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Thread: Updates on my AR-15 build

  1. #1
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    Default Updates on my AR-15 build

    I was fortunate to score a great place to shoot from a private land owner that has a stone quarry and it is only 3 miles away and I can go there any time I want to. I don't know how I do it, I must look pretty harmless or something.

    I'm shooting my AR-15 two or three times a week. Love this rifle. Went ahead and purchased the 22LR conversion from
    Daytona Tactical. Amazing how the AR-15 converts from one round to the next in less than a minute. I incorporated bolt storage inside the wooden gun case so I always have both bolts. Usually shoot both the .223 and 22 LR with each visit to the gun range.

    With .223 rounds, I'm shooting 5 inch groups at 80 yards with the iron sights. Is this good, bad or average shooting? I'm shooting the same group with the 22LR at 50 yards.

    Next investment will be a red dot laser sight for day/night shooting with wild hog hunting in mind.

    This fall I'm going to start gathering parts to build an AR-15 .300 Blackout. Probably buy a kit from Daytona Tactical
    and another 80% lower. I'm aware I can just buy a .300 Blackout upper but a complete kit will include parts for the lower receiver.

    After all, I figure a guy needs to take care of himself, right? Jim
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Thanks for the update. Glad it's working for you.
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    I have been looking at .300 Blackout kits at Daytona Tactical. The least expensive kit is a 300 AAC. Can't figure out what the AAC stands for.
    The AAC kit uses a 4150 Chrome Moly/ nitride barrel while the other more expensive kits us Heavy Chrome Moly/phosphate process barrel.
    What is the difference in barrels. Is a Stainless barrel worth the extra cost?
    Jim

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Almost bought a stripped lower at a show.....and a parts kit....
    Then I saw a Handi Rifle in a caliber I didn't have....so was led astray.....again.

    Maybe just get a different lit of the couple AR's I have?.......thinking 6.5?....more of a deer load than a .223/5.56
    What would the advantage of the 300 Black out be over a 6.5?....Is that a subsonic round?
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    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    Maybe just get a different lit of the couple AR's I have?.......thinking 6.5?....more of a deer load than a .223/5.56
    What would the advantage of the 300 Black out be over a 6.5?....Is that a subsonic round?
    The 300 Blackout uses the same upper and lower receiver and I think the same magazines as the .223. I guess the original attraction for me was changing out the .223 barrel with a 300 Blackout barrel. Now that I have built an AR-15 using the .223 barrel I realize the barrels can be changed back and fourth but I don't feel it is a good idea to use one barrel for hunting and a few days later switch barrels to go to the gun range. I could have a complete upper and that would be an easy change back and fourth but for just a little more money I could have another complete rifle. Besides, when I get back to Florida I may want a second AR-15 to loan to a Canadian friend because I know we'll be fighting over a single AR.

    I suppose a .308 would be best for large wild hogs but then that rifle will always be a .308. I'm attracted to things that are flexable like the AR-15. At my age I rather doubt I'll ever get into deer hunting so the 300 Blackout looks good to me for hunting smaller wild hogs.

    My hunting experience has always been with ducks and geese so I know very little about rifles. But this AR-15 is making me think about competitive shooting now. Jim
    Last edited by jim Glass; 05-30-2016 at 02:28 PM.

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    Yeah, the lower is the cheapest part... unless you spend a ton on a special trigger. Once you buy another upper, you might as well slap another lower on it.

    That case looks awesome. Great job!
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    Quote Originally Posted by jim Glass View Post
    ::snip::

    With .223 rounds, I'm shooting 5 inch groups at 80 yards with the iron sights. Is this good, bad or average shooting? I'm shooting the same group with the 22LR at 50 yards.

    Next investment will be a red dot laser sight for day/night shooting with wild hog hunting in mind.

    ::snip::

    After all, I figure a guy needs to take care of himself, right? Jim
    5" groups with iron sights at 80 yards is great. Remember that the "battle zero" for the 5.56 / .223 is 0-300 meters. A human "kill shot" happens in an 8"-10" diameter circle in CoM. So if your shots are dead on but 2.5" off the center mark [in any compass direction], you are good to go.

    As for .22 conversions, it's fine. remember that the .22 LR is a "meh" / fun / plinking / training round and people tend to expect more from it than it can deliver. The rifle and shooter's ability can be spot on....but the round itself is lacking.

    Before buying it [for self defense / offensive reasons], I want you to remember one thing: Lasers work both ways. If you can see it, so can any foe. If it's just for hogs then no worries.

    And be careful you don't strap too much on that AR....you can get crazy very quickly LOL.

