Favorite AR Configs

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  • DDadams

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    Lodge

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    You've got 2 different extended mag releases in the pics.

    What brand is the non-Odin one? I really like that.
    non-Odin is a magpul. Really good feel to it. Pretty much zero slop. I always felt the Odin had a slight bit of slop to it. Too much leverage on the button maybe. At the moment the Magpul is my fav.
    There's a couple others I want to check out. V7 and a TruCalibre.
     

    DDadams

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    non-Odin is a magpul. Really good feel to it. Pretty much zero slop. I always felt the Odin had a slight bit of slop to it. Too much leverage on the button maybe. At the moment the Magpul is my fav.
    There's a couple others I want to check out. V7 and a TruCalibre.
    I love everything from V Seven - but their extended mag release isn't really my thing. It's just barely bigger than normal so I replaced it.

    I liked the odinworks but it doesn't go well on every build with the looks. That version at least.
     

    KJQ6945

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    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?
    Man, this is a tough question, 88.

    My whole philosophy on guns has been about distance, right or wrong. I’ve never tried to find a Jack of all trades. I don’t have a, one gun does it all.

    If I’m riding around on the buggy in the day light, I’ll usually have the MPX SBR. It’s tiny, and you don’t even know it’s there.

    If I have to go to the metroplex, AKA Dallas/Ft Worthless, I’ll bring the 10.3” Colt 6945. (Hence the screen name)

    Living in the woods, the Colt 6920 with the thermal, is always ready to go.

    For daylight duties, the MK12 Mod 0 is also at the ready. It is stupid accurate, But big and heavy.

    The closest I have to a “one gun”, would probably go to the 6920. I’d leave the thermal on it, and if need be, throw an Aimpoint Micro on it. They both transfer without any significant shift.
     

    Lodge

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    I love everything from V Seven - but their extended mag release isn't really my thing. It's just barely bigger than normal so I replaced it.

    I liked the odinworks but it doesn't go well on every build with the looks. That version at least.
    Kind of how I felt about the Odin on this latest build
     

    88E30M50

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    Man, this is a tough question, 88.

    My whole philosophy on guns has been about distance, right or wrong. I’ve never tried to find a Jack of all trades. I don’t have a, one gun does it all.

    If I’m riding around on the buggy in the day light, I’ll usually have the MPX SBR. It’s tiny, and you don’t even know it’s there.

    If I have to go to the metroplex, AKA Dallas/Ft Worthless, I’ll bring the 10.3” Colt 6945. (Hence the screen name)

    Living in the woods, the Colt 6920 with the thermal, is always ready to go.

    For daylight duties, the MK12 Mod 0 is also at the ready. It is stupid accurate, But big and heavy.

    The closest I have to a “one gun”, would probably go to the 6920. I’d leave the thermal on it, and if need be, throw an Aimpoint Micro on it. They both transfer without any significant shift.
    I do like the special purpose rifles that I have but have had an itch lately to have that one general purpose rifle. I don't know if that's driven by the general decline of civility, the edging closer to a war of some sort or maybe because I'm just bored.

    What I was looking for and what I think I've found that fits my needs is a solid, reliable rifle that works well for me from 10 yards to about 400. I often make the trip from Indy to Raleigh, NC and have taken my DD M4V1 along in the past. I like the config on that one with the Leupold Mk AR and offset RMR, but it doesn't feel like an every day rifle to me for some reason. It may be that I have always treated scoped rifles with extra care and the Leupold puts that rifle into the scoped category for me.

    The M&P 15 with the 1-6x LPVO seems to fill that role a bit better except for the 16" barrel. That rifle just feels like a good every day shooter to me. I'm thinking that I should invest in a higher end LPVO in the 1-6x or 1-8x range and move the Leupold/RMR combination to one of my 16 or 20 inch uppers.
     

    JAL

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    16" .300 AAC Blackout conversion of a 16" 5.56x45mm NATO that was being kept as a backup.

