Posted: 11/17/2005 10:30:40 AM EDT
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Alright, so it seems my plans to move to NV are going to be delayed at least 2 years---due to work. So I now am re-looking into getting an 80% lower and building the damn thing myslef. I have read through the FAQ section (or sticky post), however I still havea few questions etc... From what I gather it should be easy enough to do with some patience and time. I have a good friend that runs/owns a metal working business--so access to good/proper tools will be easy. I also am more comfortable with this as he can give me tips on how to do things right---I know I need to do the work myself, but he can instruct. I am just wondering where the catch here is... Other than the work, what am i missing here? Why doesnt everyone build one of these? My question is--How many of you have done this? Ho well did it turn out? What upper did you choose? From what I gather I will need to attach the mag to the magwell via a drilled and tapped hole, and then a threaded screw that "requires a tool to remove". Is that all? Do i need to weld it, or make it even more permanent? Any special tips, or words of caution when attemping this build? Certain parts/brand to stay away from etc... I tried to do as much research as possible before asking questions that have most likely been asked 100 times over now---the only sources I could find were retail outlets that obviously have a bias opinion. Looking forward to what you guys have to say about the whole process... Thanks much! Dave |
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Ok here we go.... I know not that many have built one here in Ca for many reasons, but I have and it's worth it. If you take your time and have the right tools then the project will come out very nice. I however slapped the thing together, painted it, and went out shooting the same day (not the best choice). It works so I'm happy, but when I do it again I'm going to take my time. The upper doesn't matter, so just pic the one you like. Just remember to keep it legal and useful. The tricky thing to keep in mind is that your supposed to install the mag first, because otherwise you've just started to make an AW. What I did was take an extra roll pin and drill a hole through the inside of the mag catch, through the mag rim, and slightly into the other side of the receiver. To start place the mag in the well with out the mag catch and mark the top of the mag with a pen. For the location of the pin hole I just guessedAmated and got lucky, however I'm sure there is a way to do it right. I marked the spot where I wanted the hole to be and took the mag out. Then I drilled the hole very slowly and watched the depth I was drilling into the right side of the receiver. You don't want the hole to go all the way through, so that way the pin cannot be removed with out F'n up the receiver. Once you have the hole place the mag into the well and drill the the notch for the pin in the mag. If you have messured correctly the notch in the mag will look like a half moon and not protrude into the inside of the mag. For mag options I just went with the Bushmaster Ca 10rnder. It's a good mag and you won't have to worry about spring problems. Check the "build it your self" forum, where someone did a DYI 80% thread. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=210572 Here are some sites to help you out as well... http://quartz2.cyberstation.net/~dwpaul/bs-home.htm http://www.warpig.com/paintball/technical/anodize.shtml http://mujahadeenar15a2.tripod.com/ https://www.vbd.com/noc/shop/products_detail.asp?CategoryID=49&ProductID=239 Good luck- Nightwolf |
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I have done this too. It's a great project, lot of fun. Take your time to make sure everything is just right, otherwise it will bug ya to death. I'm not sure if you knew this but Bushmaster has just started selling a CA legal rifle, and the FAB-10 has been out for a while. They are rifles with fixed internal 10 round magazines. Rayn |
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From my understanding these rifles are not what they are made out to be. Well, yes legal, but aren't they on a lower level of overall quality? As I said previously, I do intend to move out of this state within the next couple/few years--so being able to use the same rifle in detachable mag form would also be a HUGE plus when I am able to. Specifically I want to make sure that I have a magazine attached permanently whereby "it can only be removed by using a tool" as I believe the law requires. (Correct IYO?) This would come in quite handy when I go down to AZ for 3-4 weeks in EARLY spring. :-) Or is it illegal to remove the magazine while in another state that does not prevent such rifles? I don't believe I have seen one line of code dealing with that. These two rifles, and the vulcan seem to have a more permanent magazine where even cleaning would be difficult. I do believe that the vulcan could be made whole again in a free state--at which point I again returned to being worried about the over all quality. Does anyone have a built-up 80% and a vulcan/fab10 that they could compare? Also, it seems the CA bushy is Carbon Fiber... I would prefer some metal---but that just preference. :-) Thanks for everyone's comments--- if you have anything to add, or answer please do let me know. I can you all the help I can get. |
| With AR15's the DOJ wants the mag to be permanent. That's why you don't see anything out there like the DSA Fal which requires the use of a tool for the AR platform. As for 80%ers you can buy a nice forged receiver from Ar15plus.com, and as long as you use the right tools and take your time it will come out just as good as any name brand. |
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It has to be permantantly fixed OR a tool must be used to remove it. Alot of people are stuck on the gluing and welding of mags to make it legal, but if you just make it so it requires a tool to remove you're in there. Personally if I had to make a fixed mag AR I would go for a tool removal mag than a glued one. |
The problem is the DOJ has not, and has taken the stance that they wont, approved an AR reciever that requires a tool to remove the mag. Even if you did design something that would work, good luck finding someone with the balls the manufacture one and send it in. |
Read the Law, it clearly states it is LEGAL to have a mag that requires a tool to remove it. What the DOJ reps tell you isn't set in stone. They have already proven they don't know what the fuck they are talking about. |
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I never said it was against the law, I said they won't approve it; and as we all know breaking the law and not following the law are two different things and they will not hesitate to file criminal charges for either. I don't know about you, but I would rather not be the guy who goes to court to fight semantics with the DOJ and DA. And before anyone makes any comments about getting balls or anything like that, I want to know exactly what needs to be done to get balls. I feel, based on the history of America, that is our inherient responsibility to oppose any law that we feel stands against our rights. It's why we owned guns when our 'king' told us not to. It's why we fought back when we were just peasants. I fight injustice in my own way (and most of you will never know how, and I for damn sure will never go ito in on the internet), and I don't need to walk into a court room to do it. |
No one has ever been to court vs. the DOJ or the DA regarding the method of fixing a 10rnd mag. There never will be one. Do you think if they really wanted these rifles completely gone they'd let us buy all the parts legally? They want their feel good laws to make people feel a false sense of safety. With the weapons being legal in every state bordering CA, it makes the idea of completely keeping new weapons out of the state ridiculous. They know their law is stupid. There is nothing keeping CA from owning "assault rifles." Just because you can't buy them locally doesn't stop people who want them from getting them. I don't ask permission to do things that are legal. You can read the law yourself, they leave it up to you to determine what is legal and what is illegal when building firearms. Don't be scared of the DOJ or the DA, they have real criminals here in CA. I doubt the method of which your 10 round magazine is fixed in your neutered rifle is worth any of their effort. |