Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Discussion of rifles, shotguns, and muzzleloaders

Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby BigBlue on Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:57 pm

I am building my first AR from scratch. I have purchased a set of upper/lower/handguard from Aero Precision. I now need the rest of the boatload of parts that will help me complete it. I'm looking for recommendations of good components for the following items, plus anything I may be missing from my list. My goal is to have a good rifle that I can use for hunting and general target shooting. It is not meant for ultimate long range use or spectacular accuracy. As such, I'm not looking for the highest possible quality and price. I don't want to skimp and get crap but I don't have an unlimited budget. Just a nice gun that will serve me well for future hog or coyote hunts or even deer maybe. I'm no AR expert, so be kind. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Bolt carrier group - thinking nickle boron?
Barrel - stainless, probably 18-20". Like the fluted look (not spiral)
Gas system parts (block, tube, ?). What diff does mid vs rifle length make?
Trigger - possibly Geiselle G2S or SSA-E
Charging handle
Barrel nut comes with upper already
Muzzle brake
Buffer kit
Stock - Magpul MOE?
Lower parts kit less trigger
Grip - already figured that out

Since I have no expertise with attaching a barrel I'll be finding a good gunsmith to do that, plus anything else tricky (gas system?). Suggestions for someone in central MN or west/NW metro would also be appreciated. I have replaced triggers and am comfortable with most of the other parts removal for thorough cleaning, etc.
BigBlue
 
Posts: 2233 [View]
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby Holland&Holland on Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:30 am

Check out black hole weaponry for the barrel. I have a couple of them and have been impressed. The barrel is the sole of the rifle.

Spend your money on the barrel, trigger, and glass.
User avatar
Holland&Holland
 
Posts: 12478 [View]
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:17 am

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby Ghost on Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:30 am

Holland&Holland wrote:Spend your money on the barrel, trigger, and glass.

Agree with this.

I know I sound like a broken record but you really need to price out your build and compare it to a LaRue ultimate upper. You can buy an entire rifle (with barrel wrench and a LaRue mag) that will shoot very well for $1500 in the 7.62 range. You can do it for $1200 if you use the lower (assuming DPMS style?) you already have.

Builds seem cheap upfront but it grows in a hurry

$300+ for lower/upper
$150 Trigger
$300 barrel
$150 handguard
$50 gas block
$20 gas tube
$200 polymer/buffer tube/spring
$150+ BCG
$70 charging handle
$40 parts kit


And at the end of the day you have a hodgepodge of stuff that may shoot well and may run well.

Anyway since you’ve already got some parts, there are links here https://loadoutroom.com/thearmsguide/building-308-ar-rifle-works-compatibility-explained/ that may help you confirm your parts will work together. I like their quote-

Today, there are a lot of great .308 ARs out there. Wither you got a new gun in a box or finished an 80% lower, there are some things you need to know. The guys that make parts for .308 AR rifles like standards so much, they created a bunch of them. Not only do you have to get parts that fit, you need a rifle that runs.
User avatar
Ghost
 
Posts: 8246 [View]
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:49 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby Bearcatrp on Sun Mar 04, 2018 7:42 am

Easier to buy an upper completed. Its tested and ready to be put on a lower you put together. Have done 3 this way. Aero has plenty of uppers as well as other places to buy.
Bearcatrp
 
Posts: 2955 [View]
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 7:57 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby BigBlue on Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:08 am

Bearcatrp wrote:Easier to buy an upper completed. Its tested and ready to be put on a lower you put together. Have done 3 this way. Aero has plenty of uppers as well as other places to buy.


Good point about having things that are already packaged to work together. I would be fine buying the remainder of the build kit from Aero but at present they are out of stock on a lot of stuff. It may be worth me just waiting it out until their stuff is available. I was going to buy a completed upper and a completed lower from them but this package they offered has a special finish that I love and didn't come completed.

Thanks,
BB
BigBlue
 
Posts: 2233 [View]
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby Ghost on Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:22 am

Bearcatrp wrote:Easier to buy an upper completed. Its tested and ready to be put on a lower you put together. Have done 3 this way. Aero has plenty of uppers as well as other places to buy.

Uppers really aren’t that hard

User avatar
Ghost
 
Posts: 8246 [View]
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:49 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby Holland&Holland on Mon Mar 05, 2018 12:47 pm

Ghost wrote:
Bearcatrp wrote:Easier to buy an upper completed. Its tested and ready to be put on a lower you put together. Have done 3 this way. Aero has plenty of uppers as well as other places to buy.

Uppers really aren’t that hard



And then you get to customize them to your liking as well. Really, the hardest part of the upper is getting the gas block lines up correctly.
User avatar
Holland&Holland
 
Posts: 12478 [View]
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:17 am

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby Ghost on Mon Mar 05, 2018 1:48 pm

Holland&Holland wrote:
Ghost wrote:
Bearcatrp wrote:Easier to buy an upper completed. Its tested and ready to be put on a lower you put together. Have done 3 this way. Aero has plenty of uppers as well as other places to buy.

