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Posted: 2/2/2015 6:25:42 PM EDT
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So got it in my mind to build a 2nd rifle. Originally was going to do just a 2nd upper, but then again 2 is better than 1, right?
So anywho, here is my current parts list, all parts are 100% MADE IN THE USA! Green Mountain 16" Chrome Lined Carbine Barrel w/M4 Feed Ramps $100 (On sale, usually $160) Smith Vortex Flash Suppressor $50 (On sale, usually $65) Anderson Forged Lower $65 Lower Parts kit (Stock, competition trigger group possibly in the future) $50-ish, can't really remember, it was purchased over a year ago now) SAA Forged Upper $50 (On sale) Fail Zero Boron AR15 Bolt Assembly $145 Magpul MOE Collapsible Carbine Stock Kit $65 Milspec Charging Handle $15 (I like the stock ones fine, don't need a "cool" or "tactical" one.) Upper Receiver Parts kit, w/Barrel nut, Delta Ring, and Hand Guard Cap $40 Yankee Hill Ambidextrous Sling Adapter $15 Custom Ejection Port Cover, both sides engraved w/Punisher and w/ American Flag $12 Seekins Precision Melonited Gas Tube - Carbine Length $20 Odin Works Micro Gas Block $28 Sprinco Red Carbine Spring $23 UTG Pro Carbine Quad Rail $55 Spikes Tactical ST-T2 Heavy buffer $38 I believe that's all the parts, although I may have forgot something. Can't wait for the rest of the parts to come in so I can complete it. Gonna be my first 100% "made by me" AR. Is there "cheaper" ways of going about it? Yup. But what's the sens of buying parts to replace them. Only redundant parts here are the stock carbine buffer/spring, which I bought "upgraded" versions for, and a $12 ejection port cover. Already have a foregrip, TRS-25 Red dot, Magpul MBUS2.0 sights with a bi-pod for it. Eventually want to get a Aimpoint optic for it as well, but that's an "As time and money allows" mod. I'd LOVE another CompM4/CCO68 optic, but that's almost as much as this entire build was. |
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Looks good, but I'm curious about one thing:
With a low profile gas block, why on earth did you opt for two piece drop-in rails? I know they're a tad cheaper than the FF, but the FF has it's own barrel nut ($$ saved there), and they're a heck of a lot narrower and lighter weight. As in 6 ounces lighter when you factor in the stock barrel nut and delta ring. 
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Quoted:
Looks good, but I'm curious about one thing: With a low profile gas block, why on earth did you opt for two piece drop-in rails? I know they're a tad cheaper than the FF, but the FF has it's own barrel nut ($$ saved there), and they're a heck of a lot narrower and lighter weight. As in 6 ounces lighter when you factor in the stock barrel nut and delta ring. http://www.kakindustry.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x800/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/m/t/mtu005_pro_1.gif Availability, cost, weight, take your pick. I couldn't find a free-float (reasonably priced) in the length I wanted. Besides, a delta ring/barrel nut aren't exactly expensive. |
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Availability, cost, weight, take your pick. I couldn't find a free-float (reasonably priced) in the length I wanted.
http://www.sportsmans-depot.com/products/Leapers,-Inc.-%252d-UTG-Model-4%7B47%7D15-Rail-Black-Carbine-Length-Free-Float-Quad-Rail-AR-Rifles-MTU005.html 75 bux there. $80-$95 all day, any day on eBay, Amazon or any one of 100 other options Google turns up You actually paid more than that for your set up with the $55 two-piece and $40 for the upper kit; Could have scored your dust cover kit and FA kit for $16 from JSE, which means your barrel nut, delta ring and front cap cost you $24 for a total of $79 on your current set up. As for weight, like I said, you'd have saved some: MTU005 FF rail: 9.9 oz (includes nut) MTU001 two-piece: 11.3 oz Barrel nut, delta ring and front cap: 2.9 oz Availability? Those things are in stock all over the place. Length? Same 7" as what you got. If you just didn't know, or if you really wanted a non-floating set-up, that's fine. It's your gun, your money, and your prerogative. I was only curious. But you shouldn't give reasons/make excuses that simply don't hold water. |
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I know you're trying to save money and all, but that plano case you have there really sucks. I have one and I hate it. The sides are so soft and flexible that my rifles move around in it. I used to to transport a couple and one dinged another. Fortunately they weren't heirlooms or super expensive, but it pissed me off a bit. I still use it but I have put a bunch of foam around the stock and barrel of seach so they don't move and don't scratch each other.
