Was looking at some pictures of my builds and started thinking about how much they've changed over the years.  

This was my go to gun for quite some time. It started out as a BCM 11.5" with black MOE handguards and a carry handle. It was heavy, especially once I started hanging an 8" suppressor off the end of it.


This is a 10.5" KISS upper I built to go along with the above. I built it because I missed how simple the 11.5 was before I added 20lbs to it lol.


The 11.5 ended up like this for a bit but ended up being sold as I was going a different direction with the 10.5", which was now my go to gun.
 

After selling the 11.5 the 10.5 ended up as a Mod 0ish build.


This is the 10.5 as it currently sits. The only thing that I'm changing on it is the stock, I'm either going with the new Magpul SL-S or B5 SOPMOD.

I've noticed that my builds have all moved from SLR or fancy rails like that to all FF quad rails.

I've noticed that my first quad rail is now not as favored as fancy slr . I also was okay having the MOE SL handguard on a couple of uppers.

The BRD hit me hard. Instead of changing up stuff on a rifle, I just built/bought another one.

No more crawling on my knee's looking for a detent spring

I began with just a basic M4 style factory built rifle.  Then I started modifying factory rifles.  After that I was putting together complete rifles (Frankenstein style) from components.  For some reason I went through a stage of wanting to assemble complete factory rifles myself.  I put together a Spikes mid length using only Spikes parts (like you would get if you bought the rifle from them).  That led me into the world of clones (put together a Colt SOPMOD with a few personal preference tweaks).  Now I'm going back to the Frankenstein builds with my latest projects (6.5 Grendel and an SPR type 5.56).

Started as a spikes st15

Upgraded to dd lite rail and tried out the aimpoint

Then got into cloning m4a1 bk2 eventually had a correct barrel

Then to today cqbr bk2 clone

Hmm.  

Started out as a normal CMMG M4gery upper, with an original Crane SOPMOD stock:



Added a DD 7.0 rail.  

Was rebuilt with one of the really early Noveske middy barrels, SEI Vortex FH, a PRI folding FSB, and a DD 9.0 rail as a 'Recce'



Was that way for a long time.  (This pic was one of the last I have of it.  New [at the time] CTR and I had settled on a TA31F ACOG, LT mount, and ARMS 40L Rear BUIS.  Trigger had been replaced with a RRA NM, and then one of the early Giessle NM/DMR triggers.)

Then I SBR'd the lower, and sold the Recce upper for what became known as the 'Costa 11.5'.  Just for the record, I actually had this setup shortly before Costa made it popular. . . . .



Sadly, I had to move to a communist state, so while the SBR'd 11.5 went into storage in a free state I had to once again build a 16 inch AR.  (After a short detour through a Bushmaster ACR) The result was a BCM BFH middy with a URX2 Rifle length rail.  Started with an Aimpint M4, went to an ACOG for a while, then ended up back with an Aimpoint T1 in a LT mount.  Also had a Surefire M600c on it for most of its life.  



Low and behold, a couple years later the communist state I was in legalized SBR's, so the 11.5 came back to me.  The T1 and M600c went on the SBR along with the KAC 0-600 micro rear BUIS, and I had acquired a Leupold Mk8 1.1-8x for an SR25EC, which I sold when I ordered an ECC.  So while it was on backorder (~18 months due to the post Sandy Hook craziness) the 16 inch gun had the CQBSS.  



After I got my SR25ECC, I didn't feel much of a need for a 16 inch 5.56 anymore, so the upper was sold, and the lower was put away in the safe for a future project, (Mk12, maybe a 6.5Grendel Recce.)  The 11.5 was by this time, pretty dated.  About this time, the Mk18 craze had started, and I just so happened to score a heck of a deal on a DD Contract overrun 10.3 inch barrel, with GB and gas tube for $120. . . . .   Ended up with a correct Mk18 upper, except for an unobtainium DD Mk18 rail.  So I used one of the new Keymod URX4's.  Which I like a lot better than the DD Mk18 rail.  

