I have an new fixed carry handle upper with A1 sights and I’ve been considering a dissy style build so I can get a rifle sight length with a more compact package. The upper doesn’t have M4 feed ramps but with the mid-length gas system I don’t think they are absolutely necessary.
My biggest decision is the barrel. I’ve been thinking about the BCM mid-length and having a standard height front sight mounted far enough to install standard rifle handguards. ADCO mills flats for a set screw front sight for $40.
So here are my thoughts.
BCM barrel - Link
ADCO work - Link
NM front sight - Link
And then all the other necessary parts delta ring, gas block, gas tube, and handguard cap.
Or should I just buy the Bushmaster dissipator setup or get a Cruiser barrel from ADCO?
Let me know what you think. Critiques and suggestions are welcome.
Brandon,
I’m a big fan of just the kind of build you’re talking about. It may not be the world’s most versatile tactical setup, but I think it’ll make for a sweet handling and shooting little simple carbine.
Unless you already have a barrel and want specifically convert it, I would just get either the BM barrel, if you’re on a budget, or the ADCO Cruiser if you’re set on it being a midlength gas (a worthwhile goal, for sure!).
The BM is ~$255 for a complete ass’y. That’s by far the cheapest route. While BM doesn’t put out the world’s best rifles, I don’t think their barrels are bad, just not as fully featured as others. If this is sort of a KISS/plinker fun build, I wouldn’t have any hesitation about using the BM barrel. Heck, even if it’s more serious use, once you’ve verified it doesn’t have an out of spec chamber or something wrong, it’s still probably good for some social purposes.
By the time you get the BCM built into what you want, you’re going to be halfway to the Cruiser barrel, and still not have pinned gas block or front sight. If you pony up to have it all pinned, then you’re past the cost of the Cruiser barrel (based on my math at least). Plus a bunch of time (and some money) lost in shipping stuff back and forth.
So, if you’re trying to stay on a budget, I’d get the BM unless I was set on a midlength, and then I’d get the Cruiser. I don’t think there’s much real value in building the BCM one unless you just have to have to have BCM parts, or if you wanted to use a special front sight (like a pinned Vltor flip-up or PRI or KAC or whatever).
I like where you’re gong with this build(I have wanted to do something similar for quite a while). The idea of using an FSB with set screws is an idea I hadn’t ever considered, but sounds interesting. Armalite does make a clamp on FSB for $45 which would be a nifty way to go provided it attaches solidly(I have no idea if it does).
I’m not sure if going the bushmaster dissy barrel route is the way to do it. I know Grant has talked about issues with BM parts and to be honest I don’t care for how BM went with their dissy setup after owning one. Mine’s an Hbar which makes the gun unbalanced when equipped with a collapsible stock. Plus it couldn’t have hurt to go to a midlength gas system after that became available. I see they do make a version with an M4 barrel which has some possibilities, but we still have a BM barrel(which may or may not sit well with you). I’m not sure if any of this helps, just some musings of my own on the dissy.
Without derailing the OP’s thread, I say that mostly because a fixed carry handle upper is less versatile than something with a flattop. I think it’d be a great little carbine, even with a carry handle.
