Travis Bickle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Upper Lower Middle Alberta
What did you end up building if I might ask?
Built an A1 'Nam style clone.
Total cash in was under $900.
Picked up whatever I could used on the EE to save cash.
This thing shoots accurate man, the long Gov profile 20" barrel is where it's at for these rifles.
I don't baby it, when I finish a group I just toss the rifle on the grass/dirt before going to check my target at the range lol Many hundreds of rounds through it now without an issue.
The lower is DPMS, the upper is old USGI M16A1 "LM" marked upper complete.
Barrel is a DTI.
Here's a pic:

Here's a pic of my brother holding her last trip out to the range, 600 + rounds down range that day without even a stoppage


If you want tight groups at long distance though, you may want optics so I would go with a flat top railed upper. But with a 20" barrel and practice if you're shooting under 300-400 meters, the AR15 with bare irons was made for those distances. You would be amazed what they can do in that configuration with irons especially 200 meters and under. You can also get a thin front post like I have on mine for slight improvement in precision.
Anything past 400-500 meters gets dodgey even with optics for the design of the rifle and the caliber. It was designed as a battle rifle not a sniper rifle. If you want precision accuracy out past 600 meters get a decent quality bolt action in a better caliber.
You can always get a flip up rear sight and keep it folded down so if you get tired of using the scope remove it and still be able to shoot iron sights.
I will not spend more than $1200 on an AR, I don't care what the receivers are made of or how much titanium adamantium the bolt is made of or whatever. These things are so overpriced for taking to the gun range to shoot holes in paper. Unless like I said you need to have the most expensive of everything to make the holes in the paper more tacticaller or something. I see very expensive very modded up AR's go up for sale on the EE every day in mint condition. Most guys must do them up to have the best of everything and every accessory them could find on the internet, then never touch them again save to wipe the oil from their fingerprints off them lol
I abuse my rifles. I don't like to have to worry about getting a scratch on the finish etc To each their own I guess.
The sweet thing about the standard configuration is that it is freakin' light! My rifle weighs in at a c*nt hair over 6 lbs!! I could have shaved off more weight if I could have found an original pencil barrel but the twist is too weak for heavier bullets and they are very hard to find without buying a whole rifle to get it or a complete upper (gets expensive so forget it lol)
I also don't like scopes or any tactical nonsense so I went with the A1 design, very happy with it, it's the rifle I always wanted but couldn't find for the price, so I built it lol
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