general AR questions..

[brewguy]

I'm thinking with my tax return this year I'd like to get an AR.

What I'm having a very hard time with is figuring out what to get. I'd like to do a kit. I thought an Anvil lower and Model 1 kit.

That is where I get lost, I'm sure I want a flat top upper (A3?) and night sites. What are the pros and cons of flip us sites?

I was thinking 20" barrel, although I'm not sure why. I thought I heard once the extra length helps. I can't see shooting much past 200 yards, does it matter then? I kind of like the tube varmit hand gaurd just because, is there a practical difference between them?

I also don't really understand the reasoning between stainless barrels and chrome lined. Same with the adjustable stock, is there really a need for it?

I know the next question is my use.

Well for now it will be target practice. However I want something that should I ever need it is capable of firing several hundred rounds quickly without blowing up.

My other question is prices. unless I'm missing something an Anvil lower is $140 and most of the kits on model 1 run $500, plus sights $140 plus atleast one mag. So call it. $800 Now Anvil sells a carbine for $885. Can anyone one with some experience take a look and let me know what you think?

[Kaos]

I'm thinking with my tax return this year I'd like to get an AR.

What I'm having a very hard time with is figuring out what to get. I'd like to do a kit. I thought an Anvil lower and Model 1 kit.

That is where I get lost, I'm sure I want a flat top upper (A3?) and night sites. What are the pros and cons of flip us sites?

I was thinking 20" barrel, although I'm not sure why. I thought I heard once the extra length helps. I can't see shooting much past 200 yards, does it matter then? I kind of like the tube varmit hand gaurd just because, is there a practical difference between them?

I also don't really understand the reasoning between stainless barrels and chrome lined. Same with the adjustable stock, is there really a need for it?

I know the next question is my use.

Well for now it will be target practice. However I want something that should I ever need it is capable of firing several hundred rounds quickly without blowing up.

My other question is prices. unless I'm missing something an Anvil lower is $140 and most of the kits on model 1 run $500, plus sights $140 plus atleast one mag. So call it. $800 Now Anvil sells a carbine for $885. Can anyone one with some experience take a look and let me know what you think?

Each feature has it's own reason and purpose. Stainless/Chrome are easier to clean, for 200 yard irons shooting 16" barrel is fine. Collapseable stocks are good for fitting into vehicles or if you need a shorter or potentially longer platform on the fly.

Price isnt so much of a factor at the moment as availability is, pretty much get what you can as long as it's from good sources, you'll be waiting months for an anvil lower and likely similar for delton kits.

[brewguy]

Ok thanks.

I'm not sure if they are in stock or not but the Anvil carbine looks nice, have you ever looked it over?

[larry0071]

Each feature has it's own reason and purpose. Stainless/Chrome are easier to clean, for 200 yard irons shooting 16" barrel is fine. Collapseable stocks are good for fitting into vehicles or if you need a shorter or potentially longer platform on the fly.

Price isnt so much of a factor at the moment as availability is, pretty much get what you can as long as it's from good sources, you'll be waiting months for an anvil lower and likely similar for delton kits.

Kaos,

If your hitting the intended target with iron sights at 200 yards with a carbine... you one bad MF'er. At 125 yards I'm just hopeing to be on the paper, let alone have intended shot placement! Now my brother in law with his Stag and 20" barrel with a variable zoom scope.... at 125 yards he can tell you if he's about to hit left eye, right eye, heart shot....

My wifes 16.5" carbine with a red dot can hit the picture of the man... but randomly placed. She would make the threat end at 125 yards, but the threat would a bloddy mess of misplaced shots ripping ears off, carving grooves in the skull.... and a few good solid strikes.

Me with irons, I can get on the paper... but then I have to take a walk and see what part of the paper I hit....

I hear guys talking about 150 yards and more with irons...and I say to myself... "Geeze, I really do suck!".

Larry

[Kaos]

Kaos,

If your hitting the intended target with iron sights at 200 yards with a carbine... you one bad MF'er. At 125 yards I'm just hopeing to be on the paper, let alone have intended shot placement! Now my brother in law with his Stag and 20" barrel with a variable zoom scope.... at 125 yards he can tell you if he's about to hit left eye, right eye, heart shot....

