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5/18/2006 5:39:28 AM EDT
Well, after waiting 4 weeks for a  20" A2 kit from Del-Ton, only to be told that the 20" barrels are going to be on backorder for another 4 weeks, I ordered the standard 20" A2 rifle kit (with NM sight option) from Model 1.

I just received it last night and got it assembled onto the cast DPMS receiver that I've had laying around since 1995. Looks nice, upper was a shade lighter in color, until I wiped everything down with oil and now they match pretty good. The finish (coating) seems a little rough, but this is the first black-coated AR I've owned, so I don't know if it is normal and should wear smooth - the last AR I had was only anodized and more of a polished-smooth greenish silver-grey, like the M16A1 I had in bootcamp.

The barrel turned out to be a HBAR heavy barrel, not a government profile barrel, so it seems a little on the heavy side when I pick it up. I opted for the chrome-lined barrel, but not sure how to verify they sent chromed?  

The only problem I have is that I have to use a hammer to get the takedown pins in and out with the upper in place. The front pin is OK as long as I don't try to seat it all the way against the receiver side, but the holes in the back don't seem to quite line up; maybe a couple thousandths off.  I can see a thin band of light between the receivers when I hold them together, but when I rotate them closed I can hear them touch somewhere so I don't know if I should try making the rear take-down hole in the upper a little larger or not. Also, the bolt-catch is extremely stiff and does not work with the magazines - I can barely work it by hand. Can this be taken care of in-place? I don't have a punch small enough to take the roll pin back out to remove it again.

Does anyone know what parts Model 1 uses?  While the handguards are really nice and tight and look first-rate, the buttstock is cheap and doesn't seem like a true A2 stock plus the cheap plastick trapdoor doesn't work well without a screwdriver to pry it open.

I'll get pics up as soon as I can get hold of the wife's camera.  She's not too happy right now that I spent the entire evening working on the AR.
5/18/2006 6:02:57 PM EDT
[#1]
Ok, lots of view, no comments...  I guess everyone is waiting for the pics.  Couldn't get the wife's good camera (Nikon D70), so had to take them with a Kodak Easyshare:

http://www.work-at-home-source.com/shared/images/100_9641.jpg
http://www.work-at-home-source.com/shared/images/100_9646.jpg
http://www.work-at-home-source.com/shared/images/100_9647.jpg
http://www.work-at-home-source.com/shared/images/100_9651.jpg

Sorry about the fuzziness, the stupid camera wouldn't focus close enough to get good shots.
5/18/2006 6:14:38 PM EDT
[#2]
Thats a great looking build. Job well done congrats
5/18/2006 6:18:11 PM EDT
[#3]
Good looking set up. How well does it function/ shoot?

It is virtually the same as my first build completed a couple of weeks ago. Hbar, w/o chrome though. Mine shoots like a dream.
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