After six months of work, purchasing it piece by piece and assembling it in my spare time, my new AR-15 is fully assembled and functional. Well, functional. Anyone who has ever built an AR from parts knows the rifle will be functional but it will never really be finished.
To put it simply, I am a little older now and my thoughts on the project have become more organized and refined. The first AR I built was….basic, well thought out, but basic nonetheless. The premise behind that weapon was light weight, period. It was built as a bug-out gun; thus I built it to be grab and go--even if it meant sacrificing some capabilities (remember it was built right before the election).
The premise behind this build was to produce a viable extended range option, that when necessary, maintains the capability of volume fire. The idea came through a discussion with MrTacticalBacon about a three weapon system for bug-out. The idea was to carry the long range capability (most likely in 308 and of the bolt action variety) in a drag bag while simultaneously being armed with a carbine and a sidearm.
I didn’t like this for many reasons:
Size and weight constraints
That’s a lot of gear to lug around. If you are carrying 3 weapons where are you carrying, water, armor, medical, ect? You know the stuff you need to stay alive? If you are maintaining three weapons in the field for extended periods of time you are going to ridged and less mobile, therefore making yourself a target.
System complexity
Three weapons means three types of ammo. How are you going to integrate ammunition to be readily accessible for all three weapons? What sort of interferences with slings, straps, and pouches are you going to have to mitigate and train for?
Maintenance
How long are you planning on staying out there? I haven’t figured out how I am going to carry the equipment to properly maintain one yet.
Practicality
Let’s say for a moment that the shit really hits the fan, and we go to a situation where the law is no more and you live by your guns. Where are you getting your ammo? The two most powerful military’s in the world (US and China) both utilize the 9mm Luger cartridge, so you are set for sidearm as long as you chamber it in 9mm. The US deploys some 7.62NATO but by and large the 5.56 cartridge is where it is at. China has recently made the switch to 5.56 as well. As rooster Cogburn said “Well, a gun that's unloaded and cocked ain't good for nothing” You can carry as many weapons as you like but if you cant feed them than you are going to be shit outta luck.
The Spectre SPR
I am dubbing the new build the Spectre Special Purpose Rifle (SPR). It will replace the carbine/bolt gun side of the equation. A few modifications to the philosophy had to be made however:
Weight
To gain increased ranged capabilities I had to pull back on this one quite a bit. Because bullet stability and consistency are dictated by its speed, I opted for a longer barrel. Specifically, an 18-inch; giving me 24 inch accuracy without 24 inch weight. Because it needs to be consistent I also opted for the full profile barrel with a highly porous quad rail to promote cooling.
Long range stability to me means supporting the weapon properly. Thus, I added a bipod. You also need a consistent cheek weld for sighting, but also need a variable length of pull for different stances. Solution: Magpul UBR.
Optics not only add weight but are expensive, especially those I’d be willing to trust my life to. That’s why I chose Trijicon.
Firepower
In order to ergonomically change magazines from the prone position, thirty-round magazines are a last resort. To use them, the weapon system must be tilted out of the firing position; they also restrict the range of motion in the prone position. Two choices here: own a beta mag, and if caught using it be charged with a felony; or use twenty-rounders-- Easy.
Duracoat
All the duracoat you see in the video project is done by me (I do local jobs but you have to supply the goo). Right now it wears FDE on much of the weapon with special patterning (I also put a new one on my carbine). The controls I left stock as well as the grip (plan to swap out). The final patterning was conceived to increase concealability; however, I have received some insider information that the bulk of the barrel and gas system have to remain black or be spray painted. Apparently, duracoat exacerbates thermal signature and restricts cooling in these areas, so I left the area under the rail stock.
The rifle has been zeroed: it was done in under 10 rounds. I have never had a weapon zero in under 10 rounds, not even with bore sighting. Now all that remains is a functional simulation at our next run and gun.
List of current specifications:
Bravo Company upper receiver
Bravo Company 18 in barrel
Magpul UBR Sock
Rock River arms Chrome Bolt carrier
Trijicon ACOG with TA51
Yankee Hill Machine Quad rail
UTG Bipod
GG&G QD swivel point
Magpul RSA
Rainier Arms XTC
Savvy Sniper single/double point sling
Softrails
Laurer Weaponry Magpul FDE Duracoat/ Desert brown/ Combat black
Future modifications:
Magpul MOE trigger guard
VigilantSpectre
