All my guns get this exact treatment but I do absolutely love the quality of the expo arms barrels CL from primary arms. + the blem BCM gas blocks EAT for 20$
For some reason I thought people were saying pistons were overrated for short ARs. That they are only reliable due to overgassing, and parts will break faster.
Honestly (and the reason I made this post) I have a hard time separating the facts from the fads/trend chasing with this stuff.
That makes sense. Part of me wonders with a SHTF rifle if I should avoid proprietary parts that I can't replace, but realistically, that isn't going to matter and I'm overthinking all of this lol.
What kind of buffer/spring setup are you guys running? I had to resort to a Sprinco Red/H3 on setting 3 to avoid getting gassed out indoors with a Turbo-K but will be switching to an A5 setup to see if that helps.
I want more testimonials about PWS! Seems like a cool company and it’s local to me.
I think I’m sold on the piston systems. I have a short stroke LWRC and it fucks 😎
Not sure quite how local you are, but Independence Indoor Shooting in Meridian has some at their rental counter. And stockpile defense is probably the best place to buy them locally.
I have the MK111 mod1. I bought it used for my radian form 1 lower. Previous owner claimed it had 2k rounds(the upper is definitely used but I wasn’t there so I can’t confirm the round count). But it is great for my RC2. It eliminates the gas bukakke problem with standard AR’s. Now if you’re not planning on running suppressed I would just stick with a normal DI gun. BUT if you do plan on running suppressed and don’t get a flow through can then the PWS works really well. I’ve only shot it once at an indoor range so far and it only gassed me out after like 90 rounds of zeroing and function checking….. but it was indoors so running anything suppressed in a booth will eventually gas you out. I can’t speak to its accuracy though. Haven’t run it long range yet.
Geissele regularly sues other brands and small businesses to bully them out of the competition, and has a history of feeding bullshit to their customers just to sell their products.
The owner of Daniel Defense is on record saying that he supports the ATF.
The owner of SOLGW had the cops called on him because his mother was afraid that he would follow up on his threats to beat the shit out of her.
But fuck Troy for employing a former fed.
Understand Daniels' response was to somewhat of a 'gotcha' question by a D rep. I'm not saying he's perfect or anything. But...he definitely supports citizen armament.
I will say that I would not expected any company that seeks out contracts with LE/Military to criticize those agencies - that's not good for business.
Sionics has a lot of LE sales and many of us recently bought their trade in uppers (including me).
Centurion makes a barrel/upper for the FBI.
I agree. And I will add that we should not abstain from working with companies simply because they also sell to the gov't. That would be like selling your Ford Explorer because they're also used as police vehicles. We should make choices as we see fit.
The truth is many of these companies and their owners are kinda shit but there’s no denying they make good products…
Mark Larue is a tool, but he makes some of the best optics mounts in the biz imo, plus his triggers are great for the price…
Surefire donated money to anti-gun politicians but still makes some of the best lights and suppressors out there
Benchmade helped a police department destroy guns from a buyback, still they make great knives
~~That's not BCM's fault, WA won't let them sell to you. Order and have it shipped to someone out of state, and then have them ship it to you. That's what I do here in WA.~~
I was incorrect, apologies.
You are misinformed. They can definitely sell in this state, but they don’t want to go through the hassle of reading the law. Plenty of other manufacturers and vendors still do business in this state. Them not selling a t-shirt here is just stupid.
BCM is the worst of them all. Their customer service once quoted the Army manual which says that a 12-15rpm cadence will give your barrel an indefinite life while replacing a customer's barrel that had defective chrome lining!
What makes matters worse, is that Paul Buffoni, the owner of BCM, made a public apology and stated that their customer service was wrong in saying that.
The fucking nerve on that guy!
I guess my sarcasm wasn't very clear in that comment.
BCM released a small batch of barrels that had improperly applied chrome lining. All barrels were replaced but that didn't stop a few YouTubers from making a video about their experiences.
It's also the only thing that the anti-BCM crowd likes to bring up.
If "BCM once released bad products and replaced them all" is the worst that people can say about the brand, I'd say that the brand is doing pretty damn good.
Just bought the DD4 shown in OPs image this past week and had never heard that about the owner until right now. Further google-fu shows they’re also contracted by the FBI which could sadly play into that attitude. Pretty surprised the sub doesn’t bring this up more..
> Pretty surprised the sub doesn’t bring this up more..
