Building my first AR15

R

remingtonman_25_06

Handloader
Nov 17, 2005
2,794
373
Well I figured since I've had an Aero AR15 lower for almost 10 years sitting on my bench, I figured I'd get to building it. I put the LPK in it (minus the trigger) when I bought the lower and just been sitting ever since. I ordered a LaRue MBT trigger and LA Ruth MBA-1 Stock and bought a MagPul MOE-K2 grip. Put it all together last night and came out great! That LaRue trigger is pretty sweet. The MOE-K2 grip feels really nice in my hands. I tried like 8 of them at the gunshop before I settled on that one. And the stock isn't to bad either. Wanted something decent with adjustable cheekpiece. It also has adjustable LOP.

I also ordered a Warne 1 piece 20 MOA cantilever mount. Hve a Burris E1 Fullfield 4-14x42 LR MOA reticle for a cheap optic. Got the last one at Bi-Mart on sale for $140.

For the Upper Im going with a WOA 20" heavy barreled Krieger with a 7.7 twist. Should be here Wednesday. Bought couple boxes each of 73g ELDMs and 75g BTHP Match around 2800-2850 and get it out to 800 yards. Be a fun little steel banger and a good truck/calling rifle for dogs. Bought 500 1x fired Federal cases. Fully prepped and ready for primer, powder, and bullet. I've got IMR4895, Benchmark, IMR8208XBR for powders. Saving the H4895/N540 for the bolt 223.

Should come out to be a pretty decent build and shoot decent.
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Nice. Looks like a fine rifle, should be a shooter! A few specific tools, namely roll pin drifts, and an upper vice block and it’s a rewarding project. I have a factory bushmaster but have built
2- grendels
2- 5.56
1- 350 legend
1- 300 B/O (sold)
1- 308
1- 338 fed
And currently gathering parts for a 358 win
 
I had a couple of 450 bushmasters up in Alaska, they fit well in the boats and planes. Had I been able to find one in 338 federal, set up with a good tactical sling, that would have been perfect I would think. It amazes me how far the good AR systems have come. Hell when I started running them they still had the triangle profile fore end and a fixed butt stock.
 
Aero makes quality parts. I like that they have the adjustment screw to take the play out of the upper and lower fit. You have a nice lower there. I also like the Burris scope. I have 2 new 4.5x14x42 Fullfield II’s with steel turrets I bought when they stopped making them.
 
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Joec7651 said:
Aero makes quality parts. I like that they have the adjustment screw to take the play out of the upper and lower fit. You have a nice lower there. I also like the Burris scope. I have 2 new 4.5x14x42 Fullfield II’s with steel turrets I bought when they stopped making them.
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I wasn't even aware of that tension screw and what it did until you said something about it and I you tubed it. Good to know! Shows how much I know about these ARs hahaha.
 
In the last 8 years I've built quite a few AR's (10's & 15's) using poly, magnesium and aluminum upper and lowers. My last endeavor was to build a 20" 308win at 5# max weight............it's @ 5# 4.95ozs. AP is 1 of my go-to's on receivers, barrels and bcg's. You can't go wrong with where you started! I'm hoping to find mags made like LaRue 308's where the coal is 2.870ish, but have that 30-50thou longer coal for/in AR15 mags. Look forward to seeing the finished product!
 
I just ordered a couple ASC 5 rd steel mags that after a little research can get a little longer COAL of 2.315" So we'll see how that helps with the 73g ELDM and 75g BTHP Match. I realize you can mag feed those 2 bullets at 2.250" but that just eats up way to much case capacity and puts you that much further away from the lands. An extra .065" probably won't make much if any difference anyway, but I always liked a little longer COAL. If anything it might add 50fps and just give me some more room to tweak seating depth!
 
remingtonman_25_06 said:
I just ordered a couple ASC 5 rd steel mags that after a little research can get a little longer COAL of 2.315" So we'll see how that helps with the 73g ELDM and 75g BTHP Match. I realize you can mag feed those 2 bullets at 2.250" but that just eats up way to much case capacity and puts you that much further away from the lands. An extra .065" probably won't make much if any difference anyway, but I always liked a little longer COAL. If anything it might add 50fps and just give me some more room to tweak seating depth!
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I have 5 asc 308 mags that give longer than normal coal's, but have 1 fault (not asc's) when it comes to lower fitment. Some lowers it will not latch in to (aero precision for 1), but is easily remedied. 1/80th or .0125" is all the difference for it to work. Probably not going to be an issue with AR15's as they are more all mil-spec. Where internal lengths are separated by is how/where they are welded. LaRue welds them (not overlapping) together where the bolt catch seam is, unlike the front length of the mag (where most are folded together and spot welded). If you don't mind posting a photo of the top view when you get them I'd appreciate it. Photos are less reviling on their and other sites. Most metal/aluminum mags have the same wall thickness on average.
 
