Yes, its an Armalite, it can use the modified M14 mags, or the generation II AR-10 magazines, but its not that old, has evil bayonet and flashhider.

My first love. I’ve had this one longer than any other of my ARs through various stages of appearances.
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Brownells had a great deal on a 20" 1/7 Colt HBAR barrel a while ago. Sent it out to ADCO for a bit of weight reduction and it came back beautiful. Great shooter, wish I would have bought a couple more.

Nice. What ACOG is this?

Thanks, optic is a TA-31/M150.

My new complete upper half, except no rear sight it included a Magpul MOE rifle handguard which I got last October Colt model R0901006CK AR-15A4 factory conversion kit, I replaced the MOE handguard with my old Colt M-16A2 handguard. The detachable carry handle is from my other Colt M4 carbine.

The markings on the Colt upper half are cage code 13629 on the upper receiver and square forge mark (Brass Aluminum Forging Enterprises), no cage code on the barrel but a letter "C", letter R at the chamber area (Rosco Manufacturing) and no date markings. The bolt carrier have a small letter C but the bolt have very faint hard to see MPC.

The lower half was the same as the lower half picture I posted on 3/24/2021 above, Colt Match Target HBAR. New Colt 30 rd mag and nylon adjustable USGI type 2 point sling.

The chest rig I shown in my previous post last March was an Eagle Industries St. Louis, MO.

Huh. The longer I look at it, the more it's growing on me.

Ha, thanks. It’s heavily based on the “AR16” rifle from the game Far Cry 2. Always liked playing that game growing up, and wanted to build a 20” rifle that looked like it, now that I’ve taken it out hunting a few times it’s become one of my favorites to take out.

Yep. Kinda Daewoo-ish.

To me, it looks like the grandkid of a BAR.

I’ve always wanted to do a 20” build but ended up going other routes. Finally settled on this. I haven’t had the chance to take it out yet
I’m excited to put it through its paces!!! Can post a parts list if anyone is interested. :)

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What are you doing for optic?

I’m honestly not quite sure yet. Keep bouncing back and forth between LPVO 1-6 or 1-8, or 3x9 w/ a rds. It’s not a precision rig, just meant to make the most out of 5.56 capabilities. FN CHF government profile barrel so I’m not expecting superior accuracy.

FN CHF barrel... curious to see how it will shoot.  John Thomas at Retro Arms Works did the FSB mount and did a fantastic job as usual.  Vltor A5 system.  I just had spare parts sitting around and decided to throw a 20" rifle together.  I enjoy the simple.  I need a chalky Colt grip, though.  The Aero Precision A2 isn't the best.  Blue Force Gear sling and ULoop for around the hand guards.

Edit:  1/14-  It took one click of windage to be dead on... John Thomas did a fantastic job with the FSB mounting.  Highly recommended.  The A5h2 with green sprinco spring worked extremely well as well.

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Update with final iteration sans potential magnified optics. I kind of like the optic and irons though for longevity and the SHTF capability.

Upper:
Aero M4E1
FN CHF 20”
Geissele gas block
Aero gas tube
Geissele 13.5 mk4
Toolcraft BCG
A2 FH (will replace with SF3P) because who doesn’t want to suppress a 20” 🙂

Lower:
Aero M4E1
Aero LPK
badasspro ambi safety
Geissele SSA
Brownells 7075 buffer tube
Colt A2 stock
Sprinco green/Geissele super 42
BCM/Aero rifle buffers

Larue BUIS
LMT front sight
HS530C
Cloud defensive stream light hlx setup
BFG sling attachment and vickers padded sling.

Hoping she shoots how she looks.
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Both of these are factory stock, NIB.

The top one is a run of the mill Colt AR-15A4

The bottom one is identical looking, but it is a transferable M16A4 labeled a R0901. It was manufactured new in 2008, using 1985 registered serial numbers. I bought it from the Colt executive along with two others (diff models) in 2012. Two manufactured in 2008 and one manufactured in 2004. The executive had about two dozen manufactured using previously registered 1985 serial numbers. About 8 of them were M16A4s, about 8 M4A1s and 6 or so 9mm SMGs. I got one of each. They are the only factory built modern day yet transferable m16s/M4s in civilians hands. The ATF let these squeak by since the guns never left the manufacturer. The executive had his own FFL, and had them transfered to him from Colt, then he had them put on the market in 2012, where all of them sold within the year.