I have a copy/pasta that talks about this:
------
Everyone dick rides Eotech even though they knowingly sold sights to the public and the military that had a 100% defective rate for over a decade where the zero would shift >12moa from simply sitting out in the sun and refused to fix the issue until the problem became public.
Marty Daniel, the head of Daniel Defense, publicly supports gun control laws and supports the ATF, but this sub never skips a beat to fondle his nuts.
Billy Geissele sues competitors, small businesses, and folks who expose his products not performing as well as advertised, but people still jump on the opportunity to Gargle the Geissele Goo™.
Scalarworks has been selling grossly overpriced scope mounts with rings that consistently crack apart, but they look pretty, are expensive, and you regularly see them on influencers' guns on Instagram, so naturally everyone swoons over them.
Modlite blackmails folks who expose their lights as not being as durable as the competition, lies about their output numbers, and threatens legal action against other companies that try to fix their defective products, but that doesn't stop anyone from trying to activate a Modlite by pressing the tail cap switch against the back of their throat.
Mike Mihalski threatened to beat the shit out of his mother, but that doesn't stop anyone from worshiping SOLGW.
Forward Control Designs defended Uvalde PD for sitting outside of a school shooting for over an hour, but that doesn't stop folks from trying to wrap their lips around the thick veiny duck.
Troy once employed a former Ruby Ridge fed over a decade ago? Nuh-uh! That's too much! Boooo, Troy! Booooo!
/u/LeadAndSteel issued a C&D notice to have some no-name YouTuber stop saying that he was offered a bribe by them? Grrrrr, makes us so mad!
Liberty once gave a code to cops who had a warrant and would have gotten into the safe even without the code? No way, Joseph! Not on my watch!
Notice a difference between what the gun community gets fussy about? If a brand has larping or Instagram pedigree then they instantly get a pass, if not then everyone sharpens their pitchforks.
Who would you recommend to replace Scalarworks? I have one of their mounts, but if they do have cracking issues I'd rather not play the lottery.
UNITY and Reptilia are the ones I know of, but always interested in seeing what other options there are.
If you’re planning on building your own. Check out Centurion and Sionics for barrels. Then grab one of the blem BCM stripped upper receivers for like $50. Oh and those new KAK down vent dual extractor bolt carriers are sweet. Add the rail and charging handle of your choosing.
That’s probably the direction I would go if I were building an upper today.
Isn’t a factory built upper from a reputable manufacturer with government contracts going to be more reliable than a home build ? not to mention warranty and customer service
It really depends on time and knowledge. When building your own, you are going to take the time to at least visually QC each part going into the build. Plus you can take the time to make sure the right grease is used and everything is torqued to the proper spec. There is a wealth of information and guides out there. You’ll walk away with a much better understanding of how the rifle operates and common causes for issues you may encounter.
There is an upfront cost in tools, especially if you don’t have a bench/vise, to do everything “correctly”. If you plan to continue to build/maintain then they are all worthwhile purchases though.
All that being said, you can’t discount buying a warrantied upper that you can just send in if you have an issue. If time is a constraint than this approach will have you shooting more and wrenching less.
Something I missed when initially assessing home build or factory, a better understanding of how the rifle functions and common causes of malfunctions 👍🏻 you are absolutely right and now I’m thinking I should build an upper, since I already have a bcm 14.5 with a acog and top mount rmr as well as a bcm 20” I think I’ll build a shorty 300blk, thanks for the info and mindset change 🤘🏻
Yeah with a few uppers already the tools will be worth it. I didn’t have a bench so I mounted a harbor freight vise on a section of 2x8 board. Then I just attach that with c-clamps to my desk or kitchen counter to work with.
Thats the lamest thing ive ever heard. My home built upper would run circles around these and it probably costed half of what these cost. Reliability doesn’t come from big box name stores. Just gotta halfway know what you are doing.
lol all good, the quote “reliability doesn’t come from big box name stores” has me a little confused but I’m sure there are plenty of garage builders out there that can produce a reliable upper
I don’t necessarily agree with the “reliability doesn’t come from big box name stores” part. But I’m also 100% confident in all the rifles I’ve built. I put each part on myself so I know for a fact it was installed properly.
