AR Upper

[mmorel]

I want to put a target upper on my post ban Colt receiver. What is the hot ticket? Length?  Twist?  Who makes a target upper using Lothar/Walther barrels?

Thanks, Mike

(Edited by mmorel at 9:02 pm on Jan. 16, 2003)

[Bill H]

I would go with a  Krieger barrel,length,twist and diameter that you want.You can't get much if any better than these barrels.Contact Compass Lake for a complete topend.They are good people to do business with.

http://www.compasslake.com/

[lmccrock]

Mike,

What are you going to do with it? Dedicated for 3 gun? What ammo/bullet size? Barrel length, twist, and sights all are guided by application.

Lee

[mmorel]

I am going to use it for 100 to 200 yard target. I have a tactical pre ban for three gun. I have not picked a load yet, I don't know enough about  target loads. Mike

[kellyn]

By "target upper", I assume you mean poking holes on a piece of paper and wanting them to be close together.

I'm also assuming that we are not talking about highpower cross the course matches or three gun.

For pure accuracy applications, barrel length has little to do with it.  I'd stick with a 20.  The idea that longer barrels are more accurate is pure myth.   You'd only want length to develop velocity but since you're talking about 200 yards, it's not an issue.  At 600 it is. Instead I'd focus on barrel quality.  Kreiger is at the top of the heap but Lilja, Hart, Schneider are all in the same class.  Krieger is the darling of the highpower shooters but Tubb shoots a Schnieder.  I've had nothing but good luck with Douglas barrels which are cheaper.

Since you're talking about shooting relatively short ranges, you do not need to use heavy bullets and don't need a fast twist.  If 200 yards was the outer limit, I would start with the Sierra 52 grain matchking as a bullet and a 1 in 12 twist.  If you want to shoot 68 or 69+ grain bullets, you'll need a 1 in 9 twist AT LEAST.  Don't shoot 80s at 100 to 200, that's not what they're designed for.  

My 1 in 9 barrels shoot lighter bullets well but that's a fast twist for lighter bullets.  I had a 1 in 7 that only liked heavy bullets.  I've never had a twist slower than 1 in 9, but I like to shoot heavy bullets past 200.    

[benny hill]

I build uppers useing douglass air guaged prem. 1-12 twist blank's. I turn & chamber my own barrels & they will shoot federal 55 gr. nolser ballistic tip in .25/.35 at a 100 yd. & .885/1.115 at 300 yds. I had to demo this for the local benchrest group but they believe now.

[Colt1991]

And when you get Benny to make you that AR Upper make sure you have him put his comp on it.  Benny I've got to say it's one of the best comp's that i've shot.  Kurt and I (Todd's team mates from colorado) had a side by side test and your won hands down.  I left mine the nice shinny finish you left on it when Kurt got it from you.

Dean