Thinking about a dedicated .22lr upper for my AR....

[HeepH8erTy]

I was tossing around the idea of getting an complete dedicated .22lr upper for my AR. I already have a complete lower, an assembled upper reciever, and a BCG for .223. I figure I can keep that stuff and finish putting that together at some point for shooting .223 with good parts, but I wanna play with it in the meantime. Would anybody care to send me off in the right direction as to what is junk and what is good?

I was looking on cheaper than dirt and they have a Chiappa .22 complete upper for $316 bucks (http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/2-CHPM4-22LRUPPER)... doesnt seem like a bad price to me, but I dont want to buy some junk, I'd rather spend a tiny bit more for something nicer if it is... but I am still a cheapo and I mainly dump all my extra cash into the bikes... so yes, money is somewhat a factor lol But I would like to have one with a low profile gas block on it and not that big front sight... Brownell's has a CMMG upper with stainless action and the low block for 500 bones... I'm liking this one more...http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/receiver-amp-action-parts/receivers/upper-receivers/cmmg-ar-15-m16-complete-upper-receiver-22lr-ss-action-prod43834.aspx?avs|Cartridge_1=AFF_22%20Long%20Rif le I guess I could always just buy the upper that has that front sight on it then just change that stuff out myself to save some cash? I dunno... any info or advice that you would like to share is much appreciated! I need help...i'm too indecisive!!

[2002wranglerX]

when you can get a whole M&P 22 for 4xx when they go on sale... it's hard for me to justify just an upper.

[pittim]

when you can get a whole M&P 22 for 4xx when they go on sale... it's hard for me to justify just an upper.
This, although id go Sig 522 since I dont need an AR clone.

[HeepH8erTy]

Well, I kind of really like the idea of having the same gun shoot 2 different rounds. I think it would be pretty sweet to have two uppers completely set up for their own round. I dunno, that's just me. Any suggestions on what .22 upper to get? I've been reading the CMMG ones are pretty sweet... I know I remember reading about someone building a dedicated .22 AR a little while back. May hafta do a search and track them down for questioning.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I'm not sure I'm sold on the dedicated upper. I lean towards the drop in conversion, which I have seen function just fine in 3 or 4 rifles first hand, one being full auto with a drum magazine feeding it. I would say take your money and build one upper, you already have the receiver and BCG right? You just need your 16" barrel, flash hider, gas tube, and I assume you want a low profile gas block and free floating quad rail.

[doublejz]

I got this guy a couple months ago http://www.midwayusa.com/product/415826/dpms-ar-15-ap4-a3-flat-top-conversion-upper-assembly-22-long-rifle-1-in-16-twist-16-m4-contour-barrel-chrome-moly-matte-with-glacierguard-handguard-flash-hider-10-round-magazine

Can't complain.

[HeepH8erTy]

Yea, my buddy has a drop in conversion and I know it works just fine. Thinking about it more and more, i guess it kind of is a bit of a waste to have a whole second upper. A thing I really liked about the dedicated upper was I could run a gradual twist barrel for .22's and a tighter twist for the .223's. But then again, my buddy shoots .22's thru his and i believe his is a 1:9 and it shoots just fine for my liking. I guess I can rule that out?

Josh, you'd be correct on all of that. I just need to read into everything and pick the stuff I want. This is my first ground up gun build... I wanted to do it to learn and I wanted to do it on a budget. So I got some more book learnin to do before I go pulling the trigger on ordering stuff.

[The_War_Wagon]

Dedicated upper (TacSol) been veddy, veddy, good to me.


http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc305/The_War_Wagon/100_7624.jpg
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc305/The_War_Wagon/100_7631.jpg

3k rounds so far - NO jams. Read more about this particular build HERE (http://www.pa2a.org/thread-the-dedicated-22lr-ar-the-tactical-trainer).

Bug me to a take a picture of the current setup sometime. I've switched to a Surefire E1B light and an Aimpoint Comp M2 optic. And a Troy rear BUIS. :047:

[Azzy]

I'm not sure I'm sold on the dedicated upper. I lean towards the drop in conversion, which I have seen function just fine in 3 or 4 rifles first hand, one being full auto with a drum magazine feeding it. I would say take your money and build one upper, you already have the receiver and BCG right? You just need your 16" barrel, flash hider, gas tube, and I assume you want a low profile gas block and free floating quad rail.

I agree... drop in conversion works well enough that ustifying the price for a dedicated with all the extra bits (especially when you can buy a gull 22 AR for about the same price) just does not represent any gain.

[2002wranglerX]

I got this guy a couple months ago http://www.midwayusa.com/product/415826/dpms-ar-15-ap4-a3-flat-top-conversion-upper-assembly-22-long-rifle-1-in-16-twist-16-m4-contour-barrel-chrome-moly-matte-with-glacierguard-handguard-flash-hider-10-round-magazine

Can't complain.

