Which AR15 Upper Should You Buy?

Building an AR-platform weapon, also known as a modern sporting rifle (MSR), gives you complete control over the components, caliber, style, color, and everything else. This is both a fun and rewarding experience, as you learn more about the weapon and get to put your skills to the test. Whether you’re looking for a home-defense AR pistol, mid-length carbine, or long-range option to take down big game, picking the right upper receiver can be difficult. You can pick between an AR 15 complete upper, which comes with all the parts you need for the upper receiver, or an AR 15 stripped upper receiver, which is just the piece of metal that steel needs a barrel, handguards, gas block, and other components. For the purposes of this article, we’re only going to look at complete uppers. While they generally come with everything you need, check the specs before you buy, as some may not have a charging handle, bolt carrier group, or other important component. With that said, keep reading if you need help completing your build.

What Is the Best Upper Receiver for Plinking?

Aero Precision M4E1 16-Inch .223 Wylde

Before we get too deep into more niche AR15 Upper Receivers, we have to start with a classic caliber. Chambered in .223 Wylde, this means it is rated for shooting both .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO. If you’re looking for an all-around useful weapon for plinking at the range, hunting, and even more intense target shooting, you can’t go wrong with one chambered in .223 Wylde. Both .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO rounds are plentiful and fairly cheap for rifle ammo, so you don’t have to worry about overpaying to keep your stock up. Plus, Aero Precision designed this carbine-length upper with a 16-inch barrel, which is the shortest it can be without qualifying as an NFA item. This gives you tons of maneuverability if you’re training on a tight course and the 7075-T6 aluminum keeps the overall build pretty lightweight. It also has a one-piece free-floating handguard design with M-LOK rails so that you can add plenty of attachments. As a bonus, it even comes with an A2 flash hider!

What Is the Best AR15 Upper for Home Defense?

Stern Defense 10-Inch Assembled 9mm Upper Receiver

For another popular caliber that is plentiful and relatively inexpensive, we have to go with 9mm. This Stern Defense AR pistol upper receiver measures in at a total of 10 inches long with an 8.5-inch barrel. With the short barrel length, it must be built as a pistol, which means you can’t use a traditional rifle stock; you have to use a pistol brace. The small stature of this upper is what really makes it stand out. It is small enough to maneuver quickly and carefully around tight corners, which is what makes it perfect for a home-defense option. Plus, as a 9 mm Luger, you don’t have to worry about overpenetration. With a free-float handguard, Picatinny rail, and M-LOK attachments on the sides, it is perfectly set up for a red dot sight, weapon light, or laser sight to give you the edge you need in a self-defense situation.

What Long-Range Shooting AR15 Upper Is the Best?

POF USA Rogue 6.5 Creedmoor With 20-Inch Barrel

When you want to nail targets at upwards of 400 yards or take out that trophy buck across the canyon in the backcountry, you need an upper receiver assembly with a powerful caliber and long barrel. Available in anodized black and Patriot Brown finishes, this upper receiver from Patriot Ordnance Factory is exactly what you need to shoot sub-MOA at range. Paired with some high-quality 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, a rifle scope, and maybe even a bipod, you can put shots on target at nearly 1,000 yards with some training and the 20-inch barrel that helps stabilize the bullet in flight. Whether you’re just starting out in long-range shooting competitions or want to hunt coyotes, boars, or other predators in the woods, this AR15 complete upper receiver has a rifle-length gas system packs a punch and comes with a mil-spec charging handle and bolt carrier group (BCG).

Best AR15 Upper Receiver for Big Game Hunting

Brenton USA Tracker 22-Inch .450 Bushmaster

Now we get to the real fun stuff, because who doesn’t love large caliber guns that can take down anything you put in front of it? While we thought to include a .458 SOCOM or .50 Beowulf upper receiver, we opted for .450 Bushmaster for one main reason: muzzle velocity. Despite being slightly smaller in width than the other options, the .450 Bushmaster has a much higher muzzle velocity that gives the bullet a massive impact. For example, Hornady Custom 250-grain .450 Bushmaster ammo has a 2,200 ft/s muzzle velocity, while 300-grain .458 SOCOM and 300-grain .50 Beowulf are about 1,900 ft/s. While this might not seem like much of a difference, the extra speed makes .450 Bushmaster the better option at longer ranges, particularly over 250 yards, which is invaluable when taking down big, potentially dangerous animals.

Aside from the ballistics stuff, there is a lot to love about this Brenton USA upper receiver. Available in several of their own Cerakote patterns, including Foliage, Autumn, Midnight, Harvest, and Snow MarbleKote, you can customize this receiver to match your environment and blend in with the surroundings. Each model comes with M-LOK handguards, a gas-diverting charging handle, and a 22-inch barrel with a 1:24 twist rate. You can count on this product lasting through rough environments and regular use, and Brenton backs it up with a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.

An AR15 Upper Receiver for Every Shooter

When you’re trying to add a new AR15 to your armory, you need an upper receiver that performs exactly how it is supposed to. While we went over some of the top choices in several categories, we have a wide selection to choose from in plenty of other calibers too, like .300 Blackout, .308 Winchester, and 6.5 Grendel. If you’re having trouble picking the right caliber, we have some excellent Rifle Ammo How-To Guides that break down ballistics, availability, and other important factors.

Once you’ve completed your build, our team at OpticsPlanet wants to help you customize and accessorize your new weapon. Check out our wide variety of AR15 parts and night vision rifle scopes, as well as our huge inventory of in-stock ammo. We also have plenty of hunting gear, spare magazines, and shooting accessories.