For those of you who choose a bullpup as your go-to rifle, how would you configure the only AR in your armory and why?  I ask this because after buying my first bullpup, an X95, it felt like I found the perfect glove, so I'm going to sell off most of my ARs and parts to fund a backup or get the 9mm.  I want to keep one as a general purpose rifle for platform familiarity and as a comparison to the bullpup.  Below are a few configurations that I have in mind based on some strengths of the AR platform. Whether or not you have the same needs or wants as me, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Would you take advantage of the modularity and adaptability of the platform and make a build customized to fit you? This is what I currently have.  As light and sleek as it is, it still doesn't feel right like the X95 does.
- SLR Ion MLOK rail
- Ballistic Advantage 16" midlength Hanson barrel
- Geissele G2S trigger
- LMT Enhanced carrier with BCM bolt
- VLTOR A5 buffer system
- VLTOR MUR upper
- VLTOR IMOD stock

Would you go for something lightly modified similar to the standard military/police configuration?
- quad rail
- chrome lined 16" barrel with carbine length gas system (with or without front sight tower)
- B5 SOPMOD stock
- ALG Combat Trigger
- BCM BCG
- BCM milspec buffer system

Would you go for a functional budget build, maybe two?
- all Aero Precision parts and MagPul furniture

Would you deviate from the general purpose idea and build an SPR/Recce to take advantage of the platform's accuracy potential?  This fills a different niche, but can be pressed into the general purpose use.
- medium or taper contour barrel
- free float handguard (quad or MLOK)
- Geissele SSA-E trigger
- variable power scope (ex. 3-9x40)
- Dueck Defense offset iron sights

Would you SBR any of the above with a can, or stay 16" to be able to take the AR to out of state classes?

I have a Tavor SAR and primarily use it for CQB and fun.  If I were to limit myself to one AR-15 it would be my 20" Shilen barreled 6.5 Grendel.  I currently use a 6.5-20X50 Vortex Viper with mil dot reticle.   My Shilen has produced 1 MOA or less size groups out to 880 yards.   I have both Geisele G2S and RRA NM triggers in my AR-15's and a RRA NM in my 20".  A similar 20" 5.56 with good optic and barrel would my second choice.   I have a 20" Colt Competition H-Bar with a 2.5-10 scope that would fill the bill if it I wanted to shoot to 400-600 yards.

Given the cost of the SAR in my safe, my AR is a PSA cheap KISS beater.

My other rifle is not as accessible/other residence, and is a PWS Mk116 piston driven state of the art rifle.

YMMV

If I could only have 1 AR, I would have a LOT of uppers for it.  And several stocks.

I'm not getting rid of my AR's and actually currently building more. But if in your situation, my only AR would be my Block 1-ish M4 clone as listed below:

BCM 14.5" pinned & welded A2X
BCM BCG and mod 4 CH
KAC m4 RAS and matech buis
BCM buffer, tube and spring
Colt N marked stock
ALG ACT trigger
Aimpoint CompM4
Streamlight RM1
BFG NSN sling
Daniel Defense LPK

My Tavor at this point hasn't taken point, might change after I do some upgrades, I'm still not used to it. I don't like that if its sitting vertical, I don't have an easy way to grab it while standing upright .

don't get rid of anything...

but my do all rifle is a

16" Faxon Gunner middy
12" Midwes LW Mlok Rail
PA 1-6 ACSS Optic
AIM Nitride BCG
BCM CH


on a PSA lower with an ALG ACT trigger

Colt 6720 With a DD Omega 7 rail and Geiselle trigger and a RDS.

My single AR15 is a Colt 6920 which I replaced the hand guard with an Omega quad rail and converted it with a  Daniel Defense gas piston conversion kit. I changed the trigger group out to a Geissele SSA-E trigger group and put a MagPul UBR stock on it (I've always hated that chintzy, pathetic stock that Colt puts on their carbines, the MagPul UBR is the only replacement I will use because it has weight and heft to be able to take/give a beating). I also put H&K 416 iron sights on the top rail.  

My main rifle is a Steyr Aug with the Nato stock. I'm currently waiting for the Desert Tech MDR .308 bullpup to be released.

My one and only AR is setup in one of the following, with the other configurations waiting in the wings to be swapped out:

5.5" 9mm colt style with can

8" 300 blakout

7.5" .223

4" .22lr with can

A SBR lower is a wonderful thing

If I were only keeping or choosing one AR, I'd probably go with a SOPMOD Block II-inspired clone.



Not 100% correct, but the major details are there in the barrel (albeit 16") and handguard.  Probably the best shooting and most versatile AR I have.

Fortunately, I do not have to keep only one.

Given the current market, you'll make more money selling your plasma than you will on ARs or AR parts.  Lube them for storage and keep them.

