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Posted: 12/15/2011 12:26:12 PM EDT
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So, I have finally finished my first build! All in all it took about 4 months and $2700 after tools and optics. My goal with this post is to give a full account of the build process, the rifle (and thinking behind it), the vendors used, and the actual shooting experience.
To start with.... some sweet homemade gun porn: 
(For any photo people here, most of the pictures are taken with a 5dmk2 +50 1.4) Goals, Parts, and Reasoning Now that you have been properly titillated, I wanted to explain the thinking and overall goal behind the rifle before I go into individual parts. "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert A. Heinlein I truly believe in, and try to live this. I wanted a rifle that had the most flexibility possible. I am not in a swat team or military unit where the disadvantages that come with a person's specialization can be planned for and covered by the advantages of another person's specialization. I need to be able to adapt to any situation/goal, and do so possibly alone or with little/unprepared help. I wanted a rifle that would work well as a mid range sniper/ambush piece, but also be quick and effective in a CQB situation, should I find myself in one. The Recce type build seemed a natural choice for the maximum flexibility in weight, range, and role. I am also getting ready to start shooting in 3gun competitions, so a Recce would fit well in that role as well. My first priority was reliability, followed by a balance between accuracy and minimizing weight where it was prudent. 
Lower: Mega billet lower <–––– I went with the Mega purely because it looks great and adds literally no weight when you factor in the built in trigger guard. The slightly weaker metal in a billet does not concern me in the lower as it is basically a no/low stress part of the rifle. This was, however, taken in consideration for the upper. The receiver is absolutely flawless and is likely the nicest lower I have ever seen. No tool marks, beautiful black teflon coating, and absolutely no problems with out of spec holes/etc. 
G and R tactical lpk<–––– Grant's LPKs are know for being a good mix of high quality parts, handpicked parts. I had no problems with out of spec parts and the finish was the usual brownish/greyish/black. The parts facing the exterior (bolt catch, pin faces, mag catch, etc) got a thin coating of oven cured 2000* engine paint on their external surfaces to help them match better. This was a purely cosmetic thing. I did it because I had the time, and wanted to take some pretty pictures. 
Geissele SD-C<––––Geissele triggers are THE go to for high quality, two way range reliable triggers. No sketchy trigger jobs, half ass hammer springs, or other BS. I wanted a trigger that allows for high precision AND quick up close work. I debated heavily between the SD-C (4.5 lbs) and the SD-E (3.5 lbs). After shooting the SSA (sd-c with regular curved trigger) at the Larue Range day and getting hits at a 1000 yards, I figured the SD-C would be just fine. I wouldn't want a trigger lighter than this under high stress. I am not 100% sold on the flat trigger bow yet and will have to spend some time with it. It will be easy to sell with basically only the cost of shipping lost. The trigger mechanics feel amazing..... Dry firing it is heavenly.... 
A5 VLTOR buffer system<––––- The idea behind adding the vltor a5 buffer is to decreased perceived recoil and to increased reliability with a wider variety of ammunition. The first one I got from VLTOR had a problem with it's anodizing flaking off very easily. When I showed a sales rep they had me send it back and sent me a new one that is much better. VLTOR Imod <–––– The VLTOR Imod is lightweight, has good cheek weld, and I like how it looks. I also detachable battery tubes (mine hold some earplugs and a small bottle of lube.) If you have to have a 100% no wobble stock I would look at the CTR, but the wobble on the Imod is pretty mild. A little tape in the buffer tube pin holes eliminates what little there is. 
Moe+ grip<–––– I wanted a rubberized grip and the moe+ seemed like a good place to start. It is decent but not amazing. Chances are it will be replaced when I find something I fall in love with. 
Upper: MEGA Arms forged a4 upper with m4 feed ramps <––- As mentioned above, I went with a forged upper as opposed to a matching billet because the upper is subjected to high stress and I did not want to compromise durability/reliability for aesthetics in this rifle (though I have never heard of a billet upper failing in a situation where a forged would have survived). On top of this, the Mega billet upper's squarishness looks good with quad rails, but not round modular ones in my opinion. The upper was well machined (though not flawless/100% tool mark free like the billet, but only noticeable when looking very close under lots of light... better than average) and fits flawlessly with the Mega billet lower. There is no slop whatsoever, and no need to use the billets upper tensioning screw. The anodizing is slightly smoother, less black, and more reflective than the billet lower. It is only noticeable when close eye fking them and in flash photos however. 
