Building an AR for recreational bench shooting

[HCM]

Those look good. I'll keep an eye on them.



I wasn't looking at that handguard for the light weight, mainly because it was long enough and inexpensive. To be honest, I do need much in the way of rails and such, I just need to attach a bipod. The scope will be mounted on the receiver. The problem I'm having with handguards is they all look similar to my eyes. I can't really differentiate between them other than obvious physical features (length, mounting systems, rails, etc). My needs are simple, so I'm hoping I can get out cheap on that item.

I'm taking this build slow, so I won't necessarily be buying things at the moment.

Chris

Good, cheap and light are not a natural combination. Too light a rail will Flex too much.

ALG for $68

https://algdefense.com/ergonomic-modular-rail-v0-e.html

[mtnbkr]

Good, cheap and light are not a natural combination. Too light a rail will Flex too much.

ALG for $68

https://algdefense.com/ergonomic-modular-rail-v0-e.html

Right, but is flex likely if I'm just shooting off the bench (resting on bags or a bipod) and is flex a problem if it doesn't touch the barrel or gas tube? When I shoot my other rifles from the bench, I'm not putting any pressure on them, so I'm unclear how flex in the tube could be a problem (assuming it's a small amount). I wouldn't think so, but I don't know what I don't know.

That ALG looks good. Bookmarked. Thanks.

Chris

[STI]

The most prevalent barrels in the ARFCOM 1 MOA all day challenge are LaRue barrels.

[mtnbkr]

The most prevalent barrels in the ARFCOM 1 MOA all day challenge are LaRue barrels.

Thanks! I went to their site expecting the barrels to be rather expensive, but they turned out to be much more affordable. I bookmarked them.

Chris

[MistWolf]

Stiffness aids consistency. The two upper receivers designed for stiffness are the VLTOR MUR and the new BCM.

Matched bolts have a good track record for precision.

[mtnbkr]

Any input on barrel length? I know there's not much of a difference between 18" and 20", but I'm suffering from a bit of decision paralyses.

Also, forend length... Should I stop at the gas block or go longer (12" vs 15+)? If I get an adjustable gas block, the shorter forend would enable adjustments without removing the tube. Thoughts?

Chris

[JM Campbell]

A long Ball end hex driver will help with adjustments if you use a longer rail.

I don’t know what size you would need but this at least gives you an idea of what I’m talking about.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002M...vrL&ref=plSrch


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[littlejerry]

Any input on barrel length? I know there's not much of a difference between 18" and 20", but I'm suffering from a bit of decision paralyses.

Also, forend length... Should I stop at the gas block or go longer (12" vs 15+)? If I get an adjustable gas block, the shorter forend would enable adjustments without removing the tube. Thoughts?

Chris

Personally I'd go 20 for a dedicated bench gun. It's standardized and you can just buy a high power barrel from any number of reputable vendors. Plus it lets you eek out every last yard from the cartridge before it goes transonic.

[45dotACP]

Is a matching bolt going to give you a significant improvement in accuracy?

I shot a buddy's build with a LaRue barrel and it was pretty damn accurate but I don't think they use matching bolts.

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[mtnbkr]

Personally I'd go 20 for a dedicated bench gun. It's standardized and you can just buy a high power barrel from any number of reputable vendors. Plus it lets you eek out every last yard from the cartridge before it goes transonic.

That's kind of what I'm leaning toward. This gun isn't going to get carried around, which seems to be the argument in favor of shorter barrels.

Is a matching bolt going to give you a significant improvement in accuracy?

I shot a buddy's build with a LaRue barrel and it was pretty damn accurate but I don't think they use matching bolts.

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Larue doesn't offer matched bolts that I can tell. I haven't been able to determine how to get a matched bolt if the barrel manufacturer doesn't offer them. It's not a universal thing, nor does it seem to be universally recommended.

Chris