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I just rebuilt an AR carbine I had and tricked it out a little bit. I started with an inexpensive setup, a DPMS lower with an ER Shaw M4 barreled upper and a cheap collapsible stock. I had previously mounted an Eotech sight and a flip up A.R.M.S. #40L rear sight, and a UTG rail system. I sold the rear sight and rail to BrianSW99 yesterday.

Anyway, here's what I added:

• Model 1 16" heavy contour barrel 1:9 twist
• Midwest Industries Low Profile Gas Block
• VLTOR EMod Basic Buttstock
• Yankee Hill Machine light weight rifle length free float 4 rail handguard
• Yankee Hill Machine QDS Quick Deploy Flip-Up Rear Sight Dual Aperture (still in route to me, so it's not in the pictures)
• Yankee Hill Machine QDS Quick Deploy Flip-Up Standard Front Sight
• MagPul MIAD Modular Pistol Grip
• MagPul AFG Angled Forend Grip
• MagPul MOE Enhanced Trigger Guard
• MagPul XT Full Profile Picatinny Rail Covers
• M3X tactical long gun light with remote cord and flip-up IR filter (purchased from killerfly128)

Included in the pictures is my M&P 45, and an old family Bible printed in the 1870s...






Still to be ordered: a flip-to-side mount and a 3X magnifier for the Eotech, and some kind of good sling. But at this point, I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out. I can't wait to get to the range and shoot it.

nice work. you'll have to let me know how you like the VLTOR stock. I was deciding between that and a Magpul ACS and went with Magpul after several people told me I wouldn't like the VLTOR because those little jagged creases in the plastic on the cheek weld area will pull the hair out of my beard (yeah yeah, I ain't exactly special forces tough, I know)

As for sling (and not to sound too much like a Magpul salesman) I've been very impressed with my Magpul MS2 sling and ASAP sling adapter.

austinrealtor wrote:nice work. you'll have to let me know how you like the VLTOR stock. I was deciding between that and a Magpul ACS and went with Magpul after several people told me I wouldn't like the VLTOR because those little jagged creases in the plastic on the cheek weld area will pull the hair out of my beard (yeah yeah, I ain't exactly special forces tough, I know)

As for sling (and not to sound too much like a Magpul salesman) I've been very impressed with my Magpul MS2 sling and ASAP sling adapter.

Thanks. I had a MagPul ACS Buttstock on order from Midway, but it was taking too long to come in. The two vendors I checked with at the Fort Worth gun show had ACS stocks, but not in that color. But one of them did have the VLTOR in that color. My son has one on his carbine, and it works fine for me, and it doesn't pull my hairs out of my beard (hadn't heard that one before); so I went ahead and bought the VLTOR for mine.

I would have bought the Magpul sling adapter regardless of which sling I buy, but I just plain forgot to add it to my Midway order, so I'll be ordering one whenever I buy the sling. I also have an ambidextrous safety switch on backorder with Midway. Maybe I'll just give them a call and see if I can add them to the backorder and ship them when the order is complete.

good to know on the VLTOR whiskers issue (that's as close as I could get to a smilie with a "beard"). Other issue I had with it is it seemed more difficult to access the battery compartment? but don't remember the actual issue (looked at one at a local gun shop while deciding).

I found my ACS on eBay, which is kind of like a criminal carrying a gun past a "no guns" sign (it ain't s'posed to happen, but it does) .... ebay specifically bans the sale of any part or accessory for an "assault rifle" and will specifically delete any listing with the buzz words "AR-15" or "AK-47" in them. But there are literally THOUSANDS of AR & AK parts/accessories for sale on eBay - just don't use those two buzzwords in the listing

I bought my ACS from Tate Defense, which has an eBay store and regular web site. They have the ASAP plate for sale on their eBay store right now.

http://stores.ebay.com/Tate-Defense_MAG ... ec0Q2em322" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/ta ... Categories" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

austinrealtor wrote:Other issue I had with it is it seemed more difficult to access the battery compartment...

I think I know what you mean. You have to actually twist the caps out, like they were threaded, to get the battery storage open. But the upside is that it is very well sealed against moisture.

Don't forget the LMT sopmod stock as well.


Great looking rifle.

gigag04 wrote:Don't forget the LMT sopmod stock as well.


Great looking rifle.

