Help me decide on an AR build direction

[Podmonkey]

So, now that I have comitted to an NY gun forums upper and lower, and despite the fact I have no idea what I'm doing, I am considering if I should do a fairly KISS CQB type carbine or a more precise SPR type rifle. But before voting a little background:
As some of you may be aware I already have a very nice 16" Daniel Defense carbine that is currently set up for close range use. However the issue I had with the rail coming loose, and the fact that this does not seem to be an isolated incidence, has left me thinking that a front sight base pinned to the barrel would be better. Therefore with the Door Kicker build I envision a 14.5 midlength gas barrel with a pinned, reciever height railed gas block, such as a Warblock, nested neatly within a 9" Centurion quad rail with the front sight pist cutout. Why a quad rail? Simply because I don't see any keymod or Mlok rails with front sight post cutouts. Plus I like the Centurion rails anyways, the way they clamp around the barrel nut seems stupid secure. But again such a rifle kinda duplicates what I already have.
As for the SPR, well..... its just that I have now finally found a range facility that could allow a precision SPR to stretch its legs a little. Such a rifle didn't make much sense to me when I was restricted to a 25 yard indoor range. The only downside to the SPR build would be the extra expense, particularly to put decent glass on it.

 

[UltraT]

I think it'd be neat to do the 14.5" bbl door kicker and try to go extra lightweight to make it more different from your 16" one.

 

[Podmonkey]

I think it'd be neat to do the 14.5" bbl door kicker and try to go extra lightweight to make it more different from your 16" one.

Yeah, that's the way I'm leaning. But it will be tough to beat the DD for weight, Naked it weighs only 6.25 lbs and that with the Gov't profile barrel! But I suppose a light profile barrel and a Battlelink minimalist stock would go some way towards weight reduction. DD make an incredible barrel so I would go with one of those.

 

[UltraT]

Yeah, that's the way I'm leaning. But it will be tough to beat the DD for weight, Naked it weighs only 6.25 lbs and that with the Gov't profile barrel! But I suppose a light profile barrel and a Battlelink minimalist stock would go some way towards weight reduction. DD make an incredible barrel so I would go with one of those.

Damn, that's pretty light! Maybe it'd be redundant then. What about a short AR pistol?

 

[Podmonkey]

Damn, that's pretty light! Maybe it'd be redundant then. What about a short AR pistol?

Hmnn, could do that...... but I'd only really want do a pistol as an ersatz SBR with a "brace" and a suppressor, and I guess the Sheriff of my county won't sign off on NFA stuff. Which is horseshit!

 

[Marine Cpl]

If you are going for door kicker, I'd go the pistol route. 10.5 inch .223 with Gold Dots works great ballistically.

As far as mlok or keymods go, I've never had a problem with loose ones nor has anyone I've known to have one has as well. Perhaps you have lemon rail or it wasn't installed properly?

 

[UltraT]

Hmnn, could do that...... but I'd only really want do a pistol as an ersatz SBR with a "brace" and a suppressor, and I guess the Sheriff of my county won't sign off on NFA stuff. Which is horseshit!

Darn. What about a 14.5" AR in .300 BLK, 6.8 SPCII, or 6.5 Grendel?

 

[MilesTeg]

I went with SPR because that's on my short list of builds. I don't know if I would do 18 or 20 and make it varmint nightmare.

 

[Podmonkey]

If you are going for door kicker, I'd go the pistol route.

As far as mlok or keymods go, I've never had a problem with loose ones nor has anyone I've known to have one has as well. Perhaps you have lemon rail or it wasn't installed properly?

Who knows? Its fine now and I've put over 1k rounds through it since then. However this issue was experienced by some prominent youtubers and a net search turns up several other such incidents. Its just a nagging thought in the back of my mind, which sucks because the rifle is absolutely outstanding otherwise and even the rail is strong, rigid and very light.

 

[Bananabandit]

Hmnn, could do that...... but I'd only really want do a pistol as an ersatz SBR with a "brace" and a suppressor, and I guess the Sheriff of my county won't sign off on NFA stuff. Which is horseshit!

BREAKING: ATF Issues Final Ruling on NFA Trusts, Eliminates CLEO Sign-Off for ALL NFA Paperwork - The Truth About Guns

Just in case you didnt know

 

[Marine Cpl]

With a quality lightweight rail (not a quad rail), a Shockwave Brace, and a 10.5 inch barrel, you can get it down to about 5 pounds.

That's a door kicker!

 

[Podmonkey]

BREAKING: ATF Issues Final Ruling on NFA Trusts, Eliminates CLEO Sign-Off for ALL NFA Paperwork - The Truth About Guns

Just in case you didnt know

Hmnn. That makes a pistol/SBR build much more attractive. Added a pistol build option accordingly. Assume that any pistol build will eventually become an SBR.

 

[UltraT]

How many people do you need to make a trust in free states?

 

[Bananabandit]

Hmnn. That makes a pistol/SBR build much more attractive.

I just sent my CLEO copy for my AOWs...but only for their records.

 

[Podmonkey]

How many people do you need to make a trust in free states?

I think it can be just one? I will have to check with my FFL, maybe he has something going already.

 

[Marine Cpl]

If it was me and I lived in a state where I could get a SBR, I'd still go the pistol route instead of the SBR route to stay off any ATF lists.

Also, you can carry a pistol loaded in your car unlike an SBR. With a SBR, you also have to get permission to move the gun across state lines.

Just something to consider if any of that stuff matters to you.

