M4A1 clone circa 2001; retired SFG issue upper with Knight's flash hider and RIS, and a late CompM/XD (serial number 130,XXX) on top of a MT6400C lower.

Ekie,

I like it.

Very nice, Ekie. One thing I've noticed about your various clone builds is that you are a stickler for details.

Damn nice! That's how a rifle should be!

Lookin' good Ekie!  You're making me want to put my old buttstock and aimpoint mount on!  :D

Quoted: Ekie, I like it.

Quoted: Damn nice! That's how a rifle should be!

Thanks guys, thought Stickman was going to tell me I need to paint it, LOL.

Quoted: Lookin' good Ekie!  You're making me want to put my old buttstock and aimpoint mount on!  :D

Yeah, has more of a classic look to it.

Quoted: Very nice, Ekie. One thing I've noticed about your various clone builds is that you are a stickler for details.

Yep, I like the little details.  Speaking of such, here is the box:

Lookin' great!

is A1 on an m4 a flat top?

I do not know very much about Ar-15's, but I was wondering why that verson of the Aimpoint has exposed wires, and what purpose does it serve? I cannot believe that this was a setup that would have been used in 2001. The Aimpoint doesn't seem like it could take very much of a pounding with wires exposed.

Badass!!!

Thats a great looking set-up, Ekie!

some folks can make it look easy...

Quoted: I do not know very much about Ar-15's, but I was wondering why that verson of the Aimpoint has exposed wires, and what purpose does it serve? I cannot believe that this was a setup that would have been used in 2001. The Aimpoint doesn't seem like it could take very much of a pounding with wires exposed.

Not sure, but I think those wires are there so the caps dont get lost.

ETA: Glad we weren't dueling, TheRicker... I'd be dead.

Quoted: Lookin' great! is A1 on an m4 a flat top?

The M4A1 is full auto as opposed to three round burst.  There were problems with the light barrel and full auto, so they ended up having heavy barrels.  This upper has the heavy barrel.  Colt's referred to the full auto heavy barrel M4A1 as the RO921HB (like is says on the box).

Quoted: I do not know very much about Ar-15's, but I was wondering why that verson of the Aimpoint has exposed wires, and what purpose does it serve? I cannot believe that this was a setup that would have been used in 2001. The Aimpoint doesn't seem like it could take very much of a pounding with wires exposed.

The wires simply retain the caps, and they do bust off.  Newer models use rubber retainers.

Quoted: Quoted: I do not know very much about Ar-15's, but I was wondering why that verson of the Aimpoint has exposed wires, and what purpose does it serve? I cannot believe that this was a setup that would have been used in 2001. The Aimpoint doesn't seem like it could take very much of a pounding with wires exposed. Not wires. They are braided cables to keep from losing the windage/elevation and battery caps.

My point exactly. I do not know that much. But I just learned a new tidbit ! Thanks!

Nice rifle.

very nice!

very nice!

I thought the M4 stock had the larger back pad with the sling loop at the bottom?

Well done man!

Ekie,
Excellent "Early" M4A1 project!!


Same route I took for one of my M4 projects-Ancient Aimpoint CompM(Serial range: 4,8XX ),
Late '80s Surefire 600 weapons light, KAC RAS,(Minus the ARMS #40/need a Knights 300 meter)

Ekie,

When you get the time, I would be quite interested in hearing the tale of this weapon.  Why you decided on it, where you found the parts, etc etc..

Quoted: Ekie, When you get the time, I would be quite interested in hearing the tale of this weapon.  Why you decided on it, where you found the parts, etc etc..

Sure, will try and do that tonight, after I get the kids tucked in....

Very nice!

Curious what BUIS was available in 2001?  A.R.M.S. made flip ups or what cut down carry handle the way to go?

G23c

Very nice Ekie.  Just as with your Ak`s, very nice and very authenticly done !!

Quoted: I thought the M4 stock had the larger back pad with the sling loop at the bottom?

Not until 2002.  Far as I can tell they did not make it to the sand box in numbers till late 2003/2004.

Quoted: Ekie, Excellent "Early" M4A1 project!! img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/IronBalaclava/EkiesM4A101.jpg Same route I took for one of my M4 projects-Ancient Aimpoint CompM(Serial range: 4,8XX ), Late '80s Surefire 600 weapons light, KAC RAS,(Minus the ARMS #40/need a Knights 300 meter) img.photobucket.com/albums/v454/IronBalaclava/IBRRAM4PrebanSMaLL.jpg

Very nice, that is an old Aimpoint CompM.  The oldest I have had were in the 5X,XXX range.  Did not like those, can't hardly see the dot on a sunny day.  I like the late CompM/XD just fine, almost as bright as a Comp M2.

