Couldn't wait for a group buy. Even with all the votes for a Viet era replica other rifles continued to be built so I started my own project.
It originally started as one rifle six months ago but during the parts accumulation I ended up with three lowers and many handguards and buttstocks. I also ended up with many small parts, charging handles and the like acquired along the way. If it was a good deal, I bought several.
I bought a complete SP1 upper with FA and two slick side unbarreled uppers. I picked up a barrel and couple bolts with carriers at a gunshow and found a deal on some fake flash hiders on the EE board.
Lots of horse trading and deal hunting on this board got thru this.
Yesterday I finished the hardest part. Grinding off the ears on the bayo lugs and silver soldering the fake hiders on. Yesterday afternoon I refinished all the furniture with alumahide ll except the few pieces that were mint.That stuff works great.
I put the second lower parts kit in today and put the babies all together. One is slick side the other has FA. The slick side got the refinished furniture and the other got the minty stuff.
Both rifles look great and I feel like Gene Stoner himself.
They both function check fine but I need to get them out for a little range work.
I'd post pics but the photo server is down.
I am short one barrel and bolt and carrier to finish the third. I have a deal in the works for a barrel.