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Can you? Convert .22LR to 5.56/.223 with upper?

30K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  Devin.Morris.007  
#1 ·
So forgive me if this is a real ******* question but it got me wondering. I have read that instead of buying a .22LR conversion kit to shoot it out of a 5.56 AR the better option is to just have a completely different upper in .22LR and swap.

Now, if you buy a 15/22LR could you just reverse that? Buy a separate upper for 5.56/.223 NATO?

Just wondering as AR's have flown off the shelves. I've been contemplating an AR purchase for damn near a year now and look what procrastination has gotten me! No supply. I fear that I won't be able to get one in the future because of what's going on.
 
#4 ·
Rats! There goes my idea. Well thanks for answering.
well like he said you can get a .22 AR and, unlike a dedicated .22 platform like the 15-22, then you can just get an upper if you want to...although they are a tad more expensive at about 600-700
 
#5 ·
When I built my 22 AR I used a Chiappa upper and a "mil spec pattern" ATI polymer lower. It ended up being pretty decent and the lower will accept any standard upper. It was cheaper than buying one of the S&W 15-22's at the time plus gave me a "real" lower to work with if needed.

But ya, it seems like the .22 AR's are all that is left anywhere right now.
 
#6 ·
depending on how (and if) the ban is enacted you may have a 'worthless' AR. Feinstein's suggestion, if i heard her right on the news, would be to prohibit the sale and transfer of any/all "assault rifles".

So that means you can't sell what you have, or perhaps even buy certain parts should you break it.
It would also likely ruin many businesses - read in a magazine that the author had identified 95 different manufacturers of complete rifles...
 
#11 ·
What about Colt?

I figure not, but as I was looking at one remaining in the WMT case yesterday that lower sure looked compatible, at least in form. I'm guessing the .22 lower is proprietary to the .22 upper only since its still sitting there.
It's not even a colt. :(
 
#12 ·
It's not even a colt. :(
Yeah, Colt's 22LR AR is made by Umarex (sp?).

Like others have already said, if you get a .22 with a regular lower then you can change it out to anything you want. But, Colt's .22 AR, Smith's M&P 15-22, and Sig's .22 AR all use a different lower. I'm not sure what companies make their .22's with standard lowers, I know I've seen one from CMMG, but not too many others. It would probably be easier to buy one in 5.56/.223 and convert it to .22 via a conversion kit or new upper. You wouldn't have much more invested in it that way either.