Late getting around to it, sorry guys. It tends to be easier to dump in the FB group.

Here's some under the hood looks at the Gen 1 handguard, or however we call it, and the wheel FSB.

SPR upper breakdown by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

Here's the FSB flats on the WOA, that presumably ADCO cut when they assembled the upper for KOBK. It would seem the flats were not specifically cut for this pattern FSB and you'll see why.

PRI Wheel FSB vs WOA barrel with flats by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

Notice where the set screws have imprinted?

Flats closeup by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

The flats are aligned with the dimple and gas port buuuuuut....

Flats closeup 2 by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

The wheel FSB's set screws are NOT aligned with the gas port. They're actually set back from it. This may be a clue to later changes to PRI's FSBs and the Ops Inc collar lengths, and how that relates to barrel proportions.

Wheel FSB set screws vs flats by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

Here's the barrel nut with collar on. Yes, as KOBKs old pics and SWM's rebuild indicated, the handguard actually screws onto the barrel nut. Oh, and the collar has holes in it for the gas tube just like the barrel nut on the late handguards. Oh, and so does the handguard itself.

Barrel nut and locking collar by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

If you look closely, you can see the holes for the 2 set screws and a flat area in the threading. One of those holes had the remains of a lead shot which PRI told me were used on these handguards. And you HAVE to remove the FSB/gas tube to take the handguards apart, thanks to the collar and HG having alignment holes for the gas tube. Wheeeee!!!!

Handguard vs Barrel nut by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

Set screws with the remains of one of the shot. It broke into 2 pieces, the other hole had no evidence of a lead shot.

Set screws and lead shot by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

2 set screw holes by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

Handguard attachment rails for the ARMS sleeve. Again per KOBK's pics, the ARMS rail bolts straight into those dovetail rails. No 1913 like the later Gen III.

Top ARMS integration by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

Side view of top rail by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr

I had to repaint the end of this rail, the previous black paint came straight off with Citristrip. This little section sticks out the front and has to be painter flat black or it would be all shiny and silver. I believe the issued rifles tweaked this a bit, maybe a shorter rail and it may have been anodized?

Front detail by LanceCriminal86, on Flickr



Wheelman wasn't kidding though, this whole rail is basically held together by the ARMS sleeve. The handguard is hand tightened to where it lines up, slide the ARMS sleeve on, drop in the screws, then tighten the collar basically hand tight, because you have to get the gas tube through. It's like you have to not only time the barrel nut, but the collar as well!

I scored a Leupold blem 112633 last month for $630

Damn I need to find deals like that.  I need glass for my H

Which harris bipod model is correct for mod1?

BRM-S

Okay, so I thought I would do something different. Instead of cloning the cool kid, figured I would clone a 6.8 prototype that has always captured my attention. All I have ever seen is a black & white photo out of a book. I plan on giving deer and hogs a hard time with it. I hope this rifle can find a home in this forum. It really was fun to do. I could not have done it without the EE on this site! I included the original pic  and a black and white photo of mine ( obviously, I ain't no photographer)
Build list:
Standard lower , I am a lefty and removed my ambi safety for the pics
A1 stock
A1 fat grip
RRA 3.5# 2 stage trigger
Splintered A upper receiver
W.O.A. 16" 6.8 SS barrel
PRI 12" carbon fiber tube (I ordered it without the vent holes)
PRI flip up front sight gas block ( although the barrel is a mid gas, with a gas block under the tube)
ARMS #38 full length top rail
ARMS 40 rear sight
ARMS throw lever base with track mounted rings
Couldn't identify the scope in the original pic, so I went with a Leupold VX3 4.5x14x40 SF w/ boone & crocket recticle ( because I like hunting with this optic)
Muzzle device is a Griffin Armament 2 chamber taper mount brake
My first SS form 1 can caps it off

Excellent build!

Outstanding work!

Didn't someone say that glass was a Bausch and Lomb 10x or something?

I feel so forgotten.

Yes and the mount is a #19A. The #35 makes a good stand-in.

Mod 1 finally finished . I might be the only person running an SMOS barrel. I'll post accuracy results when I shoot for groups.

Attached File

Awesome.

Just stunning! Not enough words to express the fapability of this post.

Great post. Will probably link to it in my OP. Still haven't got the photos working for it yet... 

Very nice. Tearing a gen1 down and putting it back together makes you really appreciate installing G rails.

Damn. That's about as good as you can get.

Can someone tell me what I'm looking at?



Are these clone correct and are they a pain in the butt to install?

Looks like the set screw version?  Is it even real?

That replaced the "wheeled" FSB. Ones with the address aren't as common as those without.

Those pics are tiny, but it looks legit.

Cool, thanks.

It's a local guy, says it came from an SR16?  I never knew these came on SR16s?

I believe it's airsoft, personally.  Looks like the King Arms copy.

I know, I had concerns about that as well, because it looks almost exactly the same, right down to the markings, and I couldn't find any images of real ones that looked like the one pictured.

The markings are pretty accurate to earlier PRi sights, but that cross-bolt and retaining pin look just like the airsoft one to me.

I've fired off an e-mail to PRI and I'll see if they can tell if they're real or not.

Do you have a pic of the earlier sights?  My google-fu is weak and I can't seem to find any images of the real ones with matching markings.

Probably right.

The face of the pin does look flatter than it should.

Attached File

Thanks.

Got a slightly better quality image:



I'm going to see this thing in person tomorrow......not that I will be able to tell, lol!

Any specials running on TS-30 or TS-30A2 Scopes? 

