Armalite M-15 A4 Carbine: The no-nonsense M-15 A4 Carbine upper is chambered for the 5.56mm NATO and uses a 16-inch, double-lapped, chrome-lined, chrome-moly-steel barrel with an A2-style flash suppressor. The barrel has a 1-in-7-inch twist rate, and the receiver is made of forged 7075-T6 aluminum with a hardcoat anodized finish.
Armalite AR-10 B-Series: Armalite calls this AR-10 B-Series upper a tactical workhorse. The 20-inch barrel comes with a flash suppressor/compensator to tame recoil while reducing flash, and the gas block is adjustable for optimal performance. The 15-inch KeyMod handguard offers plenty of room for optics and accessories.
Bushmaster 300 AAC Blackout: Bushmaster’s 300 AAC Blackout upper features a free-floating, 16-inch barrel with an M4 contour and an AAC Blackout muzzle brake. The handguard is a quad-rail design. This is a great option for hunting or defending your homestead—it’ll serve in both roles admirably.
Bushmaster Modular Carbine: Bushmaster’s Modular Carbine upper is geared up for home defense with a fluted, chrome-lined, 16-inch barrel with a 1-in-9-inch twist rate and an A2-style flash suppressor. Flip-up front and rear sights are included as well as a quad-rail handguard with rail covers.
Bushmaster Predator/Varminter: The Predator/Varminter upper can transform your AR-15 into a long-range hunting rig. This upper is set up with an extra-heavy-profile, 20-inch barrel that is fluted and chambered for the .223 Remington. You have a choice of either 1-in-8- or 1-in-9-inch twist rates, and the barrel floats freely.
Dark Storm Industries DS-10 Lightning: The DS-10 Lightning is a billet-crafted upper with a forward assist, a dust cover, a Troy Alpha handguard and a free-floating, 18-inch, heavy-profile barrel chambered in .308 Winchester with a 1-in-10-inch twist rate. The upper also comes with a nickel-boron-coated bolt carrier group and a Spec Ops Gen 2 charging handle.
Dark Storm Industries DS-15 Sport: The DS-15 Sport is an economical upper made for hard use. It comes with a non-threaded barrel, but there’s no forward assist. The barrel is chambered for the 5.56mm NATO and has a 1-in-9-inch twist rate.
Del-Ton Pre-Ban Flattop: Del-Ton’s Pre-Ban Flattop upper comes with a heavy-profile, 16-inch, chrome-moly-vanadium barrel chambered for the 5.56mm NATO with a 1-in-9-inch twist rate and an A2-style flash suppressor, M4 feed ramps and CAR handguards with a single heat shield. The receiver is made from forged 7075-T6 aluminum and features a forward assist, all with a hardcoat anodized finish.
DPMS .223 A3: DPMS offers a variety of complete upper receivers/barrel assemblies, ranging from the economical truck gun to a sublime varminter. This .223 Remington A3 upper comes with a free-floating bull barrel that’ll help you tag predators at distance. The receiver is forged from 7075-T6 aluminum with a functional dust cover.
DPMS .308 Oracle: The .308 Oracle is a plain-Jane upper made for hard hunting or fighting. It features a 16-inch barrel made of 4140 chrome-moly steel and Glacier handguards. The gas block is also railed for the addition of a front sight.
POF-USA 7.62X39mm Puritan: Feeling a bit red? POF-USA offers a Puritan upper chambered for the common AK-pattern 7.62x39mm, but it’s designed to fit any mil-spec AR-15-style lower receiver. The upper features a 16.5-inch, medium-profile barrel, a gas piston operating system and a Magpul MOE handguard. Two magazines are included.
POF-USA 16.5″ Black 6.8 SPC: The 16.5″ Black 6.8 SPC upper from POF-USA is chambered in 6.8 SPC and features a gas piston system with a three-position gas block. The 16.5-inch, heavy-contour barrel has been fluted to reduce weight and cool down faster. The upper also comes with a nickel-plated bolt carrier group, a POF-USA MRR handguard and two magazines.
