# Building the perfect bug out rifle.



## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

I had two ways to go here, but a Thompson contender would only be single shot
and I figured why not the AR platform? I had this planned for next spring but we might not get there so I figured why not share?

I'm far from a Guru, so anybody feel free to chime in or correct me if I'm wrong on a detail:

Beginning with a carbon fiber lower, you will save 150$ AND a pound of weight.

Install a Brownells drop in match trigger kit.

A2 upper please.I know the flat tops are all the rage and would save 1/2 a pound but I hate the sight radius, and besides, this is NOT a tactical weapon.
I like the C.A.R config in stainless steel but standard non-chromed is fine, you could even go with a M-4 profile and save more weight, but I'm me and I like the medium weight barrel, non chromed 4140, as I said:NOT a tac gun.it needs it's accuracy.

Mount it up with a decent, medium power scope, its not designed as a sniper rifle either.

Please dear gods, don't put a f**king rail system on it! it's NOT a tac rifle! a bipod and or a flashlight is fine.you can hunt at night.hillbillies have hunted raccoon, possums and jacked deer at night since the week the flashlight was invented.Sue me, I stuck a 3" V grip on mine.

A high performance nitrided or chrome bolt and carrier group.

Don't put a silly ass folding stock on it either, it rattles and takes too much time to deploy and isn't stable, a lightweight skeleton or short stock is fine however.

Stick to the mags your creation likes, forget the flavor of the day.if it likes surplus aluminum, don't go nuts on synthetics!

Invest in a quality 22LR conversion kit an 1000 rounds of quality high velocity ammo. 

zero in with what you will likely use, such as Black hills SP varmint loads, then mark your scope in red paint, then zero in with the next choice and mark it in some other color, if they hit pretty close, BONUS!

Chose a muzzle device geared more toward recoil control than flash suppression, that second shot might mean the difference in eating or starving a week.

Coat the barrel and recoil brake in ceramic motor paint, mask off the gas tube.

Choosing the 2nd upper:
Get something capable of taking large game like 7.62X39 or 6.5 and mark the magazines that go with it accordingly. a blast of OD green on the floor plates should do nicely.please ignore the pistol calibers, this is NOT a fighting weapon!the only reason you need a pistol caliber upper is to increase utility as a defense gun, but that is NOT the intent or purpose of this weapon although I must admit, an upper in 10MM would make a nice pig gun!

This is designed as an attempt to make one weapon do multiple tasks, as I said, I am NOT a guru and I prefer an AK, BUT an AK can not be tailored to meet as many needs as at AR platform.if you have any ideas in saving weight or expanding utility, please chime in.


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

Since most firefights occur at close range (15 feet or less) I don't think you'd need a scope and all the extras. Bugging out would be different from defending your BOL. You just need something that you can point and shoot. I wouldn't want to be carrying a lot of weight while I'm bugging out. I'd want the bare minimum if it was me.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Kej - I believe that Magus trying to come up with a great hunting-rifle that is light and easy to maintain - has nothing to do with firefights and security and such - it has to do with putting meat in the fire and then into the belly.

I like the idea of the .22 conversion as long as the accuracy stays high. One of my friends hunts bird (like a grouse on the ground) with his .22 and he does a great job of putting the birds into his BBQ for supper.



Lets keep this thread on topic for the hunting-section please.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

I wish one of the manufacturers making the AR10 versions would expand one of them to take a 5.56 upper and a 22 conversion. You'd have your good ole 7.62x51 which I like better for hunting and should be able to convert or at least re barrel to the 7.62x39 then using a magazine well spacer switch to the 223 upper and a optional 22lr adapter. That rifle would allow tons of hunting flex into all sorts of calibers like 243 (which might be a good all around split between 223 and 308) still go to the lil 22lr for small game and training. Would neccessarily be a smidge heavier, but it's flexibility I think would compensate and make the wieght worth it. I think someone is making a barrel changing upper already for mill types to switch from a short entry barrel to a long range barrel to a heavy machine gun barrel that system would be great on the hunting gun allowing you to switch just the barrel to change from 308 to 243 and any of the other 308 based cartridges. Same on a separate upper in the 223 class of cartridges like 6.8 and some others I"m not sure of right now that take the same bolt. But even at that the bolts swap easy enough so you could just switch the bolt (not the whole carrier) for different case head sizes to go with a different set of barrels for the large frame version. Not sure how much of that makes total sense unless you expect to be scrounging ammo but I can see wanting the 308 to 243 exchange. and then step down more to 6.8 and 223 and 22lr. Then maybe in bear country one of the really heavy bullet calibers like 458 socom or 50 beowulf. I would think a magwell that size just might accomodate 20 ga size shells how much flex would the ability to add a 20 ga barrel to that add? 

