I’ve got an idea to work my kiddo into long range shooting. Help me out if I’m way off base. I’m thing about putting an upper together for her that’ll get out to 600 yards to start with. She’s shot me 300blk AR and didn’t have any issues with recoil so I think 223 won’t be an issue at all.

I’ve got a nice heavy profile mid length barrel to start with from an old project. I’m looking for a handguard that would be good for shooting from a bag or bipod, maybe flat bottom. I’d also need an optic for it.  I’ve been shooting at 600 with a vortex diamondback 4-16 that’s been fine for me but we may soon have the opportunity to get out to 1000 or farther so I was thinking about putting something with a higher magnification on my bolt gun and putting the diamondback on her’s. Also an appropriate mount for the scope.

I need to measure her for LOP to see if the magpul PRS would work at the shortest setting.

I’ve got a pretty good old RRA two stage trigger to drop in it. Then I’d need a BCG and a brake and she’d be shooting.

All that said, what are your recommendations that won’t break the bank for the following:

sub 16” handguard
mount for 30mm tube 4-16 x44 for AR
Optic for 308 bolt gun in KRG chassis to get out to 1000yds
Is the magpul PRS stock what I should be looking at?

I’m not going to spend $3000 for an optic for my gun, I don’t want to spend stupid money on any of this stuff but also would like to get bang for my buck.

What are your recommendations ?

Any handguard will work. If you’re specifically after a flat bottom I’d try and track down one of the old Seekins rails, but bipods will mount to any rail.

Aero on the economical side for a mount, ADM for mid tier and Spuhr/Repltilia for top of the wallet.

The PRS is nice, but there are less expensive options out there with shorter LOPs. I think Luth-AR makes a pretty decently adjustable stock on a carbine length that may also work.

20 inch 1/7 twist HBAR barrel from WOA. A2 flash hider so you can shoot in NRA events.

AP Atlas S one for the AR HG (this HG has a channel at the 12 o’clock position that will allow you to get the objective bell even lower to the bore) if you like that for cheek weld.  If TP is capable, An Arca rail can be added 6 o’clock on HG  for direct tripod mount.

I typically choose my mount, or rings based on a use case. for a PRS ish build, quick disconnect is not usually important, getting low HOB is more of a priority .
I try to use rings when possible however on small frame AR receiver that may be difficult (depending on eye relief)
If rings will work I’ve had good results with UTG pro for economical builds. If you must use a cantilever mount I’d  go with low HOB

As far as a replacement optic for your bolt gun eurooptics often times has Night Force demo models that are in new condition on sale for a huge discount I like the 2 -20 FFP NX8

Wanna jump in here for the learning opportunity.

I bought a 20” 1-8 aero barrel in a aero upper I have laying around. 13” Sharps Bros hand guard, superlative adjustable gas block and aero bolt carrier with bolt. I have a aero lower setting and I’m thinking about a Mid West industry lower parts kit with trigger. And a Luth-AR stock. And hopefully we get a chance to take this after some prairie dogs this summer. Parts are slowly trickling in.

I think I saw an old YHM quad rail in the EE. That would make a good base for a bipod.

A Vortex PST II, will go as far as .223 and it’s affordable.

Add a knockoff Harris and go to work.

Also, the AAC 77 OTM and SMK shoot great for the price.
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My .02 on the subject.

Yes 223 will shoot out to 600 fairly easily if the wind isn’t too bad. But to keep your daughters interest you may want to consider a cartridge that will give her instant feedback on hits or misses. To me that would lead me to 6 arc or 6.5 Grendel. The 223 loads are a lot more difficult to spot splash with when you miss. With 6 arc splash is much better. Recoil is very easy to handle even for the little ones. The difference when connecting with steel is huge. Even on the bigger plates the arc will move them. The 223 barely moves the bigger plates. Teaching kids and getting them hooked often requires instant feedback. That’s why I like reactive targets for them. If possible blow up 20-30 water balloons with air and staple them to the backboard. Then play the color game. You pick a color and she shoots it. Pop and she is hooked.

If she is recoil shy and you are going with your 223 consider a comp or a can. The M4-72 comp is so effective the gun barely moves. Double ear pro with electronic muffs will help with the extra noise. My kids shoot suppressed 99% of the time. They are not afraid of they rifles.

Go with the longest or heaviest weight rail you can find. All with a mind for recoil reduction.

Get a decent rear bag to help her stabilize the rifle for the longer shots.

My favorite budget optic for long range is the Vortex viper pst gen 2. You can find them for decent prices and even better used. Great glass for the price.

I'd get a Bartlien or Kreiger barrel from Compass lake engineering and buy some good ammo.  I've had great success with IMI 77 grain.  Out of my 18" Bartlien barrel my wind call with IMI razor core  is .1 mil per full value 5mph wind per 100 yards.

5.56 is a great gun to learn to shoot and learn to call wind better than some of these burner cartridges that cost more per round smoke your barrel faster and are harder to source.