Primary Weapons Systems MK107 MOD 2: The MK107 MOD 2 upper has a 7.75-inch barrel and a gas piston system for the ultimate reliability in a super-short AR, whether it’s an SBR or pistol. The 5.56mm barrel has a 1-in-8-inch twist rate and comes capped with Primary Weapons Systems’ CQB muzzle device.
Primary Weapons Systems MK111 MOD 1-P: The PWS MK111 MOD 1-P upper is designed for shooters wanting a compact rifle for use with a suppressor. This upper features long-stroke gas piston system and an 11.85-inch barrel with a .223 Wylde chamber and a Triad 556 flash suppressor.
Primary Weapons Systems MK216 MOD 1: The MK216 MOD 1 is the shortest non-NFA upper in .308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO with a removable muzzle device. It features a 16-inch, heavy-profile barrel made from chrome-moly steel with a 1-in-10-inch twist rate.
PSA Mid-Length MOE Dissipator: The Mid-length MOE Dissipator upper from Palmetto State Armory (PSA) is designed for greater maneuverability. This upper has a mid-length gas system, a low-profile gas block, a medium-profile 5.56mm barrel, a pinned “F”-marked front sight post and a Magpul MOE rifle-length handguard.
PSA Pistol-Length KeyMod: If a pistol build is on your agenda, the Pistol-Length KeyMod upper from PSA comes with an 8.5-inch barrel with a 5.56mm NATO chamber, a pistol-length gas system, a 7-inch 2A Armament KeyMod rail, a 0.75-inch-diameter gas block and an A2-style flash suppressor.
Stag Arms Model 1H: True to mil-spec standards, the Model 1H in 5.56mm NATO is equipped with a removable carry handle/rear sight and a 16-inch barrel with an M4 profile and a 1-in-9-inch twist rate. The polymer handguards have double heat shields.
Stag Arms Model 2H/2HT: The Model 2H is similar to the Model H1, but it comes with a with a flip-up rear sight. The Model 2HT is equipped with a free-floating, quad-rail Samson handguard, a fixed A2-style front sight, a flip-up rear sight and a chrome-lined, 16-inch barrel.
X Products Can Cannon: The Can Cannon allows a user to propel a soda can up to 105 yards using a proprietary gas ported barrel and pressure tube to launch heavy, thin-walled objects without burning a hole in them or directing hot gas directly into them.
YHM-7305 KR7 Series: Yankee Hill Machine’s KR7 series uppers are available in 5.56mm NATO, 6.8 SPC or 300 BLK, and they come standard with YHM’s Phantom 5C2 flash suppressor, a KR7 Mid-Length KeyMod handguard and a low-profile gas block. The 16-inch barrel is made of 4140 steel.
YHM-7810 Specter Black Diamond: The YHM-7810 Specter Black Diamond upper from Yankee Hill Machine is available in 5.56mm NATO, 6.8 SPC or 300 Blackout. Each chambering features a 16-inch barrel, a YHM Specter-Length Diamond Handguard, a charging handle, bolt carrier group, YHM Phantom 5C2 Flash Suppressor and YHM flip-up sights.
Customizing your AR for a caliber-specific scenario is as easy as pulling two pins. The modular characteristics of the AR platform make it one of the most versatile weapons systems ever designed. You can swap out upper receivers for a specific need, like CQB and home-defense work, or change the caliber to hunt medium- to large-sized game.
Complete upper receivers give you a choice—longer barrels for long-distance shooting, shorter barrels to work in close quarters.
The options are endless, and life is too short to just shoot your rifle with one upper installed. Here are a few upper receivers worth considering.
For more information about the upper receivers featured in the gallery above, visit the following sites.
Armalite
http://armalite.com
Bushmaster
http://bushmaster.com
Dark Storm
http://www.dark-storm.com
Del-Ton
http://www.del-ton.com
DPMS
http://www.dpmsinc.com
POF-USA
http://pof-usa.com
Primary Weapons Systems
https://primaryweapons.com
Palmetto State Armory
http://palmettostatearmory.com
Stag Arms
https://www.stagarms.com
X Products
https://xproducts.com
Yankee Hill Machine
http://yhm.net
This article was published in ‘Black Guns’ #190. For information on how to subscribe, please email subscriptions@ outdoorgroupmags.com or call 1-800-284-5668 .