Best match upper for an AR15?

R

Ruben Nasser

New member
Hello!! I would like some advice regarding the selection of a complete match upper for my Colt AR15. I know some will tell me to just select the barrel and other components and assemble everything myself, but I would prefer a complete match quality upper from a reputable source. I'm thinking of a 24" bull barrel, floating handguard (is there a difference between the aluminum and the fiberglass ones?), Harris bipod, flat top, no front sight configuration. I'll use the rifle for informal target shooting up to 500 yards, probably with bullets weights from 50 to 69 grains, and I don't want to load single shot. I live in Paraguay, south america, and the climate here is pretty tropical, so this minimizes the need for a fas-turn rifling, do you think I could get away with a 1 in 10" barrel? Most match barrels (Olympic, Armalite) are either 1 in 10" or 1 in 8". Will I have to adjust headspace with the new upper? Which quality aftermarket trigger could I get? (I'll have to install it myself). Thanks for your help!!
 
Frank White atCompass Lake for the upper. A 1-9 is about the best all around twist for the AR, especially if you're not going heavier than the 69gr bullet.
 
Definitely CLE. I would recommend the space gun upper Frank makes with a Krieger 1 in 8 twist(actually 7.7). You will be able to shoot anything in it that way - and very, very accurately, too!

The spacegun will get you Frank's metal float tube, handguard, and other goodies if you desire(also get his extended scope mount). It's custom so tell them what you want. They will be happy to build it for you.


The CLE trigger is great as well. Two stage trigger is what he makes. Bushmaster copies his but does not use hardened parts. CLE used to make them for BM but the relationship was severed about a year and a half or so ago.

You state your climate is tropical, but that doesn't mean squat on the barrel twist. Where did you get that idea?

For 500 yards and up you will need to be shooting at least a 75 or 77 grain bullet and will need the 1 in 8. 1 in 9 twists are very rifle dependent on how well they shoot those. I have one that shoots them ok and another that prints them all over the target. 69 grainers are the upper limit to reliably shoot in a 1 in 9 twist.

Excellent people to deal with. I am a very happy customer of theirs.
 
BTW,
You can load 75 grain Hornadys and 77 grain Sierra MatchKings so they will feed from your mags. It is the 80 grainers that are single shot
 
Thanks everybody!! slickpuppy, I mentioned the temperature because the denser the air (lower temp.), the more pronounced the effect of the barrel twist rate is, but I have no experience with the AR15 at long range. Will the 1 in 8" twist shoot well with 50-55 grainers? Thanks for the info on the 75-77 grain bullets, I guess they are the way to go past 300 yards.
 
Hi Ruben,
Personally, I never shoot anything under 52 grains in the Krieger 1 in 8 barrels. Those shoot great at shorter ranges.

I understand where you are coming from on the air density now. I can tell you that I shoot in Florida where the air is pretty darned dense and the twist rate with respect to air density is not (to my knowledge anyway)a factor.

The real issue is that the relationship of the bullet weight vs. twist rate is the main concern...the heavier the bullet, the faster the twist for bullet stabilization.

HTH,
slick

[This message has been edited by slickpuppy (edited August 09, 2000).]
 
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