Pulling up my kestrel my last target I shot at with my 18" was at 835 yards remaining velocity 1118fps remaining energy 214ftlbs.  You can make hits at 1000 with a 5.56 AR it is possible it'll be cheaper to do so also.

This.  20" 1/7 or 1/8 HBAR is the standard barrel at Camp Perry and in NRA/CMP 600 yard competition, all day long.   The 1980's are long gone, and you don't need expensive to run.  A UTG scope mount off of Amazon works just fine for what you want.  For glass; I tend to look to Primary Arms or Vortex as the cost effective options.   Better glass is better, but as long as you stay clear of the $200 specials, you'll be hitting just fine at 600 yards.  Don't overdo magnification, as that will add a lot of weight to what will be a heavy barreled gun and pulse bad.  Personally I'm a fan of the 2.5-10X.   I do suggest FFP.  Again, the 1980's are gone, and ballistic calculators are the norm now.  If she's going to be shooting variable distances, a FFP scope with a decent reticle and StreloK Pro as your your app, and it'll overlay the distances on a picture of your reticle very nicely.

Bipods are cheap and easy now.  Just put a short Picatinny rail at the end of the handguard, and a quick-release bipod on-and-off there.

As to handguard length, most any will do.  I personally get lengths that end before the gas-block, as I prefer an exposed gas-block personally.

Here's a typical NM service rifle, which is basically what you are seeking, that is a 600 yard x-ring crusher.

Presidents Hundred winner 2022 (A female was the best rifleman with an AR that year, which is germane to your daughters interest - she can do it)


And one with rails

NRA/CMP tournaments limit magnification to 4.5X, know that prior to purchasing or you will get DQ'd for anything higher.

There are at least a half-dozen scopes specifically designed for these tournaments, prices range from mid-$400's to over $2000. I use Leupold's # 176283 VX-4.5HD 1-4.5x24 Service Rifle scope. It has a reticle with the "circle of death" in the center that is just slightly larger in circumference than the NRA/CMP bullseye. Leupold make three of four different models, March scopes and Night Force have the most expensive options, White Oak Armament sells a cheaper model.

Virtually everyone is using 80 grain or heavier bullets at the 600 yard line, loaded long to reduce the jump to the rifling and increase case volume. .223 Wylde chambers will accept 80 grain SMK's loaded close to 2.470", 5.56x45mm NATO chambers will allow you to seat 80 grain SMK's as long as 2.550". Nobody is jamming them into the rifling for two reasons;

1. Sierra SMK's don't shoot better jammed
2. If they call a cease fire and you have your bullet jammed into the rifling, the bullet will be stuck there and powder will spill everywhere inside your action when you mortar the action open.

I have always had a harder time at 600 shooting AR's compared to the M14, but the advantage the AR platform brings to the rest of the tournament far outweighs any perceived advantage I felt at to 600 yard line. The addition of scopes as an option several years ago fixed the short sight radius issue. 80 grain SMK's fired from a 20" AR are almost ballistically identical to 168's fired from a M14.

I use 69's at 200 and 300 yards. I know the majority of people use 77's, but 69's have been stellar in my rifles and clean scores at 300 yards are still clean scores.

Thanks for all of the replies here. You guys have given me some good food for thought.

You'll probably want to stay away from the PRS Gen 3 and the PRS Lite.  Magpul really screwed the pooch with those.  See if you can find a PRS Gen 1 or Gen 2.

Gen 1







Gen 2



....

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get to 600.  You can, in fact, use any decent 16-inch carbine as a start point (good to 800).  A free-floated Palmetto works.  A standard collapsing carbine stock will adjust to the smallest gals to adult males.

Get a free-float tube or rail system.  White Oak and Bushmaster make solid basic options around $150.  Load or buy match ammo (Federal Gold Medal Match 77s work well).  You have a decent trigger.  You don't need a lot of magnification but it doesn't hurt.  A Nightforce 1.375 20 MOA Unimount would work for the scope you already have.

A steel target will save time going back-and-forth trying to figure out where you hit.  It will help if you spot her shots with good binoculars or a spotting scope.

If you have a teaching or training background and mid- to long-range experience I found it takes about 15 minutes of training before a 17 year old can hit steel to 750 yards shooting a mid-length M4gery equipped with a Daniel Omega 9.0 rail and a TA01B ACOG.

New and challenging does NOT mean impossible.  It's basic musketry.

This

I'd also try to avoid buying long heavy stuff. How old is she?

for the money WOA is what you want to run. my 18" SPR is a tact driver

PRS Lite is long on the “shortest” setting.  I’d look at the new MOE PR stock.

I can second this if you have a lower available. Great value for an accurate rifle.

I have the PRS LITE and the MOE. I removed the lite from my lr 308, to long for the large frame ar for me. Works good on small frame ar. I'm 5'9"average build. The moe pr is very loose on several different receiver extensions, don't think I'll be using it.