The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Just wondered what's the most basic AR in .22 semi auto that can be converted to 5.56 straight pull? Trying to get an idea of prices because most sellers/makers don't provide prices. Or do most people get a 5.56 and then new upper etc to convert to .22.Would probably have to get 2nd hand but its hard to know what to look for.


Cheers


Jon

Why? Given a .22 semi can be cheap as Chips

Also, I suspect our anaemic laws mean a semi can never be converted to a straight pull as it could be converted back once it was the new calibre, I guess a straight pull has to be built as a straight pull from new.

Happy to be corrected

Yes you can have one lower and get two uppers ( one .22 semi auto and one straightpull .223 )

I did this but I found it a pain to keep swapping over and eventually got a second lower so I had two separate rifles.

You need a slot for a rifle and another slot for a barrelled receiver and bolt ( or whatever your FEO says it should be described as because different areas have different terminology )

Any decent gunplumber can supply the lot.

Mine was made by Mark Bradley - Bradley Arms - who, by coincidence has only in the past few days made up a new batch of .22 AR barrels so I am sure he can sort you out.

As to "basic" - the AR platform can be specified as basic or as fancy as you like - its a very modular design which can be upgraded as you go along.

A .22 semi AR should be around £1000 for a fairly basic model, .223 uppers can range in price depending on barrel spec.

fenix wrote:Just wondered what's the most basic AR in .22 semi auto that can be converted to 5.56 straight pull? Trying to get an idea of prices because most sellers/makers don't provide prices. Or do most people get a 5.56 and then new upper etc to convert to .22.Would probably have to get 2nd hand but its hard to know what to look for.


Cheers


Jon

I believe that the "cheaper" .22 AR clones wont accept a .223 upper as the lugs are not in the correct locations. I'm not sure about the S&W M&P 15/22.
A .22 built on a proper AR lower will probably cost around the same as .223 AR

channel12 wrote:
I believe that the "cheaper" .22 AR clones wont accept a .223 upper as the lugs are not in the correct locations. I'm not sure about the S&W M&P 15/22.
A .22 built on a proper AR lower will probably cost around the same as .223 AR

15-22's have plastic receivers and cannot accept other uppers.

In order to swap uppers you will need to buy either a .22 rifle that is built on a full bore receiver or a .22 upper to go on a .223 straight-pull. Its particularly cheap compared to say a full .223 rifle and a .22lr S&W 15-22.

Hrun wrote:Why? Given a .22 semi can be cheap as Chips

Also, I suspect our anaemic laws mean a semi can never be converted to a straight pull as it could be converted back once it was the new calibre, I guess a straight pull has to be built as a straight pull from new.

Happy to be corrected

You can convert a 22 to a 223 and back again without any unusual licensing problems (as long as you have the slots for them and they both stay S1).

Some of the cheaper 22 'AR's aren't ARs in any sense than outward appearance.

To go back to the original question; the 'most basic AR in .22 semi auto that can be converted to 5.56 straight pull' would probably be a Bremmer 22 rifle these can be found second hand quite cheap, the upper can be swapped for a full-bore one or you could change the barrel and bolt to make the upper/rifle a dedicated full bore version. They are made from standard parts and except for the barrel and bolt are the same parts as the straight-pull version (might need to add buffer parts as they are not needed on the 22 and often not fitted to the original Bremmer).

Cheers for the info. Just thinking along the lines of its £650 ish for a 15-22, but if something capable of taking the .223 upper is not going to be too much more 2nd hand I would consider that.

There currently eight second hand .223 AR-15's for sale on guntrader starting from about £1250. If you really want an AR buy one those and just buy a cheap pre-owned ruger 10/22 for plinking.
I admit the .22 AR's look good but they don't don't 5 times better than a well sorted 10/22

The S&W 15-22 is a gateway drug when it comes to AR-15s. If you buy one it won't be long that you want as close to the real thing, which is full metal milspec.