13.8 inch Troy Alpha BattleRail <––––- This is a beautifully machined, lightweight, modular rail. I am very happy with how lightweight it is and really love the grip it allows. I was afraid of the cheese grater comments and was unsure if I liked it when I first got it in the mail. Handling it on the complete gun has sold me. I was originally going to get the VTAC TRX extreme until I heard about the Troy Alpha. The Alpha rail has a new locking system that uses the original barrel nut and seems to be rock solid. The built in front FSB also seemed to be a cool addition and sold me on it. The front sight seems to work well, but only using it will tell how well it actually works. There is some very slight side to side play...but it stays centered unless pressed and is very very slight. Troy says it is designed like that and will not affect zero. I will take their word for the moment and test it out. 
Noveske N4 Light Recce 16 inch Barrel, shaved fsb gb<––- This barrel should provide maximum accuracy in a chrome lined, 16 inch middy barrel. I considered stainless (Noveske rouge hunter in particular), but I wanted the weapon to be capable of heavy carbine class type fire. For the gun to use a stainless barrel I would have had to use a heavier barrel profile than I was willing to deal with. The weapon needed to be accurate enough for 3gun and real use out to 400 yards, while taking a mag dump or 3 in stride. The N4 is quite capable of that from what I have read. It is also much less susceptible to rust in adverse/wet conditions than the SS barrels. I was also attracted to the sensible barrel profile (thicker in back, slightly tapered to the front, no m203 notch) . I have always found the m4 barrel profile to be the height of stupidity and was very pleased to find a company making something that makes sense. 
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Battlecomp 1.0<––- I wanted the softest shooting 16 I could make, but I hate break blast. The Battlecomp's ablity to provide acceptable flash suppression, good muzzle rise/recoil reduction, and not blast me and my fellows sold me on it. I look forward to trying it out. It may not be permanent, as a nice AAC can is in my future I think........
BCM chrome lined BCG<––- As the core function component (along with the barrel) I wanted the best "Known Quality". BCM satisfied that for me. I wish BCM would not stamp their name so huge on it, but its a non issue from a practical standpoint. I really like the NiB concept, and when a company like colt makes one it will be high up on my list of purchases. I was not, however, interested in chancing an out of spec bcg for the benefits. 
Magpul MBUS <–––– I will, God willing, never use the BUIS on this gun beyond sighting in and the occasional round of practice. I debated a lot on wether to get these or the Troy sight. In the end I decided against spending 100$ (and adding weight to the rifle) on something I do not plan to use. The MBUS sight picture is plenty acceptable for me and they weigh half as much as the Troy sights. I am happy with the quality/durablity upon initial inspection. Burris MTAC 1-4x on larue LT-104 mount <––- In a rifle built for flexiblity the 1-4x type scope seemed the perfect choice. It allows me to engage from my preferred distance (at range), but won't slow me down for up close work. The burris gets great reviews, has true 1x, easily visible in daylight, is lighter than most 1-4x scopes, and I like the recticle. It also has a larger field of view and more forgiving eye relief than many more expensive scopes. It seems very well built and I am quite happy with it. The other option I considered was an Aimpoint with 3x magnifier. I decided against it for 3 reasons, with a fourth bonus reason. The first reason is that the whole setup with a magnifier gets heavy, which goes against one of my goals. The second reason is that the 1-4x works as a sight even if the batteries or electronics die because the reticle is etched in. 3rd reason is the 1-4x offers a wider variety of magnification. The bonus reason is that it cost a lot less. The Larue mount was chosen for its quick disconnect feature and its reputation of being able to hold zero after being remounted. 
Notice the lack of distortion at 1x. More reticle pictures to be take when I take it out for its first shooting. The total weights are about 6.7 lbs without scope, and about 8 with. I say about because I am using a crappy bathroom scale to weigh it. Build Notes, Tools, and build Photos So, here as some facts/experiences I learned during the process. #1 Don't take shortcuts or get in a hurry. Every time I tried this it backfired and did not work. This included adding a small mar to my barrel and marring my flash hider #2 Right tools for the right job. Seriously. #3 Don't use an adjustable wrench on flash hiders that have rocksett on them. (ps, rocksett dissolves in water) #4 A two pieces of wood with a groove in them for a barrel vise block ARE an exception to the #2. They worked great and cost 1$ @ home depot. #5 Vise grips are the easiest way to push roll pins in, when possible. #6 &(@#*$ FSB taper pins. No matter what I did I could not get the second one out. I finally took it to my ffl who happens to be a class 3 dealer/silencer manufacture and builds ARs daily. He could not get it out with a sledge and had to use an air hammer. This unfortunately mangled the first 1mm of my fsb pin hole on the small side. It has not affected the pin strength (and may have made it stronger as it effectively staked it when i drove it back in) in a noticeable way... I cannot pound it back out........ But it looks less than perfect/professional. Fortunately you cannot see it. #7 Have a mini sledge hammer for fsb pins. Seriously. #8 Install the dust cover BEFORE the barrel. #9 A special thanks to fivonut (ar15.com) the owner of Reaper Tactical @ www.reapertactical.com for sending me a jar of aeroshell 33ms grease for the barrel install! He did it for free and refused even money for shipping. That was cool as hell, check his stuff out. Here are some photos of the process The respirator was mostly just to protect my face incase of flying cutting disk/metal. A bit overkill I am sure. 