Or  I may just go back to 3.5-10x40 M3 LRT.

*UPDATE* Tony from PRI replied my e-mail and seems to be of the opinion that it's real.  

I think I'll take a chance and grab it, hope for the best.

Was getting some dope on my Mk12 mod Juan with a very curious turkey in the way

*Update*

Well, I dodged the bullet on a fake PRI front sight.  A guy was selling these on a local forum and he was of the belief that it was real.  I sent a picture to PRI and even they were of the opinion that it was one of theirs.  

Pics from the original ad:



I don't think the seller was intentionally trying to rip people off.  He got them second hand from someone who told him they were real.  Unfortunately, they are not, though they look pretty convincing.











I went to see the seller in person today and had a look at them.  They looked pretty convincing, even had some weight to them, but after playing with them, I decided there was too much play in the sight in the opened or closed position.  The other thing, which was a dead give away took no longer than 2 seconds to see.  Spot it yet?  There's no gas port for the gas to escape the barrel and into the "gas block".  There was a hole for the gas tube, and even a hole for the gas tube roll pin.  

For $35, I should have know, lol!

I'd have done it just to use the sight tower on a real block. If the sight tower can be made to work on a legit PRI base, it'd be one way to get a period correctish tower for a late Mod 0.

It'll work, but it won't be functioning. It's fair enough if you don't care about using your sights. Have to clean up the hole for the cross-bolt, though. Before I found my address sight I tinkered with one a little bit for that purpose which is why I suspected it was airsoft.  The base is the closest to the real thing in dimension, the rest is slightly undersized.  I even had the entire thing on my 6.8 Mod 0 briefly since that rifle used a mid-length gas block under the handguard.  Briefly being about a week.

I think it would take a lot of effort to get it to work.  The sight tower was a bit wobbly in the open position and the closed positon already, so to make it work on a real base would take a lot of tinkering.  I almost bough it because I'd considered doing up an M&P15-22 in some sort of Mod-0 clone using airsoft parts, but I don't really want to get into a project like that right now.

You made the right choice. It honestly isn't worth the hassle.

That bird is soooo dumb, yet tasty.  Too bad he didn't come out on you in the fall.  Woulda made a good mk12 thanksgiving story!

Anyone have a Nighforce 2.5-10x32 they are looking to get rid of?

I got a new stock and pistol grip what you think?

Hello all,

Long time follower (years) of this thread. Decided to finally post. I was first fascinated with MK12's when I had a chance to shoot one on an Army range about 5 years ago. Decided to start building a MK12 "inspired" rifle last winter. I figured it wouldn't be worth the money to build a clone, so I took many liberties when it came to correct parts if I could save money. I love the rifle, but after digging back through this thread, I have decided to go the route of a clone (or a "replica" at the very least). I have just received the KAC rail from Dennis Todd on this site (Thanks Dennis! Easy transaction, retail price, and fast shipping). I have also ordered the KAC front sight, ambi selector, A1 pistol grip, and a surplus A1 stock to replace the repro I currently have on there.

Here is the current config beyond the obvious...

- LaRue Tactical 12" rail (replacement aquired)
- Ballistic Advantage MK12 barrel
- AE Collar and Brake
- Brownell's/Nodak A1 Lower
- Leupold Mark 4 LR/T 3.5-10 (looking for a salty MR/T, as the LR/T is moving to my R700)
- Standard charging handle (this will be replaced by a PRI asap)

http://imgur.com/a/k5h3o

Nice to see you got an FFRAS from the last batch! Look forward to seeing you get it swapped and painting it.

Looks great...mine wore a LaRue here until recently also.

Go show PRI some love my dudes, it has HAPPENED!

Horrey Sheeeiiiitttttt

I don't have a need for this product but major props to PRI for listening to their customers.

All we need now is a revision of the Retro HG to be closer to the Gen I.

After that it'd be on ARMS to make #38s and rings again, but I'm convinced they are circling the drain and that isn't happening.


So, you can get a great "beater" early SPR/Mod 0 with PRI parts and at least score ARMS rings/rear sight for correctness points. At this point ARMS #38 SPR MOD and PEQ rails are about unobtainable on their own. Seems like they're either on issued uppers or already on an early built upper like SWM, Engineer's, or mine. You've got the modded PEQ-2-3 ones but then those are less available for late rifles and that also kinda sucks.

Is this to mean that painting is compulsory here? I'm game. That's gonna be a big hurdle, psychologically speaking. I'm gonna have to get out in the mountains and low crawl a few hundred yards with it to make it look "issued".

Found your next purchase, and its mandatory if you ask me

I have more trepidation about painting a $1000 optic than the $1400 upper asssy.  

It took 2 weeks before I painted my first Mk12 in 05. In 12/13 my SR25 with Gen 1 Razor took about a week and a half.  My second Mk12 in June I painted the next day.  You get over it quick.  The real test will be when my M40A1 clone is done and I'm looking at that MST100 with krylon in my hand.

Courage is having trepidation but STILL moving forward with the rattle-can anyways. Always faithful, always forward. Spray-paint everything.

Awesome! Makes me wanna pick one up just to have in the parts bin.

Has anyone here experimented with different buffers to mitigate the gas blowback from their mk12 while shooting suppressed?  Maybe the Tubb Buffer Spring or an extra heavy rifle buffer?  I'm using an A1 stock.

Thanks
JR Kirby

A buffer or spring won't change how much blowback you are getting. An adjustable gas block or carrier will make a difference, however. I run Bootleg's adjustable bolt carrier in most of my suppressed rigs.