Ready for the range!

Jeeper44mag

Thank you so much for the input on scopes guys!  I did finally go with the Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18x44 for my AR-10 (.308)  Here's a pic.  It's a Gen 3 PSA, 20" Barrel, with a Geissele SSA-E trigger, & Ross Muzzle brake.  

Can't wait to hit the range Friday!  I'll get a report up after.

Luis

GrapeApe

Looks good

CHIRO1989

Thanks came out well, see how some Amax will group

Zee

Love the trigger!
Scope looks good!
You have a LONG neck!  😁

I recommend a more vertical grip. Try one. I think you’ll like it. Magpul makes one. 

Jay

Zee said:

Love the trigger!
Scope looks good!
You have a LONG neck!  😁

I recommend a more vertical grip. Try one. I think you’ll like it. Magpul makes one. 

What he said.. 🤪 First things I saw looking at the pic before I read his post.. great minds, and all..

15 degree grip. I like Daniel Defense, Magpul and Ergo.  

Also A2 stock. Or another fixed stock that fits your fancy. But it’s hard to beat a good ol’ A2 style on those things. With the scope, adjustable length of pull just doesn’t do anything.. Comfort and consistent. 

Not trying to put your gun down, by any means. Nice work!  That looks good. If that’s what you like, go with it. 👍 Just some ideas for future legos…

Mbellum

Wow! Great looking rifle!

Jeeper44mag

Zee said:

Love the trigger!
Scope looks good!
You have a LONG neck!  😁

I recommend a more vertical grip. Try one. I think you’ll like it. Magpul makes one. 

I *am* 6'2" tall.  Will probably be running the stock in the next to last slot (I think that pic has it fully extended), but yeah.... I *do* have a long neck.  LOL

I'll have to check out some other grips sometime. 

Luis

Jeeper44mag

Jay said:

Zee said:

Love the trigger!
Scope looks good!
You have a LONG neck!  😁

I recommend a more vertical grip. Try one. I think you’ll like it. Magpul makes one.  

Also A2 stock. Or another fixed stock that fits your fancy. But it’s hard to beat a good ol’ A2 style on those things. With the scope, adjustable length of pull just doesn’t do anything.. Comfort and consistent. 

The collapsible stock helps fit it into a shorter case, and also in my gun safe.   I'm just not really big on the fixed stocks on an AR personally.  But... different strokes for different folks.

Luis

Jay

Jeeper44mag said:

Jay said:

Zee said:

Love the trigger!
Scope looks good!
You have a LONG neck!  😁

I recommend a more vertical grip. Try one. I think you’ll like it. Magpul makes one.  

Also A2 stock. Or another fixed stock that fits your fancy. But it’s hard to beat a good ol’ A2 style on those things. With the scope, adjustable length of pull just doesn’t do anything.. Comfort and consistent. 

The collapsible stock helps fit it into a shorter case, and also in my gun safe.   I'm just not really big on the fixed stocks on an AR personally.  But... different strokes for different folks.

Luis

As you said, it really just boils down to what YOU want on YOUR rifle.  

I used to be much like you.  I didn't care for fixed stocks.  Until I tried one.. Now, for at least some applications, I prefer the fixed stock.  They are much more comfortable to shoot and give me better position on the scope.

I currently have three fixed stocks.  Two are standard A2 style stocks and one is a Magpul fixed stock.  I have one on my 450 Bushmaster, because that thing sucked to shoot with a collapsible stock. I obviously have one on my 308 and I have the Magpul on the 224 Valkyrie.  I bought one long rifle case for those guns.  It's unlikely I would take more than one of those three out with me at a time, so one rifle case does the job for now.  

But again, you did a nice job on your build.  I look forward to seeing your initial results and thoughts on it.  I'm sure it will be a "blast." 

Diver43

Your rifle looks fine 
I transport my ARs in two pieces in a much smaller case.  A-2 or collapsible stock makes no difference

Wambli Ska

Jeeper44mag said:

Jay said:

Zee said:

Love the trigger!
Scope looks good!
You have a LONG neck!  😁

I recommend a more vertical grip. Try one. I think you’ll like it. Magpul makes one.  

Also A2 stock. Or another fixed stock that fits your fancy. But it’s hard to beat a good ol’ A2 style on those things. With the scope, adjustable length of pull just doesn’t do anything.. Comfort and consistent. 

The collapsible stock helps fit it into a shorter case, and also in my gun safe.   I'm just not really big on the fixed stocks on an AR personally.  But... different strokes for different folks.

Luis

Something to think about and of course your experience might be different, but I built two ARs specifically to be more precision gun configurations.  I tried collapsible stocks on both of them initially and I never managed to get what I needed accuracy wise out of them.