 

[Podmonkey]

Can you imagine how incredibly cool a suppressed SBR with a Fostech Echo trigger would be? And how expensive?! that $400 in tax stamps alone! Plus over $400 for the trigger, suppressors are what, around $1k? Plus the replacement for when the first can melts, hoy vey!

 

[Acer-m14]

get the upcoming NYGF lower from bullet guy

 

[Frankly]

Spend the money to upgrade your current rifle to be an awesome do everything carbine, even if you take a haircut swapping parts, make it yours, make it perfect, put a good scope on it and shoot the Hell out of it so you master it at CQB and any practical range you would shoot in the Northeast (300 yards). That's very doable with a single weapon.

If you don't trust a part then swap it out and take the financial hit rather than having it cloud every other decision going forward.

If you want a pistol get a pistol, ie Glock, 1911, MP, etc. why waste time on a finicky ammo sensitive AR pistol that you can't conceal and can't hit with?

Money and time is saved or spent on ammo and practice.

If you're paranoid and rich buy a bunch of $500 PSA AR kits and bury them in PVC pipes out in yard in the middle of the night. I still think there's better uses for that money but if you sleep better....

 

[dsdmmat]

get the upcoming NYGF lower from bullet guy

Re read post one.

 

[dsdmmat]

Go with a 24 inch bull barrel and make it a designated marksman with a 6.5 Grendel.

 

[Podmonkey]

Go with a 24 inch bull barrel and make it a designated marksman with a 6.5 Grendel.

I don't/won't reload so Grendel is out, not enough factory ammo oit there and what is out there is too expensive. Someday I will put together a heavy bench/PSG1 eat your heart out AR in .308. For now I want to focus on 5.56. Maybe 300 blk if I do the pistol/SBR.

 

[Cleck]

Spend the money to upgrade your current rifle to be an awesome do everything carbine, even if you take a haircut swapping parts, make it yours, make it perfect, put a good scope on it and shoot the Hell out of it so you master it at CQB and any practical range you would shoot in the Northeast (300 yards). That's very doable with a single weapon.

If you don't trust a part then swap it out and take the financial hit rather than having it cloud every other decision going forward.

I like this idea better. Make your current gun master of all situations. Get a scope that'll work close and far (or one of each, both zeroed for the rifle), and shoot the everloving piss out of this rifle. Spend the money on good parts to make this a total kickass rifle.

Otherwise, go hard with an SPR, I'm not a fan of the AR pistols, so I'm letting that cloud my judgement.

 

[Marine Cpl]

I'm not a fan of the AR pistols, so I'm letting that cloud my judgement.

You are not the first person I've seen to post that. I've seen that in other forums as well where the poster will say that he doesn't like AR pistols but built an SBR instead.

Any reason why for curiosity's sake?

 

[Podmonkey]

You are not the first person I've seen to post that. I've seen that in other forums as well where the poster will say that he doesn't like AR pistols but built an SBR instead.

Any reason why for curiosity's sake?

My issue with Rifle/sub gun "pistols" is that short barrel or no they are too bulky and heavy to be stable when shot without 3 points of contact. However a brace is a viable workaround.

 

[gun_slinger_boy]

With the current NFA laws it's pointless to make a trust to create an SBR or silencer. You may as well just file as an individual. Precisely why I haven't done any NFA items since the law changes. Hoping the HPA goes through someday so I can at least make silencers. I guess pistols will have to do from now on. They don't look so bad with a stabilizer blade anyhow. It's makes for very stable shooting when shoulderi... ehem putting it up against your face/forearm. If you feel you're getting redundant with your ARs then build an AK! Here is my 300 blackout I built last week. My newest pistol If barrel length is a concern you might want to consider 300 BLK.

 

[Marine Cpl]

My issue with Rifle/sub gun "pistols" is that short barrel or no they are too bulky and heavy to be stable when shot without 3 points of contact. However a brace is a viable workaround.

A Shockwave brace is the only way otherwise it is useless just as you say due to the 3 point thing.

They say this on their website and I'm not sure what the legal thing is with the ATF since they flip flop in regards to shouldering but who is going to be checking inches from your shoulder at the range or if you have to shoot a SOB in your home?

 

[Podmonkey]

Also, please note the upper and lower have already been payed for. This is happening no matter what. I just need to figure out what parts to shop for.
@Bullet Guy, I assume you have lower parts kits?

 

[ManrisFrack]

I don't/won't reload so Grendel is out, not enough factory ammo oit there and what is out there is too expensive. Someday I will put together a heavy bench/PSG1 eat your heart out AR in .308. For now I want to focus on 5.56. Maybe 300 blk if I do the pistol/SBR.

GunBot 65grendel rifle ammo

Grendel ammo isn't any more expensive than 308. You're right though, there isn't a ton out there and you'd probably do better reloading.

As much as it pains me to say it, go with 300BLK in suppressed SBR or pistol - that's where it comes into it's own after all.

And when you do build that bench AR10, look at better paper punchers than 308. 7mm-08, 6.5 Creedmoor, maybe 260 Rem - there's a bunch that'll make a better target gun.

 

[gun_slinger_boy]

A Shockwave brace is the only way otherwise it is useless just as you say due to the 3 point thing.

They say this on their website and I'm not sure what the legal thing is with the ATF since they flip flop on regards to shouldering but who is going to be checking inches from your shoulder at the range or if you have to shoot a SOB in your home?

The ATF is flippity floppitying again on the issue and are reconsidering shouldering a brace again. So then if you could shoulder a brace why not a buttstock? Oh yeah that's right. The buttstock creates revenue.