The Down Range Forum

Member Section => Building America's Rifle => Topic started by: fatbaldguy on November 27, 2017, 06:21:03 PM

Title: 80% lower coming in...
Post by: fatbaldguy on November 27, 2017, 06:21:03 PM
Actually, 4 of them.  Cousin is a machinist, with a Bridgeport.  Contacts in the metallurgical field for anodizing.  3 of us gonna stand around the Bridgeport and learn how to do this.

Question is, what caliber should I build out?  I'm leaning toward 7.62x39.  Tell me how wrong I am and what caliber I should be thinking about.
Title: Re: 80% lower coming in...
Post by: Big Frank on November 27, 2017, 10:31:13 PM
From what little I've read about it 7.62x39mm isn't as reliable in an AR as other calibers. Caliber choice would depend on what you want to use it for. I think I would just stick with 5.56x45mm since you can get that and .223 Remington ammo just about anywhere. If I was interested in hunting with it I would get a .450 Bushmaster since straight-walled cases up to a certain length, including it and magnum revolver calibers, are legal in the shotgun deer hunting zone here and a few other states.
Title: Re: 80% lower coming in...
Post by: Majer on November 28, 2017, 12:02:12 PM
The .300 Blackout would be a good choice as well, It uses the 5.56/.223 bolt carrier group so all you would have to do is swap out the upper for a 5.56/.223 and have more choices of what you want to shoot.
Title: Re: 80% lower coming in...
Post by: PegLeg45 on November 28, 2017, 05:37:15 PM
Ditto what Jumbo and Majer both said.
I've heard that 7.62x39 in a standard AR lower has issues with the mags. There is a company or two that make dedicated lowers for use with the curved mags that work better with that round.

I'd stick with something known to work in standard ARs.

I have heard good things about the 6.5 in ARs if you want larger diameter and greater distance.
Title: Re: 80% lower coming in...
Post by: les snyder on November 28, 2017, 05:49:51 PM
I've become enamored with short barrel ARs within the last year or two...a 10.5" upper with a LAW folding adapter to a pistol buffer tube (without a brace or blade, just a rubber end cap) would make a pretty compact AR "pistol"... my 7" holds about 2" at 100m....with 69 Sierra Match Kings and hand loads

I just finished a Colt M4 (real) barrel that I pinned and welded a flash hider on to match a new Colt Lower inbound