Don's AR-15 build (courtesy The Truth About Guns)

Don emailed us his recently completed AR build. “The only thing not made in the USA is the Aimpoint.” Whatchew got?

MFG Model Origin Part
Colt SP6920 CT Rifle
Magpul MOE+ Grip CO Grip
Magpul BAD Lever CO Bolt Release Lever
Badger Tac Tactical Latch MO Tactical Charging Latch
Geissele SSA PA Trigger Group
Aimpoint PRO Sweden Optic
Magpul ASP CO Sling Plate
Troy Alpha 13 VTAC MA Forearm
Troy Lopro Gas Block MA Gas Block
Magpul MS3 CO Single Point/2 point sling
GG&G spring rear sight AZ BUIS rear
GG&G spring front sight AZ BUIS front
DPMS NM front sight post MN 0.050 front sight post
Magpul RSA CO forward sling attachment
Battle Arms Ambi Safety NV Ambi Safety Selector
LEO Supply custom dust cover AZ Engraved Dust Cover

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

71 COMMENTS

    • 80% colfax tactical lower, delton mid-length upper. FSB cut down to make low profile gas block.

      No BUIS. Sightmark Red-dot.

      Rifle butt stock. Outshoots AR’s costing twice as much. Eats sh*t ammo for every meal.

  2. My AR is under about 25 feet of water with the safe and a boat, but it was a stock M&p15 , quad rail hand guard from mako, vortex strikfire, and vertical grip with bipod.

    • Is it in a place where it could feasibly be recovered? By that I mean do you know where it sunk and if the boat’s at all upright?

      Not quite as adventurous as when I was younger and an OWS Instructor, but if you’re near the east coast, it wouldn’t be the my first time using a lift bag.

        • Give him time…. it was a journey for all of us….. okay some of us were waiting at the finish line with the aluminum foil hats but everyone else had to get there on their own….

        • Yup. first I started chuckling and couldn’t stop. Then I thought, yes, these are usually the kind of folks you meet at the range. Friends.
          Then I started chuckling again and still cant stop.

        • Joe,

          the joke goes something like this – If “The Man” comes a-knockin’ for your guns, the appropriate response is as follows:

          “Gosh officer, I would love to hand them over so the wee children of the town aren’t harmed, but you know what? As luck would have it I had the entire lot on a rickety old boat this weekend and they went right into the drink. Oh? Which lake? Why the deepest one in the state, of course.”

        • Ah…nope, didn’t get that at all. But hey, my idea of a good time (when I can’t find ammo) usually involves searching for stuff underwater. And I checked, far as I can tell, there still isn’t any ammo.

  4. http://www.molonlabe.com makes some very nice laser-engraved AR parts, like mag catches, charging handles, dust covers, and trigger guards. Their trigger guards are actually Magpul aluminum guards, which I think is quite cool. I have one that reads “Molon Labe” in Greek – excellent craftsmanship, and I like the understated decoration.

    • Nah. Things seem to be going full circle, this weekend it was better for HD rifle or shotgun, today an AR topic. So my guess is going to be caliber war.

        • If you haven’t been pulled into the caliber war yet then run, flee, I don’t care how but just keep using your on calibers and go. Whats over there? OH GOD! a 45 fan and a 9mm fan just spotted each other its about to start again, EVERYBODY RUN!

        • My own personal caliber war is .45, 9mm, 12 guage and .22lr and I ain’t more types of ammo! Stay away Ruger .38/.357.

        • Everyone has to troll once in a while….

          I really don’t have a preference. .45 just happens to be what I have. Frankly, I got a little jealous when a friend bought twice as much 9mm for half the cost of a box of 45….under pre draught conditions of course….

  6. I don’t have an AR but at some point I’d like a 6.8 SPC with an 18″ target crowned barrel and a Timney trigger. Seems like the one rifle I’d pick if I could have only one rifle.

    • Wouldn’t 6.5 Grendel be better? Better long range ballistics and much easier to get bullets for (at least where I am).