I just don't get it. Especially when you can just buy this and save the swap over headache.

http://www.impactguns.com/smith-and-wesson-mp-15-22-22lr-16in-25rd-811030-022188139358.aspx

[joshs1ofakindxj]

Yea, my buddy has a drop in conversion and I know it works just fine. Thinking about it more and more, i guess it kind of is a bit of a waste to have a whole second upper. A thing I really liked about the dedicated upper was I could run a gradual twist barrel for .22's and a tighter twist for the .223's. But then again, my buddy shoots .22's thru his and i believe his is a 1:9 and it shoots just fine for my liking. I guess I can rule that out?

It's not like you're trying to be a long distance shooter with 22LR out of an AR upper.


Josh, you'd be correct on all of that. I just need to read into everything and pick the stuff I want. This is my first ground up gun build... I wanted to do it to learn and I wanted to do it on a budget. So I got some more book learnin to do before I go pulling the trigger on ordering stuff.

You got no rush (although every day feels a little closer to TEOTWAWKI) so take your time and pick out some quality stuff and spend some more money, get a nice free floating fore end, good barrel, etc. You'll enjoy it much more.

[The_War_Wagon]

I just don't get it. Especially when you can just buy this and save the swap over headache.

Dedicated .22LR trainer is no headache - and I built mine with the heft of an actual rifle, for training purposes. The M&P plastic rifles have never felt correct to me.

Moreover, I can pop the two retaining pins, swap a 5.56 upper onto my lower, and be REALLY GTG in less than 30 seconds. THAT'S utility. :080:

[2002wranglerX]

Dedicated .22LR trainer is no headache - and I built mine with the heft of an actual rifle, for training purposes. The M&P plastic rifles have never felt correct to me.

Moreover, I can pop the two retaining pins, swap a 5.56 upper onto my lower, and be REALLY GTG in less than 30 seconds. THAT'S utility. :080:

I guess. I'd rather have one for both. The 15-22 feels like any other poly lower ar15. It's not like the mossberg.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

The 15-22 feels like any other poly lower ar15.

I did a 3 gun today with 30 or so guys with ARs and no one had a poly lower. The dedicated upper is legit for full weight training, but as always, it's user preference. I personally do not care for a 22 anything for my AR. I'll blow cheap wolf or my bulk reloads through it all day.

[The_War_Wagon]

I did a 3 gun today with 30 or so guys with ARs and no one had a poly lower. The dedicated upper is legit for full weight training, but as always, it's user preference. I personally do not care for a 22 anything for my AR. I'll blow cheap wolf or my bulk reloads through it all day.

WOLF?!?!? Ewwwww...:wasted:

I'm an ammo snob :016: - I'd sooner blow PMC through my rifle, and suffer FTE's (its notoriously underpowered, and when your quality 5.56 rifle has properly sized gas ports, it will occasionally fail to cycle completely. GREAT time to practice your jam clearing drills! :080:), than go with Wolf/Bear/Tula. And as I was sitting on 18k of .22LR before the craziness began last December, I'm in good shape on that account. :112:

[HeepH8erTy]

It's not like you're trying to be a long distance shooter with 22LR out of an AR upper.

You got no rush (although every day feels a little closer to TEOTWAWKI) so take your time and pick out some quality stuff and spend some more money, get a nice free floating fore end, good barrel, etc. You'll enjoy it much more.

I gotta agree with all that. I'm not trying to do anything crazy or be competitive, just want to have fun with it and keep it simple. Dont want all kinds of bulky unnecessary crap on it too. I'll just go slow and keep building as a .223 with .22lr drop in conversion. Then slap on a 3x scope or somethin, put a fleshlight on it, 45deg front grip, and flip up open sights on the side. Done lol Thanks for the advice. I just need to be set straight every once in a while haha

[HeepH8erTy]

I know im going to have hard time once i start trying to figure out what I want to do about optics lol How do i have optics that stay on the gun and work good with both rounds? can i have open sights that will work with a scope?

[joshs1ofakindxj]

WOLF?!?!? Ewwwww...:wasted:

I'm an ammo snob :016: - I'd sooner blow PMC through my rifle, and suffer FTE's (its notoriously underpowered, and when your quality 5.56 rifle has properly sized gas ports, it will occasionally fail to cycle completely. GREAT time to practice your jam clearing drills! :080:), than go with Wolf/Bear/Tula. And as I was sitting on 18k of .22LR before the craziness began last December, I'm in good shape on that account. :112:

If an AR won't run steel cased bulk ammo then it's no good to me.:ninja: Not sure how underpowered brass cased PMC ammo is better than steel cased ammo. As always, it all depends on what you're doing. My current norm is off hand shooting 0 to 200 yards. 200 yards with a cheap red dot or flip up Magpul BUIS is no problem with steel case ammo.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I know im going to have hard time once i start trying to figure out what I want to do about optics lol How do i have optics that stay on the gun and work good with both rounds? can i have open sights that will work with a scope?