I find the built in "slop" ,for lack of a better word, needed on collapsible stocks for them to adjust swiftly makes it very difficult to achieve the consistent form and results I need when shooting from a bench.  As soon as I switched to a fixed stock both guns shrunk groups substantially!  

So I'm not trying to change your mind, just something to keep in mind.

By the way you say you're not big on fixed stock.  I hear you, I HATE A2 stocks.  Both of those guns ended up with DoubleStar stocks which I LOVE!  They are built like brick outhouses.  You can break a door down using one of these.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/doublestar-rifle-stocks.html

Jeeper44mag

Wambli Ska said:

Jeeper44mag said:

Jay said:

Zee said:

Love the trigger!
Scope looks good!
You have a LONG neck!  😁

I recommend a more vertical grip. Try one. I think you’ll like it. Magpul makes one.  

Also A2 stock. Or another fixed stock that fits your fancy. But it’s hard to beat a good ol’ A2 style on those things. With the scope, adjustable length of pull just doesn’t do anything.. Comfort and consistent. 

The collapsible stock helps fit it into a shorter case, and also in my gun safe.   I'm just not really big on the fixed stocks on an AR personally.  But... different strokes for different folks.

Luis

Something to think about and of course your experience might be different, but I built two ARs specifically to be more precision gun configurations.  I tried collapsible stocks on both of them initially and I never managed to get what I needed accuracy wise out of them.

I find the built in "slop" ,for lack of a better word, needed on collapsible stocks for them to adjust swiftly makes it very difficult to achieve the consistent form and results I need when shooting from a bench.  As soon as I switched to a fixed stock both guns shrunk groups substantially!  

So I'm not trying to change your mind, just something to keep in mind.

By the way you say you're not big on fixed stock.  I hear you, I HATE A2 stocks.  Both of those guns ended up with DoubleStar stocks which I LOVE!  They are built like brick outhouses.  You can break a door down using one of these.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/doublestar-rifle-stocks.html

Interesting....  well....  we'll see how the range test goes.   

I'm managing to get just under MOA out of one of my other AR's (.223 wylde w/Ballistic Advantage 16" barrel) and it's got just the most basic cheap plastic collapsible stock you can get when buying a complete lower, so maybe I'm leaving some potential accuracy on the table with that one, so to speak?  I don't know.

FWIW, This gen3 PSA AR-10 lower came with a Magpul "MOE" collapsible stock that is DEFINITELY a little better built (thicker/less flimsy) than my other AR's have, but like you mention, it *does* have a little "slop" to it for adjustment purposes.   Like you, I definitely don't care for the A2 stocks.

Luis

Jeeper44mag

Jay, do you have a muzzle brake on that .450 Bushmaster?   That would go a long way towards taming the recoil I'd think.

Luis

Wambli Ska

Jeeper44mag said:

Wambli Ska said:

Jeeper44mag said:

Jay said:

Zee said:

Love the trigger!
Scope looks good!
You have a LONG neck!  😁

I recommend a more vertical grip. Try one. I think you’ll like it. Magpul makes one.  

Also A2 stock. Or another fixed stock that fits your fancy. But it’s hard to beat a good ol’ A2 style on those things. With the scope, adjustable length of pull just doesn’t do anything.. Comfort and consistent. 

The collapsible stock helps fit it into a shorter case, and also in my gun safe.   I'm just not really big on the fixed stocks on an AR personally.  But... different strokes for different folks.

Luis

Something to think about and of course your experience might be different, but I built two ARs specifically to be more precision gun configurations.  I tried collapsible stocks on both of them initially and I never managed to get what I needed accuracy wise out of them.

I find the built in "slop" ,for lack of a better word, needed on collapsible stocks for them to adjust swiftly makes it very difficult to achieve the consistent form and results I need when shooting from a bench.  As soon as I switched to a fixed stock both guns shrunk groups substantially!  

So I'm not trying to change your mind, just something to keep in mind.

By the way you say you're not big on fixed stock.  I hear you, I HATE A2 stocks.  Both of those guns ended up with DoubleStar stocks which I LOVE!  They are built like brick outhouses.  You can break a door down using one of these.

https://www.opticsplanet.com/doublestar-rifle-stocks.html

Interesting....  well....  we'll see how the range test goes.   

I'm managing to get just under MOA out of one of my other AR's (.223 wylde w/Ballistic Advantage 16" barrel) and it's got just the most basic cheap plastic collapsible stock you can get when buying a complete lower, so maybe I'm leaving some potential accuracy on the table with that one, so to speak?  I don't know.

FWIW, This gen3 PSA AR-10 lower came with a Magpul "MOE" collapsible stock that is DEFINITELY a little better built (thicker/less flimsy) than my other AR's have, but like you mention, it *does* have a little "slop" to it for adjustment purposes.   Like you, I definitely don't care for the A2 stocks.

