Favorite AR Configs

[Colt556]

I like the early SP1, A2 and Carbine style rifles. Really love the XM177E2 and Air Force Carbines. While at the 1500 I noticed Tony’s was selling early A1 style uppers, both stripped and complete, and was tempted to build another Carbine but I have a couple lonely uppers now. I need a Colt lower to complete a build.
Oh, I have a couple rifles with all the doodads on them but my heart still goes to the early rifles and carbines.

 

[Gabriel]

I like the early SP1, A2 and Carbine style rifles. Really love the XM177E2 and Air Force Carbines. While at the 1500 I noticed Tony’s was selling early A1 style uppers, both stripped and complete, and was tempted to build another Carbine but I have a couple lonely uppers now. I need a Colt lower to complete a build.
Oh, I have a couple rifles with all the doodads on them but my heart still goes to the early rifles and carbines.

My next AR will be a 20" NM rifle. I had one about twenty years ago and sold it. I have the itch for another one, but my list of gun wants is not short.

 

[Usmccookie]

I just like the 'So-called ugly' M4 look. Always liked the sights with the handle. Just bought this one for 375.00

You’re kidding?! How’d you find that deal?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

As is obvious with the thread, some want a "look", some want functionality. I am down with the later, and with the sickness.

We are overwhelmed with fantastic, solid choices now: BCM, FN, Centurion, Colt, Stag, Wyndham, LMT, LWRCI, inter alia. Pick one and level up over time.

Buy a CAGE coded Colt M6920, start improving it with time, focus on the things you must interact with: the trigger, the stock, grip, and your sworn enemy, the charging handle. All guns are triggers and sights. Huge revolution in optics now, get a great optic. The silly stuff, springs, buffer spring, new shiny BCGs, firing pins, etc., get later if at all.

If I HAD to pick a single configuration, you have to move up market, it would be MunitionWorks, like the Dissedent or Fixie, although the Crane is up my alley too. Many other valid choices now--Noveske, SOLGW, ad infinitum.

MUNITIONWORKS™: Rifles

munitionworks.com

 

[88E30M50]

I put an A4 clone together last month and, like the feel of it enough, that I'm planning on picking up a 20" BCM upper for one of my INGO lowers some time this spring.

It's not my do-all config but variety is the spice of life once the basics are covered.

 

[JAL]

A little while back, I was watching a vid on a review of a higher end AR and the guy (can't remember who it was now) made the comment that your first AR should be a basic, lower tier shooter grade gun. His idea was that you buy a good AR and then shoot the heck out of it while figuring out what you like and don't like. Make changes and then shoot some more right up until you figure out what works for you and what does not. When you find what you really like, then invest in a higher end rifle that meets those specs.

Sadly, as good advice as that might be, it's not the route I took. I just kept buying ARs in different configs and it took a long time and a bucket of money to figure out what I like. What I've figured out is that I like a PW 14.5" 5.56 with a light free float MLok hand guard, full A2 stock, LaRue M2-TBS trigger, Magpul grip, offset BUIS and 1-6x LVPO. I'm not saying that it's the best config out there, but just that it's the one that I enjoy the most and seems to cover all of my needs pretty well. I have a couple that roughly fit that spec but none of them exactly. The one below is the closest to that spec but is 16" and missing the BUIS so far. I need to consolidate the various parts into a single rifle now.

View attachment 262850

What about everyone else? What is the config you'd choose to take with you on an extended cross country trip?

Recognized the Aero Precision Atlas handguard immediately with threaded upper mounting. Very solid and rigid handguard with a unique clamping to a very solid and robust barrel nut. After building one upper with the R-One variant with full rail, I built a second and bought a third already assembled.

 

[Pepi]

You’re kidding?! How’d you find that deal?

I run into these deals once in a while. It's a Bushmaster and I've read a lot of mixed reviews on these

 

[Usmccookie]

I run into these deals once in a while. It's a Bushmaster and I've read a lot of mixed reviews on these

I’m pretty sure most on here would love jumped on that deal, except maybe a carbon-15. Lol

 

[Creedmoor]

I’ve had one magpul that I could get to tighten but not loosen (I think, could have that backwards) while wearing it, and one v-tac that was easy to adjust in that it had an actual releasing thingy instead of just friction, but there were just too many dangly straps for my taste.

Vickers just works every time, with nothing at all extra hanging down.

Both of my son's have tried many slings in the past ten years now. They both detoured away from an USMC issue sling a bunch of times over that time. When encountering actually carrying an M4 for extended periods of time like my #2 does.
He can easily carry his for 12-13 hours a day for 6 days a week now.
They both went back to one of the MC issue slings that's actually made here in Anderson, IN.
I have called the owner a few times and then drove and picked up what gear one of my son's is needing in his front office.
Big Props to Raine Corp....
Great guy!!!!!

 

[BigMoose]

Bog standard A1, closer to what Stoner intended.



Because never in the history of military weapons, has a platform been mucked up by well meaning improvements as much as the AR-15.

 

[88E30M50]

Recognized the Aero Precision Atlas handguard immediately with threaded upper mounting. Very solid and rigid handguard with a unique clamping to a very solid and robust barrel nut. After building one upper with the R-One variant with full rail, I built a second and bought a third already assembled.

I'm on the fence right now about whether or not to swap the quad rail on a DD M4V1 for another Atlas. Part of me wants to but another part of me thinks that just leaving that rifle as delivered is the better choice in this case. It's not my favorite config, but it sure does work with what I want it to do.

