Well, Josh, I’m a simple man. I was in the Marine Corps prior to the use of collapsible stocks(actually some were issued in Vietnam to Special Operations types, but they were never in common use), tactical rails, and vertical grips. That, combined with living in California, means I don’t have a great deal of experience using any of them. The set-up depends largely on the desired application. At the end of the day it’s highly unlikely that I would use an AR in my home, so if I were to build one, I would prefer an AR-10 with a Harris Series 1A2 Model BRM bipod and a Leupold Mark 4 10x40mm LR/T M3 scope.
I initially thought this set-up was the best of both worlds to me, because I could switch out the upper receiver and bolt carrier group if I wanted to switch to .233, but my friend Rob, who is very knowledgeable and lives in a far less restrictive state, informed me that the AR-10 lower receivers are much larger and incompatible with .223 upper receivers. Still, I prefer to have the increased range and power of the 7.62(.308) round. Also, if you’re willing to pay for them, there are 25 round magazines available, making it easier to use the AR-10 in its “assault” weapon capacity.
The bipod, though a slight addition, is a valuable one. I highly recommend learning to shoot without artificial support, but once you have all the fundamentals of marksmanship, using a bipod for additional support in adverse conditions can be very helpful.
I also love iron sights. In the Marine Corps we qualified at distances of 200, 300, and 500 yards, using only iron sights. The biggest limitation, in my opinion, is that at 500 yards a man sized target appears larger than your front site post making it difficult to maintain optimal sight picture. My eyesight isn’t getting any better with age. If I want to “reach out and touch someone” beyond 500 yards, I’ll need the optics. Though the scope will not be my best friend at closer distances, as even the 4x magnification will limit my field of view, I still think it’s the most practical set-up for me.
As ask “Keller” does not specify which Keller, I would also like to call upon the expert testimony of my younger brother Shane Keller, also a US Marine and two time combat veteran. My dream setup is based on theory and training experience. Shane, on the other hand, has first hand experience in using this weapon system in combat and tactical situations.
Without further ado, I submit the other Keller’s response to your query.
Setting up an AR can be complicated with all of the manufacturers and options available. To start, I actually prefer the 5.56 / 223 over the .308. This is because I want an assault rifle. Lots of rounds with little weight. Just the rifle alone will increase in weight, not to mention trying to carry the same amount of ammo. If I want to shoot a .308, then I’ll have my gunsmith build me a Remington 700 as an M40-A3 (Marine Corps Sniper Rifle). Also, if worst came to worst, it’ll be much easier for you to find large quantities of 5.56 ammunition. And this has nothing to do with ARs, but the AK is the most common rifle in the world, making 7.62×39 the most common round. It’s not a bad idea to own an AK or SKS or any other rifle that fires this round for those all else fails situations.
If you plan on shooting at 500 yards plus, I would have a 20″ or 24″ barrel. But to be honest, there aren’t too many ranges that can accommodate you. If you are more interested in having a rifle for self defense, I would go with the 16″ barrel.
As for the collapsible stock, sure they look cool and give you bonus points with your friends, but are they really necessary? Maybe. Sure, they will make the rifle a tad bit smaller when storing it, but more than likely you’ll want to shoot with the stock all the way out. However, I’m 5’4″ and I find having the stock one click in from being all the way extended to be more comfortable. Also, if you ever plan on wearing body armor, you’ll be much more bulky and having a fixed stock could make it difficult to have a natural point of aim.
Rail systems can be extremely valuable. If your goal is to shoot long distance, you can put on a bipod. If you want an M4 version, you might want to add a vertical grip. And probably the most common accessory is a flashlight. You might not have any of these items, but one day you might like to upgrade. And knowing a little bit about gun law history, it might be legal today to have a rail system, but maybe it won’t be tomorrow. But these laws are typically grandfathered. So if you have the funds, buy what you can.
My brother brought up a good point about the fundamentals of marksmanship. Optics aren’t there to even out poor shooting techniques. Ask anyone who has had proper training with iron sights. If you can hit a target at 500 yards with iron sights, you can hit a target with a scope. But if you learned first to hit a target at 500 yards with a scope, that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do it with iron sights. Also, there are marksmen that can hit a target at 1,000 yards with iron sights. I highly recommend learning with iron sights first, then buy optics. Plus, if something happens to your optics, you’ll have your iron sights for back up. If you do buy optics for long range, buy something with a larger front element. When a scope says for example 10×40, the number 40 refers to the size of the front of the scope. The larger it is, the more light can enter (just think of the aperture of a camera lens). And more light means you can still shoot in lower light conditions, possibly lower light than someone who might be trying to shoot you. Also, some scopes have an illuminated reticle.
As far as brands, I wouldn’t want to lead anyone in one direction or another, but buy a rifle from a reputable manufacturer. Do your research. If you want to build your own, I’ve heard stories about people buying cheap stripped lower receivers and the holes for the pins not lining up. If you want to build a rifle where some day your life may depend on it, I wouldn’t want to cut corners.
There is no perfect set up, I have two ARs and would like to build a third. My one AR is pictured above. It’s a Rock River Arms with a 24″ free floated bull barrel. It has a Harris bipod and a Leupold scope. My other AR has a 16″ barrel, collapsible stock, iron sights, rail system, and flashlight with a pressure switch attached to my vertical grip. By having these two rifles I have the best of both worlds. I have a medium range rifle and I have a rifle that could be used for CQC (Close Quarter Combat).
Enough about the Kellers. Let’s hear from you. What is your dream AR set-up?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
actually, ar10′s receivers are much bigger than ar15 receivers, and are not interchangeable… and most ar10 mags are 19/20 rounds…
Rob, you’re absolutely right. I stand corrected and so does my post.