Context: Around the time that sandy hook happened I scrambled and put together my first AR without much regard to the actual quality of the components. Pretty much everything on it is no-name. It doesn’t function great and feels really sloppy. Because of that, I really don’t like shooting it at all, and it jams fairly often.
In the next year or so I am going to be looking into replacing the whole upper receiver. My desired function would be accurate out to around 200 yards. It would be really cool to use it for hog, or coyote hunting. My price range would be $500-$1000 for the whole upper receiver excluding optics or butt stock. I want to get something that will last, perform great, and give me good accuracy. I enjoy having quality looking and feeling items - it’s more fun for me that way.
I looked into getting a DD upper, and I’m willing but just wanted to consider all the options.
DD are great guns. Never owned one, but my buddy has a DD and it is really nice. So I’m not trying to steer you off of DD, but it will likely stretch the upper end of your stated budget. I’d ask a couple of questions to narrow your thinking. When you say accurate, to what level? Is 1.5" to 2.0" at 100 on a good day acceptable or are you looking for a gun capable of MOA? Do you want to trick it out with all kinds of accessories? By perform great, do you mean run with no (very few) stoppages? Assuming you want to stay out of SBR territory and that tax stamp, do you primarily want a basic, handy gun for self-defense that you can also use for hunting, like a 16" carbine? Or, are you looking more for a semi-auto precision rifle with an 18" to 20" barrel? Btw, for hogs, 300BLK or one of the 6.5s might be a better choice than the 5.56. Sure, you can kill a hog with a 5.56, but it is not ideal, in my opinion. There are a lot of good options out there that won’t hit the bank account quite as much as the DD.
You could build an upper out with the BCG, T handle, handguard, barrel, gas block, gas tube and muzzle device of your choice for less than $1000.
You’ll have to figure it what length barrel you want and what length has system you desire, along with making sure the upper you choose fits the lower you have.
No need to pay crazy DD prices. This is a good video on high quality alternatives. NEVER BUY These Guns at FULL Price...It's NOT Worth It - YouTube . Also check out the School of the American Rifle which he mentions. They really show you how to inspect an AR-15.
I’m not planning on tricking it out necessarily. I was thinking moa accuracy would be great… but I know it depends a lot on ammo and my own shooting ability. Perform great = doesn’t jam much. 14.5-16 is what I was thinking on length.
Are there many different types of attachment shapes where it connects to the upper? I was thinking that was all standardized by the military.
The attachment points between the upper and the lower?
If it’s built to True AR-15 specs, then they all should all be the same. Keep in mind some companies are better known for looser or Tighter tolerances. That can sometimes lead to troubles getting things connected.
Also, there are a number of AR-15’ish style rifles out there which look very similar but may have some different dimensions that won’t let them connect directly to a true AR-15. But if you’re looking to buy a true AR-15 upper, that shouldn’t be an issue
If you are not planning on tricking it out, the furniture matters less. I’m still running MagPul MOE on my 16”, but its purpose is self-defense. Of course, you can always change it later. Any good quality upper should perform as you describe. I’ve had very few stoppages with my ARs. Your mileage may vary and there are always exceptions. From what I’ve read and my experience, run it wet. That will also help with functioning. If you want MOA-ish accuracy, I would say put your focus and dollars in getting a good barrel and BCG. Again, you don’t have to break the bank. You can get an accurate short barrel, but keep in mind, with a shorter barrel you give up some velocity. Also remember, under 16” and you have a SBR that has to be registered as an NFA item, unless it has a pinned and welded muzzle device to hit 16’’ overall. It seems to me the precision minded shooters go more toward 18” to 20” (or longer) with a mid or rifle length gas system. For my “precision” gun I run a heavier profile 18” with a rifle length gas system. I have gotten close to an MOA group at 100 yards on a good day when I did my part (See Jim’s video about the $50 MOA range challenge). As @cchilds noted, tolerances may vary, but generally speaking the attachment points between the upper and lower are standardized for the AR15. If made to spec they should work.
I have purchased several Palmetto State Armory complete uppers and all of them have shot very well if I do my part. I have 2 sons so I would “build” one and then when they were old enough give it to the oldest, “build” another and then when they were old enough give it to the youngest, and then built one for me.
