AR Upper Palooza For 2025/26

[arakboss]

This is my first pistol caliber upper project for the year. I bought the upper already assembled and it had been used previously on a lower that accepted Colt mags. The bolt has both Colt and Glock cuts. I have a PSA stripped lower that is set up for Glock mags and another Lower that has a mag adapter that accepts Colt style mags. One day I will dig those up. For now I am going to use this rifle lower with endomags, when I find them.


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I found and installed my Stern Defense mag well adapter for M&P/P320 mags. I tried cycling a couple of hollow points I had on the bench and it didn't go well. Hopefully round nose rounds feed better. I can tell this set up is going to be a fussy eater.

The barrel in this upper has the lame feeding cone. It's a big jump from the feed ramp built into the mag well adapter to the feed cone.

 

[tdemore1743x]

I want to build a micro pistol like what's pictured. 4.75" 5.56 barrel with a CMMG .22LR kit so I can run a bufferless lower

 

[arakboss]

I want to build a micro pistol like what's pictured. 4.75" 5.56 barrel with a CMMG .22LR kit so I can run a bufferless lower

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I picked up a Foxtrot Mike's ranch rifle style lower last year. I am going to attempt using a BCA side charging AR15 upper (with disabled gas system) and this neutered BCG for first upper.



I am waiting for prices to come down significantly on bufferless uppers, before I buy one.

 

[arakboss]

Dropping another $200 on a complete 300 BO upper this weekend. It has a CHF Chrome Lined barrel most likely manf by FN. This will be a February or March project. I am going to load up some heavy cast bullet rounds so I can shoot it down at the silhouette range.

 

[titsonritz]

The only one I have planned for the near future will be a dedicated NV gun built around a Criterion 13.9" CORE barrel.

 

[arakboss]

I just threw my recently purchased Rosco barrel on an Aero upper receiver. I reused a low pro gas block/tube, I had on hand. I installed the recently purchased TF FF handguard and now I need to select a muzzle device.

 

[arakboss]

Next upper build on the list is a goofy one. Plan is for another bloop tube project but with 300 BO 16" barrel. Instead of using copper tube like on the Glock 21 project, I will use 3/4" EMT pipe. It should slip right on the barrel all the way past the gas port. This will be a manual loader set up. To secure the EMT to barrel I will try something like this.





Holes will be drilled throught conduit pipe and into barrel to act as dimples for the two set screws to rest in. I will powder coat it and the EMT pipe black to lower the ugliness profile. The connector above will be hidden under handguard so it shouldn't be obvious what materials were used. I have a cheap Bear Creek Arsenal barrel that will be sacrificed for the project. I may make the bloop tube ridiculously long since EMT pipe is cheap. It should be fairly easy to remove if I don't like it.


Edit: Why? For the fun of it.

 

[arakboss]

Next upper build on the list is a goofy one. Plan is for another bloop tube project but with 300 BO 16" barrel. Instead of using copper tube like on the Glock 21 project, I will use 3/4" EMT pipe. It should slip right on the barrel all the way past the gas port. This will be a manual loader set up. To secure the EMT to barrel I will try something like this.

View attachment 2018835



Holes will be drilled throught conduit pipe and into barrel to act as dimples for the two set screws to rest in. I will powder coat it and the EMT pipe black to lower the ugliness profile. The connector above will be hidden under handguard so it shouldn't be obvious what materials were used. I have a cheap Bear Creek Arsenal barrel that will be sacrificed for the project. I may make the bloop tube ridiculously long since EMT pipe is cheap. It should be fairly easy to remove if I don't like it.


Edit: Why? For the fun of it.

Decided I wasn't going to pay $10+ for a stick of EMT, so I used some left over black pipe from a slamfire shotgun project. I still need to put a finish on the barrel "shroud" but here are some mock up pics. 300 BO barrel is 16", shroud extends it out to 24". Still working out some details with attachment of shroud to barrel. It is going to be really ugly.

 

[arakboss]

Decided I wasn't going to pay $10+ for a stick of EMT, so I used some left over black pipe from a slamfire shotgun project. I still need to put a finish on the barrel "shroud" but here are some mock up pics. 300 BO barrel is 16", shroud extends it out to 24". Still working out some details with attachment of shroud to barrel. It is going to be really ugly.

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I'm getting close. The "collar" that holds the shroud to the barrel is heavily rubbing on the inside of the cavernous handguard. I will go to town on it this weekend with a file and I should be able to wrap up the initial phase of project as well.

Next phase will be to add a flash hider (aka, a bigger piece of black pipe) to the muzzle end. Maybe some harmonic balancing weights or vibration dampeners. The sky's the limit when you have mad skills like me.

 

[Kruel J]

I still have 4 lowers that need to be built. Don't know if I'll ever get to it, I already have a few complete rifles and don't really need another one.

 

[arakboss]

I still have 4 lowers that need to be built. Don't know if I'll ever get to it, I already have a few complete rifles and don't really need another one.

I may have triple as many stripped lowers. I am focusing on uppers for now but sneaking in some part purchases for lpks and buffer kits when deals come up.

During the post M114 period and up until last summer, I mostly focused on serialized stuff. Serialized item purchases are pretty much over for me. Now it's time to fill in the gaps.

Edit: I think Oregon will end up like Washington one day and parts may be hard to get. I just want the parts on hand even if they won't get assembled right away.

 

[arakboss]

I'm getting close. The "collar" that holds the shroud to the barrel is heavily rubbing on the inside of the cavernous handguard. I will go to town on it this weekend with a file and I should be able to wrap up the initial phase of project as well.

Next phase will be to add a flash hider (aka, a bigger piece of black pipe) to the muzzle end. Maybe some harmonic balancing weights or vibration dampeners. The sky's the limit when you have mad skills like me.



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Did a little massaging, with coarse file, nearly all the way around the collar. Test fitting went well and handguard spins freely over collar. I need to refinish it and it will be ready to go.