My first exposure to NoDak Spud was from the Article in Shotgun news written by Peter G. Kokalis. See this

At the time I thought that rifle he wrote about was the coolest thing I have ever seen. Go forward in time and I found this place and my interest went towards XM carbines, 603's, 604's the elusive Mattel rifles and spending more money then I believed on these old rifles

THEN I came across  a NDS 601 lower and charging handle upper on the EE and my desire for a clone of Peter Kokalis's rifle was back! I had some old parts I had been hoarding with the idea of doing a prototype, but suddently those ideas were junked and I had to build my dream rifle.

My "clone" is axactly the same as the one as Mr. Kokalis's - down to the Duckbill flash hider except that I am missing the black sling...

So here it is:

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I used all NDS receivers, a chrome 601 Carrier and a set of like new stock and handguards. The knife is a "navy" Kbar that my dad bought as a young kid at the end of WW2 for 25 cents.

Its a beauty!  Congrats!

I have resisted the urge to build a trigger handle version for some time... but I really do like it!  
Mike

gorgeous sir congrats

Looks great.   Is that a knurled slip ring ?
I remember that photo and article

No it is a standard...but I have a un anodized knurled....hummmm.....

Beautiful build!  The same SGN article is what got me interested in retro as well.

That is awsome.  Don't think I read the Kokalis article.  Hope it shoots as good as it looks.

Beautiful rifle. Thanks for the link. Interesting read.

Very nice build OP, she's a beauty.

I read that article some time ago and it too motivated me to build my version of the rifle shown.  Here's the initial build in late 2009 or early 2010...






Here's the same build today with some original 601 brown/green handguards, original 601 bakelite/green pistol grip and a faux brown/green buttstock...

She's purdy  Great addition to your already fine collection of Mattel clones

I wonder how that slickside lower and charging handle upper would look just as you have it built, except with
brown furniture.  Along with a waffle mag and grenade launcher spring.  Could be hawt

I agree - then he could get rid of that crappy green furniture, I could take it off his hands

Agreed

You aint Vulcan kidding! Nice rifle!

WoW!!!!! All of these are great! "fastswift's" rifle is a beautiful build as well as "ar15guy's" collection. I'm especially taken with the middle AR with the brown furniture. It reminds me of the AR-15/M-16 I used in AF basic training in 71. Wish I had knew more about the AR's back then. I had no clue what they handed me except I remember the brown furniture and that it didn't have the FA. It was in fairly well used(and abused) condition. I'm kind of thinking it could have been an original Armalite, IDK. I'm wanting to build one like that one of these days though.

If I could get NDS products up here in the great white north I would have built one of these already. The trigger charging handle is super cool IMO.