      • If long range hunting were the primary purpose the Grendel would probably get the nod, but if that was the primary purpose I wouldn’t be looking for an AR. If you’re keeping your range down to 300 yards or so the 6.8 is just fine for white tails. I think it should perform better in a defensive role and I don’t as of yet hand load, so the bigger issue is loaded ammunition availability – Federal and Remington don’t load the Grendel.

  7. Which one, The .223/5.56, dedicated 22 LR with New Frontier Poly Lower or the 7.62×39 Sota Arms upper with Double D Armory billet lower with PSA lower kit and Hyper touch trigger ?

      • So far so good only glitch was it does not like Herter’s 7.62×39 ammo, The problem being the very poor manufacturing of the ammo, there was NO consistency in the primer depth which is not a problem with an AK or SKS due to the more aggressive firing pin protrusion. I was having FTF and all were related to primer depth in the casing. Even with an enhanced firing pin installed. There is NO problem with Tula ,Wolf, WPA, Brown Bear or MFS ammo.

  9. Magpul STR stock, High Standard mil-spec buffer tube, Spike’s Tactical tungsten powder buffer, Magpul Ambidextrous sling mount, Bushmaster upper and lower receiver with stock trigger (had a trigger job done on it), Magpul B.A.D. lever, Magpul MOE grip, Daniel Defense Omega X mid-length rail, Daniel Defense 1-7 twist mid-length 18″ CHF barrel, Bravo Company mid-length gas tube, Midwest Industries upper height gas block, AAC Brakeout, Magpul polymer front and rear flip sights, Gas Buster charging handle with combat latch, Failzero Nickel Boron BCG, Magpul AFG, and finally Trijicon Reflex 1x42mm 4.5 MOA Dot Amber Reticle.

  10. Matche upper and lower from place in Arkansas

    Daniel defense barrel

    PSA moe lpk and BCG

    Bcm mod 4 CH

    Utg extension and spring and buffer

    ALG QMS trigger

    Spikes BAR rail

    Some sort of gas tube

    Magpul buis

    Stream light tlr1s
    Troy qd end plate

    What am I missing?

  13. I like things to be simplistic. Smith and Wesson M&P15 with basic open sights and a Blackhawk three point sling. No optics, lasers, etc.

  14. Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Flat Dark Earth MOE 1:9 twist, with all the Magpul trimmings that came with that package
    Trijicon 4x ACOG with Trijicon mini red dot mounted on top
    Magpul BAD lever

  15. Colt 6940 5.56/223 with Magpul furniture, Magpul mags, EoTech Exps2-2,

    On Order and paid for, eventually will arrive – Colt 901 308/7.62, already have the Magpul furniture and Mags, as well as a Leupold VX-3 waiting for it. Will need to replace the trigger.

    Thinking about the Colt M2012 with a NF scope as soon as my wife will let me spend some more money (figure that will take about 2 or 3 more months of her hearing Obama on the news telling everyone how great everything may be)

    Would love to get a Barrett, but the price makes it out of the question…maybe if we win the lottery.

    Try to avoid getting anything from the Peoples Republik of Kaliforniastan.

  16. AR15? I don’t own any AR15s…at all. No sirreee. I’m just here for the insightful articles 😀

  17. My AR is a more or less plain M4-gery, with a few differences:

    -Magpul BAD lever
    -Magpul MOE handguard
    -BCM gunfighter charging handle mod 3
    -FAB Defense/Mako Group GL “survivor” stock (the stock that holds a magazine in reserve for you). Kind of a fun novelty at least, so far not seeing a big disadvantage anyway.

    An ACOG is on top for the sighting platform.

  18. I made my AR out of wanker rails.

    Barrel? Rails Loctited together.

    Upper? Rails screwed together with a monolithic top rail attached with Gorilla glue.

    Trigger? Cut up rails. Even use a twisted rail as a spring.

    My sights are two pieces of cut rails with different size screw holes lining up. Ghost rings are almost as Pro as rails.