Here's my girls...

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Colt upper. Receiver is NDS A1 Attached File

Colt A4. Attached File

A2 with mini ACOG.

A4

SDM-ish, if only I could find the correct rail.

@m24shooter

I've been contemplating getting one of these.  How do you like it?

@SgtKiwi
I'm still getting used to it, but I do like it. It is good for being small and lightweight, but it is NOT what you normally get in an ACOG, which a lot of people seem to be surprised by when it doesn't have the same capability as like a TA31. The reticle is relatively small, and the magnification is not much. Those items should be obvious, but I see a lot of talk about them as if they are a surprise. If you are aware of what it is and more importantly maybe what it isn't, and it still meets what you want to do, it's great.

It is basically enhanced irons (due to almost no magnification but still having a useable reticle) or a no-battery dot sight with a BDC/ACOG reticle (mine is the horseshoe dot with the wind dots outboard of the horseshoe). I think the practical range is out to maybe medium range like around 4-500 although the drop is gauged out to 700. Out to about 300 it really seems to do well in my experience. For me, with 1.5 magnification I really don't plan on using it past 500 at most. I think a functional parallel would be an EOTech XPS3 or 4 with the BDC dots, although the horseshoe is not quite equivalent to the 65MOA circle. In comparison, it is also much smaller/lighter than the EOThingy and it doesn't run on batteries. At the same time, not running on batts means an illumination issue that I'll mention later.

I like the FO illuminated reticle, and with just the dot being illuminated there really isn't a problem with blooming as with other ACOGs so I don't tape the FO tube. The FOV is small which is again, an obvious point but one that some people still complain about. I only mention it because I've seen it brought up in a lot of reviews but I don't plan on using this to cover a very large target area at extended range. I am really not bothered by it for what I plan to use it for, and the body pretty much ghosts out. The eyebox and eye relief are actually pretty good for an ACOG. The glass is great as expected from Trijicon. It does have problems with illumination if you are in a dark/covered area shooting out into a brightly lit area as the FO tube isn't getting much light and the tritium is just too dim in daytime. At night, it really depends on the environment as in some cases you may be able to make out the dot against a target. I've seen the lighting issue in this aspect as a frequent complaint on the optic, and I think it is accurate to some extent.

I think some of the complaints are valid with the models that use the chevron reticle. I can see where that would be so small that it would be very difficult to accurately distinguish between the different POA from 100-300 or 400 yards. With the center dot and horseshoe, the dot is basically 1-300 holding high or low depending, and then the tree comes into use out past that. The horseshoe also helps with framing closer targets.

It came with a rail mount, but I took that off and just use the CH mounting. I had an extra one from an old ACOG on hand, but if you don't have one and you plan on doing the CH mount you will need to get the screw because this model does not come with it.

It's not cheap, it is relatively speaking fairly limited compared to the full size or even 3.5x ACOGs, but if it fits what you ware wanting to do then I think it can be a capable optic. But you have to keep the limitations in mind or you are going to be disappointed in it. If you just want an RDS, an Aimpoint is going to be much better. If you want a little extra from the reticle (such as the horseshoe), it may be worth it for you. I don't think that the chevron model would be worth the cost to me and what I want to do with it and that's why I went with the model I did.

ETA: My whole concept/point of using this was that I wanted to build an A2 and keep it pretty much just a basic rifle. No M5, I considered putting a TA01 on it, but I remember how much I didn't really care for the eye relief and jaw weld on the one I had 20 years ago. I have a PRI gooseneck mount for an Aimpoint, but after I thought about it I didn't even want to have that much bulk on it. An Aimpoint or something that size on the CH was going to be kind of odd, and if I was going to put something up there I wanted to get a little more back in trade than just having a dot. I was already thinking that this rifle would be good for shooting silhouettes out to maybe 500, and really 300 mainly. I started looking at ACOGs, but again they were going to be bigger than I wanted and that jaw weld was something I didn't want to deal with. The mini ACOG looked to be something that would give me a useable BDC/range reticle without a lot of bulk and would be more forgiving than the TA01. Battery wasn't really a main consideration, but I do still put it in the positive column although I don't weight that as a major factor. Probably the easiest explanation is I see it as enhanced (albeit expensive) irons with a little more capability. It is a great little optic, although not for everybody.