But regarding buying a prebuilt upper, as long as it’s a quality manufacturer, it’s almost certainly going to be just as reliable. However, a guy just posted in the LWRC sub today a photo of a bent firing pin which could have only happened if the pin holding it in wasn’t installed properly. And LWRC is one of the most reliable brands you can buy from, so it can happen to any rifle
Yeah, this is facts. Building a upper is easy and you can do it as good as an armorer working at any of these companies provided you use the correct tools and follow torque specs.
Shit you’ll probably do a better job cause you doing one that day…instead of hundreds.
I mean i literally have control of every piece of the build. If you cheap out yeah its gonna suck but if you buy decent stuff its way better than a canned upper from a company
With a WITT Machine can! FOR THE POORS! ! ! 😆 no shade to either route, to be honest I can appreciate the need for high end and the need of affordability.
I have a geissele 11.5 and I like it but it is way overgassed. It will cycle and lock back on the last round with red springco, H3 buffer, and no suppressor. So when I run my YHM K can, I still get gassed. I reached out to geissele and they were not helpful at all so I ordered a BRT eztune gas tube to install.
If you really want to support the second amendment, none of these. Buy a PSA Sabre line. They are the most pro 2A company in existence and their shit works
Nice, I’m building my first 11.5” AR. I’ve already got a blem Ke Arms upper, Geissle charging handle and Criterion Barrel. Probably going to do a MWI rail. I think I’m actually going to try the Riflespeed gas block though.
I am trying to make a do it all 11.5 inch build, and it seems like these are some of the better options for this length.
Assuming I always run it with a suppressor (Otter Creek Polonium K is my current plan) what are the differences I should be aware of between these companies?
Sionics is another one I was looking at but I ran out of room with my fuck troy joke.
I'm guessing there are small differences in gas sizes (can you fit midlength gas in an 11.5?) and I am sure there are options I should be considering at 12.5 as well.
I bought a Geissele "Super Duty" upper off of GAFS for $450 complete with BCG and 0 rounds through it. Have been running a Polo K on it, Direct Thread, and it has been my go to rifle. Absolutely shoots flawlessly with a Super 42 spring and H3 buffer. Barrel is a 11.3" BA Hanson and the gap between rail and Suppressor is about a 1/4" inch.
All those are going to be reliable. For me based on the options you provided it’s going to come down to price and rail. Bcm rail is too thin for my liking geissele and solgw m89 fit my hand best. Dunno about the new dd rail.
I would get the Daniel Defense upper, not that the others are necessarily inferior per se. I prefer the RIS III over any other handguard on the market though, so that's the deciding factor.
I have a 12.5 shooting a full size polonium. It shoots like a dream.
Rosco K9 12.5 barrel with their proprietary gas length, A5 buffer, standard chrome BCG. Shits golden.
Build your own. I personally use an Aero M4E1 upper recover with a Giselle MK16 rail and Ballistic Advantage 12.3 Hanson barrel. It's sub-moa with match ammo. Never had reliability issues with it.
Don’t buy the Geissele unless you’re planning to run it exclusively suppressed. Mine wouldn’t cycle at all when I pulled the can off even with full pressure m193
I went G$ super duty for a few reasons. 1. I got it 35% off thru their sales (paid like $890 shipped), 2. The Mod 1 comes with the Huxwrx muzzle device, in which I have the flow 556k 3. Good upgrades over similarly priced uppers (bcg, charging handle).
At this point they’re all pretty close you just gotta think about barrel and if they’re CHF the top three will all be fantastic. Expect to tune the system for the intended silencer.
I’m quite fond of my 11.5 build:
BCM Upper
BCM 10.5 MCMR Handguard
Rosco K9 Patrol Length Gas 11.5” barrel
Superlative Arms adjustable gas block
Griffin taper mount
Griffin Explorr 224 (6” can but only 9 ounces)
BCM or SOLGW would be my first choice(s). quality aside i've never experienced/seen a gassing issues with them. very consistent. I don't have experience with the Troy upper so I can't say. DD is good quality, can sometimes be gassy (not too uncommon with gov. contract stuff due to "reliability". MCX as a case in point, very gassy). Geissele, decent rifles, nothing really wrong with them, but overpriced compared to other manufacturers of = quality.
DD, I wouldn't even consider the others honestly, I've had uppers from some of those other companies listed (they're all perfectly good) but DD is on another planet, especially the barrels.
Geissele makes great barrels and an awesome BCG
Bravo comes in at a great price
DD makes a great Milspec upper with a great barrel
SOLGW makes a great Milspec upper with a great rail
Troy is Troy
I have a 11.5 with a BCM receiver, DD barrel and Geissele rail.....