My ghetto workbench. No garage so :p The wood blocks I found at home depot worked great. 
My inside "workbench". Much to my wife's dismay. 
areoshell 33ms on the threads. 
A list of tools used: 4 Inch Vise from home depot + a table to mount in on found at a garage sale. a variety of wrenchs/vise grips etc etc (normal set of everyday tools). Must haves are Vise Grips, Needle Nose Pliers, Adjustable Wrench, Fixed Wrench of size need for your Flash hider, Philips and flat head, hammer, mini sledge, and an allen wrench set. Roll pin Punch set<––––- A cheapo roll pin set, but they worked just fine. No bending etc. I would buy them again. http://www.amazon.com/Grip-Roll-Pin-Punch-Set/dp/B003L7HOMG DPMS Claw upper vise block <––––- Worked great! Totally recommend http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/AR15-DPMS-Panther-Claw-p/panther%20claw%20ar15.htm DPMS Multi-Wrench<–––––– Worked great. http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/DPMS-Armorer-AR15-Barrel-Wrench-p/dpms%20tl-mw%20wrench.htm Soft Face mallet <––- saved my ass when I had to install the dust cover after I had already installed the barrel. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NPR2U8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER Snap Pliers <–––– They are snap pliers... what do you want me to say? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NPT5YO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER Rotatory Tool for FSB shave + some extra cutting attachments from home depot <- Great! Cheaper than Dremel and more power than most of them. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MUSLCC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER Starrett 1/4inch Steel flat Starter Punch Touque wrench borrowed from Autozone. What a great service! Vendors Rainier Arms< ––––- I had a chance to drive to their store while in Oregon for a PA school interview. They were the most helpful, knowledgeable and downright amazing gun store I have ever encountered. I look young (I am 27, but look 18) so most gun store staff blow me off as some modern warfare kid and if they bother to acknowledge me they talk down to me. I did not experience that and all and spent over an hour in the store having a great conversation with one of the sales reps. I got to handle a bunch of cool gear. I would buy from them any day, and would even pay a few extra dollars due to my experience with them. BCM I ordered a bunch of stuff from them. Shipping was average speed and my order came with a bunch of nice gun porn :) Carricoz Armory/ Best prices on MEGA stuff. Ordered an upper. First time it got shipped to the wrong address and got returned to him. He called me and we fixed the address. Shipping speed was slightly slow 1.5 weeks, but I would buy again. http://www.vltor.com/ Had a problem with the A5 tube flaking off anodizing. I ordered from their webstore. They got back to me in 10 minutes when I sent them an email! Best customer service ever. My only complaint was I had t pay return shipping even though they suggest it return it. I included a note on this in the return and the rep called with my tracking info and told me they will pay return shipping if a customer asks for it. I personally feel I should not have to ask for it, but otherwise the best customer service experience one could have! www.bigsupplyshop.com I bought my alpha rail from here at about 60$ less than everywhere else had it. I was scared it was a scam, but reseller ratings said it was legit. Shipping was very fast and product was perfect. Check here for serious deals. Its my first stop. Rezin23, dealer on m4c Bought my Geissele SD-C from him. His prices were about 20-30$ less than most stores after you take shipping into account and he shipped quickly. He also sent some nice geissele stickers and a velcro patch. Highly recommend. G&R Tactical Bought my lpk and a barrel (via gunbroker) from Grant. Good communication and average/quick shipping. GTG ;) I also bought several items via ar15.com and m4C EE. Those exchanges were all stellar. Range Report As soon as weather allows!! |
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I'm glad your happy I hope you have rifle plates because WSHTF someone will shoot you in the back w/an $400AK for that rifle hahahaha. I am gonna take that as you like it. It will be some leet dood with a $60 Mosin that get me though. 
