AR 308 Build Thoughts/Critique

[Vegas]

What length gas is your Rainier barrel? I am running a Mega 16" mid-length on mine.

The only reason I mention Clint's XH buffer is you mentioned you're running a suppressed setup. My setup was extremely over-gassed before I added my can and even with my gas adjustment screw all the way out it was cycling pretty hard and causing feeding/extraction issues with a standard AR-10 buffer.

You could run your setup as you listed but you may/may not have reliability issues. The other thing I ended up swapping out was the bolt for a JP high-pressure because I was getting cratered primers. Either way I would avoid NiB coated bolts. I learned this the hard way when my barrel/bolt wouldn't headspace properly. That NiB coating wouldn't let my bolt close properly.

It's a mid length gas system. Are you loading your own ammo or using factory rounds? No real interest in NiB bolts. The proverbial solution for a problem that doesn't exist imo.

For $1636 +/- you could instead get:
-almost any DPMS (yeah, OK)
-any S&W M&P10 version (ditto)
-Ruger SR-762
-most Armalite models
-a Colt M.A.R.C. 901 with the non-monolithic upper, but a free float handguard, if you can find one

For any of those the factory trigger isn't equal to a G2S and you might want to spend that extra $150 on a G2S. You would still be at or below $1636 with a G2S trigger.

For a few more coins you could get a Colt LE901 with the monolithic upper and integrated BUIS.

The individual parts you've selected look good, individually, but you are making a one-off parts gun that will have limited resale and might require debugging to get it running. I guess it all depends on how much you like the chosen parts vs. just buying something that runs out of the box.

Thanks for the info. Of the list of factory options, the Armalite Competition 18" is interesting. Seems like building is a crapshoot but I don't mind tinkering a bit. Not too concerned about resale value, I pretty much accept that I'll take a bath if I have to sell parts on.

I haven't seen one of the Toolcraft BCGs in person, but the AERO that I have is quite nice. It appears to have a High Pressure style firing pin with corresponding smaller firing pin hole i the bolt face. The AERO may well be the same as the Toolcraft. The AERO uppers and lowers that I have checked out have all been nice. I' have a Faxon 18" rifle gas barrel that I have not had a chance to shoot yet. I am hoping to pair it up with a KAC rifle buffer and spring. Hopefully it'll make for a smooth shooting .308. I am holding out for the Forward Controls Designs 308 bolt catch/release.

I haven't read too much on the AP BCG one way or the other. Possible that Toolcraft makes it for them?

[elephantrider]

I haven't read too much on the AP BCG one way or the other. Possible that Toolcraft makes it for them?

Yeah, that's what I was trying to get at in my post. I re-read it, and I guess I wasn't very clear. AP may be sourcing their 308 BCGs through Toolcraft. My understanding is that Toolcraft does not mfg. the bolts, just the carriers, but that doesn't eliminate the possibility. The older version of BCG that Aero sold looks just like the Toolcraft, and the newer versions are machined a bit differently.

Also forgot to mention that the newer gen. AP BCG that I received has a nice domed ejector.