New Rifle Build??? Help me make a choice (another case of analysis paralysis)

[alamo5000]

I know a long time ago I was considering a larger frame AR but I shelved the idea (at the time) for a variety of reasons (dad's brain tumor being among one of them). Going forward as I come in to more money (hopefully) I will have more leeway in my spending.

I am openly asking for opinions as to why or why not for the choices mentioned below. As always I am seeking to make an EDUCATED purchase and I respect all of your opinions. I want you to make me think.

In my mind I keep going back and forth between a good quality bolt action and an AR-10 style rifle for larger caliber guns. As of right now I am 95% sure that I will skip the .308 and go straight to 6.5 Creed. I would consider other options but for now that cartridge is popular enough that brass is everywhere so I won't be out there with a 'one off' cartridge gun. And that round will do anything I have the range for.

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In your minds what are the pros and cons of a bolt gun vs a gas gun and why do you think that way? Some have said that gas AR10 platforms can be very picky and have more issues than a standard AR15 but I have no experience with a large frame AR.

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On the above said build(s) I don't say 'money is no object' but I am going to buy nice things regardless of the direction I go even if it takes me a lot longer to build it up. I am inclined to go gas gun first merely because of the political environment. I could buy the reciever set and mags and whether I build it now or a year from now it's ok.

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Thrown into the mix here is I am definitely interested in building a 6mm ARC upper and pair it with a lower I already have built up (At least for now). That however is kind of low hanging fruit except for a minimum of a $2000 optic. The hold up for me there is the marketplace on parts and components. Paying and waiting six months for a barrel and not being able to buy brass or a BCG and just an overall shortage in the market of everything is making me hold off a bit. If it were not for insane market times (and a lack of brass etc) I would have already gotten on that bandwagon.

I will probably buy a matching upper reciever and a hand guard for that as it's almost a done deal in my head. I am debating whether or not to go ahead and buy the stuff for an AR10 at the same time.

If I do it there will probably be one big order from CMT:

Slick Side Upper (UPUR3) and a matching hand guard. (This will eventually be built out to the 6 ARC)
A matching upper and lower AR10 set and a matching hand guard. (This will be built up to a 6.5 CM)

Just that order alone will set me back about $1200 bucks but I could probably swing it over the next few weeks or month if I decide to make this my final decision.

I will have to wait on the barrels, optics, and other parts. If however I decide to go straight up with the 6ARC and put off the larger caliber build (for now) I could have the 6ARC ready to go (probably including the mags) and have some money left over (however not including the optic). If I forego the larger frame gas gun in favor of a bolt gun I am pretty sure nobody in Congress is going after those anytime soon so I could hold off a lot longer if needed. Just wondering what the superiority is for bolt over gas to make that decision.

[tact]

There’s give and take for everything......no free lunch. You probably should define what your mission is or what role this platform is filling.

[alamo5000]

There’s give and take for everything......no free lunch. You probably should define what your mission is or what role this platform is filling.

It's going to all be primarily for target shooting at long ranges as I barely ever hunt anymore.

The lower that I am planning using for the 6ARC hardly ever gets used now. If I can get a upper in 6 ARC (with the right optic) that to me seems like a perfect match for the type and style of how it's already set up. Having a regular size AR capable of going to 1300 or more yards just sounds freaking awesome.

Both rifles would probably have the same type of use with one in a bigger caliber.

Naturally both of them are their own animal as far as capability goes. The bigger one with a lot more horsepower.

Truth be told I could probably build a good 6ARC and be set for a while. My longest range always available is 1400 yards and the ARC is capable of getting right in there.

Really I don't want safe queen rifles. I want stuff that I will shoot.

I'm still thinking that I want a bigger bore rifle. I don't have any big plans for competition or anything. I just want something fun and with extra boogey to it. When I can get longer ranges available I would like to shoot for a mile or more.

On a side note if we ever do go to total society breakdown I think it would be nice to have options.

[rxer311]

for what it is worth...ammo at my legs was completely sold out... except for like 100 boxes of 6 arc.

[Jerry R]

It's going to all be primarily for target shooting at long ranges as I barely ever hunt anymore.

In my hands, "at long ranges", a bolt gun provides me an accuracy edge.

When Prairie Dogging, I have a Remington 40XB-KS with a heavy 27.5" stainless barreled .243. Factory target that came with it was .375 (three shots at the factory). Handloads equaled that in five shot groups.
I have not been able to produce that with a gas gun. Having said all that, I say again ... "in my hands". YMMV

I also have a Remington .223 Varmint Bolt Rifle that consistently shoots around a half inch.

I have taken prairie dogs at a laser measured 710 yards with the .243. They are about the size of a one liter coke bottle.

I like my gas guns, and would not give them up. I love my bolt guns.

The nice thing about bolt rifles ... you don't have to build them (unless you want to). Factory options abound for extremely accurate bolt rifles. Mount a nice optic, break in the barrel, and you are done.

[alamo5000]

I think I have made a decision but considering everything is OOS I can't pull the trigger yet (unintentional pun) on anything.

A couple of questions though, pretty simple stuff (if not a stupid question). Are trigger packs like the ones from CMC interchangeable between small and large frame rifles? What about safety selectors or other small parts?

I know pretty much nothing else will be interchangeable but those two categories of things I don't know.

[Jerry R]

I put a "drop in" trigger pack in my Ascend Armory 308 build. Holes line up correctly, and functions perfectly. Safety/selector was also compatible, although I did use an Ascend Armory version. I believe (please correct me if wrong) that an AR15 LPK would be acceptable in a 308 style lower, pins/springs/ etc.

[mustangfreek]

So what are you building?

All parts from ar15’s work For ar10’s except the takedown pins, bolt catch and mag release..

[alamo5000]

I managed to buy a stripped upper and a matching handguard from CMT. Everything was OOS but they emailed me back saying they had some in stock. I will build that out to a 6ARC. Now I need a bolt, a barrel, and a gas block.

I had actually decided to bite the bullet and purchase a 308 set as well to put aside until later but they are OOS until spring. Hopefully the crazies get stopped from going nuts on firearms before then.

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Regarding mags I need to do some homework. Numerous people say they can use smaller capacity pmags just fine but I don't know if that's true or not. I will have to do some research before I start stockpiling. The regular 20 round pmag is the perfect size because this will be shot from a bipod most if not all of the time.

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I am still not 100% sure if I don't want to go bolt gun for the bigger calibers. I don't know. But I will still probably buy a 308 set just because I can.

In the mean time I am going to have to fork out some bucks for an optic eventually. That's the part that will hurt the most.