    Unless the rifle is 'purpose-built' [like mine, as constructed as a "Designated Marksman" rifle], try to limit "necessities" to iron sights, optics [of whatever type], flashlight and sling. Even mine is limited on attached accessories. When I built mine I created: 18" fluted stainless steel bull barrel in 1:8" twist with Midlength gas system; Adjustable gas block; 15" freefloated hand guard; Nickel Boron BCG; 2 stage competition trigger; 3-9 scope [for now, I want better optics eventually]; 45* fixed iron sights; sling and 6P LED flashlight [1000 lumens]. Being a DM rifle, I should put a bipod on it but I want to wait on that. I also think I want a shorter hand guard but I'm still unsure on that.

    If anything, put decent optics on your rifle. A red dot is great for CQB but might not be so hot for hog hunting [unless you are right up on them]. Perhaps a fixed 4x scope might serve you well, as it makes for a good "median" optic...not too bad for close quarters and better than "zero" magnification at distance. Or go with a 1-4x if you want less "zoom" at CQB.

    Here's some shots of mine so you see what I'm talking about:

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    NOTE: the 45* iron sights are set this way because I shoot left-handed. For a right-handed shooter, they'd be mounted to the right side instead. This allows you to mount the scope as close to the rail/receiver as possible....simply turn the rifle 45* to the side for open sights.
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    Thanks for the reply and helpful hints Druid. I'm thinking about buying the 300 Blackout kit, assembling the upper, and using it with the lower receiver I already have. I'll pick up a lower receiver someday at a gun show, I'll already have the parts for the lower receiver from the kit, assemble and I'll have 2 completer AR-15s. Just a way to spread out the expenses.

    My brother-in-law uses a red Dot sight that has a clear plastic lens mounted on the receiver or barrel. Looking through the lens there is a red dot. Place the red dot on your target and that is where the bullet goes. I may try one of those because in my case the hog would always be in view. I used one on one of my brother-in-laws hand guns. Hunting hogs in Florida, the hogs are no more than 40 yards away. Impossible to see beyond 50 yards because of the jungle. Most of there hogs we killed were 20 yards away. Jim

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    Default AR-15 number 2

    My 300 Blackout with Barska red dot sight. I have 2 more red dot sights to tryout. The 300 Blackout uses the lower receiver borrowed from the .223 rifle. I'll have a second receiver in a month or two.
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    I think you will be pleased with the 300 BO as a small hog cartridge. It fits neatly between the 30 carbine and 7.62x39 round in power and performance.

    It you were shooting at long range there might be some better choices but for inside 100 yards on hogs less than 150 pounds it should be almost perfect using the 110-125 grain bullets.

    For your situation, hunting at dusk and into darkness, the red dot should be a perfect optic system. I hope those cheap red dots do not fail you.

    I have to keep reminding myself that I do not need a new lower for every upper in the inventory. Rough habit to break.
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    If I end up getting another AR it will probably be .300 AAC. Great round.

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    Jim, I enjoy your posts and I know this is an old thread but I have a question about the 80% Lower you chose. I think I've caught the build bug. It was a Daytona Tactical? And were there any brands in your research that had bad reps.

    And anyone else is welcome to chime in as well.

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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Jim did an aluminum alloy 80% lower because he has a fully equipped machine shop and a lifetime of machine tool experience.

    If this is a first build for you and you do not have access to a machine shop then going with a polymer 80% lower would be advisable.

    That is what you saw being assembled at the jamboree.

    You can build a poly lower with nothing but a drill press and a good drill press vise.

    A big stand up press and a cross feed milling vise works better, but the first one I built I had nothing but a $49.95 HF table top vise and by being very careful I got a good lower built.

    Daytona Tactical makes a good parts kit. Palmetto State Armory also makes a good kit and usually at a cheaper price.

    Polymer 80 offers the best 80% lowers. You can buy direct from the factory. They cost about $70-$80. They also sometimes have blems on sale real cheap, usually a color problem in the plastic. They come with a jig which actually works, the two necessary drill bits and a milling cutter. Instructions are a little slim so when you get ready to do the work shoot me a PM and I will talk you through the process. I now have several behind me. All of them work and I have not had to scrap one yet.

    A cheaper way to go, with less complication, is to buy a stripped lower, for $50, that is already completed, and set down with a you-tube video and an hour latter have a functioning rifle.

    For a first build I would recommend going with the stripped lower. After you have assembled a stripped lower and found it actually works you will feel more secure at the thought of building a lower.

    Be careful though. You build one and then a month latter PSA has a big sale and sends you an E-mail for a build kit for $300 and you realize you can have another AR for less than $350. And then you realize that all you have to do is buy a new upper and you have a 300BO or 6.8spc and before you know it you have a couple of carbines, a rifle and two AR pistols hanging in the back room.

