Does it make sense for me to build a 300 blackout AR?

[titsonritz]

With that budget in today's market you could get the whole rifle in a budget type or for a few bucks more get a Colt...
Colt Competition Series Semiautomatic Tactical Rifle 5.56 NATO 16" 30 Rd - $699.99 (free store pickup)

If you are going to get a Colt get a real one. From my understanding, these are not made by Colt at all, they are made by Bold Ideas out of Texas via a licensing agreement with Colt and they are lacking the QC typically found on Colts.

OP if you just want an upper check out SIONICS, they are a top notch out fit. They will be putting a new upper called The Patrol Three-E Upper and it will be available without a BCG or Charging Handle for $409.95.

 

[titsonritz]

A 7.62x39 AR was what I was thinking originally, but everything I read said it's not very reliable and is prone to feeding problems even with dedicated mags, that's why I was looking at the .300 BO, 7.62x39 performance in an AR mag. When I get around to a 7.62x39 AR I'll do something like a RRA LAR-47.

If you want a 7.62x39 get an AK. The extreme taper of that round requires a curved magazine to feed properly, the AR has straight magazine well and uses straight magazines that aren't the best for 7.62. A 5.45x39 AR works better and use to make good sense when cheap 7n6 was plentiful not so much any more. You should stick with a 5.56.

 

[titsonritz]

Wait a few years. 5.56/.223 will cover those needs nicely in the mean time. The only reason to go .300 BLK is if you're gonna suppress it or build a SBR IMO.

This pretty much sums up the original topic question, IMO also.

 

[Goosebrown]

Go 223/5.56.

You are ALWAYS better off going with the rifle you will shoot more. 300 is expensive to load. If you DON'T reload then you are dependent on whatever is available. 223 will always be more available than 300.

Honestly 300 is a waste of time and money.

 

[CLT65]

I bought mine because it was cheap, and to shoot cheap ammo.

It was a PSA blem, so I have about $400 in it. I cast and reload, so I'm shooting 155gr powder coated gas-checked bullets. It uses about the same amount of powder as a 30 carbine. Cost per round, minus brass, about a dime per round (plus time!)

I'm having some buyer's remorse over it, though. 1) I didn't need it. 2) I didn't need to spend the money, cheap as it was. 3) I really don't have to time to make all this "cheap ammo".

It shoots OK, about 2moa with the cast bullets. To me, not having a suppressor or SBR, it reminds me a little of a modern M1 Carbine, with a .30 cal bullet going about the same speed (except 50% heavier and a little more accurate). For my purposes, a cheap plinker, I wish I had saved up a little more money to buy a 9mm AR. That would have suited my particular purposes better.

 

[Kruel J]

As everyone else has stated, .300BLK has it's place in the shooting world for suppressed or pistol/SBR builds. For me, I own a family of AR's and have two calibers. 5.56/.223 and 9mm. I don't think I'll ever go .300BLK as I don't reload and it's just too expensive. Now 7.62x39? Maybe!!

 

[Flymph]

Just thought I would point that out he said he didn't have a rifle lots of people think 223 and 5.56 are the same THERE NOT

I learned that when my Ruger AR556 had problems cycling .223 PMC bronze, but not 5.56 NATO (it's supposed to shoot both).

Yeah, you should be reloading before experimenting with less common or expensive ammunition. That said, it's barely worth reloading .223 or 9mm... however, if you shoot 7.62 you can hunt deer and reload 30 Mauser with slight modifications. Which is cool if you like stuff that shoots that and know how expensive that amo can be. I'm not saying get an AK, get an HK. LoL
Start with a cheap gun that uses cheap amo and plan to destroy the rifling on it.
I'm sure that the advantages are nominal until enough skill has been developed.

Good luck on your build.

 

[Will_White]

If you want a 7.62x39 get an AK. The extreme taper of that round requires a curved magazine to feed properly, the AR has straight magazine well and uses straight magazines that aren't the best for 7.62. A 5.45x39 AR works better and use to make good sense when cheap 7n6 was plentiful not so much any more. You should stick with a 5.56.

Yeah that's why i'd go with an LAR-47 for a 7.62 AR15, it uses ak mags. But that's a topic for another day.

I looked at PSA and BCM last night, but I didn't really see what I was looking for. I did find a radical firearms upper that's pretty close to what I want, RF 16'' 5.56MM M4 15'' FTR Upper Assembly . Does anyone sell uppers without handguards? Or link to a parts list to build an upper, I searched but most of them are full of dead links. I'm looking for a 16" barrel with a 15" free-float hand guard with full length rails top and bottom or full length rail on the bottom with a smaller rail on the top.

 

[Goosebrown]

Brown Ella has a build your ar section in their print catalog. I would check their site. It was pretty useful in print I can only imagine how their online might be.

Also rock river let's you build an upper and subtract what you don't want.

 

[Flopsweat]

Yeah that's why i'd go with an LAR-47 for a 7.62 AR15, it uses ak mags. But that's a topic for another day.

I looked at PSA and BCM last night, but I didn't really see what I was looking for. I did find a radical firearms upper that's pretty close to what I want, RF 16'' 5.56MM M4 15'' FTR Upper Assembly . Does anyone sell uppers without handguards? Or link to a parts list to build an upper, I searched but most of them are full of dead links. I'm looking for a 16" barrel with a 15" free-float hand guard with full length rails top and bottom or full length rail on the bottom with a smaller rail on the top.