    AR-15 .300 AAC Blackout 16 inch 2048.jpg
    • 17 Design stripped lower (no longer in business); presumed to be from same source as Shield Arms' lowers
    • Gen 3 LAW Tactical folding mechanism
    • Geissele G2S 2-stage trigger
    • Magpul MOE grip
    • Aero Precision for remainder of lower parts
    • Carbine weight buffer
    • Aero Precision M4E1 upper (without BCG) -- less expensive than buying the parts separately and assembling them; barrel presumed by Ballistic Advantage with pistol length low profile gas block; Atlas R-One M-LOK handguard; Aero Precision "Mil-Spec" charging handle
    • Next Level Armament DLC Bolt Carrier Group
    • Smith Enterprise Vortex Flash Suppressor
    • Magpul MOE SL Carbine Stock, with .70" Rubber Butt Pad added
    • Sig Sauer Romeo7 1x30mm red dot optic
    • KAC Micro 600m backup rear sight; KAC full size backup front sight
    • Magpul sling swivels
    • Old school M14/M16 sling with quick adjustment
    • Hexmag standard capacity magazine (feeds .300 AAC Blackout better than Magpul's)
    I load .300 AAC Blackout into Hexmag magazines and 5.56x45mm NATO into Magpul magazines to help prevent mixing calibers. Was going to build the upper from Aero Precision parts with a Ballistic Advantage barrel (sans BCG), but it turned out less expensive to buy the Aero Precision upper already assembled with exactly what I wanted. Aero Precision and Ballistic Advantage are joined at the hip. I have headspace gauges and used them as the BCG was bought separately from the upper. Passed the GO and bolt wouldn't close on the NOGO as would be expected; use of Field Gauge unnecessary. On 14.5" and longer barrels, the standard A1 or A2 "bird cage" flash suppressor works very well for flash suppression. The Smith Enterprise Vortex edges it out in flash suppression, which is noticeable in low light and at night, albeit it's a longer suppressor. Romeo7 1x30mm has supposedly been discontinued by Sig Sauer. I've got three of them and like the larger objective. The 5.56x45 NATO upper that was mated with this lower is now in storage. IMO, the next best front/rear MBUIS pair to the KAC are the Troy Industries. If all that's needed is a rear on an upper with A2 front sight, the U.S. Army MaTech is also a good one, albeit bigger than the KAC the USMC uses, and yes, it has some detractors but I've never had any issues with a real MaTech (many counterfeits abound in the wild).
     
    Last edited:

    Lodge

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    I love everything from V Seven - but their extended mag release isn't really my thing. It's just barely bigger than normal so I replaced it.

    I liked the odinworks but it doesn't go well on every build with the looks. That version at least.
    I tried the V7 on the 6920. It felt alright but I really didn't like the look on the Colt.
    I have a TruCalibre on it at the moment. Feels good. I don't really care for the downward slant of the extension.

    _DSC0598-Edit.jpg _DSC0602-Edit.jpg
     

    DDadams

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    I tried the V7 on the 6920. It felt alright but I really didn't like the look on the Colt.
    I have a TruCalibre on it at the moment. Feels good. I don't really care for the downward slant of the extension.

    View attachment 266132 View attachment 266133
    KE arms has one that's horrible if you don't like that slant. I don't think I'd like it either.

    I'm going to try the original xmr 1 from Odinworks I think.

    Or one of these other brands, theirs are all pretty similar - Guntec, Timber Creek, and Sparrow Dynamics. They're all fairly similar.
     

    Lodge

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    KE arms has one that's horrible if you don't like that slant. I don't think I'd like it either.

    I'm going to try the original xmr 1 from Odinworks I think.

    Or one of these other brands, theirs are all pretty similar - Guntec, Timber Creek, and Sparrow Dynamics. They're all fairly similar.
    Ironically the Odin Works extended I took off the Colt looked the best so far and functioned just fine.
    I'll have to check out the XMR 1s
     
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