Here's a custom lower that alone cost me more than a M&P Sport. CMC flat 3.5# trigger, KNS anti-walk trigger pins, oversize mag release, Mako butt stock, Pacmeyer Vindicator pistol grip, Magpul aluminum enhanced trigger guard, Noveske QD receiver end plate, Mako magwell grip...

I looked at the M&P15T and the Colt 6940, decided I wanted one or the other, then ended up building my own.








Now I can get on to figuring out which Night Guard is going to follow me home next.

Attached Images

	IMGP2911.jpg (135.3 KB, 456 views)
	IMGP2912.jpg (105.6 KB, 436 views)
	IMGP2913.jpg (93.5 KB, 436 views)
	IMGP2914.jpg (84.0 KB, 432 views)
	IMGP2916.jpg (91.3 KB, 438 views)

Sweeeeet! I like the trigger, never seen one of those. Thanks.

beautiful rifle how does she shoot? what barrel do you have and what groups does she get ya? I know you have a ton of money in her, what does it do that my sport wont? I do like the matech rear sight!!

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

If you free-floated the barrel on a Sport, prolly nothing and I think M&P15 Sport are super, by the way. I had most of the parts for the lower accumulated over time. So it was more like $5 here $20 there - not all at once. Plus I was searching high and low for specific parts that I wanted - flat trigger for instance.

The upper is a Colt 6940. Like the monolithic rail, QD attachments and flip-up sights and it ends up being lighter than the 6920. So far, I'm thinking it is the most accurate M4 upper I've shot. Typical Colt 1/7 twist. Need to pump some more off before I get a good idea of group size.

Now I'm drooling over the Colt CRP-18... Grrrrr... Better grab the 310NG first... Hope my wallet doesn't put out a hit on me...

I've desided to go with that "general route" and build my own from the ground up after finding too many likes and dislikes on all the AR's. I also want something that's good to 300 yards (at least).

Also want and like the SR556 and will have one down the road (Mini 14 needs a cousin).

IF I can find a good deal on an AR 15T that will also be in the collection.

You will not regret building your own. Beware that certain grip/stock choices can make other parts unnecessary. For instance, the Magpul MIAD grip means you do not need a trigger guard, which is a $8 or $15 additional part otherwise. Get the receiver end plate you want, not just the standard one. I like QD points so I went with the Noveske QD endplate.

Better trigger is the other great reason to roll your own. Better triggers can be had for $45-$250.

300 yards is completely reasonable.

There are parts of the SR556 I love and parts not so much. No Mini-14 on hand here so I'd be more inclined to go with a 6940P upper if piston was on my chart.

The M&P15T was on the shelf at $1,399 or something at the LGS while the 6940 was $1,500. I'd go Colt for that kind of money and a monolithic upper. But for $750 budget, the M&P15 Sport is just what the Dr. ordered.

The last build I did that was just a basic stripped lower, LPK, CAR stock kit, optics ready M4 style upper, FFL transfer and shipping came to under $625 with no sights or scope included. The build pictured above was over $1,500. Lots of room there, depending on parts used, for a wide range of budgets.

Just so you know a $600 sport and a $150 scope and rings will shoot 300 accurately and easily. As the barrel heats up it loses some accuracy but when you free float it that problem goes away. When you are prairie dog hunting you arent shooting fast enough for the barrel heat to be a problem. I was shooting them with a stock Sport with an 8-32x42 scope at over 250 before I free floated mine. And I do agree with smart parts shopping you can build a heck of a rifle but if you start with a Sport you have solid quality parts and an extremely accurate barrel to start, plus enough money left over for quality additions and ammo. I built this and bought a 1000 rounds of Federal ammo for well under $1500, way under.

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

Nice shoot'n irons gentlemen.
I'm looking into Mag Grips...any suggestions anyone

I like the mako magwell grip, the only issue is if you have a plum crazy/new frontier lower it doesnt fit as well around the sharper corners.

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

I (obviously) like them too. I've screwed up a couple grinding on them to fit some non mil-spec applications - like enhanced trigger guards, 15-22, etc.. I actually tend to not grip the magwell there but rather like it as a magwell funnel.