Assembled uppers with no handguard are hard to find. Mostly it's upper parts or kits and fully assembled uppers.

Upper Parts - AR-15
AR-15 16" DS-4 Upper w/ LPGB - No Barrel Nut : DOUBLE STAR AR-15 STRIPPED DS4 UPPER | Brownells

Parts list and instructions:
Assemble your own LOWER, UPPER, FREE FLOAT, TRIGGER, GAS BLOCK - Step by step instructions! - AR15.COM

 

[titsonritz]

Assembled uppers with no handguard are hard to find. Mostly it's upper parts or kits and fully assembled uppers.

Not hard at all...
BCM BFH 16'' Mid Length Upper Receiver Group
BCM SS410™ 16'' Mid Length Upper Receiver Group 1/8 Twist (Ionbond BLACK)
<broken link removed>
16" Upper Receiver Group w/ Low profile Gas Block and Barrel Nut - SIONICS Weapon Systems

 

[titsonritz]

<broken link removed>

 

[Flopsweat]

Not hard at all...
BCM BFH 16'' Mid Length Upper Receiver Group
BCM SS410™ 16'' Mid Length Upper Receiver Group 1/8 Twist (Ionbond BLACK)
<broken link removed>
16" Upper Receiver Group w/ Low profile Gas Block and Barrel Nut - SIONICS Weapon Systems

Hard for me to find, apparently. What search criteria did you use? Also, where are the inexpensive ones?

 

[titsonritz]

Hard for me to find, apparently. What search criteria did you use? Also, where are the inexpensive ones?

No search criteria, I just knew where to look. The price is on par with the quality.

 

[DirectDrive]

Tits has good taste.
All those 16's and not one dopey carbine gasser....mid-length as it should be for a 16.

 

[Will_White]

So I was looking at PSA again, I'm thinking I might just get a basic upper and add the hand guard I want. That or send them an email and ask them if they'd put a 15" rail on a 16" upper; I know their website says they won't change from what's listed but it can't hurt to ask right. Is there any advantage to getting an upper with BCG/ without BCG other then spreading out the expense so the wife is happier? Also is it fairly straight forward to re-shape a front sight block to a low profile gas block like in the link @Flopsweat posted to save some money or is it worth it to get one that already has a ff handguard?

Also totally unrelated to the current thread but are the PSA AKs any good?

 

[Boboclown]

So I was looking at PSA again, I'm thinking I might just get a basic upper and add the hand guard I want. That or send them an email and ask them if they'd put a 15" rail on a 16" upper; I know their website says they won't change from what's listed but it can't hurt to ask right. Is there any advantage to getting an upper with BCG/ without BCG other then spreading out the expense so the wife is happier? Also is it fairly straight forward to re-shape a front sight block to a low profile gas block like in the link @Flopsweat posted to save some money or is it worth it to get one that already has a ff handguard?

Also totally unrelated to the current thread but are the PSA AKs any good?

Just get one with a FF handguard already if you want to go that route. As for the BCG, getting one without a BCG and CH means you choose which ones you get without spending money on an upper that already has them.

Their AKs had a promising start but then they decided to go with cast trunnions instead. As far as AKs go, just do yourself a favor and spend the extra $$ on imported ones.

 

[Runwithryan]

If you want to buy a upper and barrel and forend already put together you will pay that much but if you buy the part's separate and put them together your self you can do it cheaper and .... get a 5.56 barrel if you get one for 223 only you can't fire 5.56 in it

Look at Delta Team Tactical's stuff. They have quality uppers for amazing prices. I know a few of retailers that use them too.

They mostly have Daniel Defense AR setups as well as the full kits unassigned so you can still do the build yourself.

I dont reccamend stuff unless I believe in their product and/or service. It's worth your time to check out what they have. They sell quality pieces for reasonable prices. You can easily get a good upper for under $300.

deltateamtactical.com

 

[Flopsweat]

Look at Delta Team Tactical's stuff. They have quality uppers for amazing prices. I know a few of retailers that use them too.

They mostly have Daniel Defense AR setups as well as the full kits unassigned so you can still do the build yourself.

I dont reccamend stuff unless I believe in their product and/or service. It's worth your time to check out what they have. They sell quality pieces for reasonable prices. You can easily get a good upper for under $300.

deltateamtactical.com

Nice. Ar-15 16

 

[Will_White]

After reading quite a bit, I'm still a little confused about chambers,is it safe to shoot 5.56 ammo in a .223 wylde chamber? I'm debating between a 16" and 18" upper and I think 18" is winning but all the PSA 18" uppers are .223 Wylde.

Just get one with a FF handguard already if you want to go that route. As for the BCG, getting one without a BCG and CH means you choose which ones you get without spending money on an upper that already has them.

Other then a PSA is there a general go to BCG that would be better for about the same price?

Their AKs had a promising start but then they decided to go with cast trunnions instead. As far as AKs go, just do yourself a favor and spend the extra $$ on imported ones.

On the AKs it looks like they went to "billet steel" and forged trunions, so it looks like they remedied that.