New build ideas

[TacHunter]

I'm far from inexperienced with AR15's standard .5.56/.223 builds and have build my fair share of them. I recently decided to stray from my comfort zone and build a budget "plinking" .458 S, all though it was fun to build and a blast to shoot, it serves no purpose other than to give me laughs as my buddies rub their shoulder after getting behind it.

I am new to the 6.5 G world and after a bunch of research I decided not to build a .264 LBC, but to go with the 6.5. I just have some general questions for the build.

First off this build is going to be primarily for hunting. I want it to have the power and accuracy for up to 400-800 yards.

So this is what I'm going to build it off of.

For the lower, I'm going to stick to one of my favored builds
Seekins Billet SBA15 Ambidextrous lower
BCM LPK, or Strike Industries LPK
CMC Drop in 3.5 lb trigger, or a Timney Comp Drop in, or if I really want to go pricey a single stage Elftman
Fixed Luth-AR modular stack with a Spikes Buffter set.

As for the Upper... Not quite sure. So here are my questions.

Barrel:
Dez vs. Odin vs. AA? I don't want to go cheap, but I'm not quite sure the budged will allow for getting a Lilja, Krieger or high end JP. I want to go with at the lowest a medium heavy contour, but would like to have a true HBAR. I want to stay inside th 18" range since (from what I've seen) the ballistics between an 18" and a 20" is about a 35-45 FPE difference @ 500 yards, but is still above the 900 FPE mark I want to maintain.

Upper reciever: I've heard some talk about staying with a billet upper pending on the size of your barrel. Since I want an HBAR I'm wondering if I should go with a billet, or go with a forged upper.

Gas length: Now I was originally going to go with a DEZ since they can custom make your gas port on your barrel, and so a rifle length gas system would be good, but I'm wondering if the extra time your round can burn most of it's powder is truly as effective as some say. So should I stay mid-length or go for the rifle length and get an adjustable gas block?

Muzzle Device: So with this being 5/8x24 I can either put a can on it, or put a comp or break on it. I was thinking of going with the Lantac Dragon, but does the 6.5 G kick that much in the first place? If not should I go with a directional break or just say eff it and go with a Griffin QD comp?

I think that's it for now.

[LRRPF52]

16-18" is a good hunting length for up here where we have thinner air. Combined with the 129gr ABLR, and your ethical hunting reach will exceed most shooter's capabilities by a factor of 3. 123gr AMAX and SST have averaged about 2450fps for me from both 16" and 18", which gives you 900 ft-lbs out to about 465yds at 7500ft elevation where a lot of our mulies are. Once you push into elk territory up higher, the 900 ft-lb reach goes out to just about 500yds with the 123gr AMAX or SST, but you might consider another bullet for that, even though several have DRT'd elk with 123gr SST, but at closer ranges.

I've shot and own a number of different barrels from AA, JP, Lilja, PF, and Satern.

For your price range and even outside of it, the AA barrels are hard to beat, especially since you can get a fluted barrel for $195, and they have all been 1 MOA or better barrels for me, with many different samples that I have built for myself and friends locally.

[TacHunter]

Thank you,

I was actually going to go with the round my buddy is using. 129g Nosler with 27.3 ish gr of IMR 8208. Of course I will have to see how it likes the barrel I choose. This isn't going to be a sub or near $1000.00 build, I've budgeted out $1700 for it so $195 for a barrel isn't going to be bad, and will allow me to splurge on a couple other components, maybe a Spikes Gen II billet lower (gotta love full ambi), or go and get it dipped.

So now the question is, Muzzle Device. I might just have to get a couple and see how I like them. Building a new gun for this hunt is going to be interesting. I might build it slower and not rush it so I use it for the next season and just pack up my 300WM again...

[biodsl]

Thank you,

I was actually going to go with the round my buddy is using. 129g Nosler with 27.3 ish gr of IMR 8208. Of course I will have to see how it likes the barrel I choose. This isn't going to be a sub or near $1000.00 build, I've budgeted out $1700 for it so $195 for a barrel isn't going to be bad, and will allow me to splurge on a couple other components, maybe a Spikes Gen II billet lower (gotta love full ambi), or go and get it dipped.

So now the question is, Muzzle Device. I might just have to get a couple and see how I like them. Building a new gun for this hunt is going to be interesting. I might build it slower and not rush it so I use it for the next season and just pack up my 300WM again...

Just a note...if you opt for the AA barrel, it's threaded 9/16 by 24. This will limit the muzzle device selection some. Make sure you pick up an A2-style bird cage from AA while you figure out what you want. ; )

[LRRPF52]

My experience, even with lightweight guns, is that you don't need anything other than an A2.

[TacHunter]

I was going to go with AA, but I can't find the 18" fluted barrel anywhere but the complete upper. I might just go with the Lilja 724 non fluted barrel. I've heard that it's a great barrel.

Thank you for the Heads up on the birdcage, I didn't know if I needed to spend the money or not on a comp.

[RicosRevenge]

I'm glad to see the above post. Based on your budget; having a $200 barrel on an $1,800 rifle would be sacrilegious. The Lilja and the JP are great choices. I run an 18" "Lightweight" but it is anything but. If you decide to go JP; call them on the phone to order and add an adjustable gas block and a tube.

I run a SilencerCo muzzle brake but only because I want the option of putting my suppressor on. If it wasn't for that; I would probably just run a thread protector or whatever muzzle device I had laying around.