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Posted: 11/29/2002 7:57:08 AM EDT
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What would you do if you want to accurize a stock or build your own AR. What do you do to have it shoot as good as a NM rifle or how do you build it. Same for a varmit/sniper in a 20" barrel Eddie |
| The first, and probably the most effective thing to do to make the rifle more accurate is to float the barrel. If you buy a free float handguard tube. Armalite makes a decent, solid model. Stock handguard will have to be modified a bit, but premodified handguards can also be purchased through Armalite. The next thing I would do is to buy a trigger assembly with as low of a pull weight as you can get away with. The lower the pull weight, the less you have to strain to get the hammer to fall. Bushmaster or Jewell make good products. The last thing I would do, short of replacing the barrel, is to replace the sights. On the rear sight, use as small of an aperture as you are comfortable with. The front sight post should be small in stature. I heard a saying in a movie once that was actually fairly true. "Aim small, shoot small." Those are just a few suggestions, but hopefully they will lend some help. Unfortunately, accurizing is one of the more costly venture to undertake with your AR. |
| You could actually do either one. There are some companies out there that make a rear aperture adapter that goes right into a stock one. However, I am not sure of how they stay attached. I have never used one. If it were me, I would buy the N/M sights for the front and rear. You could get by with just the rear, since that is where many changes are actually made, once the rifle is sighted in. On the other hand, a N/M front sight is only about $10-$12. Be careful, though. If you buy a smaller front sight without doing anything to the rear sight, you might shoot worse than before. Anywho- to sum up this long-winded explanation, I would go with the N/M sights, both front and rear. I am also currently building a DCM rifle for personal use. Because of my work environment, have unlimited access to surplus and unneeded M16A2 front and rear sights. I have decided to buy the N/M sights instead of using the free stuff. Glad I could help. Give a yell if I can help anymore. [(:)] |
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ARs are accurate right out of the box and should not keep you from obtaining very good scores. For improving the accurary, this is my opinion of best bang for the buck to least: 1- Replace the single-stage trigger for a two-stage one. This is easy to do and helps dramatically on the trigger pulls compared to stock military triggers. 2- Install a free-float tube. You may want to have a gunsmith do this and I would recommend doing so. If you have a chrome barrel, you may want to replace it at this time. 3- Install NM match sights. This will give you finer minute adjustments for windage and elevation. 4- Pin the rear sight to restrict it's movement range more (on the undesirable axis). 5- Install a hood rear aperature. I prefer hooded to non-hooded. 6- Bed the rear takedown lug to the lower receiver. A few people do this that I know of and I don't think the payback is worth the hassle of maintaining the bedding. I'd recommend skipping this. In all honestly, if you want a DCM rifle with the usual DCM accuracy upgrades, I would recommend that you just buy a DCM upper from White Oak, Frank White, or Fulton Armory. And just get/install the two-stage trigger for the lower. |
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I am in the proccess of building my first AR. The first one will be for plinking and target/competition. I just figured if I build it why not put the parts into it right off the bat. Why waste money. The second one I build will be more of the varmit/sniper variety. Thats why I asked the initial question. Eddie |
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What I did was to buy a DPMS NM upper from Midway before their across the board price increase. I paid 499 I think on sale. I also bought a Jewell trigger for it, and a good sling. These 3 items - upper, trigger, and sling are the real heart of the rifle. The rest of the parts - lower reciecer, furniture, etc. was going the cheap route, no matter who made it. I think I have about 800 bucks into my rifle, and I give up very little compared to the best of the custom builders make. |
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Quoted: snip- 2- Install a free-float tube. You may want to have a gunsmith do this and I would recommend doing so. If you have a chrome barrel, you may want to replace it at this time. So, having a chrome barrel is not good for accuracy? From what I have read, everyone wants a chrome barrel. But since I don't know, I'm just checking to make sure. Thanks. |
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Chrome lining is good for barrel life and ease of cleaning, but are generally not as accurate. Match barrels are not chromed to allow better manipulations on the rifling. ed,to add[url=www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=143852]... accurate chromed barrel[/url] [:)] |
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Short question, which implies a long answer... The first thing I want to ask is what are you actually going to do with it? Next, NM was a designation that the Army applied to factory rifles built in reasonable volume to support their High Power programs, and the recievers and other parts were standard parts with extra inspection and were marked NM. The last real National Match M-14's were made in the 1960's, and accuracy standards were something like 4" at 200 yards. No one should consider that acceptable today. I think that if you want to aspire to accurate rifles for competition, you will aspire to a higher standard... The NM designation (the US Army's)has never been made on anything for AR15's. NM marked parts are just a part maker trying to take extra money from you. If you want to shoot NRA High Power and CMP, you are a beginner at High Power, and you already have a stock AR, I follow some of the others here: Float tube, 1/2 minute sight with changeable apertures, a GI front sight and a couple other widths to try out too, better trigger (I like Jewell, but Millazzo-Krieger's are great if you can get one, and John Holliger's tuned up RRA is supposed to be terrific), ballast the rifle to taste (I like Ray-Vin weights fore and aft). Then develop a load for 200-300 and another for 600 and go practice. You may use up the better part of a barrel just learning the game and getting your positions together. When your XC scores go into Sharpshooter range, upgrade. If you already know High Power, and want a capable rifle, you could do it yourself, or have John Holliger or Frank White or Derrick Martin (www.accuracyspeaks.com) do it for you. Mods beyond the basic build above are: A good barrel; a fine tuned rear sight; and more fuss. I build my own. I read Derrick Martin's book (I believe in Loctite - his book is the best). My current rifle has a Krieger barrel, chambered by Master Class Sports using a short "match" throat; a RRA float tube; Jewell trigger; Ray-Vin weights fore and aft. I glue the barrel extension and barrel nut, the float tube but not the lock ring, and the front sight housing is glued to the barrel after getting it centered by shooting it (I use a couple of opposing set screws in the housing and flats on the barrel). No pins and no big torque on anything. I also ballast my carrier (steel sleeve epoxied into the rear of the carrier to make the rifle easier on empties) and housebreak my rifles to allow me to retain more of my pampered empties. Nothing ever comes loose until you want it to (with heat). The zeros are absolutely solid and the rifle shoots little tiny groups with 69's, 77's and 80's. It took me from mid Sharpshooter to high Expert in 2002, and maybe into Master next year. |
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