Explain your AR15 layout...

[Bowser]

Thanks. There will most definitely be optics in the near future. Most likely it will be a Comp M3 or an eotech EXPS3-0. I've been spending money on ammo and magazines lately. Also have been trying to find a good HK style hook'ed single point sling that has a strap that isn't too thin and too narrow to go onto the Magpul ASAP. There's also the VFG. I have a Tango Down vfg right now but it's stubborn and takes too much force to put on and pull off. I'm trying to find a cheapo KAC vfg or the GG&G version.

[TehLlama]

There's also the VFG.

I'd look into the DD RVG for the front grip; for the sling, Emdom GS, GearSector G2P (also check out their scout light mounts and sling mounts), or MagPul MS2
That's a beautiful looking blaster - need to post my M4RIS2 up - clone of yours (sans FSP), but with OPS Collar/FH, more fugly secondhand parts.

I'll likely be running an AFG or MVG on that rail, a 6V Scout light on Gear Sector offset (left side), DD Sling mount on the aft end of the rail (left side again). Torn between using my MS2, Gunslinger, or VCAS-QDP on it. Likewise on stock - I have a UBR and SOPMOD waiting. Optic will be a TR24G, or M4S Aimpoint.

[sjohnny]

I posted this back on page 17 but as of yesterday this build is "complete".

I finally have an AR15 layout to explain. This is my first AR and I built it piece by piece over the course of about a year. It's pretty simple, nothing really special in it.

Once it's complete and I've trained with it and it has been demonstrated to be accurate and reliable (and I have an intimate familarity with it) it will replace my shotgun for bump in the night investigation. With that end in mind I decided to keep it pretty simple.
CTR stock - lightweight, stable, straightforward. At this point I don't really need to store anything. This one feels good.
MIAD grip - I played with a lot of grips and this one felt the best in my hand. I find the A2 grips to be way too small. I have a couple of foam ear plugs in the storage area.
LRB lower - this is the part that started the whole thing. I bought it from Ranier on the group buy.
Stag LPK - There wasn't much available when I was shopping for LPKs. I got this one from a dealer at a gun show: "$65 for that Stag thing or for only $15 more you can get the DPMS." "Guess I'll just go ahead and get the Stag."
BCM upper receiver - not much to say about an upper. Great fit and finish.
MOE Handguards - Budget was also a large concern on this rifle. I'm not ready to spend the money on a rail but wanted more flexibility than standard handguards. In all honesty I also just like the way these look. A rail may be in the distant future but I honestly don't know if one is necessary for my use.
Daniel Defense 16" barrel - I went back and forth on whether I wanted a 16" or a 14.5". I'm not ready to take the NFA plunge. I finally decided on the 16" basically because I didn't want to hassle with the permanently attached FH. BCM put these DD barrels on closeout (I assume because they switched to CHF). It was too good a deal to pass up. I don't believe my skill or experience is enough to be able to tell the difference.
A2 Flash Hider - Something cheap to stick on the end of the barrel.
The rear sight is a carry handle with the handle removed. This rifle will very likely someday have an optic on it but I plan on using irons for the time being until I can afford a good quality optic. I didn't see the need for sights that flip.

Currently the BCG that is in it is a M261 that a friend gave me. I'm hoping to have the money for the centerfire BCG later this summer. In the meantime I'll be using .22LR to get familiar with the platform.

I haven't fixed on a sling yet but I'm leaning toward a Gear Sector single point. Before this rifle takes over for the shotgun a TLR-1 will be mounted on it.

I think that's it.

I received the Rainier Thunderbolt BCG yesterday and put it in and put 4 test rounds through the rifle. It works! I was going back and forth between the Rainier and the BCM and I'll go ahead and admit that the Mt. Rainier emblem is what swayed me.
I went with the Gear Sector ASP sling and so far I'm liking it. It's my first foray into a single point sling. I chose it based on the reviews on this site.

