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I started to look for a setup that would let me shoot .22LR from my AR. I started with a CMMG conversion and had all sorts of issues. I sent the conversion back to CMMG and they replaced it but I still have issues with failure to eject. We have tried this conversion in several different ARs to eliminate the possibility that the conversion just doesn't like my particular lower. After chasing this setup for quite some time and finding that even when it functioned the accuracy was poor (as in pathetic) at best, I decided to bite the bullet so to speak and buy a dedicated upper.
I searched around looking for an upper that was NY compliant without having to add time and money (as in buying a muzzle brake) to make it so. No company had anything off the shelf that was compliant until I found the answer --- DPMS, they make a 16" bull barrel upper that fit the bill. I contacted DPMS in late April to see if they had any of these in stock. They told me 2 to 3 months from when the order is placed. I went over to Midway and found they were back ordered but expected back in stock in a month or so. I placed my order at the beginning of May and received the upper at the beginning of July.
We took the gun out with the new upper to a friend's last week and shot at water balloons. Went through about 150 rounds with no issues at all. Today I took the gun over to the range to shoot at some paper and get the red dot tuned in. Our range inside is 50 feet, so I shot at that distance off the bench, no sandbags or anything like that. Only took a few minutes to get the dot adjusted. The upper is wearing a Bushnell TRS-25 dot and at 50 feet the dot pretty much covers the bullseye on the targets I was using. I put 100 rounds through the gun with excellent results. No malfunctions at all and the gun seems to be very accurate. With the right scope on it, I could see this being a very nice target gun.
I've posted a photo of the target I was using. Mini Mags seem to shoot a bit left of center when the gun is adjusted for Federal Bulk Pack ammo. I also reeled the target in to 25 feet to see where it will shoot at that distance and found, as expected, it shoots a bit low at the closer range. I have yet to get outdoors with this upper but will do so next weekend.
I'm quite happy with this unit. I have it mounted on my Stag lower so I can practice and have my same trigger pull, mag release, and bolt latch as when I shoot with .223. I shot with a mix of magazines, one CMMG Evolution, one Black Dog modular, and two of the older Black Dogs. All magazines functioned fine without issue. With 250 rounds downrange at about $7, I've saved $60 or so in ammo costs while still getting to practice. The upper was a bit pricy at $400 but it won't take long to recoup that in ammo savings. The added advantage is I can now shoot the AR on our indoor range with .22LR if the weather is bad. While the bull barrel looks to be very heavy, it isn't all that much more weight than the carbine barrel and brake set up for .223. Hopefully, this information will be useful to someone along the way who is looking for a .22LR set up for their AR.
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The Stag with the DPMS upper mounted.
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Targets from 50 feet.
I searched around looking for an upper that was NY compliant without having to add time and money (as in buying a muzzle brake) to make it so. No company had anything off the shelf that was compliant until I found the answer --- DPMS, they make a 16" bull barrel upper that fit the bill. I contacted DPMS in late April to see if they had any of these in stock. They told me 2 to 3 months from when the order is placed. I went over to Midway and found they were back ordered but expected back in stock in a month or so. I placed my order at the beginning of May and received the upper at the beginning of July.
We took the gun out with the new upper to a friend's last week and shot at water balloons. Went through about 150 rounds with no issues at all. Today I took the gun over to the range to shoot at some paper and get the red dot tuned in. Our range inside is 50 feet, so I shot at that distance off the bench, no sandbags or anything like that. Only took a few minutes to get the dot adjusted. The upper is wearing a Bushnell TRS-25 dot and at 50 feet the dot pretty much covers the bullseye on the targets I was using. I put 100 rounds through the gun with excellent results. No malfunctions at all and the gun seems to be very accurate. With the right scope on it, I could see this being a very nice target gun.
I've posted a photo of the target I was using. Mini Mags seem to shoot a bit left of center when the gun is adjusted for Federal Bulk Pack ammo. I also reeled the target in to 25 feet to see where it will shoot at that distance and found, as expected, it shoots a bit low at the closer range. I have yet to get outdoors with this upper but will do so next weekend.
I'm quite happy with this unit. I have it mounted on my Stag lower so I can practice and have my same trigger pull, mag release, and bolt latch as when I shoot with .223. I shot with a mix of magazines, one CMMG Evolution, one Black Dog modular, and two of the older Black Dogs. All magazines functioned fine without issue. With 250 rounds downrange at about $7, I've saved $60 or so in ammo costs while still getting to practice. The upper was a bit pricy at $400 but it won't take long to recoup that in ammo savings. The added advantage is I can now shoot the AR on our indoor range with .22LR if the weather is bad. While the bull barrel looks to be very heavy, it isn't all that much more weight than the carbine barrel and brake set up for .223. Hopefully, this information will be useful to someone along the way who is looking for a .22LR set up for their AR.
The Stag with the DPMS upper mounted.
Targets from 50 feet.
