Precision'ish 18" AR Build

hlpressley

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Looking to put together a precision'ish AR. Something that will be used for target shooting/plinking mostly out to 200 (my range's maximum distance) but on an occasion a little further. The goal for this rifle is mainly to learn rifle shooting with magnified optics as I am mostly a pistol shooter. I have been playing around with a couple bolt action .22's the last few weeks having an absolute blast! Here is what I've came up with so far for a build list. I am asking for critiques and or suggestions so please post them up! Thanks in advance.

Upper
Aero Precision forged upper
Basic UPK
BA 18" .223 Wylde SPR Stainless Rifle Length Barrel w/BA Lo-Pro gas block
Black Rain Ordnance BCG
Geissele Super Mod MK8 15" Handguard
Muzzle Device ???
Harris swivel bipod

Lower
Anderson or Aero? Already have the Anderson but Aeros are cheap if I wanted upper and lower to match?
Basic LPK
Geissele SSA-E
Magpul PRS Stock

Haven't gotten into optic choice yet. Feel free to make suggestions there as well.
 
In to hear what muzzle devices get suggested. I have a similar kinda rifle on my bench that needs one. It currently has an obnoxious break on it. That needs to go.
 
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In my honest opinion any basic AR with iron sites will be more than fine out to 300 yards and further when needed. If you want to learn precision and are limmited I would suggest a nice bolt action .22 and throw a decent scope and 20 moa base on it and have fun. At that range it would shine and you would learn a lot more of the fundamentals of magnified shooting like wind calls, learning your dope, and hold overs ect.

Now, if you're stuck on the AR, go for it but save a little coin and get one off the shelf. But the only thing you'll be doing with a scope is making the target bigger. With a 100 yard zero you're only going to see approximately 4" of vertical spread from 25-200 yards using a 62gr bullet at 3,000 fps (M855 aka standard green tip).

Edit: just read your other thread. Cary on with the build and disregard most of what I said.
 
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Unless you buy the receiver halves as a matched set staying with one brand doesn't really guarantee a tight fit or color match. I'd just build the one I had.
I would probably save a little money and weight and go ALG for a handguard, or something else. Geissele is top tier just priced greater than my needs.
For a muzzle device if I built another precisionish AR I'd go PA M4-72, I don't care about side blast, spotting my impacts is important though. Tuning the reciprocating assembly makes as much or more difference in recoil than any brake IMO.
The PRS stock doesn't really put your face in the right place if you use the cheekpiece, at least for most people, and it's heavy.
Atlas is/was the bipod for "tactical" precision rifles.

Mk-12s are f'n cool FWIW.
 
What if you went in a unique way that holds it's value?

https://www.replacingluck.net/product-page/pri-mk-12-mod-0-upper

Or a rifle

https://www.replacingluck.net/product-page/pri-mk-12-mod-0-rifle

I can put together the list you have as a kit.

As of now look at these. I can add the SSA trigger and a 18" barrel to these:

https://www.replacingluck.net/builder-sets

Yeah if I was buying one off the shelf, that'd be it.



As far as muzzle devices....standard A2 or a suppressor mount if you ever want one. For an SPR rifle, you want something that's going to minimize signature, not blast you like a brake will blowing up dust that can be seen a mile away. The rifle gas and 18" barrel will be soft as hell anyways.

OP, are you sold on that PRS stock? I'd look at an LMT/Bravo Sopmod or Magpul ACS/ACS-L. That PRS stock is gonna be big and clunky and I bet you're gonna have a lot of problems with your position and fundamentals. I've seen relatively new to distance shooters give themselves hell with those things because it causes bad habits and they compensate in other ways. It usually starts with optic height and position, which translates to cheek weld and body position behind the rifle. And it's heavy
 
At only 200 yards, you could have went 16" on the barrel really. I'd suggest the Primary Arms ACSS recticle if you want band for the buck or some of the Vortex offerings. 1-4 should be more than enough but get a 1-6 if you want.

PWS FSC or Odinworks Atlas would be my recommendation for muzzle device. And to the person who mentioned blowing up dust, I didn't see where he said anything about laying on the ground to shoot. Could be bench shooting or at a table.
 
At only 200 yards, you could have went 16" on the barrel really. I'd suggest the Primary Arms ACSS recticle if you want band for the buck or some of the Vortex offerings. 1-4 should be more than enough but get a 1-6 if you want.

PWS FSC or Odinworks Atlas would be my recommendation for muzzle device. And to the person who mentioned blowing up dust, I didn't see where he said anything about laying on the ground to shoot. Could be bench shooting or at a table.
Thanks! I went with 18" just to have the capability of longer ranges if I'm ever able to visit a facility that offers something beyond 200. I'm definitky a fan of the Primary Arms scopes! I have a 4-14x44 FPP on a bolt action .22 and it has been great out to 200 so far. Thanks for your recommendations for a muzzle device, I will definitely give those a look.
 
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Dont you have an AR already? Stick a scope on it and fire away. At such Short distances there's no need for a big heavy stocked set up. Should take you out to 400yds if you have a decent set up

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 
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Dont you have an AR already? Stick a scope on it and fire away. At such Short distances there's no need for a big heavy stocked set up. Should take you out to 400yds if you have a decent set up

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
How dare you speak logically to me Eddie! Haha

My AR is just a PSA Premium that I put together a few years ago. It's ran fine at the PHA matches but didn't figure it was worth the effort. Plus, with prices being as they are now I figured now would be a good time to put something a little nicer together. Everyone needs more than one AR, right?!
 