[tac40]

Here's the Colt 6940, one piece upper monorail system with folding front sight. The carbine has been enhanced with Crane stock, VTAC sling, Magpul BUS, BCM charging handle mod 4, SF X300 light, Aimpoint M4 with Bobro mount and VFG.



Keeping the Colt as a carbine vs weighting it down with stuff. The rail gives me alot to work with and the ability to add/remove gear for a specific assignment.

[Hmac]

• Noveske matched upper/lower
• Geissele SSA FCG
• BAD ambi safety selector
• Magpul trigger guard
• (not shown) Magpul BAD lever
• BCM BCG and bolt
• BCM BFH 11.5 inch barrel
• VLTOR low profile gas block
• PWS FCS556 brake
  
• DD Lite 9.0 rails
• VLTOR iMod stock on VLTOR receiver extension
• BCM H2 buffer
• Sprinco Blue buffer spring
• Noveske QD end plate
• MOE grip
• Noveske (Troy) front/rear flip-up BUIS
• (not shown) Eotech G23-FTS magnifier
• Aimpoint T-1 on Larue tall mount
• BCM Gunfighter charging handle

Rainier did a great job installing (pinning) the gas block for me. I bought the DD Lite rail from them, shipped them the BCM barrel, they pinned the gas block, and like any competent gunsmith remembered to slip the DD barrel nut on first.

I have a PWS "Enhanced" buffer tube I tried to install, but it was out of spec and wouldn't screw into the receiver far enough. The thing is now in my junk box. So far the PWS FCS556 compensator is adequate regarding muzzle rise, but it's a very violent device from a noise/blast standpoint - requires a pair of Surefire Ear Pros under my Impact Sports. I want to take more time to compare before throwing IT in the junk box too, but so far the Battle Comp I have on my Noveske Light Recce is a vastly superior device.

[eldogg]

heres one i've been working on for a while...7.62X39 PISTON SYSTEM

DPMS 7.62X39 UPPER
AERO LOWER~ hard to beat for quality and price
MAGPUL CTR AND MOE GRIP~ i like the feel of them and they are on the others.
VLTOR extension
JT lower set w/WOLFE POWER SPRING~ for russian primers
ADAMS ARMS EXTENDED CARBINE RAIL~ wanted hand guards longer than carbine
ADAMS ARMS CARBINE PISTON SYSTEM~ mainly because of dirty russian ammo and the challenge!
DD FIXED SITES
RAINIER ARMS XTC( bored out ) didn't like it on my 556, works great on this!
MGI BOLT AND FIRING PIN~ the DPMS would not eject reliably and russian ammo has deep primer pockets


i built this for several reasons, 1, i wanted an AR with a little more punch that is cheaper than a 6.8. 2, i have cases and cases of russian 7.62x39, so it will be cheap to shoot. 3, i like the Adams Arms piston system. russian ammo is very dirty. i did have a few problems with the ejector, primer strikes, and failure to feed. i had to open the gas port up and change out the bolt and firing pin. now it feeds smooth. this creature is fun to shoot.

[Mega]

A few updated photos of my precision rifle...

The upper is a LaRue Tactical 'Stealth' with the 18" ion-bond barrel and 13.2" quad rails.
The lower is a LaRue billet housing with a 3# Timney trigger, an LMT charging handle, and a Phase 5 Tactical EBRv2 extended bolt release.
Retention pins are by KNS and the bipod is by Harris.
Optic is a Mueller 8.5-25x44AO tactical mildot on a LaRue SPR-E QD mount.
Sling is a padded LaRue and is of the VTAC design with modifications by the owner.

[Vise]

When I started putting this gun together I wanted to build a weapon that would be a reasonable choice in almost any combat environment. I am talking about the proverbial "general purpose rifle." I have seen many different takes on this build but I am convinced that mine suits me and my fighting style best. Because this is the rifle that I would go to during a crisis I used top end parts and splurged in a few places others would have chosen to save. Aesthetics were very important to my decision making process. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

LWRC M6 A2 16” Piston Driven Assault Rifle
After doing a significant amount of research and talking with several owners I decided that LWRC was the company for me. They make a very robust and reliable rifle. I am also a fan of the piston driven system. Less cleaning, fewer jams, and less blowback when running suppressed. Because this rifle needs to be effective at a range of 0-500 yards, I went with the 16” barrel.

