HD Tactical

AR Pistol.. what would you do??

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  • bbentley40

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    This is very much meant to be an opinion thread.. I am considering building an AR pistol. Figured if I can start finding some deals on Black Friday I can start buying parts for the build. Kinda thinking it might be partially considered a home defense gun (obviously it will not be the only one in the house, but want it to at least be an option), want to be able to take it to the range and plink around with it (so ammo cost is considered at least) and it could possibly end up being a truck gun too. So I thought I would seek out thoughts and opinions on what YOU would do if you were thinking about building something with those similar guidelines.

    Among any other input you would like to add.. I am curious about:

    Caliber? 556? 300 AAC? Pistol calibers?
    Barrel length?
    Brace preference?

    Again.. feel free to state your opinion.. nothing right.. nothing wrong.. just seeing if anyone has a thought to share that I might not have thought of yet.

    Oh.. and as much as I would like to have it.. I am not considering SBR at this time. Looking into NFA Trusts.. and once I get that I might.. but for now stick to AR Pistol platform. And since I said ammo cost will be considered.. yes I do reload but right now I am only set up for pistol calibers.
     

    jmfillin1

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    I'm on the same boat. Ive had two 16" in 5.56, and I've built one 5.56 with a 7.5" barrel and regret selling it, as it was quite fun to shoot. I'm contemplating going with a 10.5 inch in 300aac. For some reason I'm pretty into the pdw style of braces/stocks, the shockwave blade is pretty lame imo,(i still have mine, but took it off). If you do go with a pistol length, I'd go with a pdw brace of some sort, either Troy, battle arms development, or strike. I'd lean towards Troy. Just my 2¢.

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    Little Jack

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    Best deal going for pistol lowers right now is the Palmetto with EPT trigger and the Shockwave or the SBA3 brace. For the price difference I'd go with the A3 brace but if I were building my own I'd stick with the shockwave because it's more stable than the A3 and the cost. That's assuming you're talking about most of the AR's low recoiling calibers. I'd want something beefier for the bigger rounds. PDW braces look cool but they're 4x the cost (or more) over the shockwave and don't usually offer a decent cheek weld. But, to each their own.

    556, 300 and 9mm are all going to do the HD job fine(with appropriate bullet selection). 9mm is going to be your cheapest plinker. 556 is the standard and there's a bullet out there to do whatever you'd like it to do (within reason). 300 offers some good options but generally costs more. There are plenty of other chamberings to look at but once you get off the main stream the cost usually goes up.

    Until the BATFE burps and changes the law(opinion really, never mind the way laws are supposed to be enacted/changed), I don't see much benefit in a SBR. A pistol is much less controlled than a SBR and you're getting most, if not all of the benefits.
     

    jmfillin1

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    Agreed with most of what ya said. And like jack touched on, I wouldn't suggest going too radical unless you already have a semi basic rifle length AR in 5.56, it does get expensive if you go too wild and makes it a bit less practical.

    And If you end up wanting to buy a shockwave in black, I'll gladly sell you one lol.
    Best deal going for pistol lowers right now is the Palmetto with EPT trigger and the Shockwave or the SBA3 brace. For the price difference I'd go with the A3 brace but if I were building my own I'd stick with the shockwave because it's more stable than the A3 and the cost. That's assuming you're talking about most of the AR's low recoiling calibers. I'd want something beefier for the bigger rounds. PDW braces look cool but they're 4x the cost (or more) over the shockwave and don't usually offer a decent cheek weld. But, to each their own.

    556, 300 and 9mm are all going to do the HD job fine(with appropriate bullet selection). 9mm is going to be your cheapest plinker. 556 is the standard and there's a bullet out there to do whatever you'd like it to do (within reason). 300 offers some good options but generally costs more. There are plenty of other chamberings to look at but once you get off the main stream the cost usually goes up.

    Until the BATFE burps and changes the law(opinion really, never mind the way laws are supposed to be enacted/changed), I don't see much benefit in a SBR. A pistol is much less controlled than a SBR and you're getting most, if not all of the benefits.

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    Pudge

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    A lot of different opinions on AR pistols but a lot of questions for you as well. Do you already have an AR in 5.56? 300AAC? Do you plan on ever using it with a suppressor? I have multiple ARs in both calibers varying from 7.5" to 16". I'd say for plinking and most everything stick with 5.56. Ammo is cheaper and unless you already have 300AAC it is one less caliber to worry about. I've never had any issue with 5.56 for taking down various critters. My 7.5" is awesomely small and compact for travelling. It can fit in a regular hiking pack. I have been able to hit consistently with it out to 200m with a red dot. On this one I have the shockwave blade and like it bc it is made very low profile and helps with storage. I also have a 10.5" with a SBM4 brace. I love this brace. It has been rock solid and I like the cheek weld on it. I've shot out to 300m with this setup. If I were to pick one length for an AR pistol I would go with 10.5". It is short enough to handle quickly, you don't lose much effectiveness, and doesn't throw quite the fireball as a 7.5" which is important for follow up in a home defense situation. Think about what you will most likely use it for most and choose based on that. Whatever you choose make it yours and have fun with it.
     

    bbentley40

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    A lot of different opinions on AR pistols but a lot of questions for you as well. Do you already have an AR in 5.56? 300AAC? Do you plan on ever using it with a suppressor? I have multiple ARs in both calibers varying from 7.5" to 16". I'd say for plinking and most everything stick with 5.56. Ammo is cheaper and unless you already have 300AAC it is one less caliber to worry about. I've never had any issue with 5.56 for taking down various critters. My 7.5" is awesomely small and compact for travelling. It can fit in a regular hiking pack. I have been able to hit consistently with it out to 200m with a red dot. On this one I have the shockwave blade and like it bc it is made very low profile and helps with storage. I also have a 10.5" with a SBM4 brace. I love this brace. It has been rock solid and I like the cheek weld on it. I've shot out to 300m with this setup. If I were to pick one length for an AR pistol I would go with 10.5". It is short enough to handle quickly, you don't lose much effectiveness, and doesn't throw quite the fireball as a 7.5" which is important for follow up in a home defense situation. Think about what you will most likely use it for most and choose based on that. Whatever you choose make it yours and have fun with it.