TexasLife said:
I have 5 asc 308 mags that give longer than normal coal's, but have 1 fault (not asc's) when it comes to lower fitment. Some lowers it will not latch in to (aero precision for 1), but is easily remedied. 1/80th or .0125" is all the difference for it to work. Probably not going to be an issue with AR15's as they are more all mil-spec. Where internal lengths are separated by is how/where they are welded. LaRue welds them (not overlapping) together where the bolt catch seam is, unlike the front length of the mag (where most are folded together and spot welded). If you don't mind posting a photo of the top view when you get them I'd appreciate it. Photos are less reviling on their and other sites. Most metal/aluminum mags have the same wall thickness on average.
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Will do! Should be here Wednesday or Thursday. Hopefully I don't have to modify them any. I did read that issue about the weld not being right on some of them, but hoping that issue is fixed by now.
 
Well I took the AR out for a function check and sight in. Just took a random load with some leftover BLC2 powder at 27.5g and a 52g smk at 2.25" Fired 35 rounds total and not 1 problem. So that's good, I must've put it together halfway right ha!

After I got it on paper at 100 yards and shot a few groups at 100, which were right around 1-1.25" I moved onto the 200 yard zero. Took a little getting used to the 2 stage trigger, and also the funky recoil versus a bolt action. The first 5 went 1.7" and those are marked. I then went down 1 click and got serious with the next 5 to go 1.2". All 10 shots went slightly under 2" which means it is a solid MOA rifle with a thrown together load. I think it'll be fully capable of much better after I get a little bit more used to it, and get some load development going. Overall pretty happy with it. Definitely minute of coyote capable!
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TexasLife said:
I have 5 asc 308 mags that give longer than normal coal's, but have 1 fault (not asc's) when it comes to lower fitment. Some lowers it will not latch in to (aero precision for 1), but is easily remedied. 1/80th or .0125" is all the difference for it to work. Probably not going to be an issue with AR15's as they are more all mil-spec. Where internal lengths are separated by is how/where they are welded. LaRue welds them (not overlapping) together where the bolt catch seam is, unlike the front length of the mag (where most are folded together and spot welded). If you don't mind posting a photo of the top view when you get them I'd appreciate it. Photos are less reviling on their and other sites. Most metal/aluminum mags have the same wall thickness on average.
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Here are the mags. They look decent to me. Tac welds are good. Function ok, pop in and out just fine. Should be able to get 2.315" out of them from my crude measurements anyway.
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remingtonman_25_06 said:
Here are the mags. They look decent to me. Tac welds are good. Function ok, pop in and out just fine. Should be able to get 2.315" out of them from my crude measurements anyway.
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although the capacity is less, it'll be nice to get that extra length for match bullets. too bad it's folded and tacked unlike being welded at the bolt catch area. if done that way you could get the extra length of the unnecessary metal (double wall) fold.
 
TexasLife said:
although the capacity is less, it'll be nice to get that extra length for match bullets. too bad it's folded and tacked unlike being welded at the bolt catch area. if done that way you could get the extra length of the unnecessary metal (double wall) fold.
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Well I got the 5 rounders specifically so I can use it for coyote hunting on public/BLM ground just in case...I have a couple 10 and 30 round polymer mags for private ground use. Honestly probably won't use them hi capacity mags much anyway. No mag dumps and unnecessary throat wear here. If I can't kill or hit what I'm aiming at in 5 shots, I got other problems haha. Not sure I follow you about all the folds and welds. It's just a mag to me that allows a tad longer length at the end of the day.
 
remingtonman_25_06 said:
Well I got the 5 rounders specifically so I can use it for coyote hunting on public/BLM ground just in case...I have a couple 10 and 30 round polymer mags for private ground use. Honestly probably won't use them hi capacity mags much anyway. No mag dumps and unnecessary throat wear here. If I can't kill or hit what I'm aiming at in 5 shots, I got other problems haha. Not sure I follow you about all the folds and welds. It's just a mag to me that allows a tad longer length at the end of the day.
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I'll post some pics
 
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