Vortex Flash Hider
The vortex does its intended job perfectly. It looks cool. It fits in my Gemtech Halo suppressor. I am very happy with this product.

Surefire Scout Mini on Gear Sector Mount
I chose this light because it is very bright and very lightweight. The weight of this rifle began to add up quickly and I needed to save where I could. The Gear Sector mount is low profile and easy to install. I think the mount is probably overpriced but it is top quality.

Magpul XTM panels
Lets be honest, Magpul gear looks awesome. They have figured out how to add functionality and make your weapon look even cooler. I am a big fan.

Magpul AFG
Great product, I used a vertical grip for a while but this is more comfortable and does not get hung up on obstacles.

Redi-mag
Having an extra magazine on the weapon makes reloading faster. I also like having a second magazine on the gun in case I need to grab and go. If I don’t have time to get all my gear on I still know that I have 60 rounds at my disposal to handle immediate threats. I used a dremmel and a drill to cut away some of the extra material instead of buying the Redi-mod version.

Magpul BAD lever
Once you’ve used one it’s impossible to go back to shooting without it. It makes everything from magazine changes to clearing a double feed much easier.

Geissele SSA Trigger
This trigger has a lighter pull and helps me when I am shooting longer distances. I have been very happy with it so far.

Magpul UBR Stock
The weapon needed the extra weight on the rear to balance out. The UBR is an amazing stock. The pull is smooth, it locks tightly in place, and it looks great on the weapon.

Aimpoint Comp M4s with Roll in 3x Magnification
These are both mounted on Larue tactical quick disconnect mounts. I wanted a little help when shooting at range but I didn’t like the idea of having magnification at close range. This combo solves that problem. There is a little extra weight associated with the roll in, but if I know I am not going to use it for the day it pops right off. The magnification helps me a lot when I am shooting 300+ yards.

PRI Gas Buster Charging Handle
I looked at the BCM Gunfighter and the PRI and decided that the PRI would work best on this rifle. When running suppressed even with the piston system there is still some blowback. The PRI handles this well.

Spikes ST-T2 Heavy Buffer
Does it help? I don’t notice a difference. Does it look badass? Yes. Is it worth 30 bucks? I thought so.

[Stickman]

Vise,

Nice pics and info, thanks.

[oregonshooter]

Sorry for the crap photo.

This is my only AR15. I built it to be my primary SHTF gun and although it has gone through several variations during my learning curve, I think it is done.

The upper is an LMT 16" M4 style which I got in a trade for my Vector AK. LMT and Bravo are synonymous with quality and are the "Glocks" of factory guns IMO. Since it was going to be my only AR for some time, I went with the proven M4 profile and stayed with the birdcage just because it seems to work as well as anything and does not RING when I shoot. How anyone can stand a tuning fork on their gun is beyond me.

MPI bolt group has been "Micro Slicked" and I added a Gunfighter low profile CH. I tried the larger one first, but it got hung on my chest harness all the time.

The lower I built with an AGPArms lower and RRA LPK. I like the SS mil trigger and outside of changing the trigger spring to a yellow JP (hammer spring is still stock) it is stock. I've got a few "k" down the pipe and the trigger is nice and smooth to me. I just can't see spending hundreds of dollars more on a trigger for a gun that is designed for 0-200 yards.

The optic (Aimpoint T1) is another proven addition that keeps the gun light and fast for QCB 0-50yard engagements. I was tempted to get an ACOG 4X Dohnut for more range, but decided the T1 filled the gun's intended purpose better.