Quoted: Very nice! Curious what BUIS was available in 2001?  A.R.M.S. made flip ups or what cut down carry handle the way to go? G23c

I could not write a list of available BUIS's at the time without looking it up.  But I have plenty of pictures of M4A1 Carbines in Afghanistan in 2001/2002.  Not all had a BUIS, and the ones that did have that Knight's 300M deal on them.

Quoted: Very nice Ekie.  Just as with your Ak`s, very nice and very authenticly done !!

Thanks, I really need to get my 1977 Izhmash AKM done, going to be sweet.

Quoted: Ekie, When you get the time, I would be quite interested in hearing the tale of this weapon.  Why you decided on it, where you found the parts, etc etc..

OK, here is the long version:

Here is where I found the upper:

www.auctionarms.com/Closed/DisplayItem.cfm?ItemNum=6417159.0

It shipped to me from Raefield, NC, which is by Ft. Bragg.  So put 2 and 2 together, plus figure in that the upper was packed with fine sand, and you follow me here.  Unlike some of my other uppers, like say my A1 or A2 which are real deal surplus uppers, they have no character, no story, no soul.  Ever pick up a Garand, and wonder if it had been to the Battle of the Bulge, Normandy beach, etc?  If so, then you will now what I mean when I say this upper has a story.  I bought the upper because it was a deal, once in hand I had a new project.

So, already had a spare MT6400C lower that I was saving for a undecided project.  The upper was "broken" in, so needed wore parts to round it out.  Took the Aimpoint off my older M4gery, and bought a used buttstock assy and lower parts kit from CMMG (formerly Izzy service).  The wore buttstock was mated to a M4 receiver extension, and I used the beat up mag catch and release button from the kit.  Still need to find a wore charging handle, selector switch, grip and bolt catch.

Now my single remaining hobby (got a family now you know) is infantry weapons.  So had a decision to make.  Should I do it up as a Big Army Infantry weapon , or try to restore it back to what it was, a SFG weapon?  Decided to restore it as close as I could to what it was, which would mean going with a Knight's flash hider. Based on past experience I tested the upper before attaching the flash hider.  My testing consists of going over to my friend's house who has a RR M16 and doing a bunch of mag dumps to assure it works (this one did not, but I got it running).  I silver soldered it, a Ron Smith jam nut, and a peel washer on with 1,100 degree flux, then coated it with Norrell's because the solder ran and made a mess.  And that is that.

very nice

Ekie,
That looks so good!

I poked around for info on the Knight's QD flash hider...
are those things seriously $70?!
I could pin it myself to save a little $$

I'm liking the "original issue" look and would love to do it, but damn!

Quoted: Ekie, That looks so good! I poked around for info on the Knight's QD flash hider... are those things seriously $70?! I could pin it myself to save a little $$ I'm liking the "original issue" look and would love to do it, but damn!

Yeah, they are expensive.  I bought a used one from grinch off the EE for $40 or so.

Thankyou, the long version was well worth the read.  

More threads like this would make the world a better place, or at least something close to it.


Thanks again.

Quoted: Thankyou, the long version was well worth the read.   More threads like this would make the world a better place, or at least something close to it. Thanks again.

No problem.

Anbody know what these marks are on the barrel?  There are four of them.



I thought they might be from a rack, but I have never seen one that would leave marks like that.  Thought maybe it was from a set of barrel blocks, might have been in a vise while installing/removing the Knight's flash hider?

Quoted: No problem. Anbody know what these marks are on the barrel?  There are four of them. img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/M4A112.jpg I thought they might be from a rack, but I have never seen one that would leave marks like that.  Thought maybe it was from a set of barrel blocks, might have been in a vise while installing/removing the Knight's flash hider?

What is that "spacer" thing between the KAC comp and the shims?

Is the KAC comp permanently affixed and you had to put a spacer to get out to 16"?

Scott

Quoted: What is that "spacer" thing between the KAC comp and the shims? Is the KAC comp permanently affixed and you had to put a spacer to get out to 16"? Scott

That is a Ron Smith jam nut.  There are different ways to get past 16", I like the jam nut in that it mates up nicely with the ring mount on a bayonet.  And yes, I affixed it with 1,100 degree silver solder flux:

Quoted: Anbody know what these marks are on the barrel?  There are four of them. img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/M4A112.jpg I thought they might be from a rack, but I have never seen one that would leave marks like that.  Thought maybe it was from a set of barrel blocks, might have been in a vise while installing/removing the Knight's flash hider?

Pulling the FSB?  I'm not sure, but its possible.

If there are four of those marks I would say someone definately had the end of that barrel in some aluminum vice blocks.  That's what it looks like to me.

whats the make of the upper?  stock?  etc?

nice weapon

knowing Ekie I'd say it was all Colt.

Tagged

Quoted: If there are four of those marks I would say someone definately had the end of that barrel in some aluminum vice blocks.  That's what it looks like to me.

Sure looks like it, maybe they used one with an A1 barrel cut out and it did not go all the way around the barrel?

Quoted: whats the make of the upper?  stock?  etc?

