There are lots of reasons to want to make your AR 15 complete upper more compact. Maybe you are building an SBR or an AR15 pistol. Maybe you just prefer lighter, surer handling. Either way, if you’re starting with a complete upper, here are some of the ways to cut down on the size.
Start with a Shorter Upper (Build a Micro AR Pistol)
The first thing you can and should do to set yourself up for success is to start with a shorter upper in the first place. Then you won’t have to make all of the other modifications listed in this post.
Instead of starting with an 18” upper, get a 16” upper, if you’re building a carbine. If you’re building an SBR, start with a 10” upper.
For those of you interested in an AR15 pistol upper, just go shorter. While 7.5” uppers are common and offer a good balance in terms of performance, micro AR uppers with 5” barrels are among the shortest of the lot.
Shorten the Barrel
If you like the upper itself (such as the finish or bolt carrier group it comes with) and don’t want to sacrifice a whole upper for a few inches of savings, then just switch the barrel.
This is one of the easiest parts to swap out, too. All you need to do is get a shorter barrel in an appropriate caliber, take off the old one and install the new one – instant length savings for your AR build.
Remove the Muzzle Device
Believe it or not, muzzle devices really can impact handling and even the tuning for an AR platform. This is especially true of suppressors but remains true of flash hiders and compensators.
Unthread these and replace them with thread protectors for a few extra inches of savings with your AR build.
Just be aware of one thing: your muzzle flash is going to get a whole lot more severe, especially as the length of the barrel diminishes.
Install a Short Buffer System
Lastly, though it is not really technically part of the AR 15 complete upper itself, you can shorten the length of the build by installing a short buffer system.
The shorter the buffer system, the more compact the whole build will be, and the more favorably it will handle. A shorter system with lighter weights also lowers the weight of the system and improves handling.
Start with a Bufferless AR 15 Complete Upper
Lastly, and one of the best pieces of advice on here, is to build with a bufferless AR 15 complete receiver from the start.
Bufferless systems forgo the buffer tube entirely, relying on some other operation to cycle the action, usually a direct blowback mechanism.
For this reason, these uppers are usually chambered in pistol calibers, but if your goal is length and not firepower, that’s a good thing too, since the length of the cartridge also impacts the length of the build.
At any rate, some of the shortest, most compact micro AR pistols out there are in fact bufferless models.
Where to Get the AR Parts You Need
Whether you’re here to build a full size rifle or you want the AR parts mentioned here to make the most compact micro AR pistol imaginable, your venue is the same. Get them online at MCS Gearup.
MCS Gearup sells a wide variety of AR parts, as well as complete, assembled uppers (in a variety of calibers) for both rifles and pistols. Take a look through their catalog and get in touch with them for more information.
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