Uppers really aren’t that hard



And then you get to customize them to your liking as well. Really, the hardest part of the upper is getting the gas block lines up correctly.

That’s why the LaRues are nice, pre dimpled, just tighten the screws. Use either a LaRue has block or an SLR that is specifically spaced for the LaRue.
User avatar
Ghost
 
Posts: 8246 [View]
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:49 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby BigBlue on Mon Mar 05, 2018 2:24 pm

Obviously this was a poor time to try to build one. Well, I am finding a few components. I'll still need to wait for Aero to get their lower parts kit back in stock, but my main remaining need is a barrel. I checked out Black Hole but they are pretty spendy for what I'm trying to do. I did find a place that has what I'm looking for at a price that fits the budget but there isn't a ton of specs on the page. I need to figure out if this barrel will fit a "DPMS High' upper and what the gas system length is (rifle length?).

The one I'm looking for is their 20" stainless fluted:
https://jtactical.com/products/25

Image

I've e-mailed Juggernaut Tactical and tried to call but they are 'busy'.
BigBlue
 
Posts: 2233 [View]
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby Bergie on Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:32 pm

I just did this! I went through the same process- buying Aero parts (M5E1). But I just took my time and waited until they had either sales or blemished parts. Doing it this way also 'budgets' the rifle by spending smaller bits over time. (But keep in mind you'll spend more perhaps than just buying outright.) I can send you my parts (manufacturers) and the prices I paid. I just recently took off the M4 style stock and put on a Luth-AR rifle length stock. This is a heavy rifle. But I topped it with a Vortex Strike Eagle and took it deer hunting last fall. I love this rifle. I also researched reducers like crazy and bought one that works so well. It feels like shooting a 223.
Bergie
 
Posts: 160 [View]
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2017 5:42 am

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby BigBlue on Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:51 pm

Bergie wrote:I just did this! I went through the same process- buying Aero parts (M5E1). But I just took my time and waited until they had either sales or blemished parts. Doing it this way also 'budgets' the rifle by spending smaller bits over time. (But keep in mind you'll spend more perhaps than just buying outright.) I can send you my parts (manufacturers) and the prices I paid. I just recently took off the M4 style stock and put on a Luth-AR rifle length stock. This is a heavy rifle. But I topped it with a Vortex Strike Eagle and took it deer hunting last fall. I love this rifle. I also researched reducers like crazy and bought one that works so well. It feels like shooting a 223.


I'd love anything you would like to provide. More info to go off of the better. Thanks! Use PM or let me know if you need my e-mail to mail a spreadsheet or something.

Thanks,
BB
BigBlue
 
Posts: 2233 [View]
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby BigBlue on Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:14 pm

Managed to find the perfect barrel. Made by Ballistic Advantage who make them for Aero Precision. 18" stainless fluted with rifle length gas system. Very similar to the Juggernaut above but rifle length. Also have picked an adjustable gas block from Superlative Arms (backordered) and the Aero nickle boron BCG. At present I think I have all the guts taken care of an only need the furniture and trigger. I'm going with a full lower parts kit from Aero because they have several custom made parts for their receiver. That's out of stock too. For muzzle brake I'm still looking but I think Precision Gamma VG6 looks good.

Barrel:
Image

When completed it should look something like this, but with a different stock and an optic. This is a .223.

Image
BigBlue
 
Posts: 2233 [View]
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby grimbeaver on Thu Mar 08, 2018 7:37 am

Holland&Holland wrote:Check out black hole weaponry for the barrel. I have a couple of them and have been impressed. The barrel is the sole of the rifle.

Spend your money on the barrel, trigger, and glass.

I know you already decided on barrel but +1 on Columbia River Arms (formerly Black Hole). I have two barrels from them and they are great. When I had issues with their C5 length gas on my 300BO they paid to have my entire upper shipped to them, made me a new barrel and assembled and tested it before sending it back. The barrels are accurate and the polygonal rifling runs noticeably cleaner.
grimbeaver
 
Posts: 863 [View]
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:50 am

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby BigBlue on Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:24 am

I checked them out but they either were out of stock on anything similar or didn't offer fluted (I forget which). What can I say, I like the fluted look. Thanks for the suggestions though.

BB
BigBlue
 
Posts: 2233 [View]
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:33 pm

Re: Suggestions for parts - 308 AR build

Postby xd ED on Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:59 am

BigBlue wrote:<<<snipped>>>

Image


Good looking rifle.
Interesting art work.
Can you elaborate on the designs, colors, techniques, source, etc.
I'm not usually fan of such things but this rifle is the exception.

And that wall presents an interesting background, in and of itself...hope it stays put for a good, long while.
Excellent photo.
LET'S GO BRANDON
User avatar
xd ED
 
Posts: 9016 [View]
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 6:28 pm
Location: Saint Paul

Next

Return to Long Guns

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests

cron