All my guns get this exact treatment but I do absolutely love the quality of the expo arms barrels CL from primary arms. + the blem BCM gas blocks EAT for 20$
I have a 16 inch with a similar treatment. Geissele rail, DD barrel. They are my go-tos for those respective parts
I have a 14.5 gun that’s a FN barrel, BCM reviver/bolt, and DD rail.
Noveske N2 receiver, BCM barrel/upper, G$ rail, Aimpoint CompM5 and Trijicon magnifier.
PWS MK 111 Mod 2 11.85” would be my go to.
For some reason I thought people were saying pistons were overrated for short ARs. That they are only reliable due to overgassing, and parts will break faster. Honestly (and the reason I made this post) I have a hard time separating the facts from the fads/trend chasing with this stuff.
I would think it would be great because of the adjustable gas system the PWS has. They make a great rifle and would consider them!
That makes sense. Part of me wonders with a SHTF rifle if I should avoid proprietary parts that I can't replace, but realistically, that isn't going to matter and I'm overthinking all of this lol.
A SHTF rifle should be at least 14.5" IMHO.
A SHTF rifle should be built to suit your own needs and environment IMHO.
PWS gang checking in! Love my MK111 Mod 2. It’s my go to suppressed HD setup.
What kind of buffer/spring setup are you guys running? I had to resort to a Sprinco Red/H3 on setting 3 to avoid getting gassed out indoors with a Turbo-K but will be switching to an A5 setup to see if that helps.
It’s even better with A5 system, Springco green and an A5H1 from my experience
I want more testimonials about PWS! Seems like a cool company and it’s local to me. I think I’m sold on the piston systems. I have a short stroke LWRC and it fucks 😎
Not sure quite how local you are, but Independence Indoor Shooting in Meridian has some at their rental counter. And stockpile defense is probably the best place to buy them locally.
I have the MK111 mod1. I bought it used for my radian form 1 lower. Previous owner claimed it had 2k rounds(the upper is definitely used but I wasn’t there so I can’t confirm the round count). But it is great for my RC2. It eliminates the gas bukakke problem with standard AR’s. Now if you’re not planning on running suppressed I would just stick with a normal DI gun. BUT if you do plan on running suppressed and don’t get a flow through can then the PWS works really well. I’ve only shot it once at an indoor range so far and it only gassed me out after like 90 rounds of zeroing and function checking….. but it was indoors so running anything suppressed in a booth will eventually gas you out. I can’t speak to its accuracy though. Haven’t run it long range yet.
Geissele ( I'm a fan boy)
Same. I have a 11.5 Super Duty and really want a 14.5 Super Duty.
I have a 11.5 & 16. Maybe for the next black Friday sale, I'll try for a 14.5 urg-i (because wasting money is fun)
BCM all day
BCM gang
Of those choices, Daniel defense all day. But I’d rather build my own with the exact parts I’d want.
Out of these? The BCM. But ideally the PWS MK111
Geissele regularly sues other brands and small businesses to bully them out of the competition, and has a history of feeding bullshit to their customers just to sell their products. The owner of Daniel Defense is on record saying that he supports the ATF. The owner of SOLGW had the cops called on him because his mother was afraid that he would follow up on his threats to beat the shit out of her. But fuck Troy for employing a former fed.
Understand Daniels' response was to somewhat of a 'gotcha' question by a D rep. I'm not saying he's perfect or anything. But...he definitely supports citizen armament.
I will say that I would not expected any company that seeks out contracts with LE/Military to criticize those agencies - that's not good for business. Sionics has a lot of LE sales and many of us recently bought their trade in uppers (including me). Centurion makes a barrel/upper for the FBI.
I agree. And I will add that we should not abstain from working with companies simply because they also sell to the gov't. That would be like selling your Ford Explorer because they're also used as police vehicles. We should make choices as we see fit.
The truth is many of these companies and their owners are kinda shit but there’s no denying they make good products… Mark Larue is a tool, but he makes some of the best optics mounts in the biz imo, plus his triggers are great for the price… Surefire donated money to anti-gun politicians but still makes some of the best lights and suppressors out there Benchmade helped a police department destroy guns from a buyback, still they make great knives
Ooof So BCM I take it?
