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AR platform truck gun.

Wheelin66bronco

Wheelin66bronco

Pure Blood
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
447
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727
Loc
Star Valley, Wyoming
If you were going to build an AR platform truck gun, what would it be?
Caliber? Why
Barrel length? Why
I'm thinking something good for 100+/- yards, but still capable of further, think running coyote. Close quarters use is a must.
Everything I have is 5.56, so I'm having a hard time justifying adding a caliber to the fleet, but will if it's worth it.
Will have a can for whatever I build, so overall length is a consideration. As well as a smaller rugged optic.
 
300 blackout. Good out to 200 yards. You can go 6 to 10 inch barrel. There are 194 grain solid copper subsonic rounds that will expand down to 750 fps.
CBECEF6D-825F-4DD0-82F5-D2E99D21B3A7.jpeg
 
5.56 AR, 10-12" barrel, good shake awake optic, 3x magnifier on a flip to side mount. 5.56 because it will do the job and is common. Magnifier because I'm old.
 
Out on the prairie her there are a lot of wide open spaces. I went with a 6.5 grendel 16" BBL and an LPVO.
It's a lightweight build. Very handy.
Also have a 5.56 build 16" bbl.
300 BO build with a 10.5" bbl.
The grendel gets the nod most often.
If you do go with a grendel, or any other 7.62x39 based chambering in an ar keep an eye on the bolt lugs. Animator on this board had a bolt fail.
I've heard about a few others failing as well.
2nd most popular is a 14.5" Bren2 with a red dot.
All have qds for a suppressor.
 
Truck gun means a lot of things.

When i think tht i thnk med- short brl with a low-med power optic.
I have a 10.5 5.56 with a 3x red dot. Compact, easy to stow, not great for beyond 100 but will shoot it. High twist rate will help stability with the short brl.


The neat thing about the ar stuff is there is no need to full build a dedicated unit. An upper and buffer/spring with what ever doodads on the upper and slap it all onto one of your existing lowers.

And never forget, if it aint red youre ded.
 
Aisin said:
300 blackout. Good out to 200 yards. You can go 6 to 10 inch barrel. There are 194 grain solid copper subsonic rounds that will expand down to 750 fps.
CBECEF6D-825F-4DD0-82F5-D2E99D21B3A7.jpeg
Click to expand...
That low volcity exspansion is way more important than most people understand.

Kentucky ballistics (or some one else) did a vid on some stupid lil pen gun with a .38 rnd, it jetted right through a full block of gel because it was slow and didnt expand.
 
For your application I, personally, would go to PSA or AimSurplus and just purchase the cheapest AR listed. You will never build one cheaper than if you purchase it already built. Attach a cheap Sig MSR (perpetually on sale) and run the cheapest steel cased Wolf-like ammo (prolly not Wolf any longer, embargo and all). My PSA el-cheapo (1-7 no less) runs remarkable, nay impressive, on Wolf 55gr .223 (I have TONS) and paired with a budget but rock-solid red dot is one of the best guns that I am ashamed to say I have. I have yet to even clean it. It is my truck gun, tractor gun, RV gun, SxS gun when it isn't propped up against the night stand. The magazine is a Magpul I found in TX half buried and covered in ants. That is what I consider a truck gun.
 
Get a super cheap KE Arms lower, a cheap upper like the ones CDNN has from Bushmaster, and shell out another $100 on the parts to complete it. Another $100 for a cheap, functional optic. You should already have mags and probably some of the parts to complete it.
You should end up with a sub-$500 rifle that does what you want and you won’t give a shit if it lives behind your seat, gets confiscated or loaned out.
 
Aim surplus has police trade in 16" ars for pretty cheap. I'd probably go that route if you want something cheapish.
I've got too much money in mine to actually leave them in the truck, so they are more of a traveling gun than leave in the truck gun.
Cheap palmetto setups work pretty good for what they are.
 