I have thought about those alot as I always wanted a contender too just because I like d the idea of multiple barrels chamberings and roles it can fill. 

I have a few other ideas rattling around should I ever find myself healthy enough to do stuff and blessed with a machine shop and some time.


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## purehavoc (Nov 7, 2012)

jsriley5 said:


> I wish one of the manufacturers making the AR10 versions would expand one of them to take a 5.56 upper and a 22 conversion. You'd have your good ole 7.62x51 which I like better for hunting and should be able to convert or at least re barrel to the 7.62x39 then using a magazine well spacer switch to the 223 upper and a optional 22lr adapter. That rifle would allow tons of hunting flex into all sorts of calibers like 243 (which might be a good all around split between 223 and 308) still go to the lil 22lr for small game and training. Would neccessarily be a smidge heavier, but it's flexibility I think would compensate and make the wieght worth it. I think someone is making a barrel changing upper already for mill types to switch from a short entry barrel to a long range barrel to a heavy machine gun barrel that system would be great on the hunting gun allowing you to switch just the barrel to change from 308 to 243 and any of the other 308 based cartridges. Same on a separate upper in the 223 class of cartridges like 6.8 and some others I"m not sure of right now that take the same bolt. But even at that the bolts swap easy enough so you could just switch the bolt (not the whole carrier) for different case head sizes to go with a different set of barrels for the large frame version. Not sure how much of that makes total sense unless you expect to be scrounging ammo but I can see wanting the 308 to 243 exchange. and then step down more to 6.8 and 223 and 22lr. Then maybe in bear country one of the really heavy bullet calibers like 458 socom or 50 beowulf. I would think a magwell that size just might accomodate 20 ga size shells how much flex would the ability to add a 20 ga barrel to that add? I have thought about those alot as I always wanted a contender too just because I like d the idea of multiple barrels chamberings and roles it can fill.
> 
> I have a few other ideas rattling around should I ever find myself healthy enough to do stuff and blessed with a machine shop and some time.


Colts new LE-901 will do exactly what your asking 7.62x51 AND 5.56 NATO 
http://www.coltsmfg.com/Catalog/ColtRifles/ColtLE90116S.aspx

Throw in a .22lr conversion kit and you have the ultimate rifle system . I hear all the time how the .22lr rifle conversion kits arent accurate past 30 yards . I guess I will call BS on that one . I have a conversion kit that I use in a 1:7 twist 5.56 barrel and it does pretty well , 10 shot 2" groups @ 60 yards using cheap winchester 36 gr. 555 bulk packs . Cant ask much better than that for the kind of twist that bullet is going thru .


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Figures just about the time I won't be able to get one anymore they make what I want.


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## seanallen (Nov 13, 2012)

Im sticking w my Rossi 410/.22lr combo. Cheap, light, good enough to hunt with. A bug out gun is for bugging out, not extended firefights.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

So you didn't want to go with the Magus-47 I invented for you?


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Sentry18 said:


> So you didn't want to go with the Magus-47 I invented for you?


Too heavy.LOL



NaeKid said:


> Kej - I believe that Magus trying to come up with a great hunting-rifle that is light and easy to maintain - has nothing to do with firefights and security and such - it has to do with putting meat in the fire and then into the belly.
> 
> I like the idea of the .22 conversion as long as the accuracy stays high. One of my friends hunts bird (like a grouse on the ground) with his .22 and he does a great job of putting the birds into his BBQ for supper.
> 
> Lets keep this thread on topic for the hunting-section please.


The prize goes to the wise! you are correct sir, it's a "keep me alive" rifle.hence my constant admonishment that it is NOT a tac rifle and forget the rail-estate etc.

Still dying to know how a 10MM upper would do on feral hogs...

Anyway, this is a concept of my idea. you can get a QD bipod for cheap these days.


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