Still wears the T1, and the M600c with tapeswitch has been replaced by an M300C in a KAC offset mount with clicky tailcap.  




And thats most of my AR history.  Some minor experiments and other projects (retro, short barrel testbed, and a testbed upper I build to play with gas port sizes) aren't listed.  Learned a lot about what worked and what didn't for me.  I think I'll be building another 16 inch gun soon for classes, but we shall just wait and see. . . .

First AR as it was delivered.  A pinned 14.7 from CMMG.  I was still in Afghanistan when it came in and had this picture sent to me.  This was March of 07.



I ordered some stuff for it to be waiting for me when I got home on leave.  This is after I put it all together summer of 07.  Added an Aimpoint CompM4, KAC RAS/VFG, Magpul MIAD, Vltor clubfoot stock, and Surefire M951.  My first pistol is in the pic too.



Fast forward to late 2008.  I made some changes when I got out of the Army.  Sold the Aimpoint and added a T31RCO-M4 with LaRue mount and offset Aimpoint T1.  Also added a tape switch (SR07?) to the 12 o'clock rail to work with the grip I used with the newly added AFG.



Now we jump forward to 2012 or 13.  I've purchased more rifles at this point and this one started losing parts to my newer rifles....optics first.  It stayed like this until a few months ago as my "trunk gun."




This is the first rifle that started getting parts from the CMMG.  A Colt 6920 that quickly got a Magpul MIAD (my grip of choice) and B5 SOPMOD stock along with the CMMG carry handle and some paint on the old CMMG forend.



Then a few changes to it including a chop to 14.5 and pinned AAC 51t  Blackout flash hider.  Also added a FDE RIS II FSP and the T1 that was offset on the CMMG along with a LaRue mount for it.  Played around with the M951 and tape switch some but it made for a pretty front heavy gun.





Then an optics swap and new paint job.



Another paint job and another 6920 (middle) taking parts from the old CMMG (bottom).



The two 6920's now.  I guess they are both partial 6920's at this point.  The one with the RIS II and ACOG has an Aero lower and LAW folder now.  The 10.5 is a CHF upper from PSA on a SBR'd 6920 lower.



I love this SBR even though it's "heavy" compared to all the newer stuff around.  It just feels and looks right to me.



This is how the poor old CMMG sits now, minus the chopped carry handle.  It's out of commission until I get another carry handle to chop for it.  It's given up just about every aftermarket part it had....to good causes of course.




The leftover upper and lower from the two 6920's is sitting with a FDE Mk18 RIS II waiting to get SBR'd and chopped into a Block II CQBR(ish) SBR.  That is if I ever decide to build it.  I've kind of lost interest in the Block II CQBR(ish) build since I love the old school Block 1(ish) SBR I already have so much.  Just don't want to write it off yet as I hear the  FDE MK18 rails are hard to find these days.


TLDR:  The long story of 3 rifles swapping parts and starting to turn into a 4th somehow.

It's really cool to see how people's rifles changed over the years.

First AR was a Stag left hand upper  dpms lower i paid 800 for from a friend of a friend. It was ok but it had issues so I sold it and got a M&P15 which was better but I got bit by the chart and I thought if I didnt have all mil spec parts my rifle would some how explode and kill me so I sold  the M&P and built a BCM 14.5 carbine and made it almost a sopmod clone.  but I was never really happy with just blasting rounds even though I put over 10k through the BCM I wanted to do more so I parted out the upper on the BCM and built a complete Aero Precision rifle which has become my favorite rifle. IVe finally settled on a scope and Im happy now.  I have a light weight HD rifle but it doesnt see near the range time as my Aero. One lesson learned from my frist AR was that as a left handed shooter left handed controls are more important than left hand ejection.

here are my ARs from over the years

Stag


M&P15


BCM 20in first AR i Built


BCM 14.5 (this saw a few different forms)



Spikes Pistol (wish I still had it)


Current HD rifle lighter than the BCM was just as reliable
PSA Freedom melonte barrel


and my Aero Precision. I love this rifle most out of all the ones Ive had.  Just needs a can it will be perfect

Used to think fancy parts were "upgrades."

