Those who have run an AR pistol long and hard, what's your experience? What would you change, what would you not?

[deerbandit]

I'm planning an AR pistol build for next year. Looking to find out peoples' experiences with their AR pistols. If you were going to get another, replace the one(s) you have, what would you do differently, what wouldn't you change?

Go with the 10.5 inch barrel unless you are suppressing it. The blast and noise is overpowering in the shorter barrels. Also the LAW folder or a similar one is very nice too. An AFG was a must just to get a consistent hand grip on the barrel after almost 35 years of shooting 16-20 inch barreled AR rifles also. Good luck with it, they are a blast. We have two 5.56 AR pistols and 3 9 mm PCCs. My son and I have the AR pistols. I bought the first 9 mm PCC and my wife and daughters liked them so much i had to get a few more. Enjoy.

 

[turbo_vanner]

file the paperwork for your can now. A 10.5-12.5" 5.56 with a birdcage sounds like an AR10 with a brake.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Damn, I did not know that. Will have to hope the way those things are selling they will come out with one for them then. Wife bought me one for my birthday. I was "skeptical" of it due to price but damn it is very wall made and works great.

Laws do not work on my 9mm sbr ar,(nfa lower) but the Sylvania arms folder does.

 

[deerbandit]

Laws do not work on my 9mm sbr ar,(nfa lower) but the Sylvania arms folder does.

That's what I have on one of my 9mm PCCs also. I think it's a Sylvan Arms ARH300.

 

[deerbandit]

That's what I have on one of my 9mm PCCs also. I think it's a Sylvan Arms ARH300.

It was $150.00 plus tax.

 

[arrowshooter]

I have a 10.5" 45 ACP and an 8.5" 300 BLK with side charging uppers (Gibbz), and both run extremely well and are very accurate. But, the 45 is a Glock Mag lower and I have to keep spare bolt catches in my bag since they will break every 20 mags or so, rapid fire speeds this up. I have tried most all the tricks to alleviate this issue to no avail, but I have yet to put some whiteout on the bottom face of the hammer to see if it transfers to the bolt catch.

 

[Diamondback]

If you're building in rifle caliber, get a Vltor A5 buffer system. H2 if you're not running a LAW folder, H0 if you are.

 

[Diamondback]

Skip the pistol calibers and build it in 5.56, 7.62x39 or 300blk. Get a good muzzle device to control flash. A good red dot or 1x prism scope with irons on a slant is a good combo or just straight irons. If you really want a stopper round build a 10.5" 458 socom.

Supposedly the 75gr Hornady TAP SBR is very good for low flash even from bare-muzzle.

Funny thing, given that WWII M2 Ball in .30-06 for the Garand is the only civvy-legal armor-piercing ammo, I've been toying with the idea of a 12.5" AR10 in .30-06...

 

[osprey]

I have had good luck with jp flash hider on a 10.5" 5.56 as well a cmmg krink syle device on an 11.5" 7.62x39. Some people like the big fireball, I do not.

 

[Rkangel]

Truisms of AR ownership:

1. It isn't if you get/build another AR...It's when you get/build another AR. There is always another...
2. Things always change. These are Legos for adults. You will see a picture you like or find a new accessory you can't live without and suddenly you are reconfiguring your entire arsenal.
3. The only way to "save" money is to make a plan and stick to it. (However, see rule #2) Planning ahead helps you lose less money.

Things I learned from previous builds:

Free-float all the things.
Cheap no-name rails are cheap and not worth it. Expensive rails are expensive and not really worth the expense. Find the happy middle. A $60 rail didn't save me any money when I had to replace it with something that was actually in spec. A $250 rail didn't make me feel any better about myself or make me a ninja-operator. Taking $100 from the expensive rail and putting into better barrel or SBA3/SBA4 is money better spent.
Pin and/or Dimple your gas block whenever possible.
A quality barrel and BCG is your friend, but they are also expendable so don't get too hung up on ultra-gucci-top-tier. Know your goals. Don't spend money on a stainless, match-grade barrel then shoot nothing but Wolf or Tula steel case through it.
Adjustable triggers and gas blocks work great...until they don't. Adjustable things go out of adjustment. Keep that in mind if you need it to go bang every time.

 

[aksu747]

I had Springfield Saint Victor in 5.56.(Had an awesome muzzle flash 1.5foot long and about a foot wide due to blast diverter) These are the things I'd change on it:
1. Sights it didn't come with any, Mag Pul flip ups were put on it by me.
2. Brace the one I had had a fixed brace, had I kept it longer I would have replaced it with an SBA3.
3. Pistol grip, I much prefer the rubberized Mag Pul moe + grip and put one on mine when I had it.
4. Add ambidextrous parts: Charging Handle, Bolt Release, Magazine Release, and Fire selector.

Extra:
If you sell an AR15 or AR15 Pistol save the parts you might miss.
I keep Moe + grip and Mag Pul flip up sights in case I find another AR15 I want sometime later down the road.

 

[deerbandit]

Supposedly the 75gr Hornady TAP SBR is very good for low flash even from bare-muzzle.

Funny thing, given that WWII M2 Ball in .30-06 for the Garand is the only civvy-legal armor-piercing ammo, I've been toying with the idea of a 12.5" AR10 in .30-06...

That would be an awesome build.

 

[Diamondback]

That would be an awesome build.

It would likely be murderous on the person firing it, though, since it can't be fired from the shoulder.

 

[deerbandit]

It would likely be murderous on the person firing it, though, since it can't be fired from the shoulder.

Most likely, but it would still be very different. I enjoy shooting my Garand and having an AR pistol on a caliber no one else has just sounds interesting.

 

[Alexx1401]

It was $150.00 plus tax.

Thanks guys. I had no idea anyone else was making these. GREAT to know!!!

 

[Lasers]

It would likely be murderous on the person firing it, though, since it can't be fired from the shoulder.

What do you mean?

 

[Diamondback]

What do you mean?

Firing a full power .30-06 freehand from a pistol.

 

[orygun]

Firing a full power .30-06 freehand from a pistol.

Most people would shoulder the brace.

 

[Diamondback]

Most people would shoulder the brace.

True, but to not be an SBR it has to at least have the pretext of "designed to be fired not-from-shoulder."

 

[Lasers]

True, but to not be an SBR it has to at least have the pretext of "designed to be fired not-from-shoulder."

Right, but you said...

... since it can't be fired from the shoulder.

It absolutely can be.

Not trying to dog ya, just clarifying for the sake of clarifying