Hello,

I have been surfing these forums for the past few weeks looking for info on building my first AR.  To begin with I enlisted in the ARNG last december as an 11B infantryman and I ship to benning in may.  I've been looking at AR's both to help keep up on marksmanship skills for the guard and because I simply like these rifles.  I once thought that an AR was unreachable for my price range but then I discovered that one can build their own for a fraction of the price of a factory rifle plus you get the joy of putting together your own rifle.  Now that that's out of the way let's get to the good stuff.  Basically what I have been looking at are M4 style carbines but I don't exaclty know what configuration I should go with that I'd get the best use out of.  I chose the M4 stlye because this is what my unit is shooting with and I like the looks of the rifle.  However, for configuration I know that I'll go the route of buying a stripped lower and getting a kit from somewhere like Del-ton.  So what I'm looking for is advice on what type of configuration I should go with so that I can stay within a reasonable price range (I'd like to stay around the $600 range) and would be realistic to what I'd be qualifing with each year in the Guard.  Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks Guys

HOOAH!hug.gif

Looks like you answered your own question! ! ! I WANT A M4 and then you list reasons why.
I don't see a question.  Configuration...... well M4  configuration. You answered your question again.

            Invisiblesoul

Quoted: Looks like you answered your own question! ! ! I WANT A M4 and then you list reasons why. I don't see a question.  Configuration...... well M4  configuration. You answered your question again.             Invisiblesoul

Well you do have a point, I guess I worded my question wrong now that I look at it again.  I was asking for configuration suggestions as far as should I go the route of an A2 upper, or a flat-top and just general advice on brands and whatever else that would give me a rilfe similar to those that army infantrymen use and would be realistic enough to practice with so that I can keep up on marksmanship.  Sorry for sounding like a dumba$$ the fisrt time, Thanks for anymore input you guys can give.

HOOAHhug.gif

Well you say your unit uses M4’s. What configuration are those weapons? Does your NG unit use optics? First off you need to find out more about what your unit uses. What ever weapon config that might be, you can definitely recreate it in a semi-auto version. Del-Ton is an excellent company to deal with, I have used them many times.

Find out the weapons config and get back to us.

Quoted: Well you say your unit uses M4’s. What configuration are those weapons? Does your NG unit use optics? First off you need to find out more about what your unit uses. What ever weapon config that might be, you can definitely recreate it in a semi-auto version. Del-Ton is an excellent company to deal with, I have used them many times. Find out the weapons config and get back to us. hr

Well that's the problem, right now I'm in an RSP (prebasic) unit and I will not see my infantry unit until after graduation from infantry school so I don't know if they use optics or iron sights.  I know at basic I'll use M16A2's with iron sights but I don't know what my unit uses, I'll try to find out and let you guys know.  By the way, what do most units use that are using M4's?

i see a lot of merit in the flat top with BUIS and removable optics.  nice units.  there are many on here...

as for the optics, i really dig my EOTech.  do yourself a favor, buy the model with AA batteries and run from the N's...  what a pain in the ass...  they don't last two days...

septic tank

I don't normally post and most times I have just been reading and searching.

I am in a similar position as you.  I am a SSG/E6 in the National guard and don't get enough trigger time so I am looking at building my own rifle.

If your unit has the M16A4, it is a 20" rifle with a flattop with a removable carry handle
If it's anA2, it has a fixed handle.

In the M4, we have rifles with the removable handle.

With the optics, our unit is using the M68 red-dot.  Dont mean anything until you hear that it is the Aimpoint ML2 which is compatible with night vision googles.  The big difference between the ML2 and the ML3 that I have found is the water depth the ML3 can go to over the ML2.

The other optic we use on our rifles in the Trijicon TA01NSN 4X32 ACOG (Advanced Combat Optic Gunsight)

For all practicle purposes for now, just get a 20" rifle with a flat-top, carrier handle, gov't profile barrel and practice with it.   It  is the closest you will get to the rifle you will use in basic.  As it is, you will have the badd fortune of shooting a similar rifle that it MAY get you in trouble.  A drill sergeant takes his job serious, and part of that is to teach you how to handle the M16.  At least when I was in.  Anyone that showed any inclination of knowing how to tear a rifle down prior to his instructions, got lots of push ups to do.  The hardest part of shooting an M16A2 or A4 is to learn the trigger.  It has in effect, 3 sears from the burst mechanism.  As a result, I see lots of guys/gals pulling that third shot with a heavy sear.  Just an FYI.

As you won't have much to spend your money on while in basic, you can come home then and get the same upper and optics when you get to your unit and have a chance to talk with the supply guys/armorer.

Get a flat-top Stag upper and lower from Eagle...should be right around $644 if I remember right. Then add carry handle or optic of your choice.

www.eaglefirearms.net/stag_arms.htm

Quoted: For all practicle purposes for now, just get a 20" rifle with a flat-top, carrier handle, gov't profile barrel and practice with it.   It  is the closest you will get to the rifle you will use in basic.  As it is, you will have the badd fortune of shooting a similar rifle that it MAY get you in trouble.  A drill sergeant takes his job serious, and part of that is to teach you how to handle the M16.  At least when I was in.  Anyone that showed any inclination of knowing how to tear a rifle down prior to his instructions, got lots of push ups to do.  The hardest part of shooting an M16A2 or A4 is to learn the trigger.  It has in effect, 3 sears from the burst mechanism.  As a result, I see lots of guys/gals pulling that third shot with a heavy sear.  Just an FYI. As you won't have much to spend your money on while in basic, you can come home then and get the same upper and optics when you get to your unit and have a chance to talk with the supply guys/armorer.

SSG,

I understand what you're saying here with pissing the Drills off because one knows "too" much and that has concerned me a little being that I've been shooting firearms since I was 7 or so, so I have a general feeling that it may be dificult to break old habits to learn to shoot the army way.  But as far as stripping the rifle and such, if I do get a rifle before basic I plan on just playing "dumb" when it comes to the drills then let my skills fly when it comes to helping other pvt's clean and strip their rifles or just lay low all together.

As for my rifle plans, I talked to a buddy in my actual unit the other day and he said right now they use plain old a2's because our M4's are on their way back for the sand box (apparantly another unit is using them...go figure its the guard) but he said the m4's have iron sights on them.  So I think what I might do is build an M4 style rifle but just use an A2 upper for now, then when my guard rifle has optics I'll either build another, or switch out uppers cause by then I'll be out of college and have the money to start adding on, so now I think I'll just stick with a basic 16" M4 type with an A2 upper. Does this seem like a reasonable idea? let me know what you guys think

HOOAH!!hug.gif

My plan is to do the same thing as you, only with a flat-top receiver.  I need to be able to use the M68 and the ACOG.

Good idea on not being a know-it-all. The Drills will eat you up. Just listen to what they say keep your mouth shut and remember its their job to "mold you" and scream at you. IT'S NOT PERSONAL. Good luck.hug.gif Also get a 20 inch M4 setup and slap a carry handle on it with A2 sights. That way when the M4's come home you can have the best of both worlds.