Hi

General Firearms New to Firearms & Shooting
1

Hi y’all! I’ve been kind of a lurker for awhile so I could look at some awesome ARs, but just decided to become more involved in this forum now that I’m building my first AR! Want to learn more than I already know. I would say I’m pretty familiar with the platform, but no where near able to educate others, I can carry on an educated conversation I guess.

Starting with a CMMG lower, hopefully I’ll be able to complete it quick. But I don’t know on a college budget. Plans are for the AR:
CMMG lower

CMMG parts kit w/magpul enhanced trigger guard

Geissele SSA-E trigger (down the road)

BCM MILSPEC buffer tube

Magpul ASAP receiver plate

CMMG H buffer (someone feel free to let me know if I should run H2, still confused on the buffer) and carbine buffer spring (don’t know much about the buffer springs either)

BCM upper (M4 feedramps)

BCM charging handle and Bolt Carrier Group

Magpul STR stock

Magpul MIAD grip

DD 16" or 14.5" CHF GOV. profile barrel, midlength gas

BattleComp 1.0 or a pin and welded 1.5 on the 14.5

BCM midlength gas tube( are there any differences in different company gas tubes?)

DD MK.12 Low Profile gas block

DD 12" RIS II (EDIT: might change, but definitely no less than 12")

Magpul RSA

Magpul AFG2

Surefire M600 on a Haley Strategic Thorntail Mount

Troy Flip-up sights

EOTech EXPS3 with a G33 STS magnifier OR an ACOG(unsure of which model but definitely a 4x) w/ a RMR on top, or at the one o’ clock position on the rail

Magpul MS3

Looking to learn a lot on here!!!

2

Welcome. Good luck buying all the goodies on a college budget. It’s hard to go wrong with magpul and BCM :slight_smile: I hope you already have most of your hardware, though. I’m afraid you will have a hard time finding anything beyond furniture in the current market.

I think an H buffer and carbine spring should be okay, but I’m not too knowledgable about that stuff. I’ve read on here that you should/could use the heaviest buffer that your rifle will cycle with. Most folks say they use an H or H2 on a mid-length rifle. I have an H2 FWIW. If you shoot crappy, low pressure ammo (tula/herters, etc.) using a lighter buffer can help if you find the rifle is short stroking and fails to strip a round from the magazine.

Gas tubes from different companies should be identical.

A 12" rail might make the rifle feel more nose heavy, but go for it if that’s what you want. I had a 12" MI rail and “upgraded” to an 11" larue rail, though I probably should have went with the 10" one.

The XPS Eotechs are great and I have an xps3-2? [the one with two dots], however, I’m pretty sure the EXPS are nightvision capable. If you don’t plan on doing a lot of night ops you could get an XPS and save a little money. Also, the G33 magnifiers are quite expensive. You might want to look at a vortex 3x magnifier instead, they’ve received lots of good reviews and are much easier on the wallet (I have one and like it.)

That’s the end of my unsolicited advice. Take it or not. Welcome here either way. Lots of questions have been asked, so be sure to use the orange search button (all the way at the top under the banner).

3

Haha thanks bud, I know alllll about those search buttons. My GM forum is all about the search. Yeah I’m working on the other stuff I’m looking to get soon. The LPK is on the way, and once I find an upper I want I’m swooping it up. Thanks on the Vortex, I’ve never heard of them I’ll have to check it out! Saving money is always good. I meant to say EXPS2, the 3 is NV compatible. I believe the E is just more “rugged” but in all honesty, I believe the XPS2 or 3 is the way I’ll go, I went to my local gun store and they had an EXPS3 for $550. Went in looking for Pmags, they only had FN mags, $45 a piece. I passed, hahaha. The reason I’m going with the 12 to start, is the way I like to shoot. Short, mostly, collapsed, stock and extended support hand. It’s just more comfortable for me. I’ve actually always shot like that since I was young, so when I started getting more into ARs it was a surprise to me others shoot that way, haha

Sent from God’s Country

4

I guess you’re right about the eotech; their numbering always confuses me. The EXPS’ have the qd lever I guess… I have an XPS2-2 that I was able to find online for $480, so that sounds like a fair price for an exps.

Yeah, good luck getting any mags right now. If you can find them, pmags go for about $50. Your best bet is to find a website that will let you backorder some mags and wait it out.

I like to shoot with the stock extended about halfway with an extended support hand. Honestly, i bought a bcm upper with the 12" MI rail cause it was a cheaper upper from them and I got a 12" rail, so i figured it was a good “value”. But I ended up getting another rail and I should have just got a larue or DD one at the start.

I was in the same boat as you are looking for magnifiers. Your options are mostly an outrageous amount, imo, for an eotech or aimpoint magnifier, or some cheapo one. The few reputable options in the middle are the vortex and primary arms offerings.

The line you’ll find around here is basically (and I generally agree with it): “If a life will depend on your rifle, buy the top of the line equipment, otherwise save where you can.” Unless you’re MIL, LE, or running around Montana with your rifle, you’ll probably be okay buying whatever your heart and wallet can agree to.

That being said, I spent some extra money on a larue mount for the vortex, and I really like it. It’s really solid, has positive stops, and a qd lever, but it is a little expensive.

Seems like you know what you want and what you’re doing, so good luck.

5

An EXPS is an XPS with a built in riser. No other difference. Matters only to your shooting style and how you want it to coordinate with your backups. I own an XPS on one rifle… if buying again I’d get the EXPS.

Welcome. Have fun and be patient… it’s going to take awhile to complete that plan. I see two options: hold out for vendor resupply and be prepared to spend more than you expect. Or buy whatever you can as soon as you can (even if not the more quality brands) and upgrade later.

Good luck.

6

Ahh thanks for clarifying that! Yeah we’ll see how things get down. I’m looking forward to it!

Sent from God’s Country

7

Welcome to the forum. Seems you have a good list going. Good luck sourcing parts out as of right now. As the saying goes buy once, cry once. But do the best you can within your means. Enjoy your future rifle and shoot the shit out of it.

8

Oh I plan on shooting the absolute shit out of it, definitely not going to be a safe queen or something that never gets scratched up! It’ll be used for hog hunts, and SHTF, HD, Truck gun, everything, and I plan on taking a course or two eventually. But I honestly think this whole thing is going to blow over, I don’t think they will be able to pass anything through congress, and I don’t believe Obama will use EO if he wants to still have his constituents still in support of him. If he does use EO it won’t be to ban anything, I think he’ll do something with what the democrats are crying for, gunshow loophole, mental checks(which I don’t under stand how that will go down), yearly background checks, something along those lines. Which aren’t really going to do anything for those of us who obey the law…

Sent from God’s Country

9

http://dsgarms.com/ still has them available for back order. As to when you will get them is a mystery.

10

Actually my local academy gets them. They just limit one per customer per day. Good thing I have friends… Same with ammo. 3 boxes a day. I picked up two Pmags(gen2 but I don’t care, they hold 30 rounds) yesterday, and went back for more but they were already out, going tomorrow as they get shipments MWF. Might start stacking on ammo too. My buddy is getting a reloading table so I might reload too, gotta learn that first though

Sent from God’s Country