    Yes, I do have an AR in 556, do not have anything in 300AAC at the moment. A suppressor is something I would consider in the future, but not an immediate thing. Hoping to establish a NFA Trust sometime next year and once I do things like suppressors and/or SBRs will be an option I will look into. I like the idea of 300AAC, but considering I may decide to plink around with it at the range I am leaning more toward the 556. Plus, I already have 223 dies.. just dont have any of the materials for case press to reload rifle rounds.
     

    John B.

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    I would do a 4" glock compatible 9mm.

    Cheap to shoot, everyone owns a glock so same mags, and compact.

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    bbentley40

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    I would do a 4" glock compatible 9mm.

    Cheap to shoot, everyone owns a glock so same mags, and compact.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

    Not everyone owns a Glock.. lol. But that being said.. I do have an AR9 that takes Glock mags.. I shoot PCC with it in USPSA and Steel matches, so the mags I have are all big sticks.
     

    stage20

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    Can you just toss a.7.5 upper setup on a standard 16" rifle.or.is there more involved? Be nice just to pull some pins and have a pistol. Not sure if it's that easy.
     

    bbentley40

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    Can you just toss a.7.5 upper setup on a standard 16" rifle.or.is there more involved? Be nice just to pull some pins and have a pistol. Not sure if it's that easy.

    That would actually be a felony (stupid gun laws) because you would be creating a SBR (Short Barrel Rifle). It has to have a pistol brace to have a barrel shorter than 16" without registering it as a SBR. But if you build it with a pistol brace you can still shoulder it just like if it were a rifle, that was clarified just this year.. before they said it was illegal to shoulder a AR pistol.
     

    Little Jack

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    That would actually be a felony (stupid gun laws) because you would be creating a SBR (Short Barrel Rifle). It has to have a pistol brace to have a barrel shorter than 16" without registering it as a SBR. But if you build it with a pistol brace you can still shoulder it just like if it were a rifle, that was clarified just this year.. before they said it was illegal to shoulder a AR pistol.

    If you had a virgin receiver built as a pistol first or a "pistol" lower you could put on a 16" upper then go back. But if you bought it as a "rifle", you can't go back without the nfa paperwork. I recommend all my customers build their lowers as "pistols" first.

    The above assumes you don't build a NFA configuration during the process, without appropriate paperwork.

    ETA:. NOT A LAWYER
     
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    SGB

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    When it comes to AR15 pistols (PDW's) for self defense use the 300 Blackout rules. It's meant to run out of a 8-9" barrel and with Hornady 110 vmax or Barnes 110 vor-tex it's shows devastating terminal ballistics.

    Mine ...

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    Barnes 300 AAC BLK 110 VOR-TX with TAC-TX FB Black Tip Bullet_zpsrmhinyfq.jpg
     

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    Big Shrek

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    **Edited removing incorrect content**

    Since .300-BO uses 5.56 mags, it means you only have to buy the ammo/bullits.
    IIRC, All else is standard 5.56 parts except the barrel.

    So if you have to have a stand-alone caliber, it's one of the better ones to have :)
     
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    Little Jack

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    Best thing about .300 blackout is it's legal for hunting use in Florida.
    5.56 is illegal for deer. and probably bear and hog...

    Since .300-BO uses 5.56 mags, it means you only have to buy the ammo/bullits.
    All else is standard 5.56 parts except the barrel.

    So if you have to have a stand-alone caliber, it's one of the better ones to have :)

    It's hard not to just go with 300 for a short "pistol" build. It's versatile out to a couple hundred and it works with lots of "standard" AR parts.

    I've got a couple of PCCs that are fun to shoot but if it mattered, I'd go with the 300 over any of them.

    I've got some 10.5 5.56s but if you go any shorter, they're noise makers.

    To each their own but the 300 fills a lot of niches very well.

    Before the 6.8 guys step in.... I don't hunt hog and 6.5G is the better round anyway:laugh:
     

    shootersid94

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    I thought any center-fire is legal in Florida for taking deer. Except for maybe some WMA's, which have their own regulations. This is all I could find on the FWC site. It only states that it cannot be rimfire and you cannot use FMJ ammo.
    de3a0217fa333bef338b1e3debe51c79.jpg


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    John B.

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    Best thing about .300 blackout is it's legal for hunting use in Florida.
    5.56 is illegal for deer. and probably bear and hog...

    Since .300-BO uses 5.56 mags, it means you only have to buy the ammo/bullits.
    All else is standard 5.56 parts except the barrel.

    So if you have to have a stand-alone caliber, it's one of the better ones to have :)
    Naw...

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    Telum Pisces

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    Best thing about .300 blackout is it's legal for hunting use in Florida.
    5.56 is illegal for deer. and probably bear and hog...

    Since .300-BO uses 5.56 mags, it means you only have to buy the ammo/bullits.
    All else is standard 5.56 parts except the barrel.

    So if you have to have a stand-alone caliber, it's one of the better ones to have :)
    Sorry, but just a lot of wrong info in this post. 5.56 is legal for anything in Florida as long as it's not fmj.

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    Big Shrek

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    Guess I need an update to modern times, do remember when the law was use .223/5.56 to kill a human, but not a deer ;)
    Always thought it was odd that you could shoot a 400-pound crackhead attacking you, but couldn't legally use it on deer...
     
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