Quoted: knowing Ekie I'd say it was all Colt.

Like K1196A said, all Colt's save the Knight's and Aimpoint stuff.

Nice!!!

I would say that they are from the military armorer replacing the flash hider. Its done on about 90% of the Military M-4A1s.

Quoted: Anybody know what these marks are on the barrel?  There are four of them. img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/M4A112.jpg I thought they might be from a rack, but I have never seen one that would leave marks like that.  Thought maybe it was from a set of barrel blocks, might have been in a vise while installing/removing the Knight's flash hider?

They remind me of what marks would be made to the barrel when it was tossed into a bin containing many other barrels (stacked like firewood). Pehaps contact marks each time it hit the pile.

the marks appear to be perpendicular, as opposed to something having been dragged the length of the barrel.

Looks great Ekie!

Do you know the approximate vintage of the lower? I haven't seen too many 6400C lowers marked "Colt's MFG" and was wondering when it was made.

Does SAW have lowers marked like this? If so I'd like to pick one up. Both of my 6400Cs are marked Colt Defense, so I'd like to have one marked like yours.

Thanks in advance.

Quoted: I would say that they are from the military armorer replacing the flash hider. Its done on about 90% of the Military M-4A1s.

I am thinking that is the deal.  I bet the barrel blocks cut out were not quite big enough, so the corners grabbed on and left marks.  Plus the USGI flash hider that it came with was like new, so it must have had something else on it.

Quoted: They remind me of what marks would be made to the barrel when it was tossed into a bin containing many other barrels (stacked like firewood). Pehaps contact marks each time it hit the pile. the marks appear to be perpendicular, as opposed to something having been dragged the length of the barrel.

There are four perfect ones, and I had another upper with the same marks.  So I don't think they were made by being tossed around.

Quoted: Looks great Ekie! Do you know the approximate vintage of the lower? I haven't seen too many 6400C lowers marked "Colt's MFG" and was wondering when it was made. Does SAW have lowers marked like this? If so I'd like to pick one up. Both of my 6400Cs are marked Colt Defense, so I'd like to have one marked like yours. Thanks in advance.

Far as I can tell, the first 500 or so were marked Colt MFG, and used the lower forging without the big raised area where the receiver extension screws in.  Then in 2004 Colt's put out both Colt MFG, and Colt Defense rifles, both on the same forging.  This is one of the 2004 rifles, last four numbers are 37XX.

Last time I check with SAW sales, they were sold out of MT6400C lowers, that was about a month or so ago.

In case anyone wanted to know...

The NSN on the box is right!

I'm sitting at work and typed this in my computer...

Military pays $587.00 a piece for these!!!  hope i don't go to jail for telling you all....

Quoted: In case anyone wanted to know... The NSN on the box is right! I'm sitting at work and typed this in my computer... Military pays $587.00 a piece for these!!!  hope i don't go to jail for telling you all....

Had no idea they were that cheap, and I thought I did good on this project.

Quoted: Quoted: Looks great Ekie! Do you know the approximate vintage of the lower? I haven't seen too many 6400C lowers marked "Colt's MFG" and was wondering when it was made. Does SAW have lowers marked like this? If so I'd like to pick one up. Both of my 6400Cs are marked Colt Defense, so I'd like to have one marked like yours. Thanks in advance. Far as I can tell, the first 500 or so were marked Colt MFG, and used the lower forging without the big raised area where the receiver extension screws in.  Then in 2004 Colt's put out both Colt MFG, and Colt Defense rifles, both on the same forging.  This is one of the 2004 rifles, last four numbers are 37XX. Last time I check with SAW sales, they were sold out of MT6400C lowers, that was about a month or so ago.

Thanks for the info. I'll fire off an e-mail to Tina tomorrow morning.

Just plain awesome work Ekie!  Reminds me of the past when I couldn't get over your AK builds.  Thanks for the memories and push to get on building my M4gery...

Just to toss in $.02 worth of history- One reason you may have that storied barrel in your possession is that the ~3000 RO921HB uppers sent to the Army in 2001 were eventually all tossed and replaced around 2003 by new ones.  Apparently there was some defect in the original construction..  I've heard different stories about the exact nature of the flaw- one story was just that many barrel nuts were not torqued properly- the other story was an actual design flaw in the barrel.  Maybe KMFDM or some Colt RKI can step in with more info.

FWIW, I know of RO921HB uppers from that time that run flawlessly- the problems may have only been in a small (but unacceptably large) % of the total run..

HTH

Quoted: Just plain awesome work Ekie!  Reminds me of the past when I couldn't get over your AK builds.  Thanks for the memories and push to get on building my M4gery...

I need to get all those "no-ban" AK's done, been busy as you can see with the AR builds.

me like but...HOW CAN IT BE AN A1 IF IT DOESNT HAVE A HANDLE? is it just the barrel?? im confused...