I guess I have caught the disease, I got my first AR less than 3 months ago and am currently about to start building another from scratch. The one I have will become a short range plinker, and the new one will hopefully become a highly accurate deer rifle. I will be recieving a bushmaster lower with a two-stage trigger already installed. I want to swap triggers between my new one and my old one. Then starting with my lower with the two stage, I'm not sure where I want to go with it.
  I am set on going with a flat top and free floating. Will mount some type of scope to the flat top, no irons will be necessary since this will not be for any use other than hunting. Also none of the fancy rails will be necessary, maybe a bi-pod.
  Any suggestions on which types of uppers, free floats, barrels (length, type of brake at the end) will yield the most accurate combination without creating a rifle to heavy to pack up a mountain. I like the look of the houge free-float seeing how it has no frills, but am open to other suggestions.

I would guess that something along the lines of Bushmaster's V-Match upper is what you are after.  Perhaps a 20" HBAR fluted barrel with your chioce of FF handguard.  If weight is the deciding factor, the heavier SS Bull barrels are out.  Altohugh a fluted 18" SS would look good.

Then again, excellent accuracy can also be had from the 16" V-Match type uppers as well with reduced weight.

What weight/design bullet are you looking at??  I hunt deer and hogs with the .223 but many hear will scold the idea .

Barrel options are many.

ETA:  I would skip any type of FS.

Bullet will be soft point other than that not too sure. Pretty much will find one that works once I build. Now as far as skipping the FS would that be best, In that case would the barrel just stop like a shotgun barrel or should I get it threaded for future options? Also does flutting the barrel affect accuracy?

As far as the FS goes, for a hunting rifle... why bother.  Yes, the barrel is plain at the end, just like any old Post Ban Ar barrel.  Fluting won't hurt accuracy, it will aid in faster cooling off and helps reduce weight.  In a hunting rifle, unless shooting P-dogs, the heat issue is, well, no issue.

I have 4 AR's used for hunting.  One is fluted, others are not.  None have FS's on them.  Two are 24" (one SS Bull, the other 24" Fluted), one is 20" Standard HBAR, and the other is 16" SS Bull.

So?  This is a hunting/deer rifle?  I dont hunt but I would think aSS barrel would be out of the question unless deer like somewhat shiny things.  If you're going to KEEP it scoped then theres no need for a front site.  Fluted does not affect accuracy it effects cooling but as you're not going to be shooting ALOT then heats not an issue.  You'll probably want a 20" I dont think anything over 20" is available that is not a BULL BARREL and considering weights a factor you might wanna stay away from that option.  You're gonna want  a 1/7 or a 1/8 twist for heavier bullets.  I dont know why you want a .223/5.56 deer rifle but thats your choice and I support you in making it.  Good luck.

+1 on skipping the FS.  I have always been of the opinion that adding anything to the end of the barrel will affect accuracy, however slight (Smith Vortex claims notwithstanding).

For hunting, I would not suggest any barrel over 20".  Unecessary and too much to lug around.

Although some have luck with 1/9, 1/7  or 1/8 twist would enable you to use heavier bullets more reliably which would be better for deer hunting.

As to floating the barrel, it is a very effective and inexpensive way to increase accuracy.  There are many ways to go about it and reading that thread should give you some answers.

I do not believe the Hogue handguard is free floating.


Good luck.

Seydou

Quoted: So?  This is a hunting/deer rifle?  I dont hunt but I would think aSS barrel would be out of the question unless deer like somewhat shiny things.

Deer, as you may or may not know, are color blind.  A SS barrel won't bother a deer in the slightest.  Plenty of deer killed each year with SS rifles, "colored" bows, etc.  The key is to keep movement to an absoloute minimum.

I have actually killed deer at the base of my tree when bow hunting.  Maybe it was the shiney SS braodhead that they were looking up at .  SS for a deer hunting rifle is a non-issue.  For other game, different story.

Quoted: I dont think anything over 20" is available that is not a BULL BARREL and considering weights a factor you might wanna stay away from that option.

Actually, Bushmaster offers the 24" "Varminter Extra Heavy Fluted Barrel" and the "24" National Match Heavy Barrel Assembly".  Neither are true Bull Barrels, but they will be hevier than the standard 20" HBAR.

I was more tossing between the idea of a 16-20" barrell. How much weight does fluting shave? I would prefer to not go with a SS barrel, unless they are considerable more accurate, does anybody have any suggestions on who makes the best barrels for accuracy?