This has been my latest project, my Designated Marksmanship Training Rifle (DMTR) or Demeter for short.
BLUF Parts list:
Upper
[ul]
[li]BCM 20" government rifle with pinned FSP and A2 birdcage flash hider
[/li][li]Magpul MOE rifle
[/li][li]BCM Auto BCG
[/li][li]Rainier Arms Raptor charging handle
[/li][li]BCM detachable carry handle sight
[/li][/ul]
Lower
[ul]
[li]Spikes Tactical lower
[/li][li]G&R LPK
[/li][li]VLTOR A5 buffer kit
[/li][li]VLTOR EMod stock
[/li][li]BCM Gunfighter mod 1 pistol grip
[/li][li]BAD ASS-ST safety selector (Crank/Stubby)
[/li][li]Geissele SSA-E trigger
[/li][li]Noveske QD end plate
[/li][li]
[/li][/ul]
Sling
[ul]
[li]TAB Gear Sling
[/li][/ul]
Final Weight: 8.0 lbs
Background: Late last summer, I got involved in an informal shooting match with a friend of mine out on his property in Mississippi. We ran neck and neck for just about every event we tried: pistol, shotgun, CQB rifle, etc. But the tie breaker was an iron-sighted M-16A2 clone shot from the second floor window of his house. The target was a standard 108mm clay pigeon at 120ish yards. He hit it, I didn’t. This sent me on the course to realizing that all of my focus had been on short range rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting. I’d spent some time laying behind a bipod and scope at longer ranges, but I have never really worked on the fundamentals of marksmanship and positional shooting, especially with iron sights. Earlier this year, I established some shooting goals for myself to achieve by the end of the year. I’ve been working hard on those goals, but none of my rifles were set up exclusively to work on these fundamentals. I improvised for a while, but it meant removing the RDS from the home defense rifle, which had its own drawbacks.
Purpose: I needed a rifle that would meet several needs. I did NOT, however, need it to be a defensive tool. So you won’t see the flashlights and other “standard” accouterments of most AR-15s these days.
#1: I am active duty USAF but not in a traditional combat role. Typically, IF anyone in my career field is deployed and issued a weapon, it’s an iron sighted M16A2 and a M9. I wanted to have a weapon that would allow me to practice on a setup very similar to what I would be issued (the rest of my carbines are more than adequate for simulating the m4, and I routinely practice with my Beretta 92A1).
#2: I wanted a platform that was simple and non-threatening to new shooters. I like introducing people to the culture by out to the range and introducing them to shoot. I wanted something that would be soft-shooting, adjustable for various shapes/sizes, and not be finicky about ammo selection. I also didn’t want a rifle that would “look” intimidating.
#3: I wanted a rifle that would lend itself well to practicing traditional marksmanship, to include slung-supported positions. My marksmanship goals for the end of the year require a roughly 4 MOA standard of accuracy from any position. I was originally slightly concerned about the accuracy of a standard barrel, but the more I’ve read from experienced shooters (like Shawn at loose rounds), the more comfortable I am with a standard rifle. Two articles of interest are here and here, one detailing a standard iron sighted M16 shooting at 1000 yards, and the other showing the accuracy capability of a standard government barrel with good ammo selection. I’m not shooting bench rest, and a standard barrel is more than capable of the accuracy I need (and probably FAR more capable, as the link above will show)
The Rifle:
Final Weight, as pictured: 8.0 lbs
Upper
The base is a BCM 20” government. I used a MOE rifle handguard because I find it much more comfortable than the standard round plastic ones. The flatter bottom half lends itself well to positional shooting and I wanted a pinned FSP for the best iron sight practice. I wanted the rifle length gas system due to its benefits regarding the smoothness of operation. I had considered going with a 18” rifle gassed system, like the Rainier Mountain line, and having a pinned FSP installed. But, in the end, I figured that if I was going to build a gun dedicated to practicing marksmanship, I might as well go traditional and squeeze all the velocity out of the 5.56 as I practically could. The muzzle device is a standard A2 birdcage, though I have given some serious thought to a Battlecomp or Griffin Flashcomp.
I finished the upper with a BCM auto BCG, Rainier Arms Raptor charging handle, and a BCM detachable carry handle sight. I’ve been using BCM gunfighter mod 4 charging handles on every build I’ve done. From the moment I installed the Raptor, I knew that all future builds would be using it. The raptor is an exceptionally nice piece of hardware, and I highly recommend it. The iron sight selection should be pretty obvious, as I’m trying to stick close to the M16A2.
In the future, I may remove the MOE handguard and install a Centurion C4 rail. While there is certainly an accuracy benefit to this, it will probably be more to get that A4-ish feel and maybe lighten the whole thing up a bit. The downside to the rail is that it makes the rifle look a bit more “threatening” to the uninitiated.
The Lower
The lower is a Spikes Tactical unit that I had on hand. It is finished with a G&R LPK, Vltor A5 buffer system, EMod stock, BCM gunfighter grip, BADASS-ST safety levers, and a Geissele SSA-E trigger.
The A5 is installed in all of my carbines, and I saw no reason to deviate. It lets me keep the smoother compression rate of a rifle spring, but also lets me use a collapsing stock. This is a great addition for both positional shooting and shooters of smaller stature. The EMod gives enough weight at the rear of the gun to balance out the longer front end. As of now, the gun balances just behind the delta ring assembly. That’s a bit more of a forward balance than I’m used to (my other carbines all balance right in the middle of the mag well), but the extra bit of weight out front actually helps stabilize when shooting from odd positions.
I started using the BCM gunfighter grips on my carbines, as I do think its more comfortable when doing the “dynamic” shooting. The jury is still out for more traditional marksmanship shooting, though. I don’t find it uncomfortable in any way, but I’m not sure that it’s really offering any benefit, either.
I’m a huge fan of Geissele triggers. My other ARs all have SSA, SSA-E, and SD-E triggers. I have an ALG ACT sitting in the backup bin, just in case. I know that my goals would lead me to use the ACT over the SSA-E, since it is close to a mil-spec trigger, but every gun I own has a two-stage trigger. I wanted to keep with tradition.
The Sling
The sling is a TAB Gear Sling. Traditional marksmanship requires a traditional loop sling. I tried to make due with my VCAS and MS2, but it just wasn’t the same. I also have a Turner AWS 1907 sling, but I find it too cumbersome to adjust quickly. The TAB sling was on my bolt gun; and since my local range has restricted calibers to 5.56 and below, I didn’t see a need to leave such a nice sling on a .308 that I couldn’t shoot. I find that the TAB sling gives a nice balance between sturdiness and ease of adjustment. The nylon material is a good bit slicker than the Turner AWS, so it tends to slide down more if you don’t cinch it tight, but it still gets the job done.
I’ll also throw a plug in for Triad Tactical’s gear. The pictures here have their shooting mat (in ATACS-FG) and rear bag. I never really used a shooting mat before I started working on my shooting fundamentals from odd positions in rough terrain. The mat has held up well to just about anything I can throw at it. The rear bag is geared more towards bipod or ruck stack shooting, but does serve as a valuable tool to get new people into the sport. I really like the wedge shape, since it helps me adjust the stock’s elevation just by moving it to a different position.
Anyway, thanks for looking!