Btw, what a weird ass post. |
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Quoted: I'm glad your happy I hope you have rifle plates because WSHTF someone will shoot you in the back w/an $400AK for that rifle Its hard to know if we are supposed to take that post seriously or treat it as humor. I mean...where to start: 1) "your" happy. 2) LOL at the idea of a $400 ak these days (unless its a wasr 10 piece of garbage). 3) You presume that OP is going to get caught totally unaware, alone, and shot in the back by someone who wants an equipment upgrade. Not sure if serious
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As a Heinlein fan +100 for the concept and thinking.
Rifle looks nice. Good to see people putting Actually putting stuff together instead of slapping a complete upper on a complete lower and calling it a build. I would have (and have in the past with the same goal) done a bit different of a build, but that's the beauty of building it yourself - you can make it what you feel is "best". I would like to point out that the reference to the other forum, and the link to G and R probably will get mod deleted, posting those two on this forum is a no no. Also, side note - upper is a low stress part as well, all the violence is in the chamber and receiver extension, upper just holds things together in line like the lower. Another one of the pluses of the AR design. Congrats on the new rifle! |
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Quoted:
Battlecomp 1.0<––- I wanted the softest shooting 16 I could make, but I hate break blast. The Battlecomp's ablity to provide acceptable flash suppression, good muzzle rise/recoil reduction, and not blast me and my fellows sold me on it. I look forward to trying it out. It may not be permanent, as a nice AAC can is in my future I think........ BCM chrome lined BCG<––- As the core function component (along with the barrel) I wanted the best "Known Quality". BCM satisfied that for me. I wish BCM would not stamp their name so huge on it, but its a non issue from a practical standpoint. I really like the NiB concept, and when a company like colt makes one it will be high up on my list of purchases. I was not, however, interested in chancing an out of spec bcg for the benefits. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6508765515_754e544881_b.jpg Magpul MBUS <–––– I will, God willing, never use the BUIS on this gun beyond sighting in and the occasional round of practice. I debated a lot on wether to get these or the Troy sight. In the end I decided against spending 100$ (and adding weight to the rifle) on something I do not plan to use. The MBUS sight picture is plenty acceptable for me and they weigh half as much as the Troy sights. I am happy with the quality/durablity upon initial inspection. Burris MTAC 1-4x on larue LT-104 mount <––- In a rifle built for flexiblity the 1-4x type scope seemed the perfect choice. It allows me to engage from my preferred distance (at range), but won't slow me down for up close work. The burris gets great reviews, has true 1x, easily visible in daylight, is lighter than most 1-4x scopes, and I like the recticle. It also has a larger field of view and more forgiving eye relief than many more expensive scopes. It seems very well built and I am quite happy with it. The other option I considered was an Aimpoint with 3x magnifier. I decided against it for 3 reasons, with a fourth bonus reason. The first reason is that the whole setup with a magnifier gets heavy, which goes against one of my goals. The second reason is that the 1-4x works as a sight even if the batteries or electronics die because the reticle is etched in. 3rd reason is the 1-4x offers a wider variety of magnification. The bonus reason is that it cost a lot less. The Larue mount was chosen for its quick disconnect feature and its reputation of being able to hold zero after being remounted. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6517046189_e1af86330c_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6508771897_83bd4bf03a_b.jpg Notice the lack of distortion at 1x. More reticle pictures to be take when I take it out for its first shooting. The total weights are about 6.7 lbs without scope, and about 8 with. I say about because I am using a crappy bathroom scale to weigh it. Build Notes, Tools, and build Photos So, here as some facts/experiences I learned during the process. #1 Don't take shortcuts or get in a hurry. Every time I tried this it backfired and did not work. This included adding a small mar to my barrel and marring my flash hider #2 Right tools for the right job. Seriously. #3 Don't use an adjustable wrench on flash hiders that have rocksett on them. (ps, rocksett dissolves in water) #4 A two pieces of wood with a groove in them for a barrel vise block ARE an exception to the #2. They worked great and cost 1$ @ home depot. #5 Vise grips are the easiest way to push roll pins in, when possible. #6 &(@#*$ FSB taper pins. No matter what I did I could not get the second one out. I finally took it to my ffl who happens to be a class 3 dealer/silencer manufacture and builds ARs daily. He could not get it out with a sledge and had to use an air hammer. This unfortunately mangled the first 1mm of my fsb pin hole on the small side. It has not affected the pin strength (and may have made it stronger as it effectively staked it when i drove it back in) in a noticeable way... I cannot pound it back out........ But it looks less than perfect/professional. Fortunately you cannot see it. #7 Have a mini sledge hammer for fsb pins. Seriously. #8 Install the dust cover BEFORE the barrel. #9 A special thanks to fivonut (ar15.com) the owner of Reaper Tactical @ www.reapertactical.com for sending me a jar of aeroshell 33ms grease for the barrel install! He did it for free and refused even money for shipping. That was cool as hell, check his stuff out. Here are some photos of the process The respirator was mostly just to protect my face incase of flying cutting disk/metal. A bit overkill I am sure. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6508758787_b249b85b79_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6508759723_0a90f76976_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6508761735_342ea7c36f_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6508762387_15ca1df56d_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6516818103_5f0e91209f_b.jpg My ghetto workbench. No garage so :p The wood blocks I found at home depot worked great. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6508755011_3baf2e731f_b.jpg My inside "workbench". Much to my wife's dismay. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6508756785_2c0842e52a_b.jpg areoshell 33ms on the threads. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7166/6508761015_a9ec57be2b_b.jpg A list of tools used: 4 Inch Vise from home depot + a table to mount in on found at a garage sale. a variety of wrenchs/vise grips etc etc (normal set of everyday tools). Must haves are Vise Grips, Needle Nose Pliers, Adjustable Wrench, Fixed Wrench of size need for your Flash hider, Philips and flat head, hammer, mini sledge, and an allen wrench set. Roll pin Punch set<––––- A cheapo roll pin set, but they worked just fine. No bending etc. I would buy them again. http://www.amazon.com/Grip-Roll-Pin-Punch-Set/dp/B003L7HOMG DPMS Claw upper vise block <––––- Worked great! Totally recommend http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/AR15-DPMS-Panther-Claw-p/panther%20claw%20ar15.htm DPMS Multi-Wrench<–––––– Worked great. http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/DPMS-Armorer-AR15-Barrel-Wrench-p/dpms%20tl-mw%20wrench.htm Soft Face mallet <––- saved my ass when I had to install the dust cover after I had already installed the barrel. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NPR2U8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER Snap Pliers <–––– They are snap pliers... what do you want me to say? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NPT5YO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER Rotatory Tool for FSB shave + some extra cutting attachments from home depot <- Great! Cheaper than Dremel and more power than most of them. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MUSLCC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER Starrett 1/4inch Steel flat Starter Punch Touque wrench borrowed from Autozone. What a great service! Vendors Rainier Arms< ––––- I had a chance to drive to their store while in Oregon for a PA school interview. They were the most helpful, knowledgeable and downright amazing gun store I have ever encountered. I look young (I am 27, but look 18) so most gun store staff blow me off as some modern warfare kid and if they bother to acknowledge me they talk down to me. I did not experience that and all and spent over an hour in the store having a great conversation with one of the sales reps. I got to handle a bunch of cool gear. I would buy from them any day, and would even pay a few extra dollars due to my experience with them. BCM I ordered a bunch of stuff from them. Shipping was average speed and my order came with a bunch of nice gun porn :) Carricoz Armory/ Best prices on MEGA stuff. Ordered an upper. First time it got shipped to the wrong address and got returned to him. He called me and we fixed the address. Shipping speed was slightly slow 1.5 weeks, but I would buy again. http://www.vltor.com/ Had a problem with the A5 tube flaking off anodizing. I ordered from their webstore. They got back to me in 10 minutes when I sent them an email! Best customer service ever. My only complaint was I had t pay return shipping even though they suggest it return it. I included a note on this in the return and the rep called with my tracking info and told me they will pay return shipping if a customer asks for it. I personally feel I should not have to ask for it, but otherwise the best customer service experience one could have! www.bigsupplyshop.com I bought my alpha rail from here at about 60$ less than everywhere else had it. I was scared it was a scam, but reseller ratings said it was legit. Shipping was very fast and product was perfect. Check here for serious deals. Its my first stop. Rezin23, dealer on m4c Bought my Geissele SD-C from him. His prices were about 20-30$ less than most stores after you take shipping into account and he shipped quickly. He also sent some nice geissele stickers and a velcro patch. Highly recommend. G&R Tactical Bought my lpk and a barrel (via gunbroker) from Grant. Good communication and average/quick shipping. GTG ;) I also bought several items via ar15.com and m4C EE. Those exchanges were all stellar. Range Report As soon as weather allows!! Epic. I'm doing something similar. You had me at Heinlein. |
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Quoted:
#9 A special thanks to fivonut (ar15.com) the owner of Reaper Tactical @ www.reapertactical.com for sending me a jar of aeroshell 33ms grease for the barrel install! He did it for free and refused even money for shipping. That was cool as hell, check his stuff out.] 
Very nice build!!! |
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