This month's guest post is by another member of my local gun forum (he goes by the name cruffler). He built a retro/classic AR.
Many older folks might find it interesting that the AR-15 has been around long enough, that the originals can be called "classics" now....
and the ALG, mil-spec trigger group from AIM for $45
Many older folks might find it interesting that the AR-15 has been around long enough, that the originals can be called "classics" now....
It doesn’t seem like it was almost a year ago in May 2015 that I received the M16A1 Parts Kit from What A Country. The price then was $478 with shipping, the price now is $599.
I received a $35 dollar price break for removal of the “evil bits” - Bolt Carrier, Trigger, Hammer, Dis-connector and Selector Lever
"Original Colt M16A1 Parts Kit.
Surplus used: Good condition. Will show some use/wear to all parts/furniture.
Ejection port door generally will have some discoloration.
These parts come from original Colt 1970's era M16A1 export rifles."
Surplus used: Good condition. Will show some use/wear to all parts/furniture.
Ejection port door generally will have some discoloration.
These parts come from original Colt 1970's era M16A1 export rifles."
http://whatacountry.com/colt-m16a1-parts-kit.aspx
Of course it cost me more that that to replace them with the approved items. I got the bolt carrier from PSA (they are out of stock as of this writing, I don't recall the exact price, but it was around $50 IIRC
and the ALG, mil-spec trigger group from AIM for $45
I bought a 20 in. lightweight barrel from Del-Ton for $154.
I also had to order a safety selector which was missing from the parts kit from PSA for $10 and an AR15 lost parts kit from Amazon with pins/springs to replace a few pins that were also AWOL from the original parts kit.
Of course, the NodakSpud Receiver was $160, plus FFL fees for $195 total.
I went back and forth trying to decide to order a gray or black receiver, and decided to go with the black. It was probably almost six months from the time that I placed my order to when I received it. Some of the time was taken up by my choice to have a black finish instead of the standard gray. Maybe I should have gone with the gray, but I like the looks of the black lower with the buttstock and foreend that came with the parts kit, so I really don’t regret my choice.
It’s not like I’m going to fool anyone into thinking that I have a real M16A1 anyway. Especially with NODAKSPUD instead of a Colt or Armalite logo on the receiver.
A can of Brownells matte black Aluma-Hyde II to match the upper receiver to the black lower was $12.
I also had to buy an armorer’s tool, and upper and lower receiver vice blocks for maybe $50.
Total price for the damage was just over $1,000.
Here is is finished, matching upper and lower and a period correct 20 round Colt magazine
It turns out this sort of build is pretty popular. As I was preparing this post, Colt announced (at the NRA Annual Meetings) that they were bringing back the Colt M16A1 (in semi-auto of course).
photo courtesy of The Firearm Blog
Here is is finished, matching upper and lower and a period correct 20 round Colt magazine
It turns out this sort of build is pretty popular. As I was preparing this post, Colt announced (at the NRA Annual Meetings) that they were bringing back the Colt M16A1 (in semi-auto of course).
photo courtesy of The Firearm Blog