I recently got a Plano Gun Guard All Weather case for another rifle. Man, not that is a great case for a good price. Yeah, I'd love to have pelican cases but they are just so expensive. I've got them at work for various items and they are great. The Plano Gun Guards are probably just about as good for this size a case. Probably the weakest thing on it is the wheels. One of them is squeaking and either that one or the other has a small flat spot from being drug sideways (probably from an airline luggage handler). They also have a tactical model. I've got the long one for a long gun. It came with pluck foam so you can shape it to the contents. you can get them from walmart, optics planet, or other online and even local retailers. Good luck. |
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Quoted: Availability, cost, weight, take your pick. I couldn't find a free-float (reasonably priced) in the length I wanted. Besides, a delta ring/barrel nut aren't exactly expensive. Quoted: Quoted: Looks good, but I'm curious about one thing: With a low profile gas block, why on earth did you opt for two piece drop-in rails? I know they're a tad cheaper than the FF, but the FF has it's own barrel nut ($$ saved there), and they're a heck of a lot narrower and lighter weight. As in 6 ounces lighter when you factor in the stock barrel nut and delta ring. http://www.kakindustry.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x800/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/m/t/mtu005_pro_1.gif Availability, cost, weight, take your pick. I couldn't find a free-float (reasonably priced) in the length I wanted. Besides, a delta ring/barrel nut aren't exactly expensive. http://algdefense.com/rails.html |
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Quoted:
So got it in my mind to build a 2nd rifle. Originally was going to do just a 2nd upper, but then again 2 is better than 1, right? So anywho, here is my current parts list, all parts are 100% MADE IN THE USA! Green Mountain 16" Chrome Lined Carbine Barrel w/M4 Feed Ramps $100 (On sale, usually $160) Smith Vortex Flash Suppressor $50 (On sale, usually $65) Anderson Forged Lower $65 Lower Parts kit (Stock, competition trigger group possibly in the future) $50-ish, can't really remember, it was purchased over a year ago now) SAA Forged Upper $50 (On sale) Fail Zero Boron AR15 Bolt Assembly $145 Magpul MOE Collapsible Carbine Stock Kit $65 Milspec Charging Handle $15 (I like the stock ones fine, don't need a "cool" or "tactical" one.) Upper Receiver Parts kit, w/Barrel nut, Delta Ring, and Hand Guard Cap $40 Yankee Hill Ambidextrous Sling Adapter $15 Custom Ejection Port Cover, both sides engraved w/Punisher and w/ American Flag $12 Seekins Precision Melonited Gas Tube - Carbine Length $20 Odin Works Micro Gas Block $28 Sprinco Red Carbine Spring $23 UTG Pro Carbine Quad Rail $55 Spikes Tactical ST-T2 Heavy buffer $38 I believe that's all the parts, although I may have forgot something. Can't wait for the rest of the parts to come in so I can complete it. Gonna be my first 100% "made by me" AR. Is there "cheaper" ways of going about it? Yup. But what's the sens of buying parts to replace them. Only redundant parts here are the stock carbine buffer/spring, which I bought "upgraded" versions for, and a $12 ejection port cover. Already have a foregrip, TRS-25 Red dot, Magpul MBUS2.0 sights with a bi-pod for it. Eventually want to get a Aimpoint optic for it as well, but that's an "As time and money allows" mod. I'd LOVE another CompM4/CCO68 optic, but that's almost as much as this entire build was. All your parts being made in the USA is great and I buy made in USA stuff when I can, but unless you're buying junk most ar parts are made in the the USA. The majority of rifles on this site are probably 100% made in the USA. Btw, your trs-25, made in China. |
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All your parts being made in the USA is great and I buy made in USA stuff when I can, but unless you're buying junk most ar parts are made in the the USA. The majority of rifles on this site are probably 100% made in the USA. Btw, your trs-25, made in China. Quoted:
