TexasCHLforum.com

I guess this is an acceptable topic...the forum says general and unrelated to CHL...

So I'm working on my first black rifle (actually I like the term HDR, Home Defense Rifle ) build and am just getting around to buying a receiver.

Yes I've browsed and lurked at AR15.com. That site is almost enough to scare me off of AR's.

AIM surplus has what looks like a great price on CMMG, both stripped and with internals, and Aero Precision. Good, bad, ugly? Everything I read says receivers are mostly the same except to the really really picky...

I know there is a bewildering array options for the AR platform. I'm looking for a quality, basic intro to them for my first...though I'll probably buy 2 receivers just in case.

Second question. Why are some marked .223/5.56 and some "multi"? Is there any legal reason you can't put a say 6.8SPC upper on a 223 marked receiver?

As I understand it, a 6.8 upper will work just fine on a .223.5/6 lower. You will need to buy 6.8 mags though.

This statement is based on what I've read and researched. I have a S&W M&P in .223/5.6 and am considering buying a 6.8 upper to use on deer sized game so I've done a little research but have not actually pulled the trigger or experienced the rush of shooting the swap out.

Good luck with your build.

Most Receivers are the same.. the only difference is the rollmarks mostly.

There's a few, smaller differences, but for the most part, just don't buy a junk brand and you'll be fine.

CMMG, to me, is a brand with a good reputation. There are some that I will swear by, but to each his own. Just like AndyC, I cannot recommend Olympic or Hesse. However, I do have an Olympic upper that has been surprisingly sturdy and accurate going on 10 years. But I bought it before I really knew anything about it, "way back when." I guess sometimes anyone can find a diamond in the rough.

AndyC wrote: . . . I bought a DoubleStar lower (mostly because of their good rep for customer-service) and I'm very happy with it - the lower parts kit (LPK) snapped together like Lego and now sports a Del-ton mid-length flat-top upper.

I bought a DoubleStar because it looked nicely machined and finished, and was pretty cheap. Put it together with an RRA LPK (with NM trigger) and a Vltor Emod buttstock and a CMMG upper. Have a couple of hundred rounds through it with zero stoppages.

AndyC wrote:As for the "multi" marking - personally I'd enjoy having a lower marked like that; it's kind of silly to have a .22LR, 6.5, 6.8 or .450 upper on a lower marked .223/5.56. I'm not sure if there's any real legal relevance to it, unless perhaps one were to build a pistol from it,

Whether or not you can build a pistol depends on whether or not the receiver was sold as a "receiver" or "rifle receiver" on the 4473. If the latter, you can ONLY build a rifle on it unless you SBR or AOW it. If the former, you can build a pistol on it.

I had good luck with DPMS receivers, but honestly, I have no other builds to compare them to, as that's all I've used.

bpet wrote:As I understand it, a 6.8 upper will work just fine on a .223.5/6 lower. You will need to buy 6.8 mags though.

That's my understanding too...I just am unsure of the legalities behind the marking. Why bother putting a caliber marking on it if there isn't a legal reason...

Then again, I'm a cynic.

>Why bother putting a caliber marking on it if there isn't a legal reason..

I'm not an AR-15 expert and I try not to play one on the internet. Until within the last few years I believe most factory AR-15's were 223/556 (and I suspect that's the most popular calibre) so I imagine for most makers just continue to have them marked that way. Its probably cheaper to 'not' make the change.

I am partial to the A,B,C,D's

Armalite, Bushmaster, Colt, Dpms and throw a rock river (RRA) in there as well

Quick question for AndyC:

You said "Buy any receiver you like (except Olympic and Hesse)..." - are these two known as substandard, or what?

Not trying to be a wise-guy or argumentative - truly just asking.

I have an Olympic lower that "seems" to be fine (on a CAR-15 built from a Doublestar kit when the AWB expired in 2004) but if there are problems with them, I'd sure like to know.

This carbine does not get regular workouts like the standard-size AR I shoot in matches, so if it is flawed in some way, there is no reason to believe it would have shown up by now.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Andrew

Folks, this is a very interesting thread. Thanks to all.

But now it has my curiosity up. I know nothing about building one, so what all is involved and what are your end costs on the final product?

If I were to build one, it'd probably be a semi-auto version of an XM-177E2. What's that called, a CAR-15? I'm honestly out of my league here.

A better website for ar info:
http://www.m4carbine.net/forum.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
There is much better info there than at AR15.com

Excellent! Thanks!