This is our 2nd annual Tactical Rifle Championship. Come out and have some great fun shooting and enjoy the day with fellow gun enthusiasts. It will be a fun filled day of competition and challenges. We will run anywhere between 4 to 6 stages. They will vary from close in(10 feet) to some distance up to 200 yards. Be prepared to shoot from multiple positions and at multiple targets. We will have some fun stages with different targets and obstacles.

WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT SPONSORS AND PRIZES FOR THIS MATCH. We gave out over $4000.00 in prizes last year and will have more this year.

Sling Attachments

Standard sling attachments are not always ideal because they are located at the bottom of the rifle. With a collapsible buttstock (moving the rear sling mount to the side), you will want to place an M4 side attachment for the front sling mount. This attachment slips between the barrel and the front sight base and moves the sling mount to the side. An alternative is the “paper clip” style sling clip that attaches to your front sight.

AR-15 Magazines

A good supply of 30-round GI aluminum magazines is necessary. Plastic magazines are also usable, but the GI aluminum magazines are more widely available, more reliable and less expensive. The 30-round capacity is a better choice than a 5, 10, 20 or 40 (prone to jamming) magazines. The 20-round magazine is popular because they do not interfere with shooting in the prone position or from a bench. Suggestion: stock up on 20- and 30-round magazines.

Check Head Down Products for more information on magazines.

Iron Sights

The AR-15s iron sights are its primary sighting system. When optical sights, lasers and other aiming devices fail, the iron sights are always there to fall back on. Iron sights are also quicker to acquire and offer a greater field of view than most alternatives. Stay away from a rifle with detachable iron sights that can get lost.

The A2 sights appear to be superior to the original A1 style and allow for easy windage and elevation adjustments. Calibrate your A2 sights for adjusting range. Zero your rifle for 300 meters and you can dial in the range up to 800 meters (the bullet’s flat trajectory will require no adjustments from 0-300 meters). This ability to adjust sights is important in the event the sights lose their adjustment.

Check Head Down Products for more information on iron sights.

In my next post, I will give you ideas on more ways you can customize your AR-15. In the meantime, feel free to call or email me with questions or comments…

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• hard chrome lined barrels choice of the U.S. Government because government issued AR-15s often need a service life of at least 8,000 rounds
• stainless
• chrome steel and,
• chrome lined.

Barrel’s Length

The standard AR-15 barrel length is 16 inches. Sixteen inches is long enough to provide good performance and long enough to provide the desired accuracy, while remaining short enough to be maneuverable in tight quarters.The 14.5-inch M4-style barrel is popular, though you have to add a flash suppressor attached to bring the overall length to 16 inches. Twenty-inch barrels are slightly more accurate than the 16-inch barrels, though the compromise in mobility is noticeable…not the best choice.

Check information on Head Down Products for 10.5 to 16 inch barrels

Barrel’s Weight

AR-15 barrels are referred to as “heavy” or “light.” A “heavy” barrel (HB designation) simply means there is more metal than the “light.” The heavy barrel whose thickness does not vary from the front to the back offers the most durable design. For a 16-inch barrel AR-15, the lightweight (or M4) profile offers the most advantages as far as weight and handling.

Twist

The barrel’s twist rate refers to the distance a bullet travels in the barrel to complete a full revolution. A 1/9” twist rate means that your bullet will make a complete revolution for every nine inches traveled in the barrel. Heavier bullets require a faster twist rate to correctly stabilize them…too fast of a twist rate will potentially cause a bullet to spin apart. It is important that your barrel and bullets fired match.

For more information on selecting a barrel that is right for you, contact me at Head Down Products.

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Upper Receiver

When ordering a new upper, remember to order a NEW bolt. Purchasing an upper without a new, matching bolt is a big mistake…you should have one matching bolt for each receiver…no exceptions.

As the bolt wears in to match the chamber in which it is being used, it will no longer headspace exactly to another rifle’s chamber. This bolt may be usable for a time but it will eventually wear in a manner that will allow excessive headspace in another receiver…particularly if you shoot often. Spend money on a new bolt.

Sight Systems

A flat top upper receiver gives you unlimited options, but be forewarned. If you plan to have the detachable carrying handle/rear sight as a back up, you may find it impossible to zero the rifle unless you get the handle specifically matched to your barrel. Best to buy the handle from the same people you purchased the upper receiver and barrel from Head Down Products.

Available sights range from military sights to long-range scopes. All can be utilized on an AR-15 and all have different purposes. My two favorites are the Aimpoint Comp M or ML series. This particular red-dot type scope has a small 3 moa dot (allowing you to see the target more clearly than the 7 moa dot) and is very good out to long ranges.

On my next post, I will cover considerations for an AR-15 barrel and attachments that will please you. Feel welcome to contact me with questions or comments you have…

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AR-15 owners often purchase upper receivers in different calibers and interchange them with the same lower receiver. Before assembling multiple configurations, you need to be familiar with firearms laws because it is possible to make an illegal configuration.
AR-15 upper receivers share several similar features:

• chambered in .223 Remington/5.56 mm.
• 16 inch chrome or blued barrel.
• fits AR-15 lower receiver.
• forward assist.
• Mil-Spec bolt carrier assembly.
• front and rear sights (either stationery or flip) and,
• twist rate of 1-9 or 1-7
• flattop (provides more stable platform) or carry handle (incorporating rugged built-in sights.

Head Down Products offers at least two new AR-15 Uppers to provide you a custom choice. For example:

• Black Diamond has a new “Carbine Top End” providing you with a lightweight upper with the highest quality materials and,

• C3 Defense has a new line of complete uppers and is offering a $5.00 savings on a Magpul black rear backup sight (see Head Down listing for details).

Consider acquiring more than one AR-15 upper receiver over time for your lower receiver. Contact the staff at Head Down Products for help in customizing your AR-15 configuration.

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The “AR” prefix comes from the Fairchild ArmaLite Corporation. In 1959, ArmaLite sold its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 to Colt.  Colt began producing the AR-15 for militaries worldwide, with the United States military assigning the designation of M16 for the Colt AR-15 (Colt continues to own the “AR-15” trademark).

The AR-15 is among the most popular military (developed for the jungles of Vietnam) and civilian rifles developed.  This rifle is lightweight (from 5.5 to 8.5 lbs., based on your configuration) durable and reliable.

The AR-15 is an ideal CQC (close quarter combat) rifle, coming with a 30-round magazine shooting the high velocity .223 ammunition.  Using the AR-15, you can penetrate drywall, stucco or jungle brush…even steel!

To start customizing your own AR-15, talk to the team at Head Down Products…representing the highest quality manufacturers in the industry.  Ask the Head Down team member about:

• complete upper and lower receivers.
• synthetic stocks and grips to fit your hand comfortably.
• optics to match your shooting distance requirements.
• …more – and how to enjoy shooting your AR-15.

Comments or questions?
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