I had the Magpul MOE stock at first, thinking "a stock is a stock", then tried my buddies SOPMOD and knew it was the one! The cheek weld on these are just perfect to me. The stock is tough and even withstood my mortaring it 4 times at a bad angle. I did manage to break the support piece were the sling QD is (this was an older none QD version) but LMT replaced it with a new version FREE when I told them what I did and that I needed a replacement for a Super Dave class in less than a week, they let the stocks pass in the mail. A+++ service from LMT! I keep (4) CR123 batts in the stock along with a Streamlight Microstream AAA light that I keep green hi-temp tape over for night use.

The Knight Armament VDG is one I got cheap and cut down to stubby length on the lathe. I like this size and use it as hand stop mostly but I do find opportunities to brace the weapon or change elevation slightly with a VDG so I'm glad I gave them a chance as I was opposed to them at first. There is enough space in there to store a cut down larue wrench, allens, and sm. tube of locktight.

The rail started life as a DD 12 FSB which I had a TLR-1 mounted in front of the FSB, but I latter cut it down to 7" and went with the SF 6P / Malkoff M61 setup in a VTAC mount that you see in the photo. The TLR-1 just wasn't tough enough for me and I find the simple momentary setup less prone to light ADs and being able to lockout the tailcap is a nice addition.

I started with a Larue BUIS behind the T1 (which is true co-wit) but took it off and went to the Matech (got in a trade) because the T1 is just so reliable if it ever does fail I will either ghost ring the whole T1 tube or have time to flip a rear sight up. The biggest reason is that having a folded BUIS gives better FOV in poor lighting conditions.

The sling I use is a VTAC that attaches to the rear of the rail with the inset PB setup and I have a short sewn piece attached to the SOPMOD that uses a COBRA QD buckle. I really like the adjustment options the VTAC (padded) gives that other slings I've tried do not.

The MAID grip fills my larger hands perfectly and I dig the option of an extra bolt, FP, and retaining pin storage it has.

I Cerakoted the whole gun in Dessert Sand, piece by piece then assembled and applied the camo you see. I haven't done extensive testing in my AO with that camo yet, but I think it will work out well.

The gun plain runs. 1500 rounds of WOlf 62gr at Dave's class was it's first real test and while others had their guns dying on M193 they could not believe that my gun was running Wolf without issue.

Buy once, cry once is my motto and it seems that it applies to AR15s, go figure?!

[BC98]

This is my first SBR and is intended as a training rifle, home defense gun, and general fun range toy. I recently moved to Minnesota from Michigan and this was the first rifle I built after the move. I'm just a civvie who likes shooting so these choices are mainly just for my own preferences.

Upper: BCM 12.5” Kino
After moving out of MI, I was anxious to put together my first SBR. Based on a lot of reading I had done, I chose the 12.5” barrel length for the additional velocity/frag distance that it allowed the 5.56mm cartridge. For me, the 1:7 twist was required as I reload and intended to do a lot of experimentation with heavier loads for this rifle. I picked the Kino configuration for two reasons: (1) I have long arms and being able to run mid-length handguards allowed me to push my support hand farther out towards the muzzle. And (2) I intended this rifle to be as simple as possible so I opted to include a fixed front sight base in the build. MN is a non-suppressor state so I don’t have to worry about clearance issues with the FSB.

Barrel: BCM standard mil-spec
Mainly because there was no BFH version available. Had the hammer forged version been available, I would have picked it up for additional peace of mind of additional longevity the process is supposed to deliver. Currently have an A2 flash hider but I might try a BattleComp 1.0 later one because of the good reviews that I’ve read.

Bolt Carrier Group/Charge handle: BCM standard mil-spec
Picked these up as part of the package deal that Bravo Company offers when you purchase an upper. It saved me a little cash and I’ve never had an issue with a USGI charge handle to this point. I plan on re-evaluating once I am able to run this gun in a course. If it bugs me, then I’ll replace it with a Gunfighter from Bravo.

Handguards: Magpul MOE mid-length
Originally started with a standard handguard from Rock River and decided that I didn’t like the feel. Decided to try the MOE out because it was low-priced, I didn’t feel that I needed a free-floated barrel, and I could place rail sections where I wanted. I added the MVG because it was a direct fit to the handguard and (again) it was a cheap alternative to a TangoDown or similar grip.