Thanks for the input, guys!  I actually don't plan on having just one AR, but I do need to make sure the basics are covered and get some in some training/competition with the X95 before moving on to specialized builds.  I plan to do a dedicated subsonic suppressed 300 BLK build just because I've always lusted after the VSS Vintorez, then there's the .458 Socom that I might do if I get more into hunting.

Augs and tavors are too expensive, I only have one at the moment.  I am stuck just building uppers for ARs.







If only one AR, your first one is fine (I just don't like the Vltor stocks-"hair grabbers"). And the A5 buffer tube is superior to the standard carbine setup

I love VLTOR stocks, but I'm a beardless Asian, so...  My current build got the A5 system with LMT Enhanced Carrier due to all the rave reviews I had read about the combo, but I still get occasional failures to eject/extract with PMC Bronze.  I haven't run it hard enough or with full powered ammo to compare side by side with a basic carbine setup.

Nice collection of uppers!  Are you running a reflex can on those?  If so, which one, and how do you like it?

It would be a 20" rifle, although with the current 1:7 twist to stabilize heavy bullets.
Put some high end glass on it and you have a long range rifle to compliment your CQB Tavor.

It would be similar to a M4A1 Block II with 1:7 twist 14.5" 4150CV chrome lined barrel + perm'd AAC BO FS to make 16".

DD RIS II
LMT/B5 SOPMOD stock
Tango Down BG-16 grip
JP adjustable trigger (with blue LocTite on screws) in a low shelf lower for compatibility with DIAS.
BFG Vickers sling on Noveske QD rear and Gear Sector front.
GG&G M.A.D. rear sight
Troy front sight
PRI M84 Gas Buster CH

That's the most versatile setup. It's short enough to make entries, but I can still mount my M203 to it. 
I couldn't have just one optic. MRO and ACOG, both on QD mounts.

If I was going to do that I would keep one SBR lower and have both my 11.5 upper and my 16 midlength.

The 11.5 has a Aimpoint T1 and the Mid has a TA31F.

11.5 is a Stag HB and Mid is a BCM BFH with a DD LITE rail.

I would add a two stage trigger to the lower.

Swap out uppers as needed.

I would do this too. Except I got an AUG.

I'd probably do either a DD or a BCM with an 18", 1:7 twist tube.  Something light.  It would have to have the mount for my can on it, and I'd most likely put a 4x ACOG on it or maybe a smaller ACOG with 3x? 


Also have a couple of bull pups.

If I could only keep one AR in my bullpup armory id have to go with my Built SPR  

18Inch Rainier Arms Stainless Ultra Match Barrel, shoots sub MOA all day heavy but worth every penny.

If only 1 then I would go with the what I am currently in the process of putting together, which is the following:

11.5" BCM hammer forged barrel upper receiver group
BCM bcg
DD Lite Rail (Or whatever they are calling it now) or DD Omega rail (I am not a fan of keymod or mlock - fuck bolting things to other bolted things)
ACOG 4 or 3X or an Aimpoint comp m4. If going with ACOG the acog would eventually get a RMR on top.
KAC BUIS if you feel the need for BUIS.
Grip-pod (people make fun but grip-pods are great)
Geissele SSA-E trigger group
Moe pistol grip
Full-size SOPMOD stock
Full-power DBAL-i2 (they can be had if you look around)
An as yet to be determined white light, possibly with IR option.
Silencerco ASR mount - ARs do pretty well with suppressors so take advantage of this

I've got a precision setup AR and while I do like it, I prefer bolt guns for that type of shooting. So thats why a longer AR wouldn't be my choice  if I could only pick one.

I bought a brand new Tavor when they first came out. But I hated it and sold it at a loss. My Steyr Aug is my HD rifle and I have two AR15 type weapons. One is a Sig Sauer M400 pistol with Sig Brace, EoTech Holosight, Geissele SSA E trigger group, AAC Blackout flashhider, and a Surefire Scout light, which is my truck gun. The other is a Colt 6920 with an Omega quad rail, MagPul UBR stock, Geissele SSA E trigger group, AAC Blackout flash hider, Surefire Scout light,  H&K 416 iron sights, and was converted to gas piston with an Adams Arms gas piston kit.

If I sold all my ars and could only keep one I would chose a factory made one from a reputable builder in the spr format. My reason is it's all been tested together and I have faith in its reliability due to the manfuctoring and oversight of the rifle. I choose the spr since I feel that is where the ar shines compared to the bull pup.

My tired ol' A1/C7/A2 hybrid.

Clean. Dead Simple. Light. Accurate. Reliable.



Doesn't look much like this anymore.  Went back to the superior M16A1 pistol grip and dropped the 1906 sling for a standard, later A2 type nylon sling.