    My buffer tube is rails cut to mil-spec.

    Also, I have a Magpul buttstock. They make nice gear.

  19. Colt 6920, Diamondhead VR-S handguard,Aimpoint Pro, BCM mod 4 charging handle, ERGO grip, Troy rear BUIS, Blue Force sling. Nothing fancy, but good solid gear.

  20. M&P striped lower, color filled fire/safe markings, red/white.
    PSA standard LPK w/o FCG
    Geissele SSA Trigger
    Magpul MAID grip, OD Green
    Magpul UBR Stock, OD Green
    BCM assembled upper
    Vltor MUR1 receiver
    Daniel Defense Lite Rail, 12in
    BCM 16in mid-length barrel, low-pro gas block, A2 flash hider
    BCM Auto BCG
    BCM mod4 charging handle
    BCM H2 buffer and standard spring
    on the rails:
    Magpul MBUS sights front and rear, OD Green
    Magpul RSA sling mount
    generic rail ladder covers, OD Green
    Magpul AFG2, OD Green
    Streamlight TLR-1 HL @3:00 rail
    Aimpoint T1, 2moa, Larue LT660 mount
    Primary Arms x3 long eye relief magnifier in ADM AD-SM-01 mount

  21. My AR is 100% Chinese parts… I call it an SKS. That’s Chinese for AR. So is won ton and chop stick. I’m worldy.

  22. Daniel Defense (GA) 5.56mm 1:7 16in mid-length upper with their Omega X 12 cheese grater…
    Del-Ton (NC) stripped lower with Daniel Defense (GA) parts kit
    Spike’s (FL) extension and buffer
    Magpul (CO) ACS stock with .7in recoil pad (for longer LoP, not recoil)
    BSA (China) 4-14×44 ffp mil-mil scope on a Primary Arms (probably China) 30mm mount…
    Yankee Hill (People’s Republic of Taxachusetts) QDS folding iron sights front and rear (looking for a good offset mount for use with scope attached).

    • Try the Diamondhead D-45 if you can find them. Little pricey at $300. They are spring loaded, hide out of sight and jump into position when you need them.

      Careful of the Dueck Defense 45 degree sights, great sight but do not fold out the way, lots of imitations from China, many in imitation Dueck packaging.

  23. Bone stock S&W M&P-15 Sport, NJ neutered version.

    Keepin’ it simple (for now… first thing to add will definitely be optics)

  24. Colt le6920 (2013)
    Eotech EXPS2-0 (awesome sight)
    KAC Quad rail (factory second, literally best deal, saved me over 150 bucks)
    Magpul MBUS rear sight (stock for 6920)
    Magpul Pistol Grip
    Rogers SUper Stoc (Stock for 6920)

  25. If I had an AR, which of course I don’t (evil things those), the one I would use the most would be a Stock M&P 15T with a Vortex Sparq sitting on top.

    If I had another one, it would be a Franken AR made at home from too many random parts collected, traded for and scavenged over the course of a few years to even remember. I think it would have a Spikes lower and a mix and match upper…I think the barrel may be made by FN, there might be some Colt parts in there too. It would have cost me >$600 total. No optics on that theoretical rifle.

  26. Disclaimer for the NSA, ATF, etc etc: I “don’t own any guns”
    If I did however, (cue Oj Simpson like book), the AR I would own would be a plain jane bushmaster, with a Magpul “BAD” lever, and a Blackhawk one point sling. Iron sights as manufactured.

    • I forgot
      Wide side view mirrors off an F-150
      Shin guards
      Aluminum Accelerator pedal shaped like a bare foot with big toes
      An ergonomic split keyboard
      An instant replay slo-mo button
      Sapphire stereo needle cartridge for playback (old school vinyl not polymer)
      And of course the thing that goes up.

  28. The AR I used to have before that weird asteroid strike directly on my gun safe was a stock Smith&Wesson M+P 15 with Daniel Defense iron sights. If the gun hadn’t been tragically vaporized in the above referenced celestial incident, I’d have to lose the pistol grip and put on a Thordsen Custom stock by April 13, 2014.

