Bushmaster M4 A3
Posted on 10/20/2010 8:07:51 PM PDT by Bean Counter
I'm considering the purchase of an improvable automatic rifle to augment my personal collection, and am looking for some input and guidance. There are a lot of options available and I hate reinventing the wheel. I would like to find a mainframe AR-15 that I can improve and expand upon but I am not sure of the best way to do it.
I've had my eye on the gun trader classified for my area here and to no surprise there are a lot of guns to choose from. I've found a couple of AR-15's that are way up in price ($1600 and up) and the weapons are obvious expensive boy-toys with the best fancy frills, but are of questionable value in a tactical situation. Some is a matter of personal taste, and the rest is a matter of practicality. I lean toward the latter.
There are quite a few other AR's for sale here in the local area, for about half that much and with fewer snazzy features, but how do you tell if it's worth the money?
I am no gunsmith, but I am fairly certain I could assemble what I want with the parts I have already found online, in a reasonable amount of time, and within a budget of about a Grand. I'm not sure if that is the best way to go, or if I am better off buying an inexpensive "mainframe" AR and improving it in pieces.
Some informed discussion is invited here, and I would be interested in any advice anyone has to offer. With the economy the way it is, there are a lot of people who are selling guns and ammo, and an equal number who are willing (and able) to buy.
5.56 NATO mil-spec uses a slightly faster powder. .223 chamber dimensions, where the bullet nose is spaced to the throat of the rifling, is a couple thousandths tighter than the 5.56 chambering.
This means pressures can spike dangerously in a .223 chamber when shooting mil-spec 5.56 ammo.
First I think you need to define what kind of “AR” you are looking for. Do you want a full on long barrel or an M-4 style? You mention tactical situations but many consider a long barrel not suitable for that. Do you want a tactical style optics or conventional glass? In short what do you think you are going to do with this weapon when you need it for it’s intended use?
BTW you should be able to put a long AR together for under $800, we do it all the time.
post 49 should prolly be pulled, as the inferance of my mistake could be catastrophic to anyone who doesnt read the rest...
Get yourself a stripped lower and then contact either Del-Ton or Bravo Company for a parts kit. You’ll be able to put a decent AR15 together that way for about $500-$600. Then you can customize as you see fit.
If you have no experience assembling AR lowers, I’m sure there are competent smiths around you that can.
Bushmaster M4 A3
Of course I'm taking it with me on my white water rapids trip next month. ;)
Great form.
A lot of silliness, but interesting nonetheless.
The original stoner design and the majority of ar15s use a direct gas impingement system. While it does pour hot gas back into the chamber it's significantly more accurate then most piston systems at the cost of having to clean your chamber on occasion. This is one of the primary reasons ARs beat the M1A in most service level competitions. AK variants and Ruger minis simply are not in the same ball park when it comes to accuracy.
I would suggest building your own rifle. There is nothing that teaches you the inner workings better then this. The trigger, barrel, and sights/optics are what will determine your accuracy so don't scrimp in these areas.
Determine what you are going to use the rifle for. Determine the best caliber and barrel length, determine if iron sights, red dots, or magnified optics suit that choice, and buy the best trigger you can afford. Make sure the forend you choose is a free float and everything else is matter of personal preference. AR15.com and Brownells both have step by step guides.
When you say “tactical” what do you mean? For short range work, a pistol caliber carbine in .40 S&W or .45 APC (like the Hi-Point) works well. They are inexpensive and reliable.
Sweet! Okay, I’m officially jealous.
(well really just kidding, that’s a sin and all, but you get the picture)
I see a lot about the twist rate in terms of accuracy....sure, a stable bullet will squeeze out the most a system is capable of, accuracy-wise, but when you're talking about a 16 in. barrel, would not there be some advantage in having a round that is just waiting for an excuse to tumble like crazy? Never heard of any ballistic gelatin tests to confirm, but it seems the terminal ballistics of, say a 1:9 twist rate and a 62 gr. or heavier bullet would be pretty ferocious.
There is a wide variance in AR15 prices, mainly having to do with their conformance to mil-specs. Mil-spec not only specifies dimensions, but materials, manufacturing processes and testing protocols. Somewhere in my archives is a table showing comformance levels of various products.
Colt rifles are mil-spec, except for their take-down pins. I believe this was done to prevent using M16 lowers with AR15 uppers. Smith and Wesson’s M&P was second on the list.
Rock River, Bushmaster, DPMS all fell somewhere in the middle. Mil-spec requirements are to ensure reliable operation in the most hostile of environments. Unless you are taking your rifle to Afganistan, the Arctic Circle or New Guinea, a middling rifle will probably work for you just fine.
My 2cents.
Built my own around 20 years ago, and it’s easier to do so now than it was. There are a lot of lowers available fo right around 100 bucks or so. The kit to finish the lower isn’t expensive. The upper part is the only part that needs specialty tools to build, and you can get that pre-assembled and headspaced. My personal one is a “clone”of the M16A1, full 20” length. It will do pretty much anything that needs doing within the limitations of the round.
If I want to change calibers, I can get another upper and be ready to go in minutes.
No, that’s Vanda Purvis (aka Bambi) (sort of a local celeb around here. Owns her AR-15 and is an expert marksman.) She posted on FR last year after her run-in with some cops and their ARs.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2320700/posts
see post #136
Get the one made by Ruger. It has many parts normally not found on over the counter AR models.
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