6.8 Rem SPC build

[allrockabilly]

Wow yes I am drooling that is something I would just dream about having one day.

Very nice choices and good work in the build. That thing looks sweet. That makes my Stag look like a toy.

-Ryan S

[Grizzman]

I just added up the parts for the first time. The price ended up within $25 (including shipping) of a BCM complete upper with hammer forged barrel (after the BCG and CH is added to the BCM).

Unless a person wanted to build it for the experience (or wants a non 5.56 barrel), building a higher end upper really won't save any money. Finding the exact barrel length, hand guard, gas system length, etc in stock may take a little searching/waiting but it's possible to find it.


There are a lot of people that believe that all lowers that are within spec are pretty much equal, and I'm one of them. If I had a Stag lower, I'd have no problem putting a top shelf upper on it. I've read that a lot of builders use Stag LPKs, so the small parts should be GTG. As long as the buffer tube is mil spec, it'll accept any of the better buttstocks. Naturally, it'll also accept my favorite stock, the UBR.

There are also those that believe it doesn't make sense to build a high end rifle with mid grade receivers, but a lot of that may stem from people that are overly "brand" conscience.


After I've put my final 1,000 - 1250 loaded rounds through my 223, I'll have no issue with screwing a new BCM, White Oak, Noveske, etc barrel into it, replacing the BCG with a full auto BCM or LMT unit, adding a FF quad rail, and running my lowly 13 year old DPMS for another 5-10K rounds.

[allrockabilly]

Originally Posted by Grizzman

I just added up the parts for the first time. The price ended up within $25 (including shipping) of a BCM complete upper with hammer forged barrel (after the BCG and CH is added to the BCM).

Unless a person wanted to build it for the experience (or wants a non 5.56 barrel), building a higher end upper really won't save any money. Finding the exact barrel length, hand guard, gas system length, etc in stock may take a little searching/waiting but it's possible to find it.


There are a lot of people that believe that all lowers that are within spec are pretty much equal, and I'm one of them. If I had a Stag lower, I'd have no problem putting a top shelf upper on it. I've read that a lot of builders use Stag LPKs, so the small parts should be GTG. As long as the buffer tube is mil spec, it'll accept any of the better buttstocks. Naturally, it'll also accept my favorite stock, the UBR.

There are also those that believe it doesn't make sense to build a high end rifle with mid grade receivers, but a lot of that may stem from people that are overly "brand" conscience.


After I've put my final 1,000 - 1250 loaded rounds through my 223, I'll have no issue with screwing a new BCM, White Oak, Noveske, etc barrel into it, replacing the BCG with a BCM or LMT, adding a FF quad rail, and running my lowly 10 year old DPMS for another 5-10K rounds.

Thanks for that post, helps a lot.

-Ryan S

[Grizzman]

Here are my initial impressions of the Aimpoint CompML3.


I've only tried it in my house and yard so far, but it seems like it'll end up working very well in most situations. If I run into a short/medium range situation in which it isn't suitable, I've got the BUIS.

I bought the LaRue cantilever mount in case I end up getting a 3X magnifier. I doubt I'd pony up $550 + for an Aimpoint 3XMag, but a Vortex VMX3 does have some appeal. If I end up not getting one, it works fine with the mount sitting in the current position.

I had some concern with possibly not being able to see the 2 MOA dot in sunny conditions, but it can't get much sunnier than it is right now, and it works great as long as I crank the brightness up. The flare at this point is not bothersome.


Here are a few more photos:



I threw the Glock 23 in there to keep the tupperware lovers happy.

[allrockabilly]

Very nice. Thanks for the pics. It looks good.

I have also thought about getting one of the VMX3's from Vortex to go with my EoTech but I still am not sure. Yea the $550 that EoTech wants for there magnifiers is high too. I have seen one in person (the new generation) and it is nice but $500 to $550 is a little well umm steep.

Anyways very nice setup. Are you still waiting on any parts or are you going to try the rifle out soon?

Again very nice - well atleast the rifle that is, the tupperware almost ruined it. :} J/K

Thanks again.

-Ryan S

[Grizzman]

I'm now completely done with the upper.

I'll probably order an LPK next week. As soon as that comes in, I might as well order the lower receiver, which is the last component I'll need to finish off the build.

I took it to the range today so I could zero the optic and BUIS and perform function checks. I also brought my 223 upper so I could compare recoil, dot re-acquisition speed, etc. I've got a recoil shy friend, and she may actually like shooting it.

It shot really well, and there were no surprises. After the zero was confirmed, I decided to fire a couple of groups just to see how well the Aimpoint will let me shoot. It worked as well as I could have expected.

For the photo of the completed rifle, I'll choose some better props.

[allrockabilly]

Sweet well I am sure you will be very pleased when you are all complete. I'm sure it fires nice as is.

I think I might hit the range tomorrow. My AR hasn't been fired in a while. Outdoor ranges for me to shoot my rifles are a nice drive from where I live. I usually drive out to Lake City shooting range but I heard Parma woods is a little closer and is pretty nice. I'll see how I feel tomorrow maybe I will just go to the indoor range and put some more rounds down the pipe of my new CCO and maybe my other DW's.

