less hot particle's, stay away from the A2 bird flash hider too.

If its 16" + barrel length go 12" to 15" handguard. Due to the requirement of off hand shooting (hunting) and tunnel vision. Nothing makes forgetting about mechanical offset and shooting your barricade faster then a night fire with a thermal / NVD.

Thats my $1.00 investment in this topic.

If you buy match ammunition, any brand, WAY less muzzle flash. If you buy M193 55grn it will launch a pumpkin almost every shot.
Click to expand...
John, thx for the insight. What do you think about the S&W that TacShift linked to?
 
I’d buy this:

SOLD - 6.8 SPC II AR & ammo package

Less than 100 rounds through it. Upper: Aero M4E1 Aero Atlas S-One Handguard AR Performance 16” Scout barrel (mid length gas) Aero nitride gas block AIM Nickel Boron BCG Vltor charging handle NO muzzle device Lower: Aero M4E1 (blem) Aero RE w/ Sprinco white & Aero H2 buffer CMMG lower parts...
carolinafirearmsforum.com carolinafirearmsforum.com

I’ll chip in some money to buy some of the ammo (for me, not him) if it helps. 😎
 
JBoyette said:
based on the NVD requirement do not go piston. You will beat that optic to pieces with in 500 rounds. Unless he buys a mil-spec NVG/ Thermal.

Direct impingement, I would not go shorter then 16" barrel & carbine gas. Due to hot particle and lens concerns of a 15" or less barrel chamber spark and muzzle flame.

midgas for 16"and 18", rifle gas for 20" has WAY less muzzle flash and less hot particle's, stay away from the A2 bird flash hider too.

If its 16" + barrel length go 12" to 15" handguard. Due to the requirement of off hand shooting (hunting) and tunnel vision. Nothing makes forgetting about mechanical offset and shooting your barricade faster then a night fire with a thermal / NVD.

Thats my $1.00 investment in this topic.

If you buy match ammunition, any brand, WAY less muzzle flash. If you buy M193 55grn it will launch a pumpkin almost every shot.
Click to expand...
Good to know, I’ve got night vision and a piston rifle that I‘ve been planning to put together. Will buy another gun, darn!

About mechanical offset, I might have shot my sofa and window sill one day trying not to have a rifle barrel sticking out the window.
 
JimB said:
Good to know, I’ve got night vision and a piston rifle that I‘ve been planning to put together. Will buy another gun, darn!

About mechanical offset, I might have shot my sofa and window sill one day trying not to have a rifle barrel sticking out the window.
Click to expand...
Depends on the thermal. Check and see what voids the warranty.

The durability is where alot of the $$$ goes into
 
Scsmith42 said:
All my AR’s are custom built, but a friend of mine is looking for a factory AR in .223 to mount a NVD to for coyote hunting. It will be an occasional use gun.

SIG, PSA, Ruger, etc… which one should he look at for accuracy, light weight and dependability?

Excluding the NVD, he has a $1000 budget. He would like a setup that he can shoot day or night.

What is the collective wisdom?

Thx.
Click to expand...
If he’s not in too big a hurry, I just slapped two together for $440 - PSA had (has?) *complete” blem lowers on sale for $120 and MidSouth had (has?) *complete* DelTon 16” Lightweight profile bbls w 15” MLOK railed uppers for $320. I’m kicking myself for not getting a 1/2 dozen each.

Full disclosure: I put a CMC 2-1/2lb flat single stage in one ($134 from BattleHawk Armory) and a LaRue flat MBT S1 ($87 direct from LaRue) in the other so, all in one rifle ran me $574 and the other $527.

That’s TWO under $1,000 and both with sweet triggers!
 
73Chall said:
If he’s not in too big a hurry, I just slapped two together for $440 - PSA had (has?) *complete” blem lowers on sale for $120 and MidSouth had (has?) *complete* DelTon 16” Lightweight profile bbls w 15” MLOK railed uppers for $320. I’m kicking myself for not getting a 1/2 dozen each.

Full disclosure: I put a CMC 2-1/2lb flat single stage in one ($134 from BattleHawk Armory) and a LaRue flat MBT S1 ($87 direct from LaRue) in the other so, all in one rifle ran me $574 and the other $527.

That’s TWO under $1,000 and both with sweet triggers!
Click to expand...
That's what I did. CMC trigger, magpul grip/ stock and two point sling. Got my Form 1 can, Shes ready to rock.
 
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