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Posted: 3/5/2007 7:05:17 PM EDT
| I built my M4gery from a kit that I got from Del-ton. I've finally gotten to the point that I feel comfortable with it and have it broken in. It's a basic M-4 kit with the only modification being a 1x7 twist barrel for the heavier rounds. 16" barrel, 6 position stock, built on a Spike's Tactical Lower. I love this thing. It gobbles up everything from 45 grain to 77 grain. The ONLY failure I've seen was with a Sierra 77 grain bullet with poor cannelure that failed to feed and the bullet actually shoved back into the cartridge case as there was no crimp holding it in the casing. Go figure. Have to love that kinda problem. Anyway, got a scope on it (eyes are not the best) and fired it for accuracy this last weekend. The 77 grain Sierra Matchking BTHP rounds did 1/4" at 100 yards with the scope and 1" with irons. Additionally, I'm now hitting silhouettes at 500 meters with this thing with no problems. This thing's just as accurate as my old 1944 bolt action 303 British Enfield. Just in case you're wondering, a kit build does work, is accurate, and a real pleasure to shoot. Thanks to the folks at Del-ton and at Spike's Tactical who took the time to answer my questions, get me fixed up with quality stuff, and have given me more than my money's worth. |
I don't care whose name is on the side, they're ALL kit builds as far as I'm concerned. Does any AR manufacturer make all of their components in house? Don't they essentially just shop around (sort of like the home builder)? Assuming you buy a barrel from a known manufacturer (with the extention in place), I don't see any reason why a home-built would be any less accurate than any brand name AR. There really isn't any magic in assembling these things, either. |
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That must be the DPMS barrel? I don't think that DTI makes a 1/7 twist. If it is the DPMS barrel, then I would say this is a promising report for their barrels. Some do not like DPMS for whatever reason, but their barrels must be pretty good. Do you use sandbags to shoot from? 1/4" is pretty small. I would like to steady mine when sighting it in to be sure it is as accurate as possible. |
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It is a DPMS barrel. The barrel is inscribed with DPMS 5.56 1x7 or something similar but I specifically asked for a 1x7 barrel and DPMS was the only option. Its chrome lined and at the range I usually shoot about 100 rounds a session or so. Have to have time to shoot my old Enfield too. During a range trip I will occasionally run a bore snake through the barrel soaked in Gunzilla just to keep the barrel fairly decent before going home. I do use a rest but its not a sandbag, just a simple wood block with V cut into it and the V is covered with old carpet. Nothing fancy. Didn't know that DPMS had barrel issues, but if they did, they've solved them with mine I'd say. The best groups I've gotten are with the Sierra Matchking 77gr BTHP loads, which gave the 1/4" groups. 55 grains opens up to 3/4 inches at 100 yards. Again, big deal. I'm still hitting silhouettes at 500 meters with all loads. The one thing I have seen is not much fouling with decent ammo. I usually buy my ammo from T's Ammo in Texas and these are reasonably priced, and accurate. I have tried Wolf and my experience is that its reliable, more dirty than name brand ammo, and leaves carbon on the bolt and gives larger group sizes but haven't shot Wolf at 100 meters so can't give an analysis of its accuracy at that range. No data yet. However, Guatemalan ammo (55gr FMJ) gave me the 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards. Oddly enough, if I do a fairly rapid string of fire from this M4gery, the barrel really doesn't heat up much. By fairly rapid I mean 10 rounds in a minute. |
Del-Ton has awesome prices and products, you cannot go wrong with either. If you have a 16" or two, I'd go with 20". If you have neither, then i would go 16". I never liked the 20" for whatever reason, but that's me. If I was going to get a longer than 16" barrel, I would go 18" or 24". In any case, you really get a lot of bang for the buck from Del-Ton. I have a 16" midlength and a 16" lightweight upper. I love them both. |
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Ok, here you go. Pictures of the culture club. Upper from Del-ton. Lower from Spike's Tactical. Sling from Israel. Tactical riser rear irons from Hong Kong. Scope from Galati courtesy of China. Ammo from Texas. Oh, and the older generation of "assault rifle" courtesy of Britain from WWII. Need I say more? [img=img256.imageshack.us/img256/7938/hpim0065yt1.th.jpg] [img=imageshack.us/thumbnmail.png] [img=img251.imageshack.us/img251/2924/hpim0060uz0.th.jpg] |
Its the curse of ar's! I built a delton 20" flattop kit and am not even done. I got a KAC FF ras off of EE and a PRS stock for it... still need a couple more parts and am already got a m4 and mk12 thought out and ready to buy parts I just don't have money. I was going to make my 20'' into a mk12 but decided I like the look of it with RAS and PRS stock better so... Nice looking M4 glad to hear you are pleased with it! |
| Thanks for that. I am very happy with it. I'm still plugging along with it, but have finally got a setup that works for me (i.e. a scope with 3-9x variable magnification as my eyesight is 20/400 without contacts). That flattop with T marks is really useful and the magazines I bought for this were all from Del-ton and have a green follower. I've had no problems with any of the 6 I've bought. May buy a 5 round mag for hunting as that's the requirement for here in FL for semiauto hunting rifles. It should be good for the deer and hogs we have here especially with heavier 68gr or 75 grain hollowpoints. Next thing for sure is to try some competition shoots at 300 meters. Should be fun. I'm thinking if I do a second build, it'll be just a changeout of the upper as the lower works beautifully so why mess with it. A 6.8 might be good for longer range and bigger types of hunting. Just a thought. Love the modularity of the design. |
| Just ran 60 rounds of Wolf 55 gr and 40 rounds of Remington MC rounds through today and was hitting 1" groups with the Wolf using this Del-Ton setup. I then went out to 400 meters and was shooting fire extinguishers at that range consistently using the Wolf and Remington 55 grain ammo. Gotta love a rifle that is short, sweet, and can reach out and touch someone. Pure enjoyment and therapy. |
Actualy the M4 feed ramps are to aid in feeding heavy rounds as they are just a bit longer than lighter rounds, so they have a tendancy to catch on the reciever just below the BBL extention. Full auto feeding is no different than simi auto, other than the fact that it repeats it again and again and ..... well you get the point. The millitary intended on using heavier rounds in the shorter BBL M4 thats why they made them with the 1/7 twist. So Colt designed the M4 feed ramps to accommodate for the longer heavier rounds. That may be why you got your load cramed in the casing. It likely cought the receiver where the "M4 feed ramps" should have been.  |
| Well, I only got one round caught and the other 19 fired beautifully. Since I don't have the ramps, I'm not going to add them in now. I am getting a straight 20 round mag as I'm tired of the 30 rounds dropping down lower and keeping me from getting lower down on the bench. I think too that the 77 grainers were barely fitting in the mag and the curve of the 30rnd mag didn't help. Nonetheless, the Navy had the same problem with the 77grain bullet which is why they've made a cannelure a requirement. Oh well, 77grainers are fun and accurate to beat all. Would be good in a 5-round magazine for going after hogs or small deer I suspect but haven't tried. |
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