AR-15 brand choice

[ghostrider]

not trying to start a brand flamewar, but for those who build (or custom order) your AR-15's, what brand of parts would you choose/recommend/buy for a build from scratch?

I have Aero Precision stripped upper/lowers and will build a 16" bbl carbine someday (possibly 30AR, 6.8 SPCII, or 300 BLK), and I'm exploring brand options for the rest of the parts (ie. lower parts kit, barrel).

[ShootDontTalk]

Wow! Way too many different parts made by too many manufacturers for a definitive list. In general, most parts from the vast majority of houses are the same. Stay away from gun show bargains unless it is non-critical parts like furniture. Even then, I have seen some furniture at gun shows that is really junk.

For a LPK most houses will be selling a bag of parts from one manufacturer at varying prices. Unless you're planning on fighting a war, one will be pretty much as good as another. Speciality parts make the original design FCG much better, but I don't know of any kits with stuff of that quality.

I like White Oak Armament barrels, but a search or two will turn up any number of quality houses. Lilja, Krieger, Bartlein, PacNor, Schnieder, and many others make the best, but they are pricey and not really needed unless you're building a 1,000 yard gun. Most of these houses make AR barrels and will cut them for whatever caliber you want. ER Shaw makes very serviceable barrels at very reasonable prices. For anything but a competition rifle, the Shaw will work just fine. One note on calibers. Make sure you can afford to shoot what you choose. $2.00 (or more) per round is really not good for practice. Those you mentioned are going to require reloading for anything like reasonable ammo prices.

All in all a little research will help a lot in your decision making AFTER you decide exactly what you want the gun to do. A word to the wise though. Double and triple check your data from the internet. Get a notebook and write down recommended parts and then decide from your list.

[The Annoyed Man]

Another barrel brand in the same sort of category as White Oak is Odin Works. I just built a DMR rifle around an OW 18" stainless heavy barrel with a rifle length gas system, Wylde chamber, and a 1:8 twist. It is a humdinger.
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