Finally I build an AR

[Dr.Rob]

Well I assembled the lower parts kit (my first time).

Model 1 Sales 16" AR15 Varmint Rifle Kit on Noveske "Chainsaw" lower.

Options: 5.56 NATO ER Shaw Chrome moly, 1-9, fluted & 1/2x28 threaded bull barrel, Standard bolt & carrier, Standard trigger, Standard charging handle, Steel gas block sight base, Alum. free float tube, knurled w/swivel stud, Olive green A2 buttstock, Houge monogrip (olive). I have had this parts kit on order since January.

I had a few problem areas.. how to install the hammer spring properly didn't make sense 'til I looked at my Colt. Managed NOT to scratch the lower assembling it.

I topped it with a Bushnell Trophy Dot 1x32 for now (just for a function check). I have a variable 1.5-5x scope but I don't have rings laying around for it. (Colt 6920 for comparison)

Before our 'ban' went into effect I got 6 'windowed' PMags and 4 standard PMags .. all in OD.

Think I'll call it "the Green Machine"

 

[Mp7]

i do not like the looks of ARs.

But this one is nice.

 

[taliv]

pretty fun, huh?

 

[yzguy87]

Good lookin rifle and nice score on the mags! Let us know how it shoots!

 

[Dr.Rob]

It was certainly easier to assemble than the US parts kit on an AK. Now that I've done one, it's fairly straightforward, though it challenged my dexterity.

 

[wally]

Standard trigger,

My Model 1 Sales 16" varmint kit was accurate enough that I quickly upgraded to a better trigger. Its a favorite, I now regret not getting a threaded barrel, but I wasn't shooting suppressed back then.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The trigger is a little stiff, but I'll get a few hundred rounds downrange before I make a judgment on that.

 

[MachIVshooter]

It was certainly easier to assemble than the US parts kit on an AK. Now that I've done one, it's fairly straightforward, though it challenged my dexterity.

Meaning the BHO lever pin and getting the front take-down pin in without the detent flying across the room, right? lol.

The trigger is a little stiff, but I'll get a few hundred rounds downrange before I make a judgment on that.

Get a green spring. Call Scott @ 303-660-3555.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Meaning the illustration of how to slip the hammer spring on the hammer led me to think the u shape at the back looped OVER the notch in the back of the hammer. Finally I took apart my Colt to see how it was set up. Many of the you tube videos on the subject do NOT include a close up of doing this step. Installing the hammer, getting the alignment 'just right' so the pin slid in took a while.


The BHO pin was hard to hold everything in place (using one punch to hold the parts while driving with another punch) and the instructions I was following were contradictory to the illustration.

I had experienced having to mess with a pivot pin installation before, that went fairly quickly. {Only shot the pin out twice }

A flashlight was very useful to have around. (To check alignment and to find those pins that shot across the room)

 

[Harrod]

It looks great, I'm more of a monotone guy, but the OD green really works with the black. I especially like your choice in forearm. Very sharp looking, good job man!

 

[henschman]

It was certainly easier to assemble than the US parts kit on an AK. Now that I've done one, it's fairly straightforward, though it challenged my dexterity.

Yep, this is one reason why I have switched to ARs for my 2A purpose rifles. I can do armory-level maintenance on them with nothing more than simple tools I have at home. Hell, you can do a barrel swap with vice grips, an armorer's wrench, and pin punches. Plus the parts are cheap and readily available, so it is easy to acquire spares. Some other designs may be more reliable, but if you get a quality AR, it is reliable ENOUGH, and with all its other advantages, for me it was the obvious choice once I got over some of my prejudices against them!

 

[Jeff H]

They are addictive once you do the first. Be cautious, you have been warned.

I'll be starting on my 3rd shortly with no end in sight.

 

[MistWolf]

I know it doesn't help with this build, but for future reference here is a thread on how to install an AR trigger. While the trigger featured is a Geisselle, a standard AR trigger installs the same way.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=600193

Before spending any more money on your trigger, pull it out, clean it up and lube the sears, pivot points and the bottom curve of the hammer with grease. This will go a long way towards smoothing it out and may reduce the pull. One shooter greased up his trigger and reported it reduced pull weight about a pound.

Let us know how she shoots

 

[Dr.Rob]

Just put a Burris 536 and a Super Sling (greener than I wanted but I love how fast it adjusts) on it. Will be shooting it for the first time Thursday or Friday.