If you’re planning on hitting a running coyote, you probably want some velocity. I’d stick with a 16” barrel in 5.56. You can shoot 77 grain bullets for more stopping power. But to make it truck able, look for something with a side folding stock to save space. You’ll get more gun in the same space.
A cheap 1-4 lpvo would be more useful than a red dot and magnifier. If you’re thinking more cqb, a red dot and magnifier would be preferred.
 
pdangerp said:
But to make it truck able, look for something with a side folding stock to save space. You’ll get more gun in the same space.
Click to expand...
Hadn't considered that. A 10.5 or 11.5" with pistol brace is longer than a 16" rifle with folding stock? If so I like your reasoning for 16"
Also, seems like 10.5" is way more common than 11.5" in pistols, why?
 
10.5 is a bit of a sweet spot for 300bo between velocity, and fireball / concussion.
In 556 11.5" is about as short as you want to go before it starts affecting bolt life and some other factors.
14.5" with a pinned flash hider or break to bring you out to 16" isn't too much of a velocity killer.
2479.jpg

Then there's always the bulpup side if you want short and to still have a 16" bbl.
 
Wheelin66bronco said:
Also, seems like 10.5" is way more common than 11.5" in pistols, why?
Click to expand...
This type of question is where over thinking kills you.

Its not the question itself but the second guessing and over thinking end.

Everyone has thier opinion and reasoning.
Everyone will explain away and back up arguements to justify it.

I can tell you i went with 10.5 just because. I wanted something shorter but not retartedly short. It was available when most other lengths wasnt. It looks balanced and feels right.

there are adv/dis to every concievable combo.

Run what you want.
 
Truck gun for random critters, I’d probably go with a 14.5 6.5 Grendel, 6 Arc, or maybe 6.8. I could even be convinced on a 7.62x39. Those are plenty for anything you’d run into. LPVO and trigger of your choice. Put a suppressor on and add a folding stock.

Truck gun to get me through an unfortunate situation, I’d go 12.5 5.56, red dot of choice and a collapsible stock of choice. Probably an SSA trigger or similar.
 
[486] said:
dunno man got a DPP and unless I turn the shakeawake thing off the battery dies in a few weeks
fuck that shit
Click to expand...

Got one of those too. Dont really like it. Think I got 3 or 4 pistol dots, and I can find something to bitch about on all of them.:laughing:

The bigger optics seem to be a lil different. I dont see how say, a romeo5 that shuts off when you park you pickup, is a bad thing
 
As far as guns go. My main two AR's are 16" skinny ish barrels with a narrow handguard.

Ones got the standard stock an a romeo5 on it. Used to have a folder but that part is heavy an I didnt really like it.

Other has an A2 and a 3-9x it gets used the most. Had a 1-6x but somebody wanted it more... Still lays between the seats of a single cab toyota without issue.

Dont over think it
 
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Yeah I wouldn't go super short for a truck gun. 16" isa good length, I like 6Arc but nothing in that range yet. LPVO, mounted in scout location.
 
Wheelin66bronco said:
Hadn't considered that. A 10.5 or 11.5" with pistol brace is longer than a 16" rifle with folding stock? If so I like your reasoning for 16"
Also, seems like 10.5" is way more common than 11.5" in pistols, why?
Click to expand...
Look at how long a buffer tube is. Take that length and add it back to your barrel length to see what would be equivalent.
 
if you're going with a foldymcfolderson klappschaft then you should be going with some non-AR abortion
because folding the tube makes for a fat shitshow of a package

there are plenty of them around nowadays, and for fairly cheap too
 
[486] said:
if you're going with a foldymcfolderson klappschaft then you should be going with some non-AR abortion
because folding the tube makes for a fat shitshow of a package

there are plenty of them around nowadays, and for fairly cheap too
Click to expand...
The sig mcx has collapsing and folding thin profile stocks. There’s also the brownells AR180. Or a bullpup as mentioned by someone else may be good. Maybe a tavor or springfield hellion.
 
My cowboy neighbor would be saying all anyone needs for a trunk gun is a lever carbine in their favorite caliber.
 
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