I would not normally ask for help, certainly not for myself, but I feel compelled to try to put this together.
A while back I posted a link to a news story about a local kid who was allowed  leave from his duties in Iraq so he could come home to help his wife with the very difficult and painful decision regarding the amputation of their young son's foot. He was born with a birth defect and it was decided that amputation was the best route. Anyhow, sob story aside, he has returned from Iraq and has shown an interest buying a firearm, but says it will have to wait until his family obligations are met.
Gunsap and I are trying to assemble an AR for him, without his knowledge to present to him, as a thanks from our community for his service during a time when his family really needed him. My thought was to ask our local guys if they had any AR parts laying around collecting dust that they would be interested in donating to this project. I will take full responsibility for putting it all together and I can assemble the rifle from the ground up (thanks to the knowledge I gained here at AR15.com ). I think the perfect outcome would be to have assembled everything minus the lower receiver, so he can order his own and we can assemble it for him.
I would accept monetary donations in any amount for the same project, and I want to stress that I do not gain anything from this except a feeling of doing something good for someone and helping to create a lifelong shooter and American.
If you have something you'd like to donate, please contact me.
I'll start by contributing the first items:
Aluminum CAR collapsible stock (black), with buffer and spring.
A2 Pistol grip (black)
A2 Flash hider
Complete trigger/hammer assembly

Thanks guys (and gals), I will update as stuff comes in and I'll make sure that photos are taken of the presentation and the finished product etc.
I hope to have some photos of him in Iraq to post shortly.

I suppose I should at least mention that his name is Josh Slater, and you can probably search the Record Courier website out of Douglas county to find the story about he and his wife. I would also like for it to be a total surprise, so if you happen to know him please don't ruin it!

Ron

Currently received items:
stripped 16" barrel (thanks cazador223!)
1 USGI 30rd mag, 1 Thermold 30rd Mag, 4x Leapers scope (thanks E22CAPT!)
Coyote M4 stock assembly, now complete (thanks Chiz45!)
Coyote Ergo grip and screw (thanks bthp223!)
Complete trigger assembly
A2 flash hider
Can of Brownells Bake on teflon finish black (to refinish the whole weapon when complete)
Barrel nut
I have a complete front sight assembly and a picatinny type gas block, so we can go flat top or A2 depending on availability of other parts
$327 Cash received :
($25Thanks MeanSteve, you big softy!)
($10 thanks Frank Gordon, CCW instructor in Douglas County)
($10 thanks MathausSoldat, my cousin)
($100 thanks bthp223!)
($25 thanks Ishoot2live!)
($7 thanks Rusty Jeorgenson@Hamdogs!)
($150 Thanks HIWATHL!)
Spring weld, snap ring, hangaurd cap (Thanks Tweak!)
Just made a deal with a gentleman on the EE for a good price on a complete bolt assembly, so there are your donation dollars at work!
Also got a charging handle on the cheap.
I added another USGI 30 round mag to the box.
Bolt stop added to bolt deal
Received A2 upper from drop in visitor (Thanks Snakeeye!)
Ordered all small parts for lower receiver. Only need forarm/handguards!

Currently pledged items:
stripped lower receiver
bipod
side sling mount
mags
followers
magpuls (4)
delta ring
trigger guard,extra furniture, magazine release, takedown pins

At this point, I think I will have this rifle assembled in the next few weeks, it'll just be a matter of gettting all of the little parts refinishing a few of the rough pieces.

100.00 from our family,IM me.

I have a bi-pod if you plan on putting a rail sytem on it.  Also a rail mounted front sling swivel.

If you have an FFL handy, I'll send you a stripped lower (Stag Arms).

if he'd prefer tan furniture, i've got a new waffle style tan collapsible stock; M4 profile carbine handguards, tons of black followers, some green.

I have mags, ammo, 4 position stock, buffer an spring, 4x POS scope, .....maybe more.  You can have it all.
"G"

I don't have anything that hasn't already been contributed, but I will go out to the garage and check.

Actually, if he wants a regular stock instead of a collapsible, I have a near-new colt stock and buffer he can have.

GM,

I am in for $25.00 cash.....

Just IM me and give me the address where I can send the Cashier's Check and who to make it out to..... or, if PayPal is an option I can do that too.

Please let me know.

I am proud and glad that I can help out.

God bless America, and may God continue to bless our Troops.....



Joe

I have a stripped 16in. heavy barrel, the bore is shiney but it has some finish wear.

Tom

Put me down for four mag-puls. Need an address...

Please send any donations to:
Ron Sims
PO Box 2721
Gardnerville, NV
89410

Make a note that this is for the AR donation project or something like that, although I do not have items sent to this PO Box, so any AR related items that might show up there will automatically be assumed a donation for this project.