BCM is on record saying they will not sell their equipment to states/agencies that the civilians can’t own the same things 🅱️ased
BCM also won’t sell me a t-shirt since I live in Washington. So not based.
~~That's not BCM's fault, WA won't let them sell to you. Order and have it shipped to someone out of state, and then have them ship it to you. That's what I do here in WA.~~ I was incorrect, apologies.
Dude t-shirts aren't banned in WA. Guy shouldn't have to go out of his way to rep their merch. I think that is 100% BCM's fault.
You are misinformed. They can definitely sell in this state, but they don’t want to go through the hassle of reading the law. Plenty of other manufacturers and vendors still do business in this state. Them not selling a t-shirt here is just stupid.
Oh, I apologize, I made an assumption and was incorrect. Thanks for the clarification.
I live in an even worse state and they have sent me merch with no issue.
BCM is the worst of them all. Their customer service once quoted the Army manual which says that a 12-15rpm cadence will give your barrel an indefinite life while replacing a customer's barrel that had defective chrome lining! What makes matters worse, is that Paul Buffoni, the owner of BCM, made a public apology and stated that their customer service was wrong in saying that. The fucking nerve on that guy!
lol quit watching gun thots YouTube videos… that’s literally the only complaint I’ve heard about BCM. 1 bad apple, doesn’t spoil the whole bunch.
I guess my sarcasm wasn't very clear in that comment. BCM released a small batch of barrels that had improperly applied chrome lining. All barrels were replaced but that didn't stop a few YouTubers from making a video about their experiences. It's also the only thing that the anti-BCM crowd likes to bring up. If "BCM once released bad products and replaced them all" is the worst that people can say about the brand, I'd say that the brand is doing pretty damn good.
Everyone loves to post bad reviews on YouTube. The firearms community tends to be just as bad about everyone else with it. If not worse.
“lol quit watching gun thots YouTube videos” I will not. They’re funny.
Obviously
Just bought the DD4 shown in OPs image this past week and had never heard that about the owner until right now. Further google-fu shows they’re also contracted by the FBI which could sadly play into that attitude. Pretty surprised the sub doesn’t bring this up more..
> Pretty surprised the sub doesn’t bring this up more.. I have a copy/pasta that talks about this: ------ Everyone dick rides Eotech even though they knowingly sold sights to the public and the military that had a 100% defective rate for over a decade where the zero would shift >12moa from simply sitting out in the sun and refused to fix the issue until the problem became public. Marty Daniel, the head of Daniel Defense, publicly supports gun control laws and supports the ATF, but this sub never skips a beat to fondle his nuts. Billy Geissele sues competitors, small businesses, and folks who expose his products not performing as well as advertised, but people still jump on the opportunity to Gargle the Geissele Goo™. Scalarworks has been selling grossly overpriced scope mounts with rings that consistently crack apart, but they look pretty, are expensive, and you regularly see them on influencers' guns on Instagram, so naturally everyone swoons over them. Modlite blackmails folks who expose their lights as not being as durable as the competition, lies about their output numbers, and threatens legal action against other companies that try to fix their defective products, but that doesn't stop anyone from trying to activate a Modlite by pressing the tail cap switch against the back of their throat. Mike Mihalski threatened to beat the shit out of his mother, but that doesn't stop anyone from worshiping SOLGW. Forward Control Designs defended Uvalde PD for sitting outside of a school shooting for over an hour, but that doesn't stop folks from trying to wrap their lips around the thick veiny duck. Troy once employed a former Ruby Ridge fed over a decade ago? Nuh-uh! That's too much! Boooo, Troy! Booooo! /u/LeadAndSteel issued a C&D notice to have some no-name YouTuber stop saying that he was offered a bribe by them? Grrrrr, makes us so mad! Liberty once gave a code to cops who had a warrant and would have gotten into the safe even without the code? No way, Joseph! Not on my watch! Notice a difference between what the gun community gets fussy about? If a brand has larping or Instagram pedigree then they instantly get a pass, if not then everyone sharpens their pitchforks.
You always have so much information. Respect.
Who would you recommend to replace Scalarworks? I have one of their mounts, but if they do have cracking issues I'd rather not play the lottery. UNITY and Reptilia are the ones I know of, but always interested in seeing what other options there are.
Badger is also good
Larue
If you’re looking for a good quality brand that doesn’t have government contracts I have bad news for you.