Quoted:
Already have a foregrip, TRS-25 Red dot, Magpul MBUS2.0 sights with a bi-pod for it. Eventually want to get a Aimpoint optic for it as well, but that's an "As time and money allows" mod. I'd LOVE another CompM4/CCO68 optic, but that's almost as much as this entire build was. All your parts being made in the USA is great and I buy made in USA stuff when I can, but unless you're buying junk most ar parts are made in the the USA. The majority of rifles on this site are probably 100% made in the USA. Btw, your trs-25, made in China. I'm aware of that, but it will get me by until I get an extra $5-600 for a high-end optic, like the CCO68 I mentioned. And I said the Rifle was 100% US made. And there is a lot of stuff out there that isn't US made, and If it doesn't specifically say it is, there's a pretty damn high chance it's not. |
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Nice, but again, still larger than I wanted, and would have cost me $50 more than I spent. I really have no issues with the 2-piece I have on it....it's tight, and does not move, very solid. |
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I know you're trying to save money and all, but that plano case you have there really sucks. I have one and I hate it. The sides are so soft and flexible that my rifles move around in it. I used to to transport a couple and one dinged another. Fortunately they weren't heirlooms or super expensive, but it pissed me off a bit. I still use it but I have put a bunch of foam around the stock and barrel of seach so they don't move and don't scratch each other. I recently got a Plano Gun Guard All Weather case for another rifle. Man, not that is a great case for a good price. Yeah, I'd love to have pelican cases but they are just so expensive. I've got them at work for various items and they are great. The Plano Gun Guards are probably just about as good for this size a case. Probably the weakest thing on it is the wheels. One of them is squeaking and either that one or the other has a small flat spot from being drug sideways (probably from an airline luggage handler). They also have a tactical model. I've got the long one for a long gun. It came with pluck foam so you can shape it to the contents. you can get them from walmart, optics planet, or other online and even local retailers. Good luck. Yeah....they aren't the best, but it's better than nothing. I need to buy a bulk of good cases one of these days. |
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Smaller sight picture. I may move it back a notch or 2, haven't made my mind up yet. Quoted:
Quoted:
why is your rear buis so close to the trs? move that shit back Smaller sight picture. I may move it back a notch or 2, haven't made my mind up yet. why? |
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http://www.sportsmans-depot.com/products/Leapers,-Inc.-%252d-UTG-Model-4%7B47%7D15-Rail-Black-Carbine-Length-Free-Float-Quad-Rail-AR-Rifles-MTU005.html 75 bux there. $80-$95 all day, any day on eBay, Amazon or any one of 100 other options Google turns up You actually paid more than that for your set up with the $55 two-piece and $40 for the upper kit; Could have scored your dust cover kit and FA kit for $16 from JSE, which means your barrel nut, delta ring and front cap cost you $24 for a total of $79 on your current set up. As for weight, like I said, you'd have saved some: MTU005 FF rail: 9.9 oz (includes nut) MTU001 two-piece: 11.3 oz Barrel nut, delta ring and front cap: 2.9 oz Availability? Those things are in stock all over the place. Length? Same 7" as what you got. If you just didn't know, or if you really wanted a non-floating set-up, that's fine. It's your gun, your money, and your prerogative. I was only curious. But you shouldn't give reasons/make excuses that simply don't hold water. Quoted:
Availability, cost, weight, take your pick. I couldn't find a free-float (reasonably priced) in the length I wanted.