I really need to buy the parts and go ahead and get a FF quad rail installed on my AR but that means I have to remove the front sight post, D-ring and barrel nut (Am I leaving anything out ). I just want to make sure I don't mess something up (mainly with the gas tube). I haven't really messed around to much on AR's. But I'm sure it's not that hard.

Anyways I'm still jealous of your new upper. Congrats.

-Rayn S.

[Grizzman]

Parma Woods is only a small step down from the new Lake City range. I went to Parma today.,

It's really not too hard to do. The sight tower is just kept in place with taper pins. Brownell's sells a polymer block that's supposed to make it easier to drive them out.

Do you plan to install a low profile gas block, cut off the site tower above the gas block to make it low profile, or re-install the sight tower after the quad rail's installed?

All that's likely needed is:

Remove the existing 2-piece hand guards
remove the muzzle device (hope it's not pinned)
drive out the site tower pins to slide it off
unscrew the barrel nut.

There's no real reason to remove the gas tube from the gas block if you'll be putting it right back on. By D-Ring, are you referring to the sling mount?

There are also options like the Daniel Defense Omega that don't require any changes to be made to the rifle. I don't have any experience with them....I've just read some info.

[allrockabilly]

Originally Posted by Grizzman

Parma Woods is only a small step down from the new Lake City range. I went to Parma today.,

It's really not too hard to do. The sight tower is just kept in place with taper pins. Brownell's sells a polymer block that's supposed to make it easier to drive them out.

Do you plan to install a low profile gas block, cut off the site tower above the gas block to make it low profile, or re-install the sight tower after the quad rail's installed?

All that's likely needed is:

Remove the existing 2-piece hand guards
remove the muzzle device (hope it's not pinned)
drive out the site tower pins to slide it off
unscrew the barrel nut.

There's no real reason to remove the gas tube from the gas block if you'll be putting it right back on. By D-Ring, are you referring to the sling mount?

There are also options like the Daniel Defense Omega that don't require any changes to be made to the rifle. I don't have any experience with them....I've just read some info.

By D-Ring I'm talking about the Delta Ring that holds the standard 2 piece hand guards in place. (you have to push down on the delta ring to install or uninstall the 2 piece hand guards). The Delta ring is the barrel nut I believe in my case.


I have watched videos and read about the Daniel Defense and other systems that are basically drop in "free float" quad rail systems but I am looking to do a true free floating quad rail. I believe you pretty much just take the existing
Delta Ring / barrel nut and replace the existing barrel nut with a threaded one then the true free float one piece hand guards are actually screwed/turned (threaded) in place. Then you reinstall the Gas Block / front sight post in my case. I think that the front fixed sight post is the gas block on my rifle. But I might go with a low profile gas block that has the picatinny rail on it so I can mount flip up BUIS. Something similar to this =



O yea and my barrel is threaded so my compensator / flash hider is not pinned in, so that's one good thing.

All in all I think it will be pretty simple to do just as long as I get the right tools to do the job. I have looked into that polymer tool that helps you tap out the pins that are holding the front sight post on (That might come in handy) I have some punches that I think will do the job. I replaced my stock Trigger guard with a MagPul advanced trigger guard and the punch looks similar in size to the front sight post but I can get punches easily. I do need to get a barrel nut wrench tool (whatever it's called ).

At this point I am making it sound way harder than it probably is I just need to get the parts and just do it. I have watched so many videos of how to do this that I am sure I can get the job done.

Here is a link to a quick YouTube video that shows a guy from MidwayUSA installing a FF tube =


That is pretty much what I am looking to do but instead of a plain tube style hand guard I will be installing a quad rail. There are some many different brands out there now and some are different when it comes to installing them.

Anyways now I might just be confusing people, so that's about it.

-Remove 2 piece hand guards.
-Remove compensator / Flash hider.
-Remove pins holding the front sight post in place
-Remove front sight post.
-Remove Delta ring. With AR tool or barrel nut wrench.?

-Install new threaded barrel nut. This is what my new FF hand guard will screw & lock on to.
-Install new one piece FF hand guard.
-Reinstall / slide the front sight post back in place (if I don't install a new Low profile gas block) and put the pins back in.
-Reinstall the compensator / Flash hider.

I think that is the most of it in a nut shell. Some of that installation depends on which free float quad rail I go with, some have a different style barrel nut that I would have to use...etc and if I wanted to install the Low Profile gas block with the picatinny rails on top I would pretty much just install that instead of the old A2 style sight post.

Well I might Start ordering this stuff now. You have me thinking of my AR again. A couple of the LGS around KC have some nice FF quad rails but it might be cheaper if I order them. Plus I need to get a couple of those tools.

I will keep you posted, and I might even ask you some questions sorry this was such a long post.

Thanks,

-Ryan S

[Grizzman]

Ah, D-Ring = Delta Ring assembly. Sorry, my bad.

Yep, you definitely have all the needed info. All that's left is to do it.

My complete 223 rifle was built during the ban period, which I believe is why it was so neutered. Although it's got a 16" barrel, the compensator is actually pinned/welded in place. Instead of taking it somewhere to have them remove the pin, I just bought a Yankee Hill drop in two piece quad rail.

If it weren't an under 1 MOA barrel (without being free floated) with my handloads, I would have scrapped it years ago.

Since the new week has started, I guess I'll order an LPK now. .................Done!

Does your AR have a rifle or carbine gas system?