Luis

As an example.  My heavy barreled 5.56 was doing around 1 MOA with Black Hills Match ammo and the rest of the ammo was meh...  I was actually rather disappointed in the rig and I consider it touch to shoot because it didn't feel "solid"? on the bench.

After I switched to the Doublestar stock I was doing 1 MOA with just about anything I fed it and it dropped to under .5 MOA with match ammo.  Again your mileage might vary, I'm working from a sample of 2.  Don't now if anyone else has experienced this.

JunkCollector

I'm not much of an ar guy but to me a solid stock on. A scoped gun  is a must

GrapeApe

This is my preferred GP fixed AR stock. That flat bottom hook rides the rear bag nicely. I have them on 2/3 of my fixed stock lowers
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1003210278?pid=143416

My 3rd one is Gen 1 Magpul PRS. It's a nice stock but OMG it is HEAVY and I ONLY use it for one specific upper, and that lower has my only Timney AR trigger
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2319159496
(It's also been discontinued)

Jay

Jeeper44mag said:

Jay, do you have a muzzle brake on that .450 Bushmaster?   That would go a long way towards taming the recoil I'd think.

Luis

I do. I’ve never shot it without a brake. It was installed the day I built it. It’s not horrible, to me. But I’ve had others not wish to fire more than one round out of it. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I equate it to being similar to 12 gauge slug recoil, or there abouts.

jbp-ohio

Magpul CTR stocks have a lock that takes out the slop very nicely.....

Jeeper44mag

Jay said:

Jeeper44mag said:

Jay, do you have a muzzle brake on that .450 Bushmaster?   That would go a long way towards taming the recoil I'd think.

Luis

I do. I’ve never shot it without a brake. It was installed the day I built it. It’s not horrible, to me. But I’ve had others not wish to fire more than one round out of it. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I equate it to being similar to 12 gauge slug recoil, or there abouts.

Wow.   I wouldn't have guessed it being that much!  Most of the better muzzle brakes reduce recoil by ~ 50-60%, which is HUGE.  

Luis

Wambli Ska

Jay said:

Jeeper44mag said:

Jay, do you have a muzzle brake on that .450 Bushmaster?   That would go a long way towards taming the recoil I'd think.

Luis

I do. I’ve never shot it without a brake. It was installed the day I built it. It’s not horrible, to me. But I’ve had others not wish to fire more than one round out of it. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I equate it to being similar to 12 gauge slug recoil, or there abouts.

I've fired a friends .50 Beowulf and it didn't really even get 12 ga, more like a 20ga slug.  As in not objectionable at ALL!  I wonder if there is a significant difference.

Jay

I've never shot a 50 Beowulf, so I can't compare.  Of course, comparing felt recoil to a 12 ga slug is just a ballpark comparison.  There's too many variables that go into the equation.  I just used that as an approximation.

Off the top of my head, I believe my current 450 load is a 250 grain FTX moving around 2200 FPS.  It groups about 1/2 inch at 50 yards.  I'd like to get 240 or 250 grain XTPs to work in it, but it doesn't like feeding them with the big, flat hollow point nose on them.  The FTXs feed better.

It's not really bad recoil.  But it's not something you want to shoot a lot at one time. 

Wambli Ska

I was just wondering because the .450 and .50 have been in my radar for a while.  Thanks for putting it in perspective.

Jay

Another approximate comparison would be, it's a tiny bit faster than 460 S&W mag with the same bullet weight, but out of a 16" barrel.  A 45-70 with a 300 grain bullet would be in the 1500 FPS range, + or - a little depending on variables.  That's kinda the ballpark the 450 falls into.  I went with it simply because it shares the same bullet diameter as my 454 Casull, thinking I could use the same XTPs in both.  But my AR doesn't care for the big hollow points.  At least not unless I can make a few more tweaks to the magazine and maybe touch up the feed ramp and see if it helps.

It's really just one of the many cartridges made for straight wall cartridge hunting regulations, I guess.  But I decided to play with it for a short range thumper rifle.

Jeeper44mag

TY for the description.  Still have two more AR's to finalize.... one will be .300BO, but the other is still undecided. 

Luis

Ernie Bishop

Jeeper44mag said:

Thank you so much for the input on scopes guys!  I did finally go with the Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18x44 for my AR-10 (.308)  Here's a pic.  It's a Gen 3 PSA, 20" Barrel, with a Geissele SSA-E trigger, & Ross Muzzle brake.  

Can't wait to hit the range Friday!  I'll get a report up after.

Luis

NICE.

As far as upgrades-Ditto on the more vertical grip options and I also prefer the stock like the doublestar for the way I shoot when prone.  Yes, I do have a couple of AR's

None in 308 Win though.