PSA Freedom 16" 1:7 Builds

hm1996

Moderator
Staff member
Since I was unable to hunt this year, I got cabin fever and having read a thread by Yellowhammer on his PSA, got the bug to build an inexpensive M 4orgery.

When CDNN put Bushmaster complete lower kits on sale w/adjustable stocks for $159, decided to build one for myself and one for my son's Christmas present. Was about half through with the second one when PSA offered their Freedom 16" mid length uppers (SS 1:7 twist) on daily special for $200 (w/o BCG & charging handle) so ordered a couple. Brownells had Bushy BCG's for $79 and I picked up a couple of BCH's for $15 ea. Wound up just a shade north of $500 w/o optics or mounts (after sales tax and ffl fees) as I wanted to try the stock triggers before sinking $150 or so for aftermarket. After polishing them up a bit managed to get most of the creep out of them and a decent 5# trigger that breaks crisply using stock springs.

I shot mine a couple of weeks ago and, while no comparison to my Bushmaster Predator, shot five shot 1 1/8" group in spite of trouble w/the adjustable stock not riding rear bag very well. Think I can do better once I learn how to get better position. If not, it's still minute of coyote and I can live with that.

This is the finished product:



and preliminary results (aim point lower right hand corner of square:



Finally managed to get together with my son today and give him
his belated gift. Went to range and his outshoots mine (couldn't be the 25 year younger eyes, could it? Naaah
smile.gif
)

It was very dark day and light drizzle falling 50* day. My boresight had us on paper @ 40 yds but was quite high @ 100. Had trouble seeing bullet holes so told him to shoot 5 shot group and we went down to look. It was about 10" high and two shots were off the paper @ 12. 5 shot group measured 7/8"....I put two dots on ruler to indicate the two off paper.



Both rifles functioned 100% reliably w/everything we put through them, but mine hated M855 which I shot to foul the barrel and check function, producing a 10 shot 8" group, if you can call it that. More of a pattern. Both liked my pet handloads using 55 gr. NBT's over H 335.

All in all, can't find much fault w/these rifles, especially considering the cost.

Regards,
hm



 
I'm actually putting one together right now too. My other AR is a 6x6.8 with a 22" barrel so I wanted to build a 5.56/223 with a short barrel. I picked up my upper and lower on weekend special a few weeks ago for $240. I have almost 2000 Hornady 55gr SP bullets that I'm hoping this barrel will like. My build will be using the following parts.

PSA 1/7 Freedom upper
MI SS Gen2 hanguard
AAC Blackout flash hide
PSA Afghanistan Lower
JBO buffer kit
JBO LPK
JP trigger spring kit
Magpul CTR stock
DNZ Freedom Reaper mount
Vortex Viper 3-9x40

 
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