Just use "hold over" to compensate. Get a good zero with your optic or irons for 223. Then shoot at the same range with 22, note the difference, and hold your point of aim where it needs to be for a hit. You pretty much have to do that when shooting 22 anyways: with my 22 zero at 25 yards I think I have to hold it about 2 feet high on the target at 200 yards. It's been awhile since I cared to shoot a 22 LR that far.

I run a red dot with no magnification with folding back up iron sights (BUIS). I have a cheap red dot made by BSA but I'm going to buy an Aim Point Pro soon. I have the polymer Magpul BUIS that co-witness with the red dot. They're not my primary sights or I would have something much more durable like Troy, etc. I also want to add a flip-to-the-side 3x magnifier when I get the Pro if I have the "rail-estate"

[pittim]

Then slap on a 3x scope or somethin, put a fleshlight on it, 45deg front grip, and flip up open sights on the side.

They have those for ARs now?

[The_War_Wagon]

They have those for ARs now?

Well, you know what they say about boys & their toys! :104:



If an AR won't run steel cased bulk ammo then it's no good to me.:ninja: Not sure how underpowered brass cased PMC ammo is better than steel cased ammo. As always, it all depends on what you're doing. My current norm is off hand shooting 0 to 200 yards. 200 yards with a cheap red dot or flip up Magpul BUIS is no problem with steel case ammo.

Steel cased ammo tears up extractors faster, is dirtier, and - given the mfg. tolerances of the producers - less consistent in velocity and accuracy. Low-powered PMC doesn't bother me, because I KNOW what I'm getting, AND... it's brass-cased.

A QUALITY AR will run steel case without short term issues, but it's sorta like ordering a Ferrari 458 Spyder with an I-4 diesel... "for the fuel mileage"... :017: AR's were DESIGNED with brass-cased ammo in mind; running "other" is possible, but I don't like the tradeoffs and side effects myself.

Interestingly enough, my standard practice range is 200 yards or less as well. Living in the urban cessmaze, practicing thousand yard shots is a bit obtuse. Were it all to ever hit the fan, I don't have a thousand yard line of sight - even from the rooftop! Practicing for what you WILL encounter, makes a lot more sense than for what you might encounter, although long-range skills ARE nice to have. I lke CQB drills with my .22 AR, as trigger discipline, breathing, sight picture, and other fundamentals can all be accomplished & honed with a .22 'tactical trainer.'

[joshs1ofakindxj]

You seem like the kind of guy that carries a spare bolt in his pistol grip anyways lol. If I FUBAR my rifle shooting steel case ammo I'll let you know. I'm actually getting out of shooting steel case 223, but not because I want to. I'm reloading now with a Dillon 650 so brass it is.

[The_War_Wagon]

You seem like the kind of guy that carries a spare bolt in his pistol grip anyways lol. If I FUBAR my rifle shooting steel case ammo I'll let you know. I'm actually getting out of shooting steel case 223, but not because I want to. I'm reloading now with a Dillon 650 so brass it is.

I guess I got USED to shooting brass, since I bought my first AR in 1990 - YEARS before steel case .223 made it to shelves. Seeing the issues it has caused in some rifles, I play it safe, and stick to brass.

You'll LOVE the re-loading though, and now you'll do like the rest of us; spend at least HALF your time at the range, looking for brass! :gear_grin:

[joshs1ofakindxj]

You'll LOVE the re-loading though, and now you'll do like the rest of us; spend at least HALF your time at the range, looking for brass! :gear_grin:

Oh I know, the last two shoots I went to I wanted to pick up brass so bad but the group I was rolling with wanted to hit the road.

I'm currently set on brass and primers, next I'll run out of projectiles and then powder.

[JeepSteeler]

I don't reload - wish I did and probably should learn eventually, but in the meantime I'll start rounding up all of my brass .223/5.56 that my friends and I use and save it for you guys. I'd rather it go to a good home than sit in bags in my closet or strewn about my range. Maybe if I get enough one of you will trade me some brass for a few reloading lessons and what equipment to buy eh?

Sorry for the OT - just wanted to slide that in there.

I for one have the M&P 15-22 and admittedly it is much lighter than my M&P AR-15 and that is a training consideration, but otherwise it comes pretty close in form and function. Accurate little SOB too...just fun to shoot. Not saying it's better than a drop-in but you could do worse IMHO.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I don't reload - wish I did and probably should learn eventually, but in the meantime I'll start rounding up all of my brass .223/5.56 that my friends and I use and save it for you guys. I'd rather it go to a good home than sit in bags in my closet or strewn about my range. Maybe if I get enough one of you will trade me some brass for a few reloading lessons and what equipment to buy eh?

My door is always open to share what I know about reloading.

[JeepSteeler]

Thanks Josh. I might have to take you up on that sometime. I'm reading up on it, but I don't know anybody who actually does it and could demonstrate.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I had to have someone show me. Reading about it just doesn't do it. I wasn't even getting it from youtube videos.