Recently started using an AFG2 and am liking it more. So if I was going to go with one or the other, the AFG2 would win out for the money, for a grip.

I dont shoot that particular rifle offhand, I dont know many people that can shoot sub-moa offhand. I have a rifle that I shoot offhand that I built for less than $600 as she is right now:

This is the rifle I shoot offhand, I am entirely pleased with how she shoots to a little over 100yards.

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

So. Fill me in on the likes and dislikes of the SR556.

That's about what I'm looking at for a S&W AR. Is there a difference in the barrels between the 15 Sport and 15 T ? Heard rumors the "T" had a better barrel ??? Definatly going/doing freefloat reguardless. Is that the "yardage adjustable" scope ? I also want Iron sights (back-up if scope takes a dump). How do you go about that with the free float barrel ??? Thinking it would loose some accuracy with heat if mounted on the barrel (???). ...nice Deere,needs a wax job. (I have a 445).

I'm already hot on that trail. "Driving myself nuts" Imput overload ha ha. All I know is,I'll end up with three different AR's in the end.

Carrier tilt? Unknown as to if it is a problem with the Ruger piston implementation. I do not have a piston AR as of yet. I'm about to pull the trigger on a Sig 716, which would be my first piston AR.

Jury is out as to if a piston is even needed. They do run cleaner and cooler. But as of now, I'm not doing any full-auto or surpressed stuff.

They seem heavy? I think they are 7.5# or so - not unreal heavy but seems a bit front heavy.

I do like adjustable regulator. But I like the Colt CRP-18 adjustable gas block better. So for the money, I'd get the CRP-18.

The bolt looks really cool with Ruger etched into it. Flash hider looks cheezy to me. It isn't a monolithic upper. I don't think it has any QD sling swivel holes.

This 6940 upper is exactly what I was looking for. My wife's setup is a 6720 upper for max weight savings. The 5.45x39 upper has even less recoil than the 5.56, which is also very easy for her to shoot.

The M&P15T seems nice but at $1,300+, I start looking elsewhere. Even if the barrel is better than on a Sport.

thats a 76 Deere, needs more than wax LOL. I dont know what barrel the "T" has. If it has the 1:8 5R barrel then that is what is on the sport. If it doesnt and has the 1:9 chrome lined barrel I dont believe it has a better barrel. When you buy a sport there are a few things you do not get, i.e. a dustcover and a forward assist but you do get a barrel that will blow your mind as far as accuracy. Before you get it broken in you will be amazed at the accuracy, I was and thats when I decided to go the big scope route, You can get a free float quadrail that will enable you to put BUIS on it. you may not be able to shoot a fly off of the gatepost but it will be more than accurate enough.
Yes the scope has an Adjustable Objective (AO) that adjusts by yardage and I really like it. It is a Bushnell and I have the same scope on my 308. the only difference I see with the free floating barrel is after a bunch of shots shooting real long distance other than that there is no appreciable difference.

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

Don't like the twist (1:9 too fast ? or ???) or is it the chrome ?

Doing my homework and trying too keep up with you younger shooters. This "old dog" still likes new tricks. ;o)

Same barrel.

Product: Model M&P15T - 5.56 mm, Tactical

1:8 is faster than 1:9.

My bad. I had it backwards on the twist.

Barrels are the same (in that info). Thanks. I seem to run into conflicting info at some of the Dealers. Could be old style or new style. Gonna have to start writing down model numbers,check double checking before I'd order anything.

Happens to me all the time. I'm backwards most days myself, and its kinda counter-intuative anyway.

I just think that the melonite barrel is a more accurate barrel due to the manufacturing process. I also see the major barrel manufacturers going to Melonite and Remington is going to the 5R rifling in their top tier bolt actions

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

First off. Thanks guys for all the help. I've learned a ton of info from what you feed me and also doing more follow up (fine tuning so to speak). My brain is half cooked when I **** out at night.

Another question. Ammo. On my old 181 series Mini 14,marked .223. I shot tons of 556 Nato. Gunsmiths/old friends and other experienced shooters I shot with did and said the same thing about the 556 Nato,no worries and we shot it through anything and everything 223. Mind you,this was in the mid 70's through most of the 80's and into the 90's. It was cheap shooting and we got tons of brass for reloading. Some work involved with dealing with crimped primers and double hole primer pockets,time consuming but doable. Had cheap plinking ammo and re-loads were for the serious shooting. I always sized,trimed and re-loaded to .223 specks though with 4895 powder and 52-55 grain bullets,CCI primers. Zero problems. Mini shot and still shoots outstanding. Got luckey or just a dam good Ruger ???

