First Big Budget AR-15 Project

One option you may wish to think about: if there is ANY possibility you may shoot in the US (e.g.: competition) you will want to get a 16 inch rifle so you may take it in. 14.5 inch rifles are NFA Class 2 down there, and us Canadians are not allowed...

If that isn't a consideration the 14.5 or 10.5 will do you well!
Correct me if I'm wrong, I believe the 14.5 DD M4A1 IS legal in the states due to the pinned and welded flash suppressor. It "extends the barrel to an overall length of 16 inches, sounds crazy but this is what I have read.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, I believe the 14.5 DD M4A1 IS legal in the states due to the pinned and welded flash suppressor. It "extends the barrel to an overall length of 16 inches, sounds crazy but this is what I have read.

That is, in fact, the law in the USA, but I don't think the ones brought into Canada have the pinned/welded flash suppressor... Otherwise they are a b!tch to change the muzzle device, and I know I've seen lots of them with Lantac Dragons, SureFires, Troy Claymores and the like...
 
I think that if your leaning towards a Daniel Defense, you have already made up your mind, and in my opinion you have made an excellent choice. I was in the exact same position as you are about 8 months ago, and decided to build my dream rifle. I too played with the idea of building vs. buying out of box and in the end i went with a Daniel Defense DDM4A1 in Mil Spec + and I seriously couldn't be happier. I have well over 1000 rounds through it, and it never stops. Buying out of the box will give you the piece of mind knowing your gun will work when you want it to. My friend had a very experienced gun smith build him a rifle, and it was having gassing issues for a long time. My opinion is buy a DD and be happy, end of story. Here is my rifle (I do like the Aimpoint, i think they are a phenomenal value and built like a tank).

My dream rifle was around the $3000 mark.
-Daniel Defense M4A1 Mil Spec +
-BCM Mod4 chargin handle
-Troy Industires Font/Rear BUIS
-Surefire M600U Scout
-Haley Strategic Thorntail mount
-Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic
-American Defense Manufacturing AD-68H

ddm4a1finn_20141207_224507573.jpg
 
That is, in fact, the law in the USA, but I don't think the ones brought into Canada have the pinned/welded flash suppressor... Otherwise they are a b!tch to change the muzzle device, and I know I've seen lots of them with Lantac Dragons, SureFires, Troy Claymores and the like...

Mine was purchased from Wolverine Supplies and it is pinned and welded. For me this was no issue, because I happen to love the muzzle device. I have no intentions on swapping it, great flash suppression and I think it looks great too.
 
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That is one nice machine! That particular Aimpoint I don't mind. It's the tall rectangular ones that look so god awful weird on top I don't like. Just doesn't let the rifle flow very well.

Criticize all you want world. My guns gotta look nice and shoot great. I think I'm going to buy one. I've come to realize that I can always just build a second one. Perhaps in x39. Just need to find the best deal around.

Not too many brown ones on the EE and that's the colour I'm looking for

I think that if your leaning towards a Daniel Defense, you have already made up your mind, and in my opinion you have made an excellent choice. I was in the exact same position as you are about 8 months ago, and decided to build my dream rifle. I too played with the idea of building vs. buying out of box and in the end i went with a Daniel Defense DDM4A1 in Mil Spec + and I seriously couldn't be happier. I have well over 1000 rounds through it, and it never stops. Buying out of the box will give you the piece of mind knowing your gun will work when you want it to. My friend had a very experienced gun smith build him a rifle, and it was having gassing issues for a long time. My opinion is buy a DD and be happy, end of story. Here is my rifle (I do like the Aimpoint, i think they are a phenomenal value and built like a tank).

My dream rifle was around the $3000 mark.
-Daniel Defense M4A1 Mil Spec +
-BCM Mod4 chargin handle
-Troy Industires Font/Rear BUIS
-Surefire M600U Scout
-Haley Strategic Thorntail mount
-Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic
-American Defense Manufacturing AD-68H

ddm4a1finn_20141207_224507573.jpg
 
Thanks for the info Epoxy7. It looks like the DD units come with a CHF barrels. It also looks like LMT might be a bit out of my price range. Or rather the rifle would take up the entire budget. I should be able to get barrels easy enough if I ever want to swap them out to take them into the States for for different scenarios.

$1350 for a LMT mrp on the EE. Negotiate out the garbage tasco red dot and you're laughing. You could get another barrel, a match trigger and your optic while still being easily under budget. Just a thought.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1231654-LMT-CQB-16-Defender-AR-Package-w-extras-1350

Just make sure you do all the appropriate checks. Especially as this person only has 1 trader rating and 22 posts. You'll have to be careful.
 
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Unless you run a supressor or handload. Adjustable gas block is like unicorn dust....looks pretty but completely useless
Madcap..there is a guy on the ee now selling a used DD mk18 rail

They are less than useless "it ran last time" is a common statement issued by users while trying to get their rifle to run.
 
$1350 for a LMT mrp on the EE. Negotiate out the garbage tasco red dot and you're laughing. You could get another barrel, a match trigger and your optic while still being easily under budget. Just a thought.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1231654-LMT-CQB-16-Defender-AR-Package-w-extras-1350

Just make sure you do all the appropriate checks. Especially as this person only has 1 trader rating and 22 posts. You'll have to be careful.

that ar looks like sh!t, tastes are subjective but holy fack, thats an ugly ar!
 
My opinion...

Dont build an AR... Once you get it up to the same level as a KAC let's say, you'll have the same amount of money into it, and it'll be worth much less because of its Franken gun status. If you want an mk18 get an mk18. At this point I wouldn't get anything less than 14.5 inches for velocity reasons, but I've had an mk18, and it was a pretty nice rifle... I'd put an aimpoint t1/t2 or if you wanna lower the budget an h1.

Good luck! Just remember, it's your first AR, if you get something you're iffy about chances are you'll sell it and buy something else at a loss. Get what you want off the hop.
 
My opinion...

Dont build an AR... Once you get it up to the same level as a KAC let's say, you'll have the same amount of money into it, and it'll be worth much less because of its Franken gun status. If you want an mk18 get an mk18. At this point I wouldn't get anything less than 14.5 inches for velocity reasons, but I've had an mk18, and it was a pretty nice rifle... I'd put an aimpoint t1/t2 or if you wanna lower the budget an h1.

Good luck! Just remember, it's your first AR, if you get something you're iffy about chances are you'll sell it and buy something else at a loss. Get what you want off the hop.

I agree - except that you won't "get it to the level of a KAC" -the folks KAC have decades of experience building AR's, and a large R&D budget, as well as other resources, including the original design plans and notes from the first AR prototypes, access to highly accurate machine tools, high speed cameras, microscopes, metallurgical engineers, a test range, and field experience with people who's sole function is the operation of the AR on 2 way ranges. You don't. The best parts gun is still a parts gun, a KAC is an integrated system designed and built by professionals.
 
I agree - except that you won't "get it to the level of a KAC" -the folks KAC have decades of experience building AR's, and a large R&D budget, as well as other resources, including the original design plans and notes from the first AR prototypes, access to highly accurate machine tools, high speed cameras, microscopes, metallurgical engineers, a test range, and field experience with people who's sole function is the operation of the AR on 2 way ranges. You don't. The best parts gun is still a parts gun, a KAC is an integrated system designed and built by professionals.

I agree... Although if I remember correctly they buy pre-made lower blanks and use CC barrels, so I mean, you can get pretty similar. Their bolt design can't be achieved though... And that's one of the real innovations of KAC.
 
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