If its not broke don't fix it.  Bang stick + optic and done.  $200 in training will improve your shooting far more than a high speed FF rail.

Thank to ALG and the $145 EMR rail all of mine now have them.

So I don't have the following anymore:

Larue rail
RIS II rail
Centurion rail x2

I'm mostly focused on two of the collection for a majority of my range time.

12.5 with TA01nsn and a 14.5 with aimpoint. Have other stamped lowers built out but these two get all the time.

The 12.5
Attached File

My first build was a fulton armory lower with a DPMS lower parts kit, RRA carbine stock and a del-ton 16" 1:9 carbine length HBAR.  I thought it was the coolest thing in the world.

That gun changed substantially, ending up with a WOA service barrel, DD Lite Rail, Geissele Trigger, Vortex PST 4-16x50 Scope

My second AR I decided to KISS and built a plain jane A2

I got the bug to build another scoped rifle, and put this together with a 18" WOA SPR barrel, 13" Geissele SMR, 2.5-10x32 Viper PST

Which ended up morphing into a full on mk12 mod1 clone

And the leftover parts from my mk12 became this gun (probably my favorite all around AR), just need to upgrade the scope mount and it'll be finished

The last AR I built was this retro gun, it's got a nodak 601 lower and some repro 601 parts.

I'm working on a 22LR pistol AR at the moment, it'll get SBR-ed at some point, but I'll save that for another post.

-Kirby

Other than a couple SPR's, I started out with KISS guns.  Now, other than SPR's, I build KISS guns. I free float the guns meant for extended range accuracy, run standard handguards and open sights on the KISS guns.

My logic then has withstood the test of time: Simple rifles with robust sighting systems that are highly unlikely to fail or need batteries. All with identical Milspec controls so I don't have to think about which AR I'm shooting. They all handle the same. No waste of FF handguards on a rifle where the sighting system renders their increase in precision moot. No quad rails to add weight and decrease comfort. Simple, effective, durable, reliable, consistent. Even my SPR's are set up the same. If an EMP hits or a massive solar flare hits, my open sights and standard scopes will all still work.

I look at some of the photos of AR's here and wonder what people are thinking. Whatever floats your boat I guess.

The type of build that I do has not really changed significantly.  The only difference is that I only use top tier parts now.  I used to do builds with mid grade parts but I have now parted them out and only use the top rate stuff now.

Long and heavy became short and quiet...

You guys change your rifles!?  This is ARFCOM, don't change 'em, just build a new one!  

I don't change much, once I have them configured the way I want.  First AR was a 2007 Bushmaster "Varmint Special," 24" SS barrel, with a Nikon Monarch 3-9 scope in an Armalite cantilever mount.  I quickly changed the A2 stock to a PRS with a monopod, added a Harris bipod, swapped the shaved GB for a railed one, threaded the barrel, and added a PWS (AK Concepts at the time) DTNC brake. It's still in that configuration.

I've added to the collection since then, getting shorter each time. I'm now down to 8.5", and will start to work my way back up, filling in the gaps. I build them to suit a particular (perceived) requirement, and move on. I have three or four more on my list, then I'll start on the 1911s...

I can only afford one AR at a time so these are all variants of my first build on Larue Stealth receivers. Started with an 18" DPMS Mk12 barrel and then a DD 14.5 middy.  