Wow.  I appreciate the detailed review.  Based on what your "enhanced irons" comments, that would likely fit the bill of what I'm looking for.  In the past year or two, I've had to start using reading glasses to get a crystal clear front sight on handguns and long guns.  I'm still effective without glasses, but they make my eyes 20 again.  The one thing ACOGs do is remove that requirement.  I'll have to give one a try.

@SgtKiwi
Lol, I am in a similar situation and probably age. I completely overlooked that in my post, but what you describe is another part of why I went with it. Hope the info helps you out.
And pic thread:

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@SgtKiwi:

Just got a TA45 last night. Got home late, so I haven't had much time to do anything with it yet. However, going around the back pasture yesterday evening, last night, and early this morning I think if I had been able to look through one of these I probably would have bypassed the TA44 for what I want this optic to do.
The TA45 has the 8MOA triangle reticle with a post underneath. This is much closer to an RDS, so if that is what you were wanting one of these for it may be a better fit. The triangle is large enough to easily pick up, and even in twilight the bigger FO tube is picking up a LOT of light. It's been overcast and even with cloudy sky and twilight conditions the FO lights up the triangle. In complete dark the larger illuminated area of the TA45 is a lot faster to pick up than the center dot of the TA45. It doesn't have the BDC reticle, which is fine, but knowing the subtensions of the triangle and post ranging and holds can still work in a basic sense.
Glass quality is excellent, as expected of Trij. The larger objective and narrower FOV so far is pretty much negligible. It is a little bigger than the TA44.
Eye relief is unbelievable, especially for an ACOG. Using the carry handle mount, I have the ACOG secured in the rearmost hole of the scope. Even then, my eye is pretty far back on the stock. It's actually feeling a little more comfortable there, and I'm able to keep my head up, allowing for easier use of keeping both eyes open, which also helps with the reported narrow FOV. The ocular lens is just forward of the rear sight assembly. With this scope and the eye relief allowing the scope to be more forward, the body of the scope ghosts out to a great extent. It's a mini ACOG, so there isn't a giant bell objective lens, no massive adjustment turrets and covers, no side focus knob or battery housing, or even flip caps to obstruct the view. If you set the scope pretty far forward the body is just noticeable. I can see where if you ran it on a flat top, you could probably mount it right out at the forward edge of the receiver or maybe even the beginning of the rail and still have good view if you shoot NTCH.
So far I like it. When I was looking at the TA44 I liked the small size/weight but I think the 45 is a better deal for something along the lines of the enhanced irons that I previously mentioned even at the cost of a larger optic, which is still pretty compact and light.
I'll try to get some reticle pics.

Again, thank you for the detailed write up.  I'm going to keep an eye out for one of these used in the EE.  A quick search only reveals one in recent time that is already sold.  

I believe it was your post that I found in the archive then when I was researching the TA45. Thanks for that and for posting the info.
ETA from your archived post:

[img]

My same Colt Match Target lower half with USGI Colt M-16A2 upper half, I just installed a new take off selector from my other Colt CR6960 midlength gas carbine.

The new selector have the smaller left side lever (not the large hot dog style) and the right side have a large tick mark, they are also reversible.

Hi,
   Which buffer are you using if you are using a carbine extension? I've got a 20" with the VLTOR A5 and I want to try the carbine extension.
Thanks

Well thanks again for posting that, wish that authors weren't stripped off the archived posts but I get it.
I marked that in MOA and have your other data on a card that stays with the rifle so I can do quick holds/range estimation. Great info to have. Hoping to get to the steel range soon to try this out, but so far life is not cooperating.

Damn all these longbois are sexy. 20" master race. Keep them coming.

I've got one of those old Armalite rifles.  Where can you get these generation AR-10 mags that will work?.  My modified M14 mags were lost to Hurricaine Florence. @wtwining

Classics will be classics

A2 and stuff by Solo__, on Flickr

Looks like my issued stuff (early 90s).  Nostalgic.