  30. BCM 16″ BHF Upper-Wisconsin
    Aero Precision Lower-Washington
    White Oak Armory LPK-Ohio
    ACT Trigger-Pennsylvania
    BCM Mod 1 Grip-Wisconsin
    Magpul AFG-Colorado
    B5 Bravo Stock-USA somewhere
    Magpul Hanguard-Colorado
    AimPoint Pro-Sweden

  31. Sundevil lower
    Noveske 16″ Lightweight 5.56mm Stainless Barrel
    Geissle SSA trigger
    Midwest Industries Gen2 free-float hand guard
    VLTOR EMOD butt stock
    To be continued….

    My timing was really bad (life story). I started considering an AR then all hell broke loose last December. Buying one outright in MD pre Oct 1st ban would have been prohibitively expensive so… listed above is the beginning of my first (and only – due to the ban) AR build.

  32. Bone stock DPMS Panther. The only adds are a Vortex flash hider, and a Trijicon ACOG. Spent more for the ACOG than the rifle.

  33. I like simple inexpensive firearms with iron sights. Less stuff to break, easier to use and maintain. And easier to fix if they do fail.

    They may also be less of a theft target although any working firearm is desirable as far as criminals are concerned. If they would not command any significant cash at a pawnshop or fence, then the criminal would simply use it for committing crimes or sell it to another criminal who would want it for committing crimes.

  35. I’m totally unashamed to say that my primary AR (the truck gun) is a DPMS oracle carbine. It’s dressed with magpul forearm and vertical fore grip, a single rail section accommodating an 150 lumen white light with strobe capability, factory telescoping stock, magpul fold flat front and rear ‘iron’ sights and an Aimpoint red dot on the rail. It’s a sub $1,000 build that results in a very capable CQB/GP AR. I wouldn’t store my CAR-15 in the truck!

  36. Gun: Rainier Arms RUC-14.5 USA
    Barrel: DD Hammer forged USA
    Comp: Rainier XTC USA
    Rail: Rainier Evolution USA
    Pistol: MOE+ Co
    RVG: Magpul RVG Co
    Trigger: ALG USA
    Stock: B5 SOPMOD Bravo USA
    Charging Handle: Rainier Raptor USA
    Fire Selector: BAD-ASS 45* USA
    Mount: LaRue SPR Tx
    Scope: Leupold Mark AR USA

    100% American

  37. BCM upper
    Spike’s lower
    Giselle trigger
    Magpul PRS308 with monopod
    Magpul MOE grip
    Magpul Trigger guard
    Midwest Gen2 freefloat rail
    Wilson Combat 20″ Stainless bull barrel .223 Wilde chamber
    Larue SPR mount
    Nikon P-223 4-16-40

    Varmint gun. Shoots great, but it weighs a ton.

  38. Knight’s SR-15E3 IWS Carbine MOD1
    BCM Gunfighter Grip Mod 0 – Black
    Aimpoint T1 with IO cover, sitting on the stock Aimpoint mount
    Viking Tactics VTAC sling – Black
    KNS anti-walk pins.

    I’ll be adding a Vortex flash hider and a BCM Gunfighter charging handle soon. And an Aimpoint magnifier somewhere down the road.
    Pretty light, pretty basic.

  39. Daniel Defense MK18 Upper
    Daniel Defense M4V2 Lower
    Daniel Defense Offset Flashlight Mount
    EOTech EXPS 3-4 W/ 5.56 BDC
    Jetbeam 3M XML 450 Lumens Flash Light
    Magpul MBUS Front and Rear Flip Sight
    Magpul MOE RVG
    Magpul MS3 Single Point Sling with QD Swivel
    Magpul MOE Pistol Grip
    Magpul MOE Enhanced Trigger Guard
    Magpul MOD Butt Stock
    MARSTAR Tactical Extended Charging Handle

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