I have an Anderson forged lower that I wanted to do a California legal "featureless" 653ish build on after selling my RIA 1911A1 (due to arthritis in my right hand) .  Then I tripped across this deal from Sarco for an M4 kit.  While not retro, the handguards are, so I thought I would share with retro brothers.  For $389, I got a flat top kit complete with detachable carry handle.  It came with a Bushmaster chrome lined 1/9" twist 16" M4 barrrle  Now it comes with a melonite lined barrel, but still a heck of a deal.  All parts were great, and the detachable carry handle (which was also forged, I believe) was a perfect match for the upper.  Lined up perfect with FSB. It shows A1 grip and CAR type stock, but mine came with M4 stock and A2 grip. It is alot nicer than the Blackthorne or Model One Sales kits.

Sarco kit

Heck yeah!! I just bough one thanks a lot!!! << sarcasm>> but did buy one lol

I just wanted to build a basic "featureless" carbine with pinned stock, Hammerhead non-pstol grip, and Tactical Tri-Delta brake.  I didn't want anything that I was afraid to get banged up in the woods.  When I oerdered three weeks ago, it included a Bushmaster barrel.  VERY nice, chrome lined.  Heck, a Bushmaster chrome lined M4 barrel is worth $225 to $250 by itself!  It came with a semi BCG, but I sold it and put an M16 BCG in it, as well as a USGI M4 spring and H buffer I had.  Even with the melonite barrel, it is a great price!  I am glad it came with CAR handguards, because I hate the big clunky M4 handguards!

I built one of these with my Daughter's boyfriend a while back. We live close enough to drive and pick them up. Pretty sure we did not pay that much and no shipping. No issues with the kit at all, he loves it. He also used an Anderson lower and treats it like a truck rifle with no worries.

They have it or $369 without the detachable carry handle/sight.  I have the upper together already, and already pinned the stock.  Just waiting to get my Anderson Lower out of its Kalifornication 10 day jail sentence.... ARGH!!!!!!

I was kinda bummed when I noticed the arthritis in my right hand was affecting my use of my 1911A1 (especially the safety).  Since I have three 9mms ( 1974 vintage S&W 59, 1995 vintage Glock 19, and 2001 vintage Taurus Millenium) I decided to sell the 1911and turn it into another AR.  Originally I was going to do a faux 653, but decent A1 uppers are stupid expensive, and the JT lightweight barrel would be $225 or more.  When I saw this kit, I bought it for $389, and the Anderson for $80.  I had $500 into a nice M4gery with a chrome lined barrel.  I traded/sold all my 45 ACP ammo for another 700 rounds of  Federal Lake City M193.

I will probably run the 602 clone with a bullet button and 10 rounders, so I can leave it with the duckbill FH and the A1 grip.  I had made it featureless so I could use my pre-2000 possessed high caps, but now I have this for that role.

Those do look pretty nice to start you an M4-gery project. Are the kits all Colt? Or any Colt

So the kits were advertised as having Bushmaster M4 chrome lined barrels and you didn't get a BM barrel? I'd raise a stink over that, because it would be a dealbreaker for me if kit showed up with some no name barrel. On a positive note you got a fiberlite stock, how many positions is the buffertube....3? I wouldn't call the CAR handgaurds retro because the 7 hole variety is still being made, all in all I think you can't really go wrong for the price if barrel is decent. Thanks for sharing.

Topic Moved

When I ordered, they were advertised as having a Bushmaster barrel.  Mine came and it did have a Bushmaster barrel, chrome lined, new in the box.  About a week after I ordered, they switched the add to say melonite barrel.  They must have run out.  They were up front.  I love the BFI barrel!

Looking at this photo, does the gas key on the Bolt Carrier Group need to be staked?

When you receive the kit, the gas key is not yet installed (per the above pic) on the bolt carrier, therefore you would have to stake it after installation.

The kit I got, the gas key was installed, and double staked correctly.  In fact the whole BCG was assembled.  It was a semi BCG, so I sold it and put a milspec M16 carrier in it. I talked with one guy who got the same kit awhile back, and it came with a Colt M16A1 BCG from one of their M16A1 kits...

same thing at brownells. there must have been an overrun


wasn't back ordered this morning, but $20 cheaper, and there's is a 7.5% coupon code.

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/receiver-parts/parts-kits/ar-15-basic-rifle-build-kit-sku080001140-71355-150395.aspx

Mine was $389 WITH a detachable carry handle included.  SARCO is also $369.00 without the carry handle.

On a side note, I had a panic moment.  The Barrel was a new in box BFI chrome lined 16" M4.  I assembled the weapon today on my Anderson forged lower.  When I tried to seat the BCG in the upper, it held back about 1/32" from closing forward.  I thought, "Crap, headspace is wrong".  I tried the BCG in my other AR and it was fine.  Tried the other ARs BCG (original chrome Model 601) in the new build, and it would not seat, either.  I proceeded to call Sarco and read them the riot act.  Then when I calmed down, the armorer side of me (I was a military and LE armorer for years) took a deep breath and broke it back down.  Stuck to the chamber face with dried oil was a small, thin flake of metal.  It threw the headspace off.  I cleaned it, and checked it.  The headspace was perfect.  I could not see it until I had the barrel off.  Boy, do I feel dumb!

Now next week on my days off, I will take it out and sight it in.  Pics to follow.