How dare you speak logically to me Eddie! Haha

My AR is just a PSA Premium that I put together a few years ago. It's ran fine at the PHA matches but didn't figure it was worth the effort. Plus, with prices being as they are now I figured now would be a good time to put something a little nicer together. Everyone needs more than one AR, right?!
Ahh, so you're really wanting to buy something new and you want us to cosign on it

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I'm building a longish range Ar ATM too. I went with a 20" 1/8 223 Wylde ballistic advantage barrel I got from @JBoyette ( along with other parts). I will be using a swfa ss fixed 10 power scope. Should be fun :)

Good luck. Your build sounds awesome!
 
How dare you speak logically to me Eddie! Haha

My AR is just a PSA Premium that I put together a few years ago. It's ran fine at the PHA matches but didn't figure it was worth the effort. Plus, with prices being as they are now I figured now would be a good time to put something a little nicer together. Everyone needs more than one AR, right?!
The PSA would likely surprise you if you slapped an optic on and spent some time chasing a load for it.
I have three, with a lower in reserve, each has some imagined speciality. Future plans are retro'ish 727 like carbine, SBR spare lower, and something other than .223/5.56.
 
The PSA would likely surprise you if you slapped an optic on and spent some time chasing a load for it.

I agree. I started with a PSA upper, 20" stainless, and I have been very happy with it. I've got a load I worked up that gives me about 0.6 moa. My newer 16" carbine from them is looking pretty good for what it is, maybe 1.2, and I only have about $900 in the gun and optics together. I think if I free-floated the barrel on that, I could get more.

The big surprise for me, never having done much accuracy testing, was changing the trigger. That one change reduced my group sizes by 30-40%.
 
Barrel with pinned gas block and gas tube arrived from BA today. Upper and Lower from Aero Precision should be here on Monday. Just collecting parts as I go. No big rush this time.
 
I agree. I started with a PSA upper, 20" stainless, and I have been very happy with it. I've got a load I worked up that gives me about 0.6 moa. My newer 16" carbine from them is looking pretty good for what it is, maybe 1.2, and I only have about $900 in the gun and optics together. I think if I free-floated the barrel on that, I could get more.

The big surprise for me, never having done much accuracy testing, was changing the trigger. That one change reduced my group sizes by 30-40%.

My neighbor's 20" stainless upper from PSA shot unbelievably well with AE 50gr tipped ammo out to 200yds
 
Timely thread as I just finished my SPR build.

My thoughts-

Lower- Go Aero X15 Gen2. Lower will nicely mate and sit tight with any upper you go with. Nylon tipped screw inside the grip will eliminate all the slop between any upper and the lower.

Trigger- I love the SSA-E (and run its cousin the SD-E in several rifles) but if you are going for precision go with a Hi-Speed National Match from Geissele. worth EVERY penny. fully adjustable. (pricey but if you wait until July 4th Id just about bet the farm Geissele will run another 20% off sale)

Stock/Buffer- I am huge fan of the A5 system. Gives you the weight and feel of a A2 but with the adjust-ability of the carbine rear end with many stocks. I use ACS-L. My barrel is 18in rifle gassed and the A5H2 (same weight as regular rifle buffer) shoots very softly. I run polished and tuned JP springs in all my buffer tubes.

Optics- No matter how much coin you drop on the rifle, spend more on the glass. Good glass will last forever. SPR type builds usually do well with a VPO to 10x-ish. I finished my build with a Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42 and could not be any happier. Should easily get me out to the performance envelope of 5.56.

ymmv
 
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Your parts list doesn't look to bad. Like mentioned already, the PRS stock is heavy! If your going with a heavy 18" barrel as well a bipod it's going to be fun to lug around.
I'm also a big fan of the SSA-E, great trigger! I also run SSA triggers but for precision you will want the lighter trigger. My 18" came with a muzzle break, it keeps the rifle barrel down when firing so I felt no need to change it out. If it's going to be a range toy a good muzzle break might be a better option than a flash hider, everyone at the range is wearing hearing protection anyways.

If you do get the PRS be sure to get a rifle length receiver extension and spring and buffer.
Here is my DDM4V11PRO SPR.

IMG_8408 by hd_rolling, on Flickr
 
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Trigger- I love the SSA-E (and run its cousin the SD-E in several rifles) but if you are going for precision go with a Hi-Speed National Match from Geissele. worth EVERY penny. fully adjustable. (pricey but if you wait until July 4th Id just about bet the farm Geissele will run another 20% off sale)

@hlpressley

As i expected, 20% off all geissele triggers through the 4th. https://geissele.com/
 
Your parts list doesn't look to bad. Like mentioned already, the PRS stock is heavy! If your going with a heavy 18" barrel as well a bipod it's going to be fun to lug around.
I'm also a big fan of the SSA-E, great trigger! I also run SSA triggers but for precision you will want the lighter trigger. My 18" came with a muzzle break, it keeps the rifle barrel down when firing so I felt no need to change it out. If it's going to be a range toy a good muzzle break might be a better option than a flash hider, everyone at the range is wearing hearing protection anyways.

If you do get the PRS be sure to get a rifle length receiver extension and spring and buffer.
Here is my DDM4V11PRO SPR.
IMG_8402_zpstibtlppk.jpg

Photobucket has nuked your hosting.
 
The upper and lower do not matter, unless you just like someone's particular rollmark. An upper is an upper is an upper. Same for lower. If it's in spec, its fine.

The heart of it is the barrel, trigger, and ammo. Everything else is window dressing. I second chatting up @JBoyette , he can put together a rifle as good as any else you'll buy, and usually much less expensive.
 
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