I'd like to build a distance gun for shooting prairie dogs & punching paper.  I'm thinking something for distances under 500yds.

I was looking @ the RRA varmint uppers (flat-top).  What do you guys think of these?  Have any pics of your setups using them?

If I get one of these & decide to install ARMS guards (or other accessories) - am I going to have problems b/c of non-standard barrel diameters/etc.?  Or are they pretty standard?  Do free-float handguards fit these uppers w/o modifications?

What do you suggest for a lower?  I was thinking of picking up a rra or possibly a lmt lower if I can find a good price.  I'm @ the beginning stages of figuring this out & want to get a nice setup.

Thoughts?

the varmint upper's paired with proper ammo is a great platform.

dont know about rra but my jt distributing kit was a tackdriver

with the larger dia. of the bbl at the barrel nut area you would have to open up the i.d. of the barrel nut for it to work with most to all railed freefloats. with the arms rail i would think you would have to do the same to a std bbl. nut since the arms attatches to the existing bbl. nut on a std handguard setup.

a lower is a lower and if you arent a brand whore they are all basically the same.

Thanks for your opinions.  I'll take a look @ the jt kit.  I'm not really familiar w/ free floated rail kits (never had any) - but thanks for the info about the nut.

I'll probably pick up a cheaper lower & spend some money on a decent trigger/scope/mount setup.

Thanks!

here's a few i posted.  i do some of the very same stuff - love it!!!

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=263180

archive.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=258301






hope we can help.  i've been on a mission after a local gunsmith buddy told me an AR was a spray gun and would never keep up with his bolt rigs.  i have OFFICIALLY kicked his ass all over the range as well as the prairie dog towns we decimate...

-septic tank

septic - what's the story on your rifle?  is that a RRA upper?  length?  specs on the entire gun?  50mm scope?

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d837b3127cce92004477e09300000016108AZMmrRq0atc

Here's a Stag lower and a J&T heavy upper.  Barrel is 22" and twist is one in 8" and it shoots!!!  The lower cost $125 and the upper cost in the mid $500 range.  A couple hours of work and it shoots the heck out of the target.  I haven't had a chance to range it way out there, but it clusters them so close at 100 I'm amazed.

I see the photo didn't take.  Sorry.

Dan

I was looking through the JT catalog earlier & had a question...  Why don't they say who makes the various parts of their guns.  Your upper - what parts are included in it?

-robert

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/septic-tank13/112_1243.jpg

awesome, my new wallpaper

Quoted: I was looking through the JT catalog earlier & had a question...  Why don't they say who makes the various parts of their guns.  Your upper - what parts are included in it? -robert

download their pdf catolog, the online stuff is really old.

most kit guns dont state who the upper or lpk comes from but i assure you its good. most places dont make their own parts anyways and are contracted even most to all of the big names.

Septic-Tank13 if that is your backyard it must suck being you!So many targetsSooo little time. I am going with the SPR angle myself.

fellas, please...  i'm actually blushing...  i sincerely thank you for noticing my hard work and sharing my pleasure...  kudos to the community here in arfland for breeding this kind of atmosphere.  hell, with a few more posts like this i'll have a self esteem high enough to get off prozak...



it's a colt CAR complete.  i left the stock 1/9 stainless barrel in it to try for a while and it shoots really well.  sub MOA with blacks hills and ultramax all day...  i get down to 3/8" sometimes when i try hard...  

24" barrel, Chip McCormick flat two stage trigger, A2 trap door full of lead, etc...  DPMS tac grip, accuwedge, gapper, other little things not costly, plenty of lapping, and tweaking.  the scope is a 6x22x56 springfield i bought in mil dot 30mm tube - i've heard plenty of bad things about these units, but it has performed superbly for me - last year in the field you see in the backround i took a prairie dog with one shot @ 702 yards...  my brother was spotting for me and told me it was bullshit - he then told me to prove up by getting his little buddy that was setting beside his mangled carcasss.  i got him too...  needless to say, it was time for a cigar...

i've got it weighted to the point it doesn't move when fired - fun to watch bullet impact...  i'm working on a removable weight currently and have some designs i may submit for patent...  i've got high hopes for them.

i wish that were my backyard...  i go to wyoming from iowa three or four times a year.  i generally use up 10,000 rounds or a little more...  

i'm building a .204 ruger 24" upper currently.  i have high hopes for it as well.  i'll post with a range report and pics after i run a few thousand through it in early june.

rmeredit,

the RRA with a wilson "wylde" barrel would be really nice.  built my brother one and he shoots really well with it.  i'd use the superior lower and if you weren't going to buy an aftermarket trigger, otherwise the RRA is fine.  for the shooting you're describing i'd go with a 24" barrel.  you'll want a free float tube regardless.  on the .204 i'm building i'm using superior's new rifle length quad rail so i can install my new gadgets quickly, but it may not be the choice for most varminters.

good luck!

hope this helps.

-septic tank

Go to AR15 Barrel, the guy is on here and either the sight or emailing him will answer your barrel questions.

DPMS is releasing a LR 204 in about three weeks.  It will make its debut at the SHOT Show.  It is chambered  in .204 Ruger.  There is a write up on that caliber in this month's Gun & Ammo.  It looks very promising.

I've got a co-worker that has the RRA 24" 1:12 twist varminter.  Once he tuned his loads, the 40 gr. Nosler ballistic tips shoot sub 1/2" moa in his; has killed prairie dogs out past 400m (confirmed by his shooting buddies on the hunt).  He's amazed at it.  His shooting buddies hate the look of ARs....but both of them bought RRA 24" 1:12 Varminters also.  Theirs are shooting sub moa also, maybe even better.  
I was going to get a varminter also, but opted out instead for the Alexander Arms 6.5mm Grendel 24" Overwatch after it came out.  It is shooting sub moa, but I haven't broke it in well yet or tuned my rounds for it yet.  I haven't stretched it's legs out yet either, but IIRC it's supposed to stay supersonic to @ 1400m and out perform .308 past 1000m.   It's a joy to shoot, sweet.