 

[Usmccookie]

I'm on the fence right now about whether or not to swap the quad rail on a DD M4V1 for another Atlas. Part of me wants to but another part of me thinks that just leaving that rifle as delivered is the better choice in this case. It's not my favorite config, but it sure does work with what I want it to do.

Personally, I love the look of a quad rail. But functionally, there are better options. Imo

 

[BigMoose]

Personally, I love the look of a quad rail. But functionally, there are better options. Imo

And never has there been a symbol of how the AR-15 gotten screwed up, then a heavy metal quad rail, full of places to put heavy junk.

Go back and read stoners thoughts. The AR-15 was to be a light platform, the A1 even with a 20 inch barrel the A1 weighed only 7.9 pounds. How many of these tacticool ARs now push into the 8,9 or even 10 pound range with carbine length barrels.

 

[ditcherman]

Both of my son's have tried many slings in the past ten years now. They both detoured away from an USMC issue sling a bunch of times over that time. When encountering actually carrying an M4 for extended periods of time like my #2 does.
He can easily carry his for 12-13 hours a day for 6 days a week now.
They both went back to one of the MC issue slings that's actually made here in Anderson, IN.
I have called the owner a few times and then drove and picked up what gear one of my son's is needing in his front office.
Big Props to Raine Corp....
Great guy!!!!!

That looks very similiar to the BCM Vickers, maybe they knocked it off I dunno.
Similar materials, nothing extra, and just works.

 

[88E30M50]

The DD I posted a pic of weighs in at about 9lbs 6oz as configured. When I went from the quad to the Atlas on the rifle in the original post, I shaved almost 9oz from the rifle. As much as I like the config on the DD, it's feeling more like a range rifle to me right now. The rifle in the top post is 8lb 5oz as configured with a 25oz 1-6 and mount. My lightest right now is just under 7lbs with no BUIS and an Eotech 512.

I'm thinking that the reason I'm liking the rifle in the original post so much right now is that it feels good to shoot, yet is not overly heavy for carry if needed. I just need to figure out what to do with the DD. It's a great rifle for range trips as configured but is a bit chunky for carry if needed. I'm fine with it just being a range rifle, but am thinking that I'd rather configure a couple of rifles rifles near identically and run the snot out of one on the range while holding the second back with only sporadic use.

 

[88E30M50]

And never has there been a symbol of how the AR-15 gotten screwed up, then a heavy metal quad rail, full of places to put heavy junk.

Go back and read stoners thoughts. The AR-15 was to be a light platform, the A1 even with a 20 inch barrel the A1 weighed only 7.9 pounds. How many of these tacticool ARs now push into the 8,9 or even 10 pound range with carbine length barrels.

The military has a way of adding junk to stuff beyond what it was originally designed around. Look at the F16 and F18. When the F16 was first built, it was as a light weight dog fighter that had a small radar added almost as an afterthought. The F18 was derived from the F17 that competed in the lightweight fighter program. Both the F16 and F18 are pigs in comparison to what the original designers had intended.

Is it a better weapons platform with the additional weight and capability added? Who knows. With ARs, maybe not so much as is with the F16 though.

 

[JAL]

And never has there been a symbol of how the AR-15 gotten screwed up, then a heavy metal quad rail, full of places to put heavy junk.

Go back and read stoners thoughts. The AR-15 was to be a light platform, the A1 even with a 20 inch barrel the A1 weighed only 7.9 pounds. How many of these tacticool ARs now push into the 8,9 or even 10 pound range with carbine length barrels.

An axiom regarding the rails: Every inch will be eventually consumed with something bolted to it. Thus the less rail you have, the lighter it will be.

 

[BigMoose]

The military has a way of adding junk to stuff beyond what it was originally designed around. Look at the F16 and F18. When the F16 was first built, it was as a light weight dog fighter that had a small radar added almost as an afterthought. The F18 was derived from the F17 that competed in the lightweight fighter program. Both the F16 and F18 are pigs in comparison to what the original designers had intended.

Is it a better weapons platform with the additional weight and capability added? Who knows. With ARs, maybe not so much as is with the F16 though.

USAF been doing that for years, witness F-105s, meant for screaming fast strike missions, lumbering in Vietnam with enough WW2 era bombs to sink a battleship.

 

[BigMoose]

An axiom regarding the rails: Every inch will be eventually consumed with something bolted to it. Thus the less rail you have, the lighter it will be.

Yes, this is someone who had seen the truth!

 

[Usmccookie]

And never has there been a symbol of how the AR-15 gotten screwed up, then a heavy metal quad rail, full of places to put heavy junk.

Go back and read stoners thoughts. The AR-15 was to be a light platform, the A1 even with a 20 inch barrel the A1 weighed only 7.9 pounds. How many of these tacticool ARs now push into the 8,9 or even 10 pound range with carbine length barrels.

Maybe so, but certain additions do offer additional capabilities. If I was going out after dark, nvgs helped us rule the night peq15’s helped. I trained with an a2 hit the pipeline with an a4 and as soon as I hit the fleet got my m4. After years of nvg and ir usage. I wouldn’t go back. But stoner designed a great rifle for my grandfather’s generation.

The m1 was also the great implement of war ever designed… times change technology changes. Everyone has a philosophy of use that is particular to them. And judgement from outside voice can deter one from using what they see fit out of trying to fit the proper narrative on the internet.

I’m not saying you’re wrong, I just think I’d rather have my quad rail and optics as opposed to plastic hand guards and iron sights. But that is just strictly my personal opinion. Either way, quads are not my preference, m lok for me.