Got ideas for an AR?

[YllwFvr]

A buddy just got his first AR. Its a Rock River midlength 16" LAR. Its a flat top with a match trigger and an m4 style adjustable stock. It came that way and since it had no sights at all I had an extra BSA red dot he can use for now.

He wants a more hand friendly pistol grip, quad rail, and some type of flip up sights, and a eotech or aimpoint of some kind he maybe could co-witness? Neither of us have any experience with ARs and you can only do so much with google. There are so many options we just cant tell whats worth the money. I was hoping someone here could give us some ideas from experience, I know we have some competent AR folk here.

Other ideas on what he could do would be nice too. He might want a light for example. He's pretty excited to have an AR finally and Im excited to get to work with one finally. Im more of an AK guy so this is a learning experience for everyone.

[shooker8]

Well all the parts placed on the rifle is all preference. I personally don't like co-witness I either want irons or my optic. The next thing is that quad rails with grips is going to be all preference. The only close to medium range optics I have experience with is Eotech and Trijicon. I have never personally used an Aimpoint so I can't put input there. The Eotech has been on my rifle for about 1500 rounds. The zero is still great and its quick.

[EvoRich]

Mine


Hand friendly grip, I LOVE my Hogue grip. I have a Hogue grip on my pistols too. My AR came with a Troy Industries quad rail. It's pretty decent. A flip up front sight would be nice to have, defiantly!

You can buy cheaper holosights and red dots than Eotech and Aimpoint, BUT, you really do get what you pay for when it comes to electronic sight. I have a Bushnell, which is "made by Eotech", just not the the military/LEO standards. I love it. It was half the price, but it's discontinued. I got the last one in stock at Gander Mtn.

A good light, I'm a fan of the Streamlight TLR series of lights. I have a TLR-1 on my Mossberg and a TLR-2 on my HK USP. I plan on getting a TLR-1 or TLR-2 for my AR as well.

A GripPod like I and shooker8 have is great. Doubles as a bi-pod and vertical front grip. I think the vertical front grips make for a more comfortable shooting grip. I put a vertical grip on the pump on my Mossberg too.

Also, Magpul mags (and other Magpul parts) are some of the best you can get. I have a few Magpul's and the clear Lancer L5 mags are nice too.

[fastfive0]

I will second the hogue grip! Dramatic difference in feel from a stocker!

[JMIS]

Many good ideas in here

http://forum.pafoa.org/gun-pictures-...ures-here.html

[CHEMICAL]

My Colt had this on the rear, Matech BUIS:

And this on the front:

Eotech is great for co witness

[mythaeus]

Having built and customized a bunch for myself, the most economical route is the polymer route with Magpul products. Staying withing 1 brand gives a consistent look and feel. Magpul however, does not make quadrails.

I'd recommend these mods:

1. Magpul MOE grip (don't waste money on the MIAD) unless your hand is extraordinary large or small. MOE is medium and fits most people.

2. Magpul MOE stock. I don't like the standard collapsible from RRA. I think it's ugly. I believe RRA buffer tube is mil-spec, but check because I think there are 2 versions of the MOE (commercial and mil-spec)

3. Magpul mags.

4. Magpul MBUS front and rear sights.

5. Troy mid-length quadrail over a low profile gas block. Must be mid-length if you want to use MBUS front sight. It will melt if put on a railed gas block on a carbine length configuration.

Troy makes some of the lightest, but solid, quadrails out there. Look at YHM, Midwest Industries, and Daniel Defense, etc., but be sure to look at the weight.

6. Magpul XTM rail covers.

Best of all, if you want to spice up the customization up, you can get matching color stock, sights, grip, rail covers, and mags from Magpul. If you get bored, you can replace the entire set with the same color set for a couple hundred dollars plus.

Here's my Magpul AR pistol with XTM, MOE grip, and MBUS sights. I'm missing the stock (can't, because it's a pistol), and mag (I needed the clear Lancer as a brass catcher).



I'll let other people chime in with the optics/red dots.

Al

[CHEMICAL]

Midwest Industries also makes quite a few really nice quad rails.

[jerkin]

Sounds like you have some pretty good ideas to start with here. Two things I wanted to mention. The magpul bus are fine if your friend sticks with the plan and goes with a quad rail but don't try to mount them to a gas block, the heat will warp them.

The second thing is about the optics, I didn't have a ton of money when I bought mine so I went with a strikefire red dot from Vortex on the recommendation of a bunch of guys on arfcom. I planned on upgrading one day but haven't had the need to do so yet, it is a very nice optic and only around $129. It also comes with your choice of mount, low, high or absolute co-witness and a lifetime warranty.

[Nate7667]

Since no one mentioned or asked, are planning on a free-float rail or a drop-in rail system?

-Drop-in rails are just that, the go right in place of your existing hand guards.
just pull down on the delta ring, pop out the old, pop in the new.

-Free-float
One piece rails need the front sight base/gas block removed first to allow the rail go on. This involves punching the pins out of the front sight base. Some guys like the specialized tools for this, like a front sight base block.
Two piece rails are just that, two pieces. They will still install similar to a drop in.
Most rails may have special mounting systems as well. New barrel nuts, normally an included tool to remove the rail.

Just making sure you know what you are getting into.