Braceman just completed for me, my dream AR15 varient.  the ULTIMATE M16A2.

What makes it better / different than an ordinary M16A2 clone?

1. FN Cold hammer forged 20" GI profile barrel.

Same barrel blanks as used for the M249 SAW. w/ 2x chrome lining.  For ultimate barrel longevity and sustained accuracy under rapid fire.


2. "Optimum" Profile Barrel

Reprofiled to match Spike's "Optimum" barrel profile for lighter weight, better balance, and ease of handling (.650 below the handguards, .750 FSB, and .645 post FSB)  Rifle weights 7 lbs. 7.5 ounces w/ no mag and a web sling.  Stripped upper (no BCG / CH) weighs 3 lbs. 15.5 ounces.


3. Rear Sight ENHANCEMENT

Rear sight windage wheel replaced with a NM Armalite wheel for 1/2 MOA clicks and visible physical numbers on the knob for quick zero check confirmation.  1/2 MOA clicks make it not only fine tunable for accuracy, but decrease the chance that the knob could be "accidentally" turned off zero through bumps / rough contact and handling.



Compared to my "enhanced" A1 clone using the McKay 1-7 chrome lined A1 profile barrel for comparison (this barrel is .595 post FSB)


Close up of the rear sight windage knob (dimple added to rear sight for windage tracking



Any questions?





Oh, and just for comparison.  The original M16A2 Upper.



Vs.

Sweet!

I love it

Great looking Alpha Deuce OP and the specs of the build looks stellar.  Let's see how well she shoots

You mean no melonite?

I kid I kid.

The optimum weight barrel profile looks like a great compromise. I never liked the look of pencil thin A1 barrels, and the A2 profile adds a bit of weight up front... but that still looks good while reducing overall weight.

nice - the thinner bbl profile makes it look swankier, congrats.

FYI - the date is wrong.  It's from late September into October, 2011.

That appears to be a normal GI profile barrel.

The pic is of an issue M16A2 in Iraq.

Oh.  With an m4 stock?

Nice! I really like your build (sadly, my middle age eyesight prevents me from making any use of iron sights anymore).

Yep.  Some engineers had 'em.  Their armorer rigged 'em up, apparently there's a kit a unit can order, has an actual NSN I'm told.

I have managed to stay with irons at 70.  My ophthamologist set me up with eye glasses that allow me to focus on the front sight.  .

I really like the looks of the profile but would have to finger it awhile before I passed judgement

+ 1

Where did you get that barrel?

PSA

From their site: Barrel:  A proprietary blend of Hammer forged chrome molly vanadium made by FN that is referred to as "Machine Gun Steel" by virtue of its use in FN's M249 and M240 weapons.   The hammer forging process work hardens the steel, making it more durable.  In addition, the chrome process for the bore allows for a lining almost twice as thick as a standard M16 for enhanced durability.  Chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1/7 twist, M4 barrel extension, and a Rifle gas system.   A2 style profile is Mil-spec phosphate coated, MP and HP tested.  Barrel is finished off with an F-marked front sight post with sling swivel, and A2 flash hider.

edit. I have one of these barrels and its excellent

Thank you for all of the compliments.  The difference in barrel weight is only a few ounces, but is noticeable in handling since it's upfront weight.  

This is a very unique set up, and one that I am very happy with.  However, I am starting to feel courted by the 18" barrels.  I think an 18" GI profile CHF FN barrel might be even better than a reprofiled 20".  As a result, I might swap out the 20" for an 18" and sell the 20" barrel assembly, if anyone is interested.

That's a sweet setup! I might be lured into purchasing it if it were to come onto the market

I saw something from PEO Soldier on the kit and I've been curious what weight of buffer they went with (I don't think a standard M4 buffer would be heavy enough and one of the H-series would probably work good?)?



 

Why would you need a heavier buffer than an M4?  The dwell time is longer given the 20" bbl.

The "official" kit is supposed to use an "H6" buffer, which is approximately the same weight as an H3, but instead of three tungsten weights, it uses six smaller tungsten weights.  

There has been at least one photo posted of M16A2s used by an Army OSUT unit with collapsible stocks which shows one using an H2 buffer as opposed to an H6.

IIRC, the Canadians in their C7A2s use an H2 (or "HH") or H3.  

~Augee

Nice stick.

The ULTIMATE just got even better!  My 18" GI profile CHF FN barrel has arrived and cold weather testing has completed!  You're getting the same ballistic performance with the 18" barrel, same sight radius, etc in a lighter and more maneuverable package!  The 20" barrel assembly will be going up for sale soon!  Check it out!


COLD WEATHER TESTING RANGE REPORT


Photo of the completed rifle (clamp on FSB used temporarily for testing)


My 18" GI profile, CHF FN 1-7 twist barrel finally arrived at my gunsmith's yesterday, just in time for some cold weather testing.

The weather was very cooperative with my concerns for testing, even though we are heading towards spring and things are gradually getting warmer, there was a recent swell of arctic cold weather air this past week and temps have been in the single digits.  Temps actually went down to -11 last night and are still single digits today.  The upper was assembled with the barrel yesterday after it arrived. After all of my research I wanted Braceman (my smith) to start off with a .1015 gas port (Irwin drill bit size #38), see if it would cycle tula and herters steel cased ammo (the worst crap we could find) in the cold and then go from there.  Good thing we drilled out the gas port, because the barrel actually arrived with an undersized port!  Port size was .089, and standard for a 20" barrel is .093, and even that is too small for an all purpose 18" barreled rifle gassed gun!  

The gas port was drilled out to .1015, the barrel was installed, and then it was left to sit out in the barn all night in -11 degree F temperature along with the tula and herters steel cased test ammo!    It was a cold rifle!!

Upper was installed on a standard A2 lower with standard rifle buffer / spring and was test fired in the morning shortly after day break.  Actual temperature during test fire was only 2 degrees!  A crappy tapco polymer mag was used for testing, as was an old dirty M16 full auto BCG.  The BCG and gun were completely dry and unlubed.  Braceman fired 10 rounds of steel cased herters .223 and 10 rounds of steel cased tula .223 consecutively.  The gun cycled flawlessly and locked the bolt back after the last round, the steel casings were ejected around 6 ft away at 3 o'clock.

The recoil was light and the cycle was smooth due to the low powered ammo.

Braceman informed me that as things in the rifle "carboned up" over time through firing, they would only get a better gas seal and cycle even more positively.  At this point, I am going to call testing complete.  If a newly assembled gun can cycle the worst steel case ammo around reliably and smoothly with NO LUBE after sitting in -11 degree weather, I don't see the need to open up the gas port anymore.  I don't see this rifle NOT cycling reliably with any ammo under any conditions, esp after it carbons up and breaks in.

.102 is, in my opinion, optimal gas port size for my purposes with an 18" rifled gas barrel.    

Come again?  Same as in no loss of velocity?

Practically, yes.  The velocity differences between an 18" and 20" barrel are negligible for 99% of the .223 / 5.56 ammo types.

While in Baghdad in 2006-2007 "I" saw several M-16A2 with M4 stocks on them.  To my understanding some support units didn't receive M4s or enough to replace all the M-16A2s and they were authorized to make "Non-Perm" field modifications... But the rifle have to be returned back into its original condition when turned-in at the end of tour.

BTW, I also saw a couple of M-16A2s with M4 stocks and with 16" M4 barrels... Again, with support units.