GigAg, I think you like the "finer things" in life when it comes to guns .... don't you have a Noveske or LMT AR-15? And my CTD case wasn't good enough for you. Now a $200-$300 buttstock over a $100 Magpul .... LEOs in B-CS must be makin' good money


.... eh, just messin with you .... I like that LMT stock too, just too much dough for a lil ol' civi plinker like myself

I don't know that I would ever have the use for it, but one of the cool things about the EMOD stock is that it has an incorporated steel strike plate for.... I don't know... breaking windshields and stuff with.

austinrealtor wrote:

gigag04 wrote:Don't forget the LMT sopmod stock as well.


Great looking rifle.

GigAg, I think you like the "finer things" in life when it comes to guns .... don't you have a Noveske or LMT AR-15? And my CTD case wasn't good enough for you. Now a $200-$300 buttstock over a $100 Magpul .... LEOs in B-CS must be makin' good money


.... eh, just messin with you .... I like that LMT stock too, just too much dough for a lil ol' civi plinker like myself

Guilty. I do have the LMT CQB MRP AR-15 - I only justified to myself because "it's for work." But it's a guilty pleasure I have - as I'm single (soon to be engaged) I have the luxury of employing fine, proven, gear, but only where I need it. Also - I have been able to splurge on some stuff do to great poker trips in LA and some wise plays in the stock market (Sirona Dental Systems has more than doubled this year).

I have expensive guitars and music equipment because I was blessed to be hired on part time at my church in the woodlands (woodsedge) when I was in the area. I have nice kit because I work for a good dept and can justify the need of "nosebleed" level equipment. I do confess that I like really nice clothes too, but I don't have much of a need for them - as my work clothes are pretty well dictated. I have a best friend that manages a Nordstroms so that helps.


THAT SAID - I think there are plenty of bargains that will do just as well as these premium brands for weapons/equipment for the average user. Most AR-15 owners are not dragging theirs with them to/from work, slugging it out in a car, and using it in courses. An officer in my dept will deploy his long gun almost daily with various alarm calls, shots fired, etc. Constant readying, downloading, racking in the gun rack, will wear on even the best equipment. At the end of the day, none of my really high dollar stuff is safe-queen stuff, its marred, scratched and used regularly (with the exception of the series 70 gold cup that my dad passed down to me - it's beautiful to this day...stainless finish...sigh). My (former 10th group SF) dad is the same way as far as "the finer things" - he's just in a much better place to afford it.

At the end of the day, I fully realize LEO work pales in comparison to SF operations in A-stan as far as wear and tear on kit, I like knowing that I can lean on my gear pretty hard and it will hold up.


To TAM - as far as not needing stuff but liking it, check out the XS Glass Assault tool:
http://www.georgiagunstore.com/gun_stor ... _TOOL.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It mounts on the end of the barrel and is used to puncture glass during a raid on a house. One of our SWAT guys showed me the on his rifle. It's cool - but in my day to day, I'm not raiding many buildings....yet....

Looks good TAM.

The beauty (and the bane) of the AR...is that they are so modular. Very easy to add, subtract or change things.

I am guilty of doing the same with my own.

Nothing wrong with that.

After all.....AR's are known as "BARBIE FOR MEN", so don't feel bad about accessorizing.

gigag04 wrote:To TAM - as far as not needing stuff but liking it, check out the XS Glass Assault tool:
http://www.georgiagunstore.com/gun_stor ... _TOOL.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It mounts on the end of the barrel and is used to puncture glass during a raid on a house. One of our SWAT guys showed me the on his rifle. It's cool - but in my day to day, I'm not raiding many buildings....yet....

Does it mount behind the flash-hider?

Yup - it barely protrudes past the end of the barrel. Allows you to "stab" out glass without using the tip of the barrel/flash hider.

Have you shot it yet? I have wondered about the feel and function of the angled grip. Better?

Very sweet machine you have there TAM!

Dan20703 wrote:Have you shot it yet? I have wondered about the feel and function of the angled grip. Better?

Very sweet machine you have there TAM!

Thanks. No, unfortunately, I didn't shoot it this weekend. My rear iron sight hasn't arrived yet, and I want to get the irons co-witnessed with the Eotech. As far as the angled grip goes, I much prefer it to the vertical fore-end grips you see on a lot of carbines. Those work OK, but the angled one just feels more natural to me — makes the rifle feel more like a.... rifle in my hands.

I've been considering the AFG but it just looks so uncomfortable. But everything I hear is quite the opposite. I might have to give it a shot.