Upper ? from an AR illiterate

AWS

Retired PM Staff
I have a very nice AR in 20 Practical. I've taken it hunting and just can't get comfortable with it. I'm thinking that maybe putting a 16" 223/5.56 upper or barrel would allow me to spend more time behind it.

Would it be better to find a cheap/inexpensive upper BCA or used. I've thought about swapping the barrel on my upper. Can I swap the barrel myself or does it have to be fitted like a shouldered bolt action barrel?

Thanks

Thanks
 
If you are done shooting that barrel for life i would recommend just pulling it off.

Buy this : Brownells

You will need a vise, torque wrench, ratchet and the barrel nut tool that came with your hand guard. A 1/16th Punch will help in many situations as will a 1/8th.

If you are going for a 16 inch barrel buy a Geissele 13 inch hand guard. What ever barrel you choose go with a mid length.

Geissele

This comes with a gas block also. And you don't have to buy additional M-Lock pieces/

 
Why not just shoot your 20 Practical a whole bunch instead of buying more hardware?

For the cost of an inexpensive $250 223 upper alone, you can easily handload 1000+ rounds of 20 Practical ammo to practice with and "get comfortable. You already have the rifle, just go use it.
 
what about it are you unable to get comfortable with compared to other rifles you own that you ARE comfortable with?
 
Nows the time to buy if you're thinking about it. Check out palmetto state armory for smoking deals on uppers, and they have cheap blasting ammo for cheap today also.

Changing a barrel is easy enough, but it sounds like your 20 shoots great so I'd leave it as is.
 
It just feels awkward, to carry, to shoot, to sit on a stand with. My bolt actions and combo guns handle like nice bird guns, this thing is like shooting with a barrel lashed to a 2x4.

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Your 20 Prac is already set-up. Don't screw with it.

Uppers in 223 are cheap nowadays. Just buy a complete upper or build one from a kit.
 
First, your scope appears to me mounted WAY too far forward. It looks wrong, like you'd have to put your face way too far forward on the stock. Maybe you are less than 5 feet tall, which is unlikely. Generally your scope's eyepiece should be roughly lined up with your charging handle for propper eye relief. I'd guess your position on the rifle is all wrong and needs some adjustment. Maybe your scope is a mismatch for an AR with huuuuge eye relief, what scope is that?

Video:
Mounting a scope on an AR 15.

Second, maybe loose some bulk and weight. Ditch that chunky scope mount for a lightweight Aero Precision. That free float tube looks a little beefy, change it for a lightweight tube. And the grip angle looks extreme. Try a more conventional grip, maybe even more vertical.

Just because it's a "nice" AR doesn't mean it's set up optimally for what you're using it for.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSIt just feels awkward, to carry, to shoot, to sit on a stand with. My bolt actions and combo guns handle like nice bird guns, this thing is like shooting with a barrel lashed to a 2x4.



so i beleive that you're saying that its the switch from a more traditional firearm platform (bolt gun, shotgun, etc) to the AR platform thats uncomfortable for you then.

i can totally see that being an issue. getting used to shooting from a pistol grip and a stock thats level with the top of the receiver from a drop-comb style stock definitely takes some getting used to.
Managing the pistol grip alone can cause issues - much like learning grip control technique for handgun's can. Its a big lever that can throw all kinds of stuff off if you mis-manage your body on it.

quite honestly at that point the best thing you can do is get trigger time. you need to re-learn how to position yourself around this new chassis configuration and re-do some muscle memory stuff.


one thing i wonder seeing your optic placement being so forward of the charging handle.... unless you have one helluva eye relief on that, or T-Rex length arms i see several possible things that couple be causing some shooting discomfort

1) length of pull being way to short. you're having to keep the stock almost closed to get your head in position to even see thru the scope other than a circle about the size of a grain of rice that isnt black.

2) forcing your head WAY forward to adjust for the eye-relefe while your stock is set correctly for proper LOP.

3) optic a bit low

4) any/all of the above


when i put my optics on any new upper i do the following

1) adjust the stock for me to have a comfortable LOP
2) position my body on the stock for the most comfortable cheek weld
3) adjust the optic position (front to back) so that my eye relief on the optic works for those two things being right.

the above is assuming i'm using a ring height that allows for comfortable eye-optic alignment in the first place. Unlike bolt guns - with an AR, closer to the bore is not always better for the shooter. My typical ring (i like the Nikon P series Rings) gives me a center of bore to center of optic height of around 2 5/8 - 2 3/4", or roughly 1.5" above the top of the rail.

they look pretty dang close to where they need to be, but can you identify the mounts for us to verify that you might not be a bit low?

ive found that anything lower than that and i'm forcing my body out of position just to see down the scope.

hth
 
Yes it makes sense. I do have short arms and all my bird guns need an inch loped off of the butt. A youth stock fits me very well. I think the scope is set pretty well also, I had to add a riser to the stock because the scope is too high to use without it, I have to do that with almost all bolt actions even with scopes in Low or Extra low rings.
 
I wouldn't mess with taking the barrel off of that rig especially if it shoots accurately. I think I would just go back to a bolt gun. If you want to spend more time with the ar platform just buy a complete upper from bca. I would reccomend a sidecharger.
 
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Funny thing about eye relief, everyone can be different. I remember the USMC PMI's telling us to have the tip of our nose touching the charging handle. Along with constant cheek weld. But that instruction was for iron peep sights and not a scope.
 
I don't get what another upper would accomplish. How is that better than shooting the upper he already owns? How would (buying) a 223 upper get him any more familiar with the AR platform than shooting the 20 Practical upper (which he already owns)?
 
Is that the rifle you won? I bet that thing would sell in a heartbeat here. Only thing I would do to it is adjust the scope to fit your shooting style.
 
Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOGI don't get what another upper would accomplish. How is that better than shooting the upper he already owns? How would (buying) a 223 upper get him any more familiar with the AR platform than a 20 Practical upper (which he already owns)?

I only said what I said because I think the rifle as it sits is worth some money and if he starts changing stuff around he will loose value. He could build a 223 upper just the way he might want, smaller handguards, maybe shorter more maneuverable barrel, whatever trips his trigger, so to speak. Also 223 ammo is everywhere. I have several AR15's just like many others here. My favorite is my 223, but that is just my opinion.
 
Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOGI don't get what another upper would accomplish. How is that better than shooting the upper he already owns? How would (buying) a 223 upper get him any more familiar with the AR platform than a 20 Practical upper (which he already owns)?

the only benefit i can see would be access to cheap blaster ammo, which isnt going to help much other than being frustratingly shooting 2" groups when seemingly doing everything else right.

i'm with you DD, best to put trigger time on what he has before picking up a budget upper to shoot budget ammo with. not that i have anything against bca stuff - i own several of their items (complete upper, several side charging receivers, etc) but like you say.. better trigger time there since he's reloading anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOGI don't get what another upper would accomplish. How is that better than shooting the upper he already owns? How would (buying) a 223 upper get him any more familiar with the AR platform than shooting the 20 Practical upper (which he already owns)?
Well...I dont know who chambered that barrel or what make it is but a complete upper is worth about half of what the 20 prac barrel is probably worth. Only so many shots in a barrel and that one looks coated to match the rest of the rifle. Not to mention you have another upper then. I would guess 22 cal projectiles can be had cheaper than 20 cal too.
 
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