    It's an addiction.

    Then you find out Wolf .5.56 is on sale for $0.20 cents a round and the ammo accumulation begins.

    http://palmettostatearmory.com/

    https://daytonatactical.com/

    http://www.polymer80.com/

    https://andersonmanufacturing.com/
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 08-06-2017 at 06:36 PM.
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    Yeah, I thank you and Natertot for showing me another money pit. LOL.

    I checked out DT and PSA but not Polymer80. I will.

    I might not have this right, but I think a stripped lower will negate my purpose in this build (If you know what I mean). However, if that is where I need to start, I can do that. Then do a 80%.

    I do not have a machine shop. But I think I can put together enough to git'r done.

    Thank you for the help and the offer to help in the future.

    Tony

    edit. WAIT! .20 cents a round! Ammoman ain't that cheap.

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    Senior Member Desert Rat!'s Avatar
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    Just start stacking some money up for your builds, when you get to about 15-20 builds you will probably start slowing down, you will need some willpower to stop, maybe an intervention ...

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    Never mind, I have nothing to add - I'm just a troll.
    Last edited by crashdive123; 08-06-2017 at 10:14 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by madmax View Post
    edit. WAIT! .20 cents a round! Ammoman ain't that cheap.
    https://www.aimsurplus.com/product.a...Box&groupid=21

    Aim is just across the big River from me so I do not even have shipping to worry about, just a 30 minute drive.

    The stripped lower is only $50 so there is not a fortune in the blank. You can build it in a flash and be shooting. If you ever have to "turn it in for credit" you bought it as a stripped lower and that is what gets turned in.

    It will also give you a pattern to look at and measure too as you build your 80% lower, which is difficult on the first go if you do not have an example to compare too.

    You get to thinking "that ain't right" and then you look at a finished and working example and realize you are doing OK or you need to stop before you really screw up.

    When you buy the "build kit" make sure you are getting a complete Kit. Many of them come without a bolt carrier group or without the buttstock and look like a real deal until you realize the BCG is $100 and the buttstock is $65-$125.

    For a first build I would recommend the PSA freedom rifle kit in one of its forms. They offer a carbine with regular or stainless barrels and other goodies. The PSA kit already has the upper assembled with barrel head spaced. If you buy an upper that requires assembly you will have to buy an armorer's tool and torque wrench and you better have one big honkin' vise on the workbench.

    http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-1...rifle-kit.html

    I love building ARs!

    As soon as I can find a blown out microwave oven to salvage I am going to build a spot welder and start building AKs.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 08-06-2017 at 10:55 PM.
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  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by madmax View Post
    Jim, I enjoy your posts and I know this is an old thread but I have a question about the 80% Lower you chose. I think I've caught the build bug. It was a Daytona Tactical? And were there any brands in your research that had bad reps.

    And anyone else is welcome to chime in as well.
    PSA and Daytona Tactical were suggested by folks on this sight. Never heard of any bad reps. Nothing more fun than shooting a gun you made yourself. I keep threatening to build an AR-15 in 9 mm just to use as a plinker. The reason I don't is most of the parts are dedicated to 9 mm. I don't fully understand the attraction of the 80% lowers. I went that direction mostly for convenience but it is an interesting conversation piece when finished. The problem I have is people want me to make them a lower receiver and that would be against the law. I offer those people the use of my machines to machine their own 80% lower and that usually ends the discussion.

    I finished machined an 80% lower from Brownells and another from Daytona Tactical. Both were high quality.

    Oh darn, now I'm getting the build bug again. I have investigated building an AK47 because the ammo is cheap but never found a complete kit.

    Never forget the first time my wife saw my AR-15. She comes out to my shop, she rarely does that, and I have an AR-15 laying on a work bench. She sees it and says, "what's that thing?" I said, "a rifle". She asks "what's it for?" I said, "hog hunting". She asks, "is that an AR-15?" I said, "ya". She replies totally in a hostile manner, "oh Jim,,,,,you keep it out here, don't bring it into the house!!" Me, "OK...". She still does not know about the second AR-15. I'm ok as long as she only sees one at a time.

  20. #20

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    I like the idea of practice assembly and having something to compare to. I think I bought armorers tool and torque wrench to put a single point adapter on my Ruger AR-15. I Have a rock solid work table and a pretty heavy duty vise on it.

    Thanks Jim. I'm not worried about people asking me to machine a lower for them. Anybody that I know that would be interested has it covered better than me already. LOL. It'll get range time without a lot of conversation about it. Ya know I could build it as a 300 BO...

    I kinda laughed at the guys that showed me a gun in their massive gun safe and wondered what in the world did they need all those guns AND having to buy that huge safe too? Now I know.

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