Thanks to everyone who has generously offered to donate items. I am overwhelmed by the show of support , both from the local folks and the folks I assume are checking in via the active topics section. In less than 24 hours we have pledges for more than I ever imagined. This is an awesome community, and even though we rib each other about geography, we have a fantastic brotherhood here.
Also, I think it speaks well of you all  that you would consider giving of yourself to a project being run by "some guy on the internet". Most of you don't know me personally and as far as you know I could be a total sheister. I am aware of this, and promise not to let anybody down. I appreciate your trust and your generousity in a year when we have been asked by EVERYBODY to donate to some cause or another.

My thought is, anything donated that is a repeat item will be sold/traded at a gun show to come up with other needed parts, so don't be shy if you have something you have lying around that has already been donated. Also, in the event that the rifle is completed with money or parts to spare, then the leftovers will be sold to buy ammo or magazines, etc.

I'll keep a running donation tally in the first post.

I found this from a link that was posted on the FalFiles

1 usgi 30, 1 thermold 30, scope sent.

Check Sent....

Barrel sent, it should be there by friday.

Tom

I have 25 Worthless Greater American Dollars in it from me. You'll have it tomorrow.


Yes, I realize that we discussed this in person earlier today and I already agreed to drop you some green and that my piping up and saying that I'm going to participate in this gesture of good will only serves to make me look like I'm a charitable, good-hearted individual when the opposite is exactly true.

Yes folks, so begin my political aspirations. The machinations and gears are turning. Watch out world, 2008 will be my bitch!

Quoted: maybe a list of what parts are needed will help?

As of right now, with the parts already "pledged" , it looks like needed parts are:
Bolt carrier group
Upper receiver
handgaurd cap (got it!)
gas tube (16") and pin
spring weld and snap ring for barrel assembly(got it!)
all lower receiver parts except trigger assembly,magazine release,trigger guard, takedown pins!
a tan pistol grip would be nice, but not  needed(got it!)
sling

Essentially, we are damn close to having a complete rifle right now!

Stock incoming!

First round of donated parts arrived Thursday in the mail . Big thanks to E22CAPT and Cazador223 for their donations. Also, MeanSteve had agreed to give $10, but suddenly found another $15 to add to the pile. For a guy so cheap that he shakes and lifts the hose at the gas pump to make sure he gets every last drop, I was mighty impressed to see him reach so far into his pocket.
You guys are awesome, and I am proud to be part of this community!

Still need FFL info to ship the lower.

Just a quick update for anybody interested in the current status. I have updated all received items and donations in the original post, and will be sending off FFL info to DavidC this week, so the rifle is coming along nicely. Also have a package at the Post Office I gotta pick up tomorrow when they open, so I am sure there'll be more added to the list shortly. I am gonna help a friend of mine assemble his first AR, so when we order his kit, I'll piggyback a parts order for the donation project and save on shipping as well!
MAybe evn have a rifle before Christmas!

Check your mail.......PO BOX........I meant to send it with your Mom.

Quoted: Quoted: parts went out today at 1400 did they make it?

Tweak, I am so sorry. Yes, they made it in and are in the parts box.  I have tried to keep everything updated on this thread, and I was sending out IMs , but I have fallen a little behind with all of the Holiday Madness.

I have some parts coming from a few guys over on the FALFILES I will bring them over as sone as they come in. YES THEY FINLY UN-LOCKED ME NO MORE "GD FORM" FOR THIS GUY

Quoted: I have some parts coming from a few guys over on the FALFILES I will bring them over as sone as they come in. YES THEY FINLY UN-LOCKED ME NO MORE "GD FORM" FOR THIS GUY

I told you not to venture into strange neighborhoods!

I have a Display Case full of AR/M16 Parts that i need to dump, Still need anything????

IM sent regarding parts needed. We are damn close. I am about to send off an order for the remaining parts, so the more small pieces that come in the more goodies we can get him.

thanks ARin, we are up here in beautiful Northern Nevada. I have a can of the Brownell's teflon bake on coating, and have done it before, so I am confidant we can get this rifle nice. really, the only thing that needs to be refinished is the barrel, and even that is not aweful, I have seen worse in service.
One item i am coming up short on is a handguard in Coyote color. CAR or M4, nobody seems to have them in stock, and cavArms said Ameetec was the company to go to, but they haven't gotten back to me. there is money in the pile to purchase a handgaurd if you could facilitate it.
Aside from that, I  just ordered all of the remaining small parts, so it's just ancillary gear from here. Sling, magazines, cleaning kit, etc.

This is really coming along!  