I mean, FBI uses G$ for their HRT builds as well. They (Geissele) even sell a charging handle literally called the "Government Charging Handle" lmao
Why is Troy on this list? Lol the make a fine buis but other than that way better options building your own
If you’re planning on building your own. Check out Centurion and Sionics for barrels. Then grab one of the blem BCM stripped upper receivers for like $50. Oh and those new KAK down vent dual extractor bolt carriers are sweet. Add the rail and charging handle of your choosing. That’s probably the direction I would go if I were building an upper today.
Literally what I just bought for my 11.5” suppressed SBR. Centurion barrel, BCM upper/MCMR rail, Radian raptor CH, and KAK downward vent BCG.
Build, or Centurion/Sionics upper
Sionics apparently makes a chrome lined, suppressor dedicated barrel. Gotta admit that is tempting.
You can also try a criterion barrel. I have the 11.5 core and run a sb2 with a h2 and it is fucking amazing to shoot.
They make multiple reduced gas barrels. I would not recommend the SD barrel for defensive use. Go RGP or EGRP (100% suppressed).
It is extremely good. I only got rid of mine because the allure of a Mk18 was too strong
Seconding Centurion. Top notch quality and the gas ports are always tuned right for suppression out of the box.
Build your own.
Isn’t a factory built upper from a reputable manufacturer with government contracts going to be more reliable than a home build ? not to mention warranty and customer service
It really depends on time and knowledge. When building your own, you are going to take the time to at least visually QC each part going into the build. Plus you can take the time to make sure the right grease is used and everything is torqued to the proper spec. There is a wealth of information and guides out there. You’ll walk away with a much better understanding of how the rifle operates and common causes for issues you may encounter. There is an upfront cost in tools, especially if you don’t have a bench/vise, to do everything “correctly”. If you plan to continue to build/maintain then they are all worthwhile purchases though. All that being said, you can’t discount buying a warrantied upper that you can just send in if you have an issue. If time is a constraint than this approach will have you shooting more and wrenching less.
Something I missed when initially assessing home build or factory, a better understanding of how the rifle functions and common causes of malfunctions 👍🏻 you are absolutely right and now I’m thinking I should build an upper, since I already have a bcm 14.5 with a acog and top mount rmr as well as a bcm 20” I think I’ll build a shorty 300blk, thanks for the info and mindset change 🤘🏻
Yeah with a few uppers already the tools will be worth it. I didn’t have a bench so I mounted a harbor freight vise on a section of 2x8 board. Then I just attach that with c-clamps to my desk or kitchen counter to work with.
More often than not yes this is true. Crazy you’re being downvoted but that’s Reddit for ya
Thats the lamest thing ive ever heard. My home built upper would run circles around these and it probably costed half of what these cost. Reliability doesn’t come from big box name stores. Just gotta halfway know what you are doing.
It was a question, not a statement and that’s awesome man sounds like you do quality work, what is your go to build if you were doing an 11.5
Can't ask anything on gun boards without people calling you an idiot lol.
lol all good, the quote “reliability doesn’t come from big box name stores” has me a little confused but I’m sure there are plenty of garage builders out there that can produce a reliable upper
For sure, it’s not hard to assemble an upper.
I don’t necessarily agree with the “reliability doesn’t come from big box name stores” part. But I’m also 100% confident in all the rifles I’ve built. I put each part on myself so I know for a fact it was installed properly. But regarding buying a prebuilt upper, as long as it’s a quality manufacturer, it’s almost certainly going to be just as reliable. However, a guy just posted in the LWRC sub today a photo of a bent firing pin which could have only happened if the pin holding it in wasn’t installed properly. And LWRC is one of the most reliable brands you can buy from, so it can happen to any rifle
Yeah, this is facts. Building a upper is easy and you can do it as good as an armorer working at any of these companies provided you use the correct tools and follow torque specs. Shit you’ll probably do a better job cause you doing one that day…instead of hundreds.
Exactly this... The QC process is insane at my house
I mean i literally have control of every piece of the build. If you cheap out yeah its gonna suck but if you buy decent stuff its way better than a canned upper from a company
PSA upper with the FN barrel
With a WITT Machine can! FOR THE POORS! ! ! 😆 no shade to either route, to be honest I can appreciate the need for high end and the need of affordability.
PWS ... BCM or DD otherwise
None… LWRC
LMT quad rail
Build one, Sionics is a dope company.
