New Build - Comments requested

[Captk]

I am taking another shot at building a Grendel AR. Living in NY means I cannot have a threaded barrel / muzzle device and am limited to 1 evil feature which will be a detachable mag and no pistol grip. Here is what I have selected, and I am looking for feed back on the barrel. I am trying to keep costs down but not at the expense of an accurate rifle.

Upper - Lower receiver - Aero Precision
LPK - RRA with Varmint 2 stage trigger
Buffer kit - DSA Arms carbine
Stock - Thordsen FRS15 - ugly but very functional and NY compliant.
Handguards - free floating basic in rifle length - TBD
Gas Block - YHM clamp on .750
BCG will depend on barrel selection
Barrel - The rifle will be used mainly for informal target shooting at 100 / 200 yds as that is what I am limited to here on LI, NY. I might try hunting but that would be very limited if at all. From what I have read a 20" barrel would be fine for 100/200 yds, 24" would provide more velocity but is that needed for the range I am shooting or if I get the opportunity to go longer distance?
Looking at 2 options:
A - Brownells 24", 1-8 twist HB profile with threads cut and re-crowned with target crown leaving 23 1/2" barrel. This barrel comes with a bolt.
B - X-Caliber 20" with target crown, 1-8 twist HB profile. I would need a BCG for this barrel.

Looking for feedback on the barrels. Am I missing anything?

Thanks, Ken

[VASCAR2]

Since you can't have a threaded barrel have you considered a Shilen barrel/bolt. I bought a Shilen 20" match profile from Midway a few years ago and have been very pleased with mine. For accuracy in an AR-15 the barrel and fit to the upper is the most important component followed by trigger and optics. I'm using a RRA NM LPK in mine with a Houge over molded rifle length hand guard. My Shilen shoots better than I can shoot it. I'm using a Vortex Viper 6.5-20X50 MilDot scope.

[rabiddawg]

Are you cutting and crowning them yourself or are you paying to have it done?

Personally I would go with an unthreaded barrel from the beginning

[Captk]

I had someone cut the barrel on a lathe and I had the tool to re-crown. I have done it before with other rifles and they shot well.

[1075 tech]

You could do the threaded barrel and pin/weld a thread protector. Not sure if that would be cheaper or even a better option. I would probably just get a target crowned barrel from the beginning. This NY BS is frustrating to us that live here. I looked at the FRS stock the other day. Just can't do it yet. Using a mag lock for now.

[Captk]

Leaning to the barrel with target crown. If we didn't have to deal with the BS NY laws building/buying an AR would be so much easier. I sold all my AR's and FAL's when they passed the Safe Act in 2013. Since then I have bought AR's and sold them again, too many issues with being legal. Now things have settled down and there are some legally accepted options to own a compliant AR. I am using the FRS stock on this build. I used it on another rifle and although ugly, it is very functional and way better then the AR Spur grip. I had a few friends use fixed mags, they all changed back to detachable and used either the AR Spur or the FRS stock.

[Captk]

I will be going with the X-Caliber barrel. Thanks for the feedback.

Ken

[1075 tech]

I sold all my AR's and FAL's when they passed the Safe Act in 2013.

I lost mine in a tragic boating accident while shark hunting in the Gulf of Mexico just hours before it was passed.

I looked at the spur grip in a store the other day. No can do. I might try the FRS soon as I want to use my 65 for hunting this next season. I had an issue trying to clear a MALF with the mag lock.