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New from the Mitten!


ColinGSeries

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Hi everyone! My name is Colin, and I am new to the AR family from Metro Detroit, MI. I'm a long time gun owner who currently has a Ruger 1911 Target, Cajunized CZ SP-01 Tac, and a Mosin Nagant. I've always wanted to build an AR, and finally got the train rolling after purchasing a stripped, blem Stag-10 upper/lower receiver from Stag Arms, among a bunch of other parts as well. Looking forward to discussing with you guys, and I'm sure I will have a lot of questions as things advance, but I'm fairly far along in my build already. So far I have in my possession or on order:

Stag-10 Blem Upper/Lower with Stag-10 UPK and LPK

Stag-10 Carbine Buffer and Tube, with a carbine shoulder stock I'm sourcing from a buddy who was 82nd Airborne

Toolcraft NiB complete BCG

Ballistic Advantage 18" .308 Stainless Barrel w/ rifle-length gas porting on a .750 journal

SLR Rifleworks clamp-on Sentry 7 adjustable gas block and an Odin Works rifle-length gas tube

RTB ambi saftey selector because I'm a lefty

Some thoughts on what I have pulled together so far would be appreciated, along with advice regarding the parts I have left to source (handguard, flip sights for now, muzzle device, and probably a foregrip of some kind) would be greatly appreciated. I already know about the difference between DPMS (which the Stag receivers are aside from the AR-10 style cut line between the upper and lower) and AR-10 pattern, but was hoping for the sort of tribal knowledge you can only get on forums like these.

The goal here is to build a solid but affordable AR-10 initially that will start out relatively basic but will be built into a DMR-type with a bipod and magnifying optic, possibly for deer hunting. So far I've spent $872 on what I've assembled out of $1200 MSRP-worth of parts by looking for sales and blem parts where I could find them. The initial goal was to come in at or under $1000 for the initial build but at this point I don't think that will be possible.

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2 hours ago, DNP said:

Welcome from San Diego. Looks like you’ll have a nice rifle put together when you’re done. 
 

Do you have good reason to run the adjustable block?  Will you be running a suppressor?  

The adjustable gas block is more to allow me to fine tune things in the future as this is an evolving build. For now it will be a more of a basic rifle with iron sights and a carbine stock, but eventually I want to move to a rifle stock + bipod and maybe a suppressor build.

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1 hour ago, DNP said:

That works. Run it wide open. 

That's what I was thinking to start with. Any suggestions on a handguard, ambi charging handle, foregrip, iron sights, or muzzle device? I'm open to ideas and suggestions here. I'm looking for a handguard that is affordable, covers my gas block (so probably no less than 15"), has keymod or mlok on the sides/bottom, and as an added bonus the sort of split top-rail design like an Atlas S-One does. The charging handle needs to be ambi as well, I was thinking a Radian Raptor LT but again open to other more affordable suggestions. I'm totally new to the AR platform, I've read a lot about the technical aspects but I lack the tribal knowledge for some parts about who makes the best stuff and for the best price.

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1 hour ago, Armed Eye Doc said:

Welcome to the forum.

Before you start assembly, you should measure the inside depth of your buffer tube, the length and weight of your buffer and the length of your buffer spring and how many coils.  This is a common area that is a source of head aches in 308AR builds.

Thanks for the tip! I'm hoping with my buffer tube and buffer set and my receivers all coming from the same company it should be good to go out of the box but I'll be sure to double check that. One thing I'm also going to be sure to check is my headspacing after reading some threads on here, seeing as my Toolcraft Bolt and BA Barrel aren't of the same manufacture to each other AND my upper receiver. Are the Clymer Gauges for about $58 what people recommend or use? I'm thinking I'll need to do the same with my Mosin's bolt after it comes back from having an extended bolt handle install and a good polish.

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The hand guard doesn’t need to be 15” to cover the gas block.  I think 12.5” would get you there, but I’d have to measure mine again to be sure. hand guards really come down to preference too. A look you like, a certain weight, any special features?  What will you mount on it and how will you mount it. Key mod or M-LOK.  So many choices. Thin or fat...you get where I’m going. We could suggest 100 different hand guards. 

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29 minutes ago, DNP said:

The hand guard doesn’t need to be 15” to cover the gas block.  I think 12.5” would get you there, but I’d have to measure mine again to be sure. hand guards really come down to preference too. A look you like, a certain weight, any special features?  What will you mount on it and how will you mount it. Key mod or M-LOK.  So many choices. Thin or fat...you get where I’m going. We could suggest 100 different hand guards. 

I was more probing to see if there were any favorite brands. I'm guessing there's a handguards thread somewhere on here I need to read? I really like the AP Atlas S-One and the Diamondhead VRS-T. Generally speaking, The only rail sections I'll need for certain are 12 o'clock for an iron sight and (in the future) a scope, and 6 o'clock for a foregrip of some kind and a bipod up front. I'm 5'10" and I don't have huge hands so extra width isn't so much of a need. There's a VRS-T Keymod blem on sale for only $130 @ Stag Arms right now which I like, but it's 13.5" and has a swept back front which could cause it to not cover the gas block depending if that 13.5" is the length of the upper (shorter) or lower (longer) portion of the handguard. I reached out to Stag to see if the 13.5" is the bottom measurement or top, but I haven't heard back from them yet. Diamondhead doesn't list it on their site either, unfortunately.

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Guys are happy with their Atlas. I like the PRI on mine. Like I said, favorite is gonna depend on the person, their taste might be different than yours. Really can’t go wrong unless you get a rail height that doesn’t match up with your upper receiver. 

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16 minutes ago, DNP said:

Guys are happy with their Atlas. I like the PRI on mine. Like I said, favorite is gonna depend on the person, their taste might be different than yours. Really can’t go wrong unless you get a rail height that doesn’t match up with your upper receiver. 

Oh yeah, gotta make sure that whatever I get is a DPMS High design

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