{"id":404667,"date":"2023-08-21T17:00:29","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T22:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/?p=404667"},"modified":"2023-08-18T12:55:48","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T17:55:48","slug":"setting-up-an-ar-15-ideas-for-home-defense-and-long-range","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/setting-up-an-ar-15-ideas-for-home-defense-and-long-range\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting Up An AR-15? Ideas for Home Defense and Long Range"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have an AR-15 there is a good chance you have added accessories to it and then later removed them. I\u2019m guessing you changed the optic multiple times and debated on a different barrel length or caliber too. The good thing about AR-15 rifles is there are so many options and configurations available. That said, it can be hard to decide what you need on your rifle, and what you don\u2019t need. What looks cool versus what is practical? Search AR-15 accessories and would take all year to look at them all.<\/p>\n

Setting up a rifle is a process that should include a few different considerations. What is the intended purpose of the rifle, where you live, and your state laws should all be considered. Budget, experience, and other factors also play a role in setting up your AR-15. I will state up front that I can\u2019t tell you the best way to set up your rifle. This is because it\u2019s YOUR rifle and it needs to work for you. What I can do is provide some options and advice for you to consider as you go through this fun process.<\/p>\n

What is the rifle for?<\/h2>\n

Most people who buy an AR-15 rifle plan to use it for home defense. If you wake up to the news that someone let the zombies out, you want to be ready. Others may buy an AR-15 for sporting events and competitions, hunting, or a combination of these. The purpose of the rifle is important because it may change the entire setup, caliber, and length of the rifle.<\/p>\n

\"Performing
In this photo, a detective performs a mag change in the rain with his Black Rain AR-9. [Photo: Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>For example, if you plan to shoot long distances with your AR-15, a seven-inch barrel chambered in 300 BLK is not the best choice. If you plan to use it for home defense, a .308 with a 20-inch or longer barrel and scope is not ideal either. It would take a lot of time to cover every category a rifle is used for. So today I\u2019m going to focus on those who plan to use their rifle for home and self-defense.<\/p>\n

When selecting a rifle for defense purposes, your location, and the population around you should be considered. If you live in a populated area with houses next door, you need stopping power but with less over-penetration. If you live in a desert and can see 40 miles in any direction, a longer-range gun may be ideal. We will go over some suggestions for setting up an AR-15 for both short and long range.<\/p>\n

General Use \/ Go-To AR-15<\/h2>\n

If you want a rifle that is versatile and not set up for a specific purpose, here are some things to consider. \u00a0Select a barrel that is 14-16 inches. This keeps it long enough to reach out a ways, but not so long that it\u2019s clumsy in a home. For an optic, I would recommend an LPVO. I like red dots more for close distances, but an LPVO gives you some magnification. Vortex makes some great LPVO\u2019s<\/a> for a reasonable price like the Strike Eagle.<\/p>\n

If you want high quality, check out the Vortex Razor, Trigicon Credo, or Nightforce ATACR. These are all great LPVO\u2019s, but they will cost as much as, or more than your gun. I don\u2019t always use backup sights with an LPVO so that again will be up to you. Upgrading the trigger<\/a> is a good improvement to any AR-15 regardless of its purpose. Just make sure you buy a quality trigger because this is not the place to skimp.<\/p>\n

\"LPVO
An LPVO is a great optic that extends the shooter’s effective range while allowing them to shoot with 1x magnification at closer distances. [Photo: Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>Rise Armament, Timmeny, and Geissele are all great aftermarket triggers. If you don\u2019t want to spend the money, however, a mil-spec trigger will work for close to medium ranges. A weapon light<\/a> is good to have on any AR-15 that will be used for defensive purposes. If it\u2019s dark, you need to see what you\u2019re shooting at. The Streamlight Protac Rail Mount HL-X is a great medium size light for rifles. It comes with a pressure pad and can be mounted in seconds to a Picatinny rail.<\/p>\n