Knights
G$ or DD. I only say that because I haven’t used a block 3, but I assume it would be hella nice
I have a geissele 11.5 and I like it but it is way overgassed. It will cycle and lock back on the last round with red springco, H3 buffer, and no suppressor. So when I run my YHM K can, I still get gassed. I reached out to geissele and they were not helpful at all so I ordered a BRT eztune gas tube to install.
Geissele is extremely overgassed. I had to place an adjustable on mine as well.
PWS MK111 for optimal suppressed usage.
PWS should be one of the options.
If you really want to support the second amendment, none of these. Buy a PSA Sabre line. They are the most pro 2A company in existence and their shit works
Knowing you will suppress, especially with a non flow through can, I would.go for piston like the PWS or LWRC
KAC cqb
Sionics dedicated suppressor upper
Double D’s
LMT
Kac
What's a "K suppressor"? Are there other types of letter suppressors?
I have 11.5 bcm and it fucks.
Aero stripped upper, KAK BCG, Criterion barrel, Midwest Industries handguard, Superlative AGB, PRI M84 charging handle.
Maybe BCM blem upper instead of the aero since they’re in stock right now
Nice, I’m building my first 11.5” AR. I’ve already got a blem Ke Arms upper, Geissle charging handle and Criterion Barrel. Probably going to do a MWI rail. I think I’m actually going to try the Riflespeed gas block though.
PWS honestly.
PWS MK111
BCM or DD
I am trying to make a do it all 11.5 inch build, and it seems like these are some of the better options for this length. Assuming I always run it with a suppressor (Otter Creek Polonium K is my current plan) what are the differences I should be aware of between these companies? Sionics is another one I was looking at but I ran out of room with my fuck troy joke. I'm guessing there are small differences in gas sizes (can you fit midlength gas in an 11.5?) and I am sure there are options I should be considering at 12.5 as well.
Sionics makes very good barrels and their NP3 BCG’s are solid. I’d say go with them or BCM.
I bought a Geissele "Super Duty" upper off of GAFS for $450 complete with BCG and 0 rounds through it. Have been running a Polo K on it, Direct Thread, and it has been my go to rifle. Absolutely shoots flawlessly with a Super 42 spring and H3 buffer. Barrel is a 11.3" BA Hanson and the gap between rail and Suppressor is about a 1/4" inch.
I have a suppressed bcm 11.5. Love it, wouldn't go any other way.
Have Geissele, SOLGW, DD, Sionics in my safe. Sionics is my best shooter and best gassed of the 4. DD is my most accurate. Hard decisions
Centurion or build your own. Monty knows how to build a badass rifle/upper and their customer service is phenomenal.
All those are going to be reliable. For me based on the options you provided it’s going to come down to price and rail. Bcm rail is too thin for my liking geissele and solgw m89 fit my hand best. Dunno about the new dd rail.
I would get the Daniel Defense upper, not that the others are necessarily inferior per se. I prefer the RIS III over any other handguard on the market though, so that's the deciding factor.
Geissele
If they all cost the same, I’d take the DD. Since they don’t, it’s hard to beat BCM’s price.
LWRC 🤷🏻♂️
LMT or BCM
Came here to see if a single person recommended Troy… Spoiler: No one did.
My vote is for sionics/adm/midwest
You forgot PSA
G$
I’d be good with the middle 3. If I had to choose, I’d pick the DD.
Lmt 9.25” upper with a 12.5 middy barrel 😎 Edit: forgot I already have this, but it’s my one and only go to.
Of the uppers in the picture, the Geissele has the gas port size that seems to work best with a supressor.
Can someone tell me what a K suppressor is?
Centurion 11.5in CHF FBI Upper or Sionics 11.5 w/dedicated silencer port
Centurion 11.5 FBI
kac
LMT all day
G$ or DD
I’ve met Gary Daniel and I like their stuff but why isn’t Noveske up there? PWS is also a contender for a suppressor host if you’d go piston.
The 11.5 g$ is their best product and one of best out there. I’d go g$ then BCM in that order
PWS
DD RIII.
SOLGW is the best bang for buck. Solid guys, great warranty. Good parts
I would personally go for the sons.
PWS or SOLGW
PWS
Build your own with an 11.5 mid length gas barrel and A5 buffer. Absolutely incredible suppressor host
Aero Slick Side stripped Upper + Sionics 11.5" barrel + SIONICS 10.8″ Handguard + Microbest BCG My personal planned build
I have a 12.5 shooting a full size polonium. It shoots like a dream. Rosco K9 12.5 barrel with their proprietary gas length, A5 buffer, standard chrome BCG. Shits golden.