BUIS and Optic: Daniel Defense A1.5 & Primary Arms M3 clone
The DD A1.5 sight was chosen in the theme of simplicity. I picked up the Primary Arms RDS because I wasn’t sure how well it would work for me so I didn’t want to blow a lot of money until I ran something similar. I do like it so I’ll either pick up an ML3 or a T1/H1 from Aimpoint. I will be picking up QD mount for it, though. I’m still not sold on the idea of a fixed rear sight as the sight picture still feels “busy” to me. Might replace it with a Troy later on. I’ve got a Millet DMS that I plan on putting in a QD mount to see if I would like it on this gun as well.

Light: Cheap Blackhawk LED in a scope ring (not shown)
It’ll work in a pinch. Picked up the Blackhawk light on clearance plus I get a discount as an ATK employee. Still working on the illumination area, though. I mounted the above combo onto the cantilever rail from an MOE illumination kit. I don’t like where the tailcap sits in relation to my hand plus the combo is heavy so I’ll be replacing it later. The likely candidates are a TLR-1 or an X300 because they’re small.
Lower: I picked up the Spike’s Tactical lower because it was fairly cheap at the time. Honestly, I also picked Spike’s because I could get the Punisher laser engraving (I like the comic). I installed a CMT lower parts kit because I found one at a good price and they had positive reviews.

Trigger Guard: Magpul Enhanced Trigger Guard
I liked the looks of the Magpul trigger guards plus I will wear gloves when I shoot sometimes. I wanted to try the aluminum version just to see if it was any different than the MOE version that I have an my other rifle (really not much difference). I also liked that it filled the gap in front of the grip.

Grip: Magpul MOE
I’ve got fairly large hands and this seems to fit right. I couldn’t justify the price of the MIAD knowing that I would only use part of the kit so I rolled the dice on this version and it worked out well. I couldn’t stand the A2 grip and had a couple extra that I used for stippling practice. I like how they feel so I plan on doing the same to the MOE grip

Buttstock: VLTOR Carbine Modstock
I originally had a USGI M4 stock but didn’t like the looseness of the stock and the fact that it pulled my whiskers when I shot. I got the VLTOR for the storage compartments and improved cheekweld and it was on clearance at Bravo Company at the time. I’m running a Spikes T2 buffer but will probably try the VLTOR A5 stock system later on to see how it changes the feel of the rifle.

Sling: Undecided (not shown)
I put together a single-point and two-point from some webbing and plastic hardware that I picked up. The single-point is similar to the PIG slider and the two-point is a pretty blatant copy of the GS-2P from Gear Sector. Before anyone says anything, I will NOT be selling either of these and plan on purchasing whichever version I like and then disassembling the prototypes. I don’t yet know where on the carbine I’ll mount the sling ends.

Future upgrades:
VLTOR A5 stock kit
Aimpoint RDS w/ QD mount & QD mount for Millett scope
Folding BUIS?
Carbine light
Sling/sling mounts
Painting the gun

[CLICKBANGBANG]

I'm new so I'll post on my favorite AR-15 to introduce myself. This is my second AR I built off a Spikes lower. It started out as a DPMS M4 upper, A2 stocked with a detachable carry handle. RRA LPK. It ate just over a thousand rounds like this at range days and a jackrabbit shoot or two. This is where BRD took over my wallet. Sorry for the bad pics. I'm a better shot with the gun than the camera.



The obvious things I'll leave out to keep this from being too boring. Under all the tacticool crap there are some things that make this gun my favorite. Best parts of the whole gun are the ones I was able to pick up used and at great prices. Like the Aimpoint ML2 and Larue LT-150 for $380 shipped. They were nearly spotless when I got them. The M951XM07 was bought lightly used for $100 shipped and the lamp was changed out for a Malkoff M61. The trigger was also sent off to Bill Springfield for some work. $35 and the bang switch feels much better now. Opted for the Magpul MOE vs a railed handguard to save a buck. Another item worth mentioning is the MOUNT-N-SLOT Sling QD on the handguard. Works great for what I needed for this set up.

