Stuff I learned, here and offline about my thinkins on maybes acquirins (but maybe not)...
VAST generalizations. Correct me if I am way off base on these.
Stag Arms makes a lefty upper, and are decent middling price/quality on left or right. I don't think I'll need a lefty AR. It'd only be a problem if the extractor threw brass toward my face. Adjustments would have to be made...
Word on the street...
Daniel Defense is spendy but good
DPMS is cheaper in price.
Rock River, Smith &Wesson, and Olympic Arms are middle of the road price and quality.
A1 and A2 is post type sights, with differences in how you adjust the rear. A4 is flat top.
I'll probably want a 16 inch barrel with maybe a 1:8 twist for middling bullet weight or compromise, 1:9 for heavy 72gr bullets, 1:7 is mil standard w/ 55gr milsurp ammo. Prolly easiest to find 1:7 barrel twist and just live with that. I won't be reloading 80gr bolt action target bullets. [update: see comments]
I'll also need to TRY a bunch a buttstocks to get one I can cheek weld best. Ah well. I like the idea of one (VLTOR? ya.) that has tubes laterally for battery storage. I like the adjustable cheek-piece kind too.
Not that I'm getting one. I just want to be prepared so that some day, maybe... If the mood is right...
Well, no harm in looking at stripped lower receivers and such. Those things are practically commodities. Probably won't get any cheaper. Just a lower... I can stop at any time.
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8 comments:
You have the barrel twists backwards. The 1:7 is the mil standard, but the 1:7 is for the heavier bullets. Actually it is not bullet weight that determines the necessary twist rate, but the bullet length.
1:9 is the compromise twist that will cover you from 55 to 72/75 grain bullet weights. And seems to be the most common in the M4 clones out there.
1:7 will get you to the 80 grain weights, but with problems in the cartridge being to long to fit in a mag.
A 1:7 twist barrel can safely shoot 50 grain to 72 grain ammo.
Oops, sorry, 1:9 twist barrels can safely shoot 50 grain to 72 grain ammo.
Recommend you get a barrel chambered and designed for 5.56 NATO, not .223 Remington. A 5.56 barrel can shoot the latter safely, but not vice-versa.
I thought you had a rifle that can reach out and hit a target - you are just looking for a small armory? Have fun, you actually won't shoot better, but may find more ammunition.
I have rifles, Earl. I'm looking for a carbine.
1:7" twist is fine for 55gr M193 or 62gr M855 (SS109). It's specc'd for the M16A2 primarily so it will stabilize the longer tracer round cousin of teh M855 so it "ballistically matched" M855 out to tracer burnout at about 800m. Advantage -- will also stbilize longer and heavier bullets nicely. Disadvantage -- super light (and short) bullets may overstabilize to the point of jacket issues, barrel will wear out faster (you'll still get several thousands of rounds out of it, more if it's chrome lined).
1:9" is also fine for M193 an M855 (most common twist rate these days, and AFAIK, the current standrd on M4's). Advantage -- Easy to find, still stabilizes M855 just fine, barrel lasts longer (but again, teh 1:7" teist will probably last more rounds than most shooters will fire through the rifle in their life), can handle fairly light and short bullets. Disadvantage -- not quite as good at stabilizing the extra long and heavy loads.
1:12" (the old M16A1 twist). Stabilizes M193 just fine. WILL NOT stabilize M855 (or longer/heavier bullets). Advantage -- only if you plan to shoot exclusively stuff like M193 and the super light and short zippy loads. May be better if you plan on doing a lot of shooting with a .22LR conversion. Disadvantage -- you're topped out at about the 55gr loads, can be difficult to find.
For buttstocks, I recommend you look at the Magpul ACS. Or the UBR, but I'm fond of the ACS. Two battery tubes, each capable of holding 3x CR123 batteries (or otherstuff, like short rod sections or a weapons toothbrush, or a bottle of solvent/lubricant that is no larger than about 100mm long and 17mm wide), AND a little compartment that holds a Boresnake or other items quite nicely. Plus, I like the fact that the ACS has a latch protected by the stock and it has a secondary locking latch to firm up the stock on demand.
Oh, and ditto on gettign a milspec 5.56mm chamber.
The .223 Remington SAAMI dimentioned chamber is a different animal, really designed for bolt action guns.
A milspec 5.56mm chamber will fire either milspec 5.56mm ammo or SAAMI .223 Remington ammo without a hitch.
If you were building a super match grade rifle, never feeding it misurp or milspec ammo, and carefully crafting and sizing your handloads for it, different story.
Likewise, I'm fond of chrome lined chambers and barrels for anything that isn't a pure long range match or varmint gun.
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