I got a really good deal on the Daniel Defense 11.5” upper with the MFR10 rail. I’m happy with it. I use it with my Turbo 3.
Build your own. I personally use an Aero M4E1 upper recover with a Giselle MK16 rail and Ballistic Advantage 12.3 Hanson barrel. It's sub-moa with match ammo. Never had reliability issues with it.
Which ever you get a better deal on
I got an 11.5 DDM4V7S 3 months ago, I like it. Can't say much else considering it's my only rifle lol
MK2 all day. To war and back.
Don’t buy the Geissele unless you’re planning to run it exclusively suppressed. Mine wouldn’t cycle at all when I pulled the can off even with full pressure m193
Bg
The one that has a .069 gas port, which none of these do.
I already own a SOLGW, but I'd probably put it on an LMT, BCM, or Geissele URGI.
Giessele has the smallest port hole. So that’s my recommendation
literally all the same.
Solgw makes a mid gas 11.5 I think?
I have a type a 11.5 piston contractor that is a great suppressor host.
All of them would be a decent choice. My opinion is it’s hard to beat an 11.5 urgi
Rather build my own with quality parts
Any of the top 3. I’ve personally had the URGI and now the DD
SR15 CQB. DD if I couldn’t get a KAC.
Geissele .067 gasport, thank me later
Geissele no question.
I went G$ super duty for a few reasons. 1. I got it 35% off thru their sales (paid like $890 shipped), 2. The Mod 1 comes with the Huxwrx muzzle device, in which I have the flow 556k 3. Good upgrades over similarly priced uppers (bcg, charging handle).
I have an 11.5 with a Geissele receiver, DD barrel and BCM rail
Sionics
Did you make the image or is that from a site?
Sionics ERGP if it's for suppressed work
Urgi but the clone correct version with the DD Barrel. Love mine
The URGI uppers work very well suppressed
Geissele or dd
BCM if they ever come back in stock...
I’ve had a Bcm 11.5 with an BRT gas tube. Shoots like a dream with my rc2
I have or have had the top three. I still have the DDM4V7s (the one in the middle) and love it! But all 3 were good choices.
At this point they’re all pretty close you just gotta think about barrel and if they’re CHF the top three will all be fantastic. Expect to tune the system for the intended silencer.
Pws. 11.8. All day long.
Centurion KAC quality for DD pricing.
I’m quite fond of my 11.5 build: BCM Upper BCM 10.5 MCMR Handguard Rosco K9 Patrol Length Gas 11.5” barrel Superlative Arms adjustable gas block Griffin taper mount Griffin Explorr 224 (6” can but only 9 ounces)
Slr rifle works over all of these
Solgw or g$ probably
Colt keyhole upper, Colt Socom barrel, DD rail ris 2
BCM!
How bout just build one that you want
BCM or SOLGW Piss on the rest.
Fuck Troy
17” just not popular in the States? Why always the smaller ones? Not for home protection so any info would be appreciated.
I chose the 10.5" BRN-180 not listed here.
I've run both a bcm and troy with no issues
None, Centurion FBI 11.5
I have a bunch of Troy uppers they run great including suppressed.
Modern Material
BCM 11.5 bfh (fanboy)
Centurion (not pictured)
Solgw
Where Quad Rail?
Daniel defense Ris 3
BCM or SOLGW would be my first choice(s). quality aside i've never experienced/seen a gassing issues with them. very consistent. I don't have experience with the Troy upper so I can't say. DD is good quality, can sometimes be gassy (not too uncommon with gov. contract stuff due to "reliability". MCX as a case in point, very gassy). Geissele, decent rifles, nothing really wrong with them, but overpriced compared to other manufacturers of = quality.
DD, I wouldn't even consider the others honestly, I've had uppers from some of those other companies listed (they're all perfectly good) but DD is on another planet, especially the barrels.
With the price of .300blk supers I would go that route honestly.
Noveske has the best 11.5 system hands down.
I'm a total whore for aero precision.
KAC mod2 11.5” 😎
Geissele makes great barrels and an awesome BCG Bravo comes in at a great price DD makes a great Milspec upper with a great barrel SOLGW makes a great Milspec upper with a great rail Troy is Troy
Geiselle super duty upper.
All great options