My wifes 16.5" carbine with a red dot can hit the picture of the man... but randomly placed. She would make the threat end at 125 yards, but the threat would a bloddy mess of misplaced shots ripping ears off, carving grooves in the skull.... and a few good solid strikes.

Me with irons, I can get on the paper... but then I have to take a walk and see what part of the paper I hit....

I hear guys talking about 150 yards and more with irons...and I say to myself... "Geeze, I really do suck!".

Larry

Gotta come out and shoot some CMP for a few weeks and youll see an improvement. I sucked my first time or so out, but with Roland and Hawk's help I learned (what I felt like) was a lot in a relatively low amount of time.

[kevindsingleton]

The pros of flip-up sights are that you can more easily fit the rifle into a case, and you can clear the sight picture of any optics you have installed. The cons are that you have to remember to flip them up, when the zombies attack!

A 20" barrel is fine for most functions. If you envision vehicle entry/exit, close quarters combat, or confined storage, then a 16" barrel might suit you better. If long-range varmint shooting is in your future, then consider 24" barrels, bearing in mind that there is more to range and accuracy than barrel length.

The collapsible stock provides two significant functions: you can more easily maneuver and stow the rifle, and you can adjust the stock to fit when you change the thickness of your clothing. A heavy coat can push your rifle beyond your reach, making it very difficult to get a sight picture and control recoil.

I like stainless barrels because they require less attention, and I also like the look. Some coated steel barrels are actually more corrosion-resistant than stainless, because the stainless used to make barrels isn't all that corrosion-resistant, to begin with, but I still prefer stainless, when I can get it. You'll likely find more barrel profiles in chrome-moly, and some say that chrome-lined barrels negatively impact accuracy, so there are trade-offs to be had with any configuration.

[Robert Kayland]

If your hitting the intended target with iron sights at 200 yards with a carbine... you one bad MF'er.

I think any carbine military rifle worth its salt should be able to fit that bill, given a reasonably competent shooter... leastwise of the AR15/M16 platform.

Back in the early '70's during Basic Training with the M16s and iron sights, most of the company (about 100 guys that I had first-hand visual experience of) could routinely hit 300yd silhouette pop-up targets on the range, after zeroing the rifles in on the Canadian Bulls on the 25 yd range. Beyond that was another story, though... I think one range had a 400 yd target, and that was the first time I remember having to actually aim well above the target.

The 200 yd shots were pretty much "gimmies". And we weren't Olympians... just a bunch of neophytes, for the most part, with little rifle training before joining.

Concentrate on and master the "follow through" and you've got 98% of the task done, assuming your equipment is where it should be.

The "inhale, then exhale a bit, hold the breath and squeeeeeeeze the trigger" is the other 50%.

/if memory serves, I believe we had 20" barrels.

[larry0071]

God! I suck!

I really must spend more time loving up on these AR's. If the zombies come... I will be taking my shots at 100 yards and down while some of you can pull off center-head shots at 300 yards.

It is official..... I SUCK. If anyone asks.... just tell them...

[Robert Kayland]

God! I suck!

I really must spend more time loving up on these AR's. If the zombies come... I will be taking my shots at 100 yards and down while some of you can pull off center-head shots at 300 yards.

It is official..... I SUCK. If anyone asks.... just tell them...

Remember, I said pop-up silhouettes going down at 300 yds... didn't say nothing about whether they were head shots or not... more likely COM, but even with the eyes of an 18 year old at the time, I couldn't tell.

Now at 54, I don't think I can even see 300 yards unless it's an open field... I'll be taking my shots at 100 yards and less too.

[FlameOut]

I just picked up an AR-15 last week (Bushmaster M4 A3) 14 1/2" barrel. Haven't had the pleasure of even shooting it yet, with this cold weather. I'm hoping to get out later this week. Last time I even fired one of these was in boot camp back in the 70's, so I think I will also be able to say "I suck"

BTW, is this BM model I have any good? Seems BM has good and bad reviews, but it was in stock, so I bought it