good afternoon all. i am in the market for an AR set up for hogs and other varmints. i want to get a thermal scope as (hopefully it can function during the day as well so i do not have to have two of them but do not know). basically i am a big bird hunter but admittedly know little about AR's. i prefer not to spend $3K so i am all ears everyone. please give me your advice and knowledge. thanks in advance.

$3k for the rifle or for the whole setup? You're not likely getting into any decent thermal (just the optic) for under $3k.

Read this thread, it will have many of your answers.
http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbth..._a_#Post3520400

He's right. It takes more than $3k for quality thermal. Have you considered Gen 3 night-vision? On second thought, that's just as expensive.

well lets start with the basic AR set up witha good scope and light. i can work on the expensive thermal scope later.

https://www.blackstonearms.com/
These guys can set you up with a good 6.8mm that will kill hogs. There are many options tho, you could buy a complete upper like these
http://bisonarmory.com/68SPC-UpperAssemblies/
then get a complete lower at the gun show, or anywhere you choose, now is agreat time to build an AR as the market is saturated and stuff is cheap, well, cheaper than it has been

you can buy a $500 cheap AR
or a $1200 better AR

pick one,,,, they're all good enough for hogs

I do prefer AR10

you don't have to get a 6.8 either, other calibers kill hogs too, that's just what I use

This is a pretty good thread in the Optics section on thermals.

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/6830154/1

If I didn't have an AR but wanted the most versatility, I'd buy a Savage MSR-10 Hunter in .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor and not look back. That would kill anything in Texas for ~$1200.

Pulsar RXQ30V thermal scope- $1800ish
Palmetto State Armory complete lower--150ish
Assembled bare upper, ARP 6.8 SPC barrel and gas tube, Seekins adjustable .750 gas block, 6.8 BCG and cheap midlength handguard from Sportsmans Guide-$450ish.

Under $2500 for a very capable hog slaughtering machine.

There's a lot of flavors in the 223 uppers (calibers) from 22's on up to 458? Once you have the lower. Getting started just get the night vision then save for thermal. I used a variable brightness flashlight with scope for years setting in the blind, then got an adjustable green light, then night vision. Waiting on savings for thermal, prices are coming down.

Right now you can get a PSA AR 10 for about $600. Add a sightmark photon xt for $450 and you can kill all the pigs you want.


I'd say get a 300blk for $500 ish witht e Photon as thats what I shoot, but then the haters would show up.

Most of the haters have never owned a 300blk.

True that

I have witnessed a 300blk SBR kill a pig Even have the video or it going down on my xsight. It will get the job done.

You can kill a pig with a .22LR but doesn't mean it's the best for the job

I have a .223 and do not shoot for two reasons. #1 not enough for these big bastages. #2 not suppressed Fixing #2 first and then we will look at it again.

I've killed 17 hogs with my 300blk. It's a good caliber. My 6.8 SPC will launch the same bullet weight 250 fps faster. My 16" 6.5 Creedmoor will launch the same bullet weight 200 fps faster than that. My 20" 6.5 Creedmoor will send it 200 fps faster, and my 300 Win Mag will send it flying 1000 fps faster than that. Which one is perfect?

I built a lower off a Spikes, Timney trigger, and magpul furniture. Then I bought a Rock River Predator Pursuit 16" stainless upper. I couldn't be happier with it. As with any AR buy a good trigger. It will cut your groups at least in half. And 223 kills them just fine and if you handload you can really open up your bullet options. Sierra GKs are bad little bullets.

Anyone have a couple of spare monkeys for sale? I'm looking for entertainment.

Makes no sense to take a short cut and get a cheap rifle and then put a 3K plus dollar thermal on it.

Agree

cry once

be done with it

I have a $600 AR and a $6500 thermal on it and it kills hogs like crazy. Anything over $1000 on an AR is pissing money away, IMO.

OP, I'd recommend spending less on the AR and spending more on your thermal....you'll get much more enjoyment out of it that way.

Get a complete lower from PSA for $160 and then a PSA or Radical Firearms upper in 300 BO or 6.8 for another $300-750. If you want to improve it, add a trigger for $125 and be done with it.

Then save up and get a Pulsar thermal.

a lower with upgraded trigger and buttstock will run almost 500 alone. Of coarse some people don't mind those 5 lb milspec triggers but I don't want anything to do with them. Most people I know who bought cheap basic ARs end up replacing trigger, stock, handguard and before you know it they are at the price of a quality light weight AR. Nothing against a cheap basic AR just not something I want to be shooting all the time.

Prices have come down a lot in the past two years.....pick a complete lower with whatever stock you want...MOE, CTR, A2, STR, ACS-L...all $130-190. Add a CMC or Delta Team trigger and you're at $250-350 max.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/ar-15-05/lowers.html?dir=asc&order=price

Nice complete upper with LW M-Lok handguard, Sights, Ni-Br BCG...$329.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-pi...-516446842.html

Hell of an AR for $580-680 with upgraded trigger and a nice stock and LW handguard and upgraded BCG.

I've done several just like that....hog killing machines.