http://www.sportsmans-depot.com/products/Leapers,-Inc.-%252d-UTG-Model-4%7B47%7D15-Rail-Black-Carbine-Length-Free-Float-Quad-Rail-AR-Rifles-MTU005.html 75 bux there. $80-$95 all day, any day on eBay, Amazon or any one of 100 other options Google turns up You actually paid more than that for your set up with the $55 two-piece and $40 for the upper kit; Could have scored your dust cover kit and FA kit for $16 from JSE, which means your barrel nut, delta ring and front cap cost you $24 for a total of $79 on your current set up. As for weight, like I said, you'd have saved some: MTU005 FF rail: 9.9 oz (includes nut) MTU001 two-piece: 11.3 oz Barrel nut, delta ring and front cap: 2.9 oz Availability? Those things are in stock all over the place. Length? Same 7" as what you got. If you just didn't know, or if you really wanted a non-floating set-up, that's fine. It's your gun, your money, and your prerogative. I was only curious. But you shouldn't give reasons/make excuses that simply don't hold water. If only I could be a super expert like you some day. I should have just posed here and had you do the shopping for me. I truly find it funny how you guys chit on the drop in so much. If I had found the float that cheap before, I might had gone that way. But the One I bought was $70 shipped, including the delta ring/barrel nut. The cheapest free-float I found was over $100. And as far as availability....I want to over 6 gun shops and none had any in stock anyway, and the ones they sold were all in the $200 range. |
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I just ordered an ALG defense 10" FF M Lok rail for $85 shipped on sale at Primary Arms. Patience and getting on the right email lists helps. I get multiple gun site sale emails per week, 95% of the time I just glance and delete them. 5% of the time something that works perfectly for my build in progress is also on sale for a killer deal and I pull the trigger.
PSA, DSG, and Primary Arms are good sites with frequent sales to get on their email list. EDIT: I'm not trying to be a know it all, I paid too much for parts on my first build because I didn't know where to look yet...your next build should be the same or better quality for less money by looking at the best sites and being patient. There will be some killer Memorial day sales coming up. |
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Quoted:
I just ordered an ALG defense 10" FF M Lok rail for $85 shipped on sale at Primary Arms. Patience and getting on the right email lists helps. I get multiple gun site sale emails per week, 95% of the time I just glance and delete them. 5% of the time something that works perfectly for my build in progress is also on sale for a killer deal and I pull the trigger. PSA, DSG, and Primary Arms are good sites with frequent sales to get on their email list. EDIT: I'm not trying to be a know it all, I paid too much for parts on my first build because I didn't know where to look yet...your next build should be the same or better quality for less money by looking at the best sites and being patient. There will be some killer Memorial day sales coming up. I get so much spam I don't even try to read it most of the time. I searched around, and for what I found available, I went with what works for me. |
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Quoted:
Smaller sight picture. I may move it back a notch or 2, haven't made my mind up yet. Quoted:
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why is your rear buis so close to the trs? move that shit back Smaller sight picture. I may move it back a notch or 2, haven't made my mind up yet. Get a smaller aperture if that's what you desire. |
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If only I could be a super expert like you some day. I should have just posed here and had you do the shopping for me. No need to be snarky. I asked a legitimate question, and the answer you gave was, well........odd. I truly find it funny how you guys chit on the drop in so much. They make sense for the non-builder who buys an assembled rifle and doesn't have the tools, know-how or inclination to removed FH, FSB and barrel nut. But it is difficult to fathom why a person assembling their own upper would opt for the chunkier and heavier set-up-especially with a low pro gas block. |
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No need to be snarky. I asked a legitimate question, and the answer you gave was, well........odd. They make sense for the non-builder who buys an assembled rifle and doesn't have the tools, know-how or inclination to removed FH, FSB and barrel nut. But it is difficult to fathom why a person assembling their own upper would opt for the chunkier and heavier set-up-especially with a low pro gas block. Quoted:
If only I could be a super expert like you some day. I should have just posed here and had you do the shopping for me. No need to be snarky. I asked a legitimate question, and the answer you gave was, well........odd. I truly find it funny how you guys chit on the drop in so much. They make sense for the non-builder who buys an assembled rifle and doesn't have the tools, know-how or inclination to removed FH, FSB and barrel nut. But it is difficult to fathom why a person assembling their own upper would opt for the chunkier and heavier set-up-especially with a low pro gas block. Apparently my search-foo isn't as good as some people's. It is a flooded market, and like I said before, I went with what works, and what was available. The short ones I found were too expensive, and most of the ones I found were much more than 7-8", and heavy. The drop in was a cheap, easy, effective solution. I guess I felt I didn't need to defend my decision that much...clearly I was wrong. |
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