18" ARs Making a Comeback

edwin907 · #1 10-18-2009, 12:31 AM

This is a 18" Douglas SS SPR barrel/bolt matched to a WOA upper receiver with OPS Collar and Brake. LT Low Profile Gas Block was clearanced for the collar, with a DD M4 13.5 rail, Troy front and KAC 600M rear sights, 3.5-15X50 NSX on LT SPR-E scope mount, Pri Gas Buster CH, LMT M16 carrier, all sitting on a LMT Defender 2000 lower with KAC 2-stage trigger, Sopmod stock, ambi safety/mag release, Hogue grip, LMT H buffer and a GG&G bipod.

LMTRocks · #2 10-18-2009, 12:56 AM

Nice looking rig. Sure it shoots as well as it looks. I love the SOPMOD stocks----you can nearly fall asleep on them

bkb0000 · #3 10-18-2009, 01:01 AM

seems to me like the SPR-E is the way to go, with pretty much any optic, if you're a nose-to-the-charging-handle guy. which i am, and looks like you are.

nice stick- how's she shoot?

tweakmeister · #4 10-18-2009, 08:58 AM

That's very similar to what I have been running, though I used a Magpul UBR since it's a little heavier and balanced the gun better with the bipod...very accurate setup with 75-77gr bullets but I got tired of lugging the thing around.

Sam · #5 10-18-2009, 09:51 AM

Edwin,
That's a beautiful rifle. I have the same barrel and handguard

Where are you in GA?

edwin907 · #6 10-18-2009, 09:32 PM

This is the other Douglas 18" SPR barrel I had. Don't have a single round through it yet, so we will see how it shoots, both with and without the 12th suppressor.
I was gone all weekend in the Jeep, so I didn't have a chance to hit the 100 yard range at the shooting club. Planning on taking it down there next Wed AM.
The other barrel I had in a Bushy upper shot about 3/4" at 100 yards with MK262, never tried the Federal 77gr or any other ammo but the BHBB 75gr, which was just under MOA.

The guy I sold it to is very happy with it.
If this one does as well I'll be pleased.

Yep, I shoot NTCH even with magnified optics, the SPR-E works perfectly.
And it is very comfotable with the stock.

I'm in the Augusta area down here in GA.

KiraX105 · #7 10-18-2009, 10:07 PM

Also just finished building mine this weekend. Took my Colt and replaced the barrel with a Noveske 18"er.

Sam · #8 10-19-2009, 09:58 PM

Augusta was my former home, spent my youthful days there, from 9th grade until high school graduation (Butler).

Was hoping you're in the Atlanta area so we can compare guns.

Yours is very nice.

Boss Hogg · #9 10-20-2009, 09:01 AM

Edwin907- very nice rifle.

Do you mind if I ask who makes what appears to be a clamp for the LMT stock to be able to attach a swing swivel......for those of us who have Gen 1 SOPMODs?

Thanks.

eternal24k · #10 10-20-2009, 12:09 PM

Tag for pics of mine

edwin907 · #11 10-20-2009, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boss Hogg

Edwin907- very nice rifle.

Do you mind if I ask who makes what appears to be a clamp for the LMT stock to be able to attach a swing swivel......for those of us who have Gen 1 SOPMODs?

Thanks.

http://www.operationparts.com/KAC_KN...ON_p/98722.htm

I actually have used on one stock a little bit of rubber conveyor belt material in the slot to distribute the weight a little better.
Didn't use any on the other and it has fared well.

Kevin_J · #12 10-20-2009, 09:09 PM

This is one of mine:

BCM Upper with M4 Ramps
SWS Rail with anti-rotation pin
LW50 barrel, 1-7 poly 18.5
Badger GB pinned, rifle length
Young N/M BCG
Ti lower

Amazingly accurate!

mvician · #13 10-20-2009, 10:19 PM

frbowers · #14 10-21-2009, 03:15 PM

18" Larue Stealth upper 13.2 rail
Larue SPR mount
Leupold Mark 4 3-9
Troy BUIS
Surefire light with Larue mount
Harris bipod with Larue mount
RRA lower with Knight trigger installed by John Holliger

Consistently groups 0.5-0.75" at 100 yards with 77 grain MK handloads.

decodeddiesel · #15 10-21-2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweakmeister

That is hot!

I guess I never felt the 18" ARs went out of favor. I have always been a 10.5"-14.5"-18" type of guy...

JohnVassilakos · #16 10-29-2009, 04:46 PM

I'm building an 18" AR right now. I've got a 10.5" and a 16" already so the 18" just felt like the natural progression. In fact, I'm probably going to sell the 16" because if I need compact the 10.5" fills that role and the 16" doesn't offer me enough over the 18" to pick it up instead.

M&P45 · #17 11-02-2009, 04:46 PM

My next upper build will be either an 18" or 20" SPRish build. One thing that I always wonder about when looking at these pictures is why all of the extended rails? I'm leaning towards an 18" middy with a 10" rail. What would I gain, if anything, by going with a longer rail?

ry43 · #18 11-02-2009, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M&P45

My next upper build will be either an 18" or 20" SPRish build. One thing that I always wonder about when looking at these pictures is why all of the extended rails? I'm leaning towards an 18" middy with a 10" rail. What would I gain, if anything, by going with a longer rail?

Two reasons I can think of is a longer sight radius for a rail-mounted front sight, and the ability to protect the gas block on a rifle-length gas system when using the 13.2/13.5/14.0 length rails.

I chose the DD Lite 14.0 for those reasons anyway; that, and I got a killer deal on them

chadbag · #19 11-02-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M&P45

My next upper build will be either an 18" or 20" SPRish build. One thing that I always wonder about when looking at these pictures is why all of the extended rails? I'm leaning towards an 18" middy with a 10" rail. What would I gain, if anything, by going with a longer rail?

Longer sight radius for iron sights

you can use the aggressive long reach grip

with a bipod you can get the bipod further away which will limit the amount of muzzle movement you get from your misc body movement (longer lever means shorter movement)

plus they look cool

JohnVassilakos · #20 11-02-2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eguns-com

Longer sight radius for iron sights

you can use the aggressive long reach grip

with a bipod you can get the bipod further away which will limit the amount of muzzle movement you get from your misc body movement (longer lever means shorter movement)

plus they look cool

+1

And be sure to look at the weight of all the longer FF forends. The last thing you want is to build a rifle that weighs a ton and you don't enjoy shooting because you feel like you're lugging around a log that makes noise.

I went with the JP Rifle Length tube on my build because I like the idea of only having rails where I need them on the forend and it's one of the lighter options. If you're one of those "I must hang every gadget I can off my rifle" people and need a quad rail, the DD Lite series and SWS E1's are tough to beat for weight and aesthetics...but remember, cheap kit is rarely good and good kit is rarely cheap.