After a 600 round weekend carbine corse and another 2k of ammo dumped at the range, I think the gun is finished. I may opt for a mil spec bolt assembly later. I do like the ACS to carry all my junk in. Batteries, small bolt of slip EWL, lost parts kit, earplugs, and more.

[dlee25]

My M4. Recently had a YHM Spectre length rail added. I have my Eotech 512 on the excellent LaRue LT-110. Now I have the option of a magnifier if I ever pick one up. The rear BUIS is a GG&G A2 while the front is an MI flip up with the HK style hood. The rifle also has Magpul furniture, the CTR, MOE grip and rail covers. I also added the Weaver vertical foregrip. I'm pleasantly surprised with this. It's quite comfortable holding it Magpul style and versital since it comes with two size. I prefer the stubby. It also mounts using two hex head screws. Pretty solid for me. Although you can't see it in the pic, I have a Noveske end plate with the mount for a QD swivel. The rifle is pretty light and easy to handle especially with a one point sling. The only thing I would like to add eventually is a Bravo Co. Gunfighter.

[Quib]

Well, after months of debate I finally opted today to do some upgrading to my carbine. Here are the upgrades and the basis for my decisions:

- R&R’d The A2 Pistol Grip For The MAGPUL MAID Grip

I’ve had my grubby lil’ hands wrapped around the A1 grip since 1985, and the A2 grip since 1988, and have long ago become accustomed to the feel of each. But after reading input from other shooters who made the switch to the MIAD, I thought I’d give it a try. So far I’m pretty impressed and glad I made the switch. For starters, I like the texture of the MIAD and this is a big plus in my book, where with the GI A2 I added grip tape for a more solid non-slip grasp.

I’m not a very tall guy (Mil-Spec Monkey and I could probably literally see “eye to eye”) and I thought the MIAD grip might be too large for my smaller hands. After playing around with the assortment of interchangeable panels, I settled on the familiar feel of the F2 front panel with its A2 style finger groove. For the rear of the MIAD, I decided on the Medium B2 panel. Here, insertion of the B1 rear panel reminded me real quick, just how thin the A2 grip really was because this panel felt very similar to the grasp of the GI A2 grip. The B3 panel was simply too large and as stated above, I quickly settled on the B2.



-R&R’d The Standard GI Trigger Guard For The MAGPUL MOE Polymer Trigger Guard

I have no quarrels with the standard GI trigger guard, and although my winter shooting with gloved hands ended when I ETS’d from the Army, I figured since I was going with the MIAD grip, why not get the MAGPUL trigger guard to round things out.



- R&R’d The 6-POS Collapsible Stock For The MAGPUL MOE Stock

I previously owned a carbine with LMT SOPMOD stock, and really enjoyed the texture of the rubber butt pad, and the cheek weld offered by the increased surface area. Unfortunately I can not afford to purchase another SOPMOD stock at this time. This is where the MAGPUL MOE stock looked appealing. With its rubber butt pad and sloped design, I felt it might be a good substitute for the SOPMOD. So far I’m pleased with how the weapon shoulders and look forward to hitting the range here soon to see exactly how the stock will feel.

So you guys are probably thinking to yourselves that it’s about time I got with the program and found out for myself what these MAGPUL components were all about. Well, I guess I just get stuck in my old ways, and when I get accustomed to something, like the GI A2 grip, or the GI 6-pos stock, it just takes a lot to get me to change my ways.

[veeklog]

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...g?t=1287964658

This is my favorite rifle setup so far; Dane Armory lower with DPMS internals and JP trigger springs, Colt 14.5 barrel with pinned YHM Phantom flash-hider, Denny M-4 upper, LMT BCG, Magpul CTR, Magpul MIAD, and Eotech 552 on Larue mount.

I like this setup so much I made another rifle just like this one except with Fulton Armory lower, Magpul MOE , and Magpul VFG. Sorry for the crappy cell phone picture