So with the newer upgrades to the military AR rifles,did they also upgrade the 556 Nato ammo? I'm reading more about NOT shooting 556 Nato in any 233 weapon's period.

Now on building & buying my own AR's (THANKS ALOT !!! I'm hooked on two different AR's now, DesertFox, oneyeopn and storyteller and I do mean that in a very nice way), my first rule is NATO. Stick to 556 Nato or 556 Nato/223 ammo. More for the reason of Nato rounds would be easier to scrounge if SHTF. But now too,stear clear of any plain 223 AR platforms period because I "could" (in a blind rush) blow it up if I slipped in too many 556 rounds. ???

Am I on the right track ? You can feed .223 in a 5.56 Nato,no worries. But 5.56 Nato in a .223 is looking for trouble. ???

Thanks again.

I have looked around and really I am not seeing any "strictly" 223 AR's. I also have in my loading manuals loads for .223 and loads for "service" rifles. It is funny in my Hornady 8th edition any bullet 60gr and under is for a .223 and 68 and over is for a "service" rifle. Makes absolutely no sense. My Hodgdon, Lee and Lyman make no such distinction. Lyman does talk about the distance from the lands to load and that a Colt H-Bar barrel has a throat that is .100 longer than standard AR barrels. I have looked at loading specifications because if the 5.56 loads are hotter I wanted to go that way. I am using CCI #41 5.56 primers but still my velocities dont change when I go to a regular small rifle primer. I also dont see loads that say "bolt action only" knowing that Bolt actions with locking lugs are supposedly stronger than the AR's action. So you are asking a very good question but we would almost have to take it to a rifle by rifle discussion.

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

Most ARs today are 5.56 and yes, they shoot .223 with no problem. I mostly shoot .223 just to local availability.

My M&P led me to build this. I love both. They both run great and feel completely different. It's a 14.5" with a pinned Dynacomp brake and mid length gas system. Spike's Tactical upper with a CHF barrel. The lower is a limited run group buy "Florida" lower with a Palmetto State lower parts kit. Magpul gear, Matech (thanks to Oneye) rear sight and F marked front sight. It's loud with a ton of concussion but great for follow up shots. Now what to do with my other lower ?



With the M&P.

You are on track with safely shooting .223 & 5.56 in the 5.56 chamber. There is also a Wylde chamber that will shoot both safely. Shooting 5.56 in a .223 is 'discouraged' though there are people, like yourself, who have done so without blowing themselves or their weapons up. I have been loading my own for some time, and seriously, you can only get so much powder in a .223 or 5.56 case!
If the stuff does hit the fan, maybe you can score a 5.56 rifle/upper/barrel along with the ammo. Otherwise, bop til ya drop (or the weapon blows up in your hand)

Range time today with several recent builds. The pictured 6940 hasn't skipped a beat shooting PMC brass 5.56, Wolf .223 steel cased, Herter's .223 steel cased. Other ORC upper build ran through it all flawlessly as well. Colt mags, some C mags, a big Lerner's 48 round competition mag (pictured), a 10 and a 20 round all 100% function.

Recent convert to Frog Lube. Working well so far.

Had a close call last night. Went out for our normal Friday night dine out with a few friends. Went to the " Big City" Roadhouse. They have just opened a new (smaller) Dicks Sporting Goods across the street... Soooo we (wife,she's a shooter and outdoor nut too),walked over to see what they had. No SR556, One M&P 15 Sport. BUT did have a couple 15T's One decked out,one plain Jane). So I got a good look at plain Jane. Same melonite barrel 5r, free float,dust cover,forward assist,fold down sights (like I want). Just about $300. over the sport. ALMOST bought it. But the wife gave me the "EYE" !!! It's the under the Christmas tree look "EYE or just a surprise,look what folowed me home "EYE" look. I'll check back and see if it's gone in a few days and who bought it. ha ha.