I started out with a Bushmaster XM15A2 with a 16" HBAR. I put a slip over XM177 FH over it as I like the look.
The ARMS Aimpoint mount was the LaRue of its day..
The VLTOR stock was a nice step up, but those damn sawtooth serrations pulled facial hair
The Tango down grip was a step up from the standard grip.
Single points were all the rage, till you used them
the ARMS 39 BUIS was THE BUIS to have
No one put lights on, cause the bad guy would shoot at you...
And the GI RAS was also all the rage.Along with the original KAC gangster grip With some Innertube to add grip



But as things changed, and my knowledge base increased, I made some changes..
I shot a loaner gun at one of Pat Roger's 3 day classes that had a T-1 on it. I sold my ACOG to buy one the week after I got home.
More Pistol grips came out, and I tried them all (They were cheap, and most bought used here on the EE for half the retail price)
The LaRue T-1 Mount was a no brainer (and the only one out at that time)
Replaced the Upper with a 14.5" BCM with a .Gov profile barrel and a Yankee Hill 52S FH (Still like the look)
got rid of the KAC for a TD stubby with my own stippling.
The Vickers sling came out and was the standard all others tried to be...

And the ARM 39 BUIS...Has aged well, and their was no reason to get rid of it..

Funny part... I was told in the early 2000's that HBAR's were stupid and made the rifle unbalanced... and now everyone chases after the SOCOM barrels, which look just like the HBAR I had.

What I learned after all these years....

Aimpoints are a great General Purpose Optic and still work great..
.Gov profile barrels are a good choice (and the grenade launcher step does not bother me....)
2 pt slings still work the best..
All those carbine classes I took over the last 10-12 years...I learned a lot of what I didn't know and were well worth the cost..I run a gun better now then I did when I was a young-in.
Cool shit is cool, change things to improve, not just cause its cool.
The SOPMOD stock came out and I loved it along with the battery storage for the light

Went from this 300 blk build




To this:




To this:




Then all hell broke loose:




Then SHTF:

My several carbines builds usually stayed pretty much the same except of my LMT Defender 2000 M4 carbine which I had to buy in upper and lower half because back in 2005 they only sell separately not the complete carbine.

In this pic is just my new then in early 2005 LMT M4 16" upper half with KAC M4 RAS rails, Aimpoint, mounted on my other Colt 6721 AR-15A3 Tactical Carbine lower half with Magpul pre production MIAD grip and Vltor Modstock.



Several months later I got my LMT Defender 2000 lower half, back then in '05 they were supplied with TangoDown grip and LMT marked M4 buttstock.



In around 2007 I changed the grip with Magpul MIAD, Magpul CTR stock, KAC 300m flip up rear BUIS, EOTech, and added a Surefire M951C weaponlight, and BFG Vickers VCAS 2pt sling.



A couple of years later I changed to Flat Dark Earth furniture color, Magpul XTM panels, PMAG Gen1, MIAD grip, Vltor Modstock clubfoot, Troy BUIS, LaRue Tactical cantilever Aimpoint QD mount, and Gear Sector 2pt sling.



My last change was actually just a Magpul MOE KISS makeover, much more lighter and handier to use.

All my M4 type components I transferred to my other Colt LE6920 M4 carbine.

I have come full circle and am back to 16" carbine gas rifles with quad rails. Haha

Still waiting on that damn SBR. 

Started like this. 14.5" White Oak Armament barrel, Spike's lower.



Lost the Streamlight and vertical grip. Sold the YHM rear sight and got a KAC micro. Switched from the G27 or whatever grip that was to a MIAD.



Decided I wanted to try Cerakote and painted the barrel and receivers OD green.



Sold the 10" DD Lite and got a 12". Also sold the MI front sight and got a KAC micro. Added KAC handstop and bipod mount. Commercial buffer tube to mil spec, as well as the CTR to go with it. Probably got the Geissele SSA-E around this time too.



SBR stamp came back at this point, so got rid of the perm'd FHC556 and got a Surefire socom 4p put on. Also sold the Leupold MK 4 1.5-5x in a Larue mount and got a Leupold MK 6 1-6x in an Alamo Four Star mount.



Decided to spray paint everything.



Surefire socom 762RC stamp came back.



Really was liking the KAC URX 3.1 on my AAC 300blk upper, so got the same for my 5.56. Rifles Only suppressor wrap as well.
I better be done at this point!!!