 

[Dr.Rob]

OK I promised I'd do a serious review.

The rifle functioned well, but I did notice when using a Colt 20 round mag I wouldn't get the bolt to lock open every time. The trigger is substantially heavier than my Colt and will take getting used to. I may upgrade the trigger.

The free float certainly made a difference in what I could do off the bench, was easier to get a good cheek weld with the full length stock.

However, since the stock is full length I found I had to mount my scope in the LAST position on the rail to match eye relief.

That collapsible stock does have some advantages.

The SPROING sound that I don't notice with my Colt is pronounced with the A2 stock.

Very happy with my build and the quality of the parts and fit and finish of the Model 1 sales upper. It's about the same weight side by side with the Colt, but it's front heavy.

A few differences:

The Model 1 hammer is more massive than the Colt and not notched. Colt on left.

The Noveske lower has SLIGHTLY thinner walls than the Colt. Colt on left.

The Model 1 upper has slightly THICKER walls than the Colt. Colt on bottom.

The Model 1 's bolt carrier is chrome plated on the interior. Colt bolt on top.

The Model 1 seems to have a tighter chamber (my laser boresighting 'cartridge'wouldn't drop free) But no issues chambering/extracting live ammo.

I didn't weigh them but with their respective accessories they feel about the same to me.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Just some details:

I added a 'super sling' that can be adjusted with 1 hand (neat feature)and a Houge polymer sling swivel that doesn't rattle. I removed the front swivel mounted on the gas block.


Model 1Sales barrel is nicely marked.

The stock actually SEEMS to make the rifle louder. Like the storage space in the stock acts as an echo chamber. (Totally subjective).

Mounted a Burris 536 Prism Optic.

This is the rifle as tested. I'd like to paint the fore end, or at least the textured part an olive drab. I hear 'Alumahyde' is good for that?

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

Great looking rifle Dr.Rob. I love the gas loack and fluted barrel.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The 536 optic is a well made, rugged looking piece of kit. It came with a sunshade, flip up lens covers and a lens cloth and the battery already installed. There are 3 rail sections for mounting additional accessories (I won't). The mount is SOLID and the instructions included torque settings for installation AND the scope can be mounted to a carry handle (which means I MIGHT buy another). If it matters (it might) there is a cleared marked "made in China" sticker on the mount. I suspect that means the WHOLE unit was made there.

The windage and elevation caps are safety wired to the scope, the rear of the scope is a focus ring.

My only complaint is that the rear lens cover is difficult to snap closed for some reason. A military style diffuser is available for the 36mm objective.

Adjustments are 1/4inch clicks at 100 yards.

The illumination is available in red or green or can be left off (black). I shot it with the red setting on 5 (brightest) and the black. Turning the illumination turret is a deliberate action, it will not move 'by itself.'

Glass is coated and optics very clear. The center dot does NOT cover a 2 inch orange target sticker at 100 yards, it was easy to select each circle and engage it. So far I really like this scope. The 'crosshairs' are heavier than I am used to and the fact that they are not connected to the edges of the field of view takes some getting used to.

The BDC is calibrated for 55gr M193 or 62 gr SS109. The top of the center dot is for 100 yards, the bottom of the dot for 200, the next dots down 300, 400, 500 and the hole on the outer ring a "peep' for a 600 yard target.

 

[chicharrones]

That's a mighty fine rifle and nice lookin' optic, Dr. Rob. Congrats!

 

[Dr.Rob]

I brought 3 kinds of ammunition to the range:

1. Some Century "Hotshot" ss109 berdan primed 62 gr penetrator (magnet sticks to it) I had on hand for my 5.56 AK. Ads I'd collect my brass with a UTG brass catcher and throw this away I'd constantly have to tell someone "you don't want this it's BERDAN primed" (some people didn't know what that meant).

2. Some PMC 55gr FMJ-BT (It's very close to M193 but not listed as such)

3. Some 52gr Sierra HPBT varmint bullets in R-P cases on 26gr of AA2230 that we loaded up a ways back.

The Century ammo just did not hold the groups that the PMC or even surprisingly my 52gr handloads did.

The stiffer trigger of the kit gun resulted in more flyers, even at 50 yards.

Even so, I think I am putting some of this 52 gr in my range bag as 'back up' ammo, it's pretty close to the POA of the 55gr PMC at 50 and 100 yards.