Close-Quarter AR-15 setup<\/h2>\n

Setting up a rifle for close quarters is perfect for home, personal, and vehicle defense. In this case, you want a heavier bullet that provides good knockdown more than long-range ballistics. I would recommend a 7\u201314-inch barrel chambered in 300 Blackout with subsonic ammo.<\/p>\n

The heavier bullet will provide more knock-down power and less over-penetrating power at the same time. There are several lights that can work for close quarters but one of my favorites is the Viridian 4LUX CQ Grip Light<\/a>. This light acts as a forward grip and has a built-in light on the end. This keeps the gun slim and low-profile. The light is not bright compared to individual lights, but it also doesn\u2019t take up any room and the two CR2 batteries are easy to change.<\/p>\n

\"Custom
Custom-built AR-15 pistol in .300 blackout. [Photo: Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>A mil-spec stock will work but you could also consider a Maxim Defense pistol brace or stock. At the time of this writing, pistol braces are being challenged in court so check state and federal laws before choosing a brace.<\/p>\n

If you want a larger stock, the Magpul UBR Gen 2 stock<\/a> is a good choice. It has a storage compartment for holding an extra flashlight\/red dot battery and has a single-point sling attachment. For the red dot, I would go with a Romeo 7S<\/a> if you\u2019re on a budget or an EOTech XPS2 300 BLK<\/a> Holographic Sight. Just remember these are my recommendations but there are a thousand other set-ups that work too.<\/p>\n

Long-Range AR-15 Setup<\/h2>\n

If you live in the middle of nowhere and must drive for three hours to get your BigMac, I recommend customizing your AR-15 to shoot a little further. In this case, you want to pay more attention to your barrel<\/a>, ammo, and trigger. I would recommend a Wilson Combat barrel that is 16-20 inches long. A 16-inch barrel will get you out there a long way but the longer the barrel the better the accuracy at further distances.<\/p>\n

\"Looking
I prefer to not install backup iron sights on rifles with LPVOs or scopes, but this is just a preference. [Photo: Jason Mosher]<\/figcaption><\/figure>Upgrade your trigger to something with a lighter weight and shorter pull. The Geissele Super Dynamic Three Gun Trigger is the perfect choice for this setup. For the scope, I would use an EOTech Vudu 1-10X28<\/a> or if you want something cheaper, the Vortex Strike Eagle III<\/a> is a good choice. For longer-range guns, a Magpul QD Bipod<\/a> can help with accuracy. Attaching a light to a gun set up for longer ranges will be up to you. I prefer to have less weight on my long-range guns.<\/p>\n

Adapt As You Go<\/h2>\n

Think of setting up your rifle the same as getting dressed in the morning. If it\u2019s cold, you wear more clothing than you do if it\u2019s hot outside. If you\u2019re going to the beach, you wear flip-flops, but for hiking you wear boots. Your gun doesn\u2019t have to stay the same way all the time. Set it up for a specific purpose based on the area you live in. If that purpose or location (or law) changes, adapt for it.<\/p>\n

Some states have laws that restrict a lot of things on guns. If you live in a state with restrictions, set your rifle up the best you can. You may find a setup that you like and never want to change. You also may find yourself changing things around from time to time. There is nothing wrong with either case, just make sure it works for you. Also, don\u2019t forget the basics of the gun. It shoots a bullet when you pull the trigger. The accessories may help with this process or make us more efficient, but the gun shoots without them.<\/p>\n

Only add what you need and what makes the gun better. Some accessories are so heavy they outweigh the benefit of having them attached. Other items are \u201ccool,” but they don\u2019t improve anything on the gun. Be open-minded and rethink your setup regularly. Do you have a favorite AR-15 rifle set up to share with us? If so, feel free to leave a comment below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When setting up your rifle, consider your location, the intended purpose for your rifle, and the population around you. Here are some suggestions for setting up an AR-15 for both short and long range.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":397091,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-404667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry-insights"],"small_media_thumbnail":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/AR-15-AERO-300-BLK-GMW-800-600-300x225.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=404667"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404667\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":407483,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404667\/revisions\/407483"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/397091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=404667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=404667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunmagwarehouse.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=404667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}