Citadel here in town has coyote M4 hanguards.

Should I snatch them up?

LMK.

Quoted: Citadel here in town has coyote M4 hanguards. Should I snatch them up? LMK.

I'll get back to ya on that. lemme see if the other companies come through  first.
Thanks for the offer.

Sorry for the delay, but the receiver should be at your FFL.

I just wanted to let everyone know that this project is still moving along. I will have the last of the parts to assemble the rifle this week and I hope to actually assemble it right after that.
Here's the best part.
I saw Josh and his wife on Christmas night and we sat and smoked a nice cuban-via-Iraq cigar with Meansteve. During the conversation, I told him I was building rifles for a couple of guys and asked if he'd like to come over and see how it's done. He was excited at the possibility of learning more than he is currently allowed to do in the NG, so I'll have him help me build his own rifle and then we'll give it to him. It'll be great!
So, again, thanks to everyone who helped make this project not just possible, but an amazing success. I see that Garandman is doing the same kind of thing, so it's not just us making good things happen for our guys coming home. I am proud to have been a part of it and you all should be, too.
I will make sure photos get posted, it'll just take someone with a better ISP connection, mine is painfully slow (I am on the dirt roads of the information superhighway).

Count me in for a new Brownell's 30 round magazine

P/N=078-000-107 - 30-Round AR-15/M16 Magazine w/Chrome Silicon Spring



~GryphonX

OKAY! We finally presented Josh with his rifle!
A big thanks again to everyone who participated and donors all over.
I'll post a pic when i can get it over to Meansteve who has better skills than myself.
Josh will probably drop in here to say a word or two as well. He is one happy and grateful young man.

Glad to oblige, GM.

Enjoy the rifle Josh!

May it provide many good years of enjoyment and protection for you and your family.

Be Safe.

Joe

Outstanding!  Thanks for heading up and seeing that project to completion Ron.  I'm looking forward to pictures of the final product.

Josh,
Congratulations, I really believe you deserved that rifle.

You guys should have seen his face. First things first, Gunsap and I went on down to Hamdog's around 1400, as per Gunmonkey's instructions. Gunsap has a little feud going on with the owners of that particular establishment, so we were to sit on the sidewalk there in front of the Valley Christian Fellowship for about a half an hour for Josh to show up.

The Holy Grounds Coffee Klatch (addended to the VCF, which itself used to be a two-screen motion picture house) serves awesome smoothies. Gunsap prefers strawberry/banana, but I can't get enough of the passion fruit flavored. They do all right, for a bunch of Christophiles, but I digress.

So, we sit outside in front of the church, pretending we're on a stakeout, watching and waiting patiently for Josh's Jeep to pull up. When it arrives, we follow Ron out to his wife's car (his personal automobile being on the fritz presently). When we open the trunk, Ron asks "Well, you can have what's under the blanket, or what's behind Door Number Two."

Josh: It had better not be a snake.

Ron: It's not a snake.

Josh: Are you sure, because I fucking hate snakes.

Ron: If it were a snake, I'd be surprised, seeing as how it wasn't a snake when I put it there.

Josh: So you're sure it's not a snake?

Ron: We're positive.

So, Josh warily pulls the blanket back, hand shaking in terror and anticipation, still thinking that he was in for a fistful of pit viper and reveals the rifle that we, the members of the AR15.com Nevada Hometown forum donated.

Josh was a bit weepy-eyed when Ron handed him a sheet of loose-leaf detailing who donated what and a suggestion that Josh send Thank Yous to all involved.

Totally awesome.

Ron is about the best friend I think I've ever had. It's utterly amazing the things he'll do for anybody. Absolutely outstanding.

Thanks for the update MeanSteve, but, as they say...


We need pictures!!!

As soon as homeboy sends me the image, I can post!

If I'd have been thinking, I would have brought my dumb crappy camera.

DEE APOSTROPHE OH AYCH.

Cool

Glad I could help out.

Sie ist ein Modell und sie sieht gut aus
Ich nehme sie heut' gerne mit zu mir nach Haus
Sie wirkt so kuehl, and sie kommt niemand 'ran
Doch vor der Kamera da zeigt sie was sie kann

Sie trinkt im Nachtklub immer Sekt (korrekt)
Und hat hier alle Maenner abgecheckt
Im Scheinwerferlicht ihr junges Laecheln strahlt
Sie sieht gut aus und Schoenheit wird bezahlt

Sie stellt sich zu Schau fuer das Konsumprodukt
Und wird von millionen Augen angeguckt
Ihr neues Titelbild ist einfach Fabelhaft
Ich muss sie wiedersehen, ich weiss sie hat's geschaft