I kept my shot strings to 3 and occasionally 5 due to the cost of ammunition.

I used a laser bore sighter prior to going to the range to pre-sight both rifles. The Burris scope was almost true at 50 yards and require little 'gross' adjustment.

1. Colt target first, PMC point blank setting s/b 1/2 inch LOW of the orange dot at 50 yards. A quarter covers all three shots.

2. N4 target 50 yards SS109. Holding center dot (again to be 1/2 low at this range) best group was upper right, a penny covers all 3 shots, but I could not get a lot of consistency with either rifle and this load. Mostly I was using it to 'get on paper' and function test the rifle.

3. N4 target 5 shots 52gr Sierra. All but 1 shot covered by a quarter. Was surprised this ammo loaded years ago has this kind of consistency. (Did NOT change the scope settings it shoots a couple clicks left at 50 yards of the PMC.

 

[Dr.Rob]

1. N4 PMC, (2) 3 shot strings, 100 yards. Could not get over the flyers with that trigger. Holding bottom of the orange dot to get an inch high at 100. Group size edge to edge is 1.94". Center to center is 1.76"

2. N4 PMC 3 shot strings, 100 yards. holding bottom of the outer ring. Best was .72" center to center.

I tried engaging targets using the top of the dot and bottom of the dot and the center of the dot. Usually 'lollipopping' my target works best.

3. 52 gr Sierra handloads, Colt on the left holding at the bottom of the diamonds, center hold on the rage target. N4 on the right, again holding at the bottom of the diamond. Again, pretty happy with the consistency of the loads even if they are opening up a bit. Best from the Colt was 1.05" Best from the N4 was 1.35" but not I am horizontally stringing. To me that's a sure sign of a heavier trigger.

Overall I am pleased, but the bolt hold open not working on my Colt 20's and the mix of neck craning/stiff trigger has me considering putting the Model 1 Upper on my Colt lower.

I'll take both rifles to Pueblo for a tactical rifle match on Sunday and see how the Model 1 gun, as IS, runs 'hard' and hot. My Colt is a really reliable piece and my kit gun has a tall hurdle to match up with the Colt. However the free floating barrel SHOULD outclass the Colt at longer range and reduce the number of shots I'm taking (I hope.)

Anyway, thought you'd enjoy the comparison to a "KNOWN STANDARD" (Colt 6920). My Colt has a 4x fixed Hakko "electrodot" scope. They made these exclusively for Colt for a while.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Haven't cleaned it yet, didn't get it very dirty. Going to grease the trigger a bit, see if it helps.

 

[chicharrones]

Nice range report too, Dr. Rob!

 

[Dr.Rob]

2 stages of awesome and one stage of what the heck...

Got one of my best times on the terrain heavy shotgun berm 9within 10 seconds of Justin (one of our best shooters) and a clean run, and while wobbly barricade challenged everyone on the 300 yard stage I finished just under par time.

But when I went to standards I THOUGHT I felt the rifle rattle. When I got OFF the line after going 1 for 30.. I found the Burris 536 scope had come completely LOOSE. Not 'slightly out of alignment I mean FLOPPING around. The instructions say these were installed with a medium strength (not permanent) thread locker and will be "hard remove".

BEFORE YOU MOUNT THIS SCOPE CHECK THESE SCREWS, or take them out and use a known thread locker. The screws don't appear to have much 'bite' as they don't protrude into the sight tunnel under the scope.

Otherwise, I just used the black (off) setting on the scope and went to town. My longest targets were I think still under 300 yards and I found 'bracketing' them between the dots got my hits.

The threadlocker (maybe blue locate, maybe not) wasn't applied evenly. Small particles of dried blue locker and sliver dust (aluminum spall?) were present on the rail when I took the scope loose.

Screws went back in without slop.. the threads aren't ruined.

The Magpul 40 round magazine worked well. BUT, it didn't want to lock in with the bolt closed. Lock the bolt open, insert the mag and use the bolt release it should be fine. Going up and down hill, jumping over rocks, used as a mono pod it worked just fine.

NO jams or malfunctions of ANY kind with the rifle. BHO worked just fine. Fired 157 rounds at this match (30 of which were on standards) . Got my hits faster than with my Colt, esp. at long range.

Long day, sweaty day but a great match and a great way to wring out your build.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Oh and just because this thread needed an action shot...