Anybody here ever built a .22LR AR pistol?

[Diamondback]

A while back I had stumbled across the idea of keeping a .22LR "trainer" as an understudy to each of one's Serious Social Work weapons, and as I'm trying to throw together a "cheap, quick and dirty" pistol completion kit so I can first finish the eighty-percents I have as pistols I was wondering if anyone here had ever built or converted an AR pistol in this caliber, preferably in the 10-12" barrel range, and could chime in with experiences on whatever parts you've used, good bad or ugly.

I already have a cheapo crappy Tacfire buffer kit (this is for a cheap crappy .22 parts-set and plinker, not a Serious Work Tool), and I'm thinking that as the parallel 5.56 build gets parts upgrades and another 5.56 starts it'll get hand-me-downs from both of those to fill in the rest. (Why two 5.56s? The goal is one dead-nuts reliable assembled with top- and upper-mid-tier parts plus one OK mid-tier plinker/trainer/range-use-only that I can use as a "malfunction drill trainer" and let friends borrow on the range.)

Tried searching, but the search function barfed an error when I tried keyword "22LR," so please excuse me if this is rehashing old territory--I'd just like the chance to learn, if anybody out there's done a .22LR AR pistol build, what y'all out there would do differently and what you'd repeat if you were building another one. (Could also use advice for refining the 5.56's beyond some of the decisions I've already made, but that's another thread.)

[Smokin338]

CMMG is what your looking for, hands down hard to beat for the money.

[Diamondback]

Thanks, Smokin. As I look at their prices, I start to wonder... would the cost savings of burning .22LR for the major firing really be worth the cost, or should I just cut the .22 and use Econo-Grade parts and economy .223 or the second fullbore and call that good, setting the extra blank aside in the Spare Parts box?

[usmcvet]

There are some good threads here. I'll look for some links. But as said CMMG is the company to go with if you're going to build. That said a S&W 15-22 is a great idea too. I have a few of each. The CMMG is great because it is the same weight.

[daniel87]

Why not just throw a cmmg 22 conversion bcg in the pistol when you want to train cheap??

They may malf more, but that gives malf clearing practice.

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[JusticeM4]

I bought the CMMG 22lr conversion kit $200 with three 25rd mags. Its a great for plinking and cheap practice, but it does jam a bit more than 5.56/223. I would get a stuck case about every other mag esp as the bolt gets dirtier.

I use it on both a 10.5" AR pistol with a KAK brace, and a 16" Carbine (both home builds), but usually on the 10" pistol since its lighter overall. I do recommend picking up the CMMG conversion kit and practicing with that (maybe with a dedicated upper since the POI's will be different).

Another thing to consider is that the 22lr conversion does not need a the receiver extension and buffer/spring. I'm thinking of putting a folding stock adapter on my 10" pistol so it can be fired and stored in the folded position.

[Bret]

I think the reason more people don't use the 22LR conversions is that you can get a complete look-a-like rifle for just over $300.
https://www.cdnnsports.com/colt-m4-carbine-22lr.html

Functionally it's not exactly the same as the "real" rifle converted to 22LR, but it's close enough for most.

[Shellen25]

I built one ground up since I wanted it to eject left, it was quite expensive but once I was done with the purpose, I just sold off the 22 parts and made it into a real AR... I usually tell people to just buy a 15-22 unless you like to tinker and will do what I did

CMMG, M&P 15-22 Mags, better-mag S&W .22 rimfire magazine adapter

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[survivorman]

I owned a cmmg and absolutely loved it.........was stupid to sell

[Htown AR]

A while back I had stumbled across the idea of keeping a .22LR "trainer" as an understudy to each of one's Serious Social Work weapons, and as I'm trying to throw together a "cheap, quick and dirty" pistol completion kit so I can first finish the eighty-percents I have as pistols I was wondering if anyone here had ever built or converted an AR pistol in this caliber, preferably in the 10-12" barrel range, and could chime in with experiences on whatever parts you've used, good bad or ugly.

I already have a cheapo crappy Tacfire buffer kit (this is for a cheap crappy .22 parts-set and plinker, not a Serious Work Tool), and I'm thinking that as the parallel 5.56 build gets parts upgrades and another 5.56 starts it'll get hand-me-downs from both of those to fill in the rest. (Why two 5.56s? The goal is one dead-nuts reliable assembled with top- and upper-mid-tier parts plus one OK mid-tier plinker/trainer/range-use-only that I can use as a "malfunction drill trainer" and let friends borrow on the range.)

Tried searching, but the search function barfed an error when I tried keyword "22LR," so please excuse me if this is rehashing old territory--I'd just like the chance to learn, if anybody out there's done a .22LR AR pistol build, what y'all out there would do differently and what you'd repeat if you were building another one. (Could also use advice for refining the 5.56's beyond some of the decisions I've already made, but that's another thread.)

Well I built one last fathers day while wife and kid were in NYC watching musicals. I spared no expense in this build but it is a very accurate fun machine and the one AR my friends all ask to shoot. It is an MOA gun on the bench. And dead balls accurate out to 100 yards.

I used a cmmg 8.5 in barrel with a 1:16 twist. I believe it is important to spend some time finding a barrel with the right twist and feed ramp, to take advantage of the myriad of ammunition choices. I used a gibbz upper due to the non recipprocating charging handle and lack of breech door. This makes clearing the inevitable bad cartridges alot easier. I used the cmmg blow back internals. I upgraded the spring and buffer, and ejection with tac cons upgrade kit. You don't necessarily need a spring in the buffer tube, but you must have something to take up the shock of the blow back mechanism. Tac con makes some nifty carbon fiber barrels but not sure if they are silencer ready. I used a seekins rail so that my bulky AR suppressor would fit, and run a spikes brake when not suppressed. You have to notch one corner of the rail with a dremel so that the handle housing clears but have also done with a grinder on another build i did for my farther in law.

The lower is a rock river arms polymer, which I got at a tremendous discount and spurred me to build this rig. Since the 22lr is low pressure I did not see a problem using a polymer lower, and it has held up great over the past year and about 700 rounds later, for the lower parts I used a cmmg kit, and CMC flat blade drop in trigger with 3.5 lbs pull. I went ahead and bought some stabilized pins to keep the trigger in place as the polymer is too slick for supplied pins to hold, though cmc new pins may due the trick now. Daniels Defense polymer/rubber grip and trigger guard, and a sector 9 sig brace and pistol tube round out the pistol. I am running a leupold green firedot 4x9 with a cantilevered american industried QD. I went ahead and ordered a turrent specific to the 42 gr sub gemtech ammo made by cci which I like very much for dispatching varmints near my ranch house. I will also say it is worth getting the boone packer magazine converter to run smith and wesson mags. I can't remember who makes them but it is a machined aluminum piece that slides in and seats the smith and wesson mags perfectly. It also keeps the breach open when the mags are empty, which the cmmg does not. I also like the ten capcy mags for bench shooting and zeroing. I like that SW mags are widely available and like the spring switch for loading. There are many options for loading mags fast but there is a device I use by mcfadden machine the lightning grip that has a hopper and a trigger that allows me to load two mags in less than 5 mins. Can send pics and clarify any questions on anything I might have misstated. It has been a year so apologies for anything I messed up. Can post pics if ya want.