I got to shoot my rifle at the Big Boy's range today, out to 200 yards instead of 25. Assembling it was more expensive than I thought it'd be, but she's worth every penny. I wanted a 20" precision AR, mostly for prairie dogs, jackrabbits and coyotes. It also has to be reliable- while only accurate rifles are interesting, unreliable rifles are just frustrating.
Cameras make everyone look 10 lbs heavier, except me. They make me look 20 lbs heavier. (Yes, they do!)
Lower started out as an stripped LRB. It was inexpensive, forged and it was an anniversary present from my wife. Although fit & finish doesn't help it shoot better, it's nice the LRB looks good and locks up with the VLTOR MUR upper.
VLTOR claims their forged MUR upper is stiffer than standard the standard design. Stiffer should be better for accuracy. It too has a good finish. I waffled a bit between forward assist or not and the "better to have and not need" part of me won this argument in case I want to silently load the rifle and press home the round into the chamber. I figured this could be important in case I was cut off behind enemy lines and found myself surrounded by prairie dogs.
The UBR stock, though heavier than most, promised to be very sturdy and adjustable. I found a second hand one for sale that had never been installed for a real good price. When installed, it had no rattles or slop and it locks up tight. The cheek weld is comfortable tough it feels a bit fat compared to the A2 stock I'm used. The optional thick recoil pad was added for better traction and give the butt a bit more protection. It also adds a bit of length for my long arms.
A LPK sans trigger from Armalite was installed in the LRB. It's worked well so far, but having the finish rub off the mag release button during installation was disappointing. The parts went into the LRB lower with no trouble.
With much trepidation, a Geisselle SSA-E was ordered and installed. I tried a demonstrator at Rainier Arms and while it had a surprisingly clean, crisp break, I didn't like the long reset. Stock triggers felt gritty, heavy and inconsistent. No way was I going to put up with a crappy trigger. Still, didn't like that long reset. I finally took the plunge figuring if I didn't like it, I could sell it and try some thing else. I have since shot the rifle.
No, the Geisselle isn't for sale.
I settled on a Lothar Walther 20" stainless steel barrel. They have a reputation for excellent accuracy and they offered a 20" barrel in the configuration I wanted, a medium profile with a fast twist, 1:8. I found a place that had them in stock for a good price and offered me great customer service and they shipped fast. Along with the fact the price included a matched bolt, it was an easy choice.
Bolt carrier came from Fail Zero with only the gas key. No bolt, no hammer. It's a good carrier with a Miracle Coating that's supposed to make it easier to clean, reduce wear and make your teeth whiter. Maybe. I do know, so far it runs smoothly and correctly, and has held the oil I lubed the rifle with.
Forearm is a pricey unit from PRI. It's the Rifle length Carbon fiber Delta with the rails removed. I wanted something light and durable with good heat protection from the hot barrel. It also feels better in my hands than any of the round tubes I tried. Although I haven't run the rifle real hard, I ran a couple mags through a bit fast and the handguards stayed cool. Only complaint is it has two holes on top that vent heat right in front of the objective of the scope and creates heat mirage.
Scope is a Leupold 10x Mark 4 I bought years ago for a bolt action precision rifle. It's on loan to the AR until I can afford another scope. The 10x is a good, solid, simple scope but a modern variable would be more versatile.
Gas block came from VLTOR, charging handle is a Gunfighter and magazines are from Magpull & Brownell's.
It also has a Battlecomp. I was hesitant at first, but I tried it because of the good reviews it's received and the great customer service I got from Capt. Nick, Marty and the rest of the crew at BCE. So far, it's the only compensator I've tried that isn't obnoxious, and it's the only one that I actually like and would recommend to others
Only have about 120 rounds through it so far, but it's a joy to shoot. Bench at the range was wobbly (so was I) and my son kept shaking it shooting from the other side of it (Yeah! Someone was shaking the table!)
But the proof is in the shooting. Despite all my efforts to the contrary, she put 30 rounds into a 3 inch circle at 100 yards from the wobbly bench. This was shot with Federal XM193F 5.56 55 gr FMJ. X ring of this target is 3" in diameter
I'm going to add a sling and keep shooting her. She shoots sweet and smooth with little recoil or muzzle jump. Although this project cost more than I anticipated, I'm very happy with it. I'll be looking at closing the vents to reduce heat mirage in front of the scope and saving up for a modern variable. I'll also start trying heavier bullets. I would not hesitate to assemble another AR- my next one will be a carbine.
This one, She's a keeper
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Originally Posted by ucrt
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