Feedback on AR-15 build (longer range) appreciated.

[infinitest]

Featureless AR-15 for longer range shooting (100+ yards). Thoughts?

Caliber: 5.56
Twist: 1:7 or 1:8
Upper: 18 or 20" RRA Varmint
Handguard: free float?
Compensator: PA M4-72
Optics: no idea yet, recommendations?
Trigger: Wilson Combat TR-TTU
Grip: Magpul 1.1 + Exile Fin
Other: BCG, buffer spring, Andersen lower, standard mag release, Magpul fixed buttstock, PSA LPK

Feedback needed specifically on the twist, upper, and optics. Thanks in advance.

[kevins750]

Questions that will be asked...


How long is long range?

Hand loads or factory?

Optics will depend how long is long range to you and how much you want to spend.

[milotrain]

RRA makes a good piece of kit. WOA and Compass Lake make better for less money.

Caliber: 5.56 (wylde or CLE chamber)
Twist: 1:7 or 1:8 1:7 is good too, but not necessary unless you have calculated a reason for it to be necessary. If you haven't then you don't need it.
Upper: 18 or 20" RRA Varmint (see above)
Handguard: free float? (must)
Optics: no idea yet, recommendations? (depends on a lot. Vortex pst 1-4 is good and reasonably priced)

[CouchOperator]

Depending on what range you wish to shoot out to, an AR10 may be a better use of the rifles budget, either in .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor

[penguin0123]

If your idea of long range is 100+ yards... you'll be amazed what an AR can do at 600yds and out.

• Get a barrel chambered in 223 wylde. It shoots both 223 and 556.
• I like poly rifling and have zero complaints with my black hole weaponry tube.
• Unless you plan on shoot 80gr VLD or other fun stuff (not mag length), 1/8 will be fine. In fact, lower twist gives you more velocity.
• In this day and age, FF HG is a no brainer.
• Comp: I hate 'em. I'm using a VG6 Gamma, one of the least obnoxious brakes, and I still hate it. 556 has so little recoil you don't need it.
• Trigger: Geissele National Match for adjustable. Any of their two stage "combat" trigger is my pick for non-adjustable. Their "enhanced" is just too light, IMO.

Set aside a budget for reloading.

[kcheung2]

For 100 yards, any cheap AR will work.

[leoffensive]

for my upper i went with these parts and its turned out to be pretty accurate for me. it can for sure out shoot me all day long. was hitting soda cans in semi strong winds at 440 yards once i got a bearing on where it was landing with the wind drift.

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-selecttm-5-56mm-medcon-barrel-20-black

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-forged-mil-spec-upper-minus-fa-w-logo

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-precision-match-grade-phosphate-bcg

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-low-profile-gas-block

https://www.rainierarms.com/rainier-arms-mini-compensator-rmc-2-0-black

https://www.midwestindustriesinc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=2548

[leoffensive]

also i was using a nikon m-223 4-16x42

and IMI m193 55gr

[FIREBALL_BRIAN]

Long range and 556 isn't what comes to mind when picking a caliber. And dump the crappy lower parts kit and get one with a drop in trigger. It will really help with your ELR shooting

[leoffensive]

they sell lpk without the trigger so you can buy the one you want. lots of good choices. i went with the the geissele ssa-e

[milotrain]

The geissele trigger is one of the nicest and it isn't a drop in. The OP isn't using the formal term "long range" he said 100+ yards so the 556 is fine. No one uses the 556 for ELR shooting.

[leoffensive]

I know I never shot a trigger so nice until I bought it. I have the ALG trigger on my carbine and its decent like my old worn in stanard trigger before it started doing burst fire haha.

OP when I built my AR I figured I wouldn't be shooting much further than 600 max. I was unsure what exactly I wanted to do. I'm no reloader and I'm not much on getting crazy with getting more expensive match loads.

I built my rifle to shoot 55 grain bullets(because of price and availability). Basically just to go out and have fun and see what I can hit.

1/8 twist works great. Just read reviews on the barrels your interested in. as far as optics find a scope you like. If your not going for precision but to just hit a target you don't need a crazy expensive scope to do it(sure it helps having amazing glass)

As far as uppers go you'll be served well with any forged upper from a reputable manufacturer(doesn't mean expensive)

[Jimi Jah]

1/9 twist works better for 55 grain up to 69. 20" is better than 18". 600 yards is about all one can expect before wind/tumbling affects it. For longer range, try 6.5 Grendel.

[FMJBT]

223 Wylde with a 1:8 twist seems to be a really good combo that shoots well with a broad spectrum of bullet weights. Tighter 1:7 twist does well with heavier ammo, but can cause some accuracy problems with lighter bullets that have questionable balance or concentricity (think cheap 55 grain surplus). I'd also advise against the slower 1:9 twist as it can fail to stabilize heavier 75-77 grain bullets altogether.

How portable do you want the rifle to be? That will play a large part in determining barrel length and contour. If you only plan on sitting at a bench and shooting long range exclusively, you can go with a 20" or even 24" barrel in HBAR or even bull profile. The gun will be a pig, but will do really well out to 800+ yards. If you want to be able to shoot off hand with it or swap optics and run it through a carbine course, then an 18" SPR or 16" medium contour barrel would make more sense. Even the shorter 16" barrels have very little difficulty getting out to 700+ yards with 75-77 grain bullets. I've really only noticed a distinct degradation in long range performance when running a shorter 14.5" barrel, with that you are really limited to about 500 yards for hitting steel. Much less if terminal ballistics are taken into account.

[infinitest]

Ammo: factory.

Distance: I'd like to build something that's good for 100 yards (minimum), but that can be tweaked with better optics to go much farther (if I can find a good range).