Purpose: To build rifle around the spirit and barrel of my favorite military AR variant, the Mk-12. I’m calling this the Mod P2000 because I built it the way I wanted. I chose a barrel sourced from Monte because it is a real Mk-12 barrel, made on the same machines by the same people as the mil contract Mk-12 barrels. I think that is awesome. I figured with the new NSR rail I could make a SPR my way with much better weight and balance than a Mod 0 or Mod 1 SPR.
Goals: Build the perfect host for a Mk-12 barrel, keep it light, keep it simple. If it doesn’t make it shoot or handle better, it doesn’t go on the rifle.
Parts list:
LPK: DD, it seems like a quality kit.
Geiselle SDE: I shot this rifle for a short while with the DD trigger. I wanted something lighter for a little edge on precision. The SDE seems perfect though I have only dry fired it at this point.
RE: LMT
Castle nut: LMT
Endplate: Noveske QD. Not sure if I will ever use it on this SPR, but I like them.
Barrel: Mk12, pinned GB by Monte. I had to remove some material from the bottom of the gas block to ensure that it remained free floating under any possible handguard flex. Without removing material, it was just barely touching the NSR, paper could be slid in between but I wanted more clearance. Using a bench vice, a large file, and a cylinder to keep things square, I was able to file through the steel gas block leaving a perfectly flat surface behind. I think it is stainless steel because it would not take cold blue. I painted the filed surface with some 1200 degree barbecue paint. The paint is holding up fine so far.
Stock: Magpul STR, Chose this over my usual favorite SOPMOD because it does not have the latch exposed, which may get activated when shooting prone or using a sandbag. Feels solid, looks good and performed well in the drop tests, “buttstock bashfest?”
Stripped lower: Don’t worry about it, got it on sale cheap, it is in spec and looks good. If you have to ask, CMMG. I wasn’t going to pay extra for a roll mark.
Upper: Vltor MUR, wanted that extra strength and trueness. Might be hanging a can off of this 18’’ barrel, so I figured it might not be overkill. Plus they are from AZ! The barrel extension fit into it like a glove. It slid in without too much pushing, and then would hold the barrel from falling out all on its own.
BCG: BCM. Very nice BCG. Reputation speaks for itself.
Charging handle: Standard CH that came off of my SR-15. My SR-15 now has a GF Mod 5.
Gas Tube: From Ranier, they don’t say who made it. Perhaps factory rejects from Bushmaster I dunno.
Gas Tube roll pin: DPMS…..it was all I could find, not that it matters. Hopefully the rest of the rifle won’t have an allergic reaction I thought it was funny that Ranier sells gas tubes without a roll pin. And they don’t sell roll pins separately. The gas block didn’t come with a roll pin either, so I had to go through brownells. Other places were out of stock too.
Battlecomp 2.0: won for free on this forum a while back. I love battlecomps. My SR-15 with battlecomp sold me. Shoots like a joke. Compared with a Ops inc brake and collar, I am saving several ounces of weight on the end of the barrel. Sure one day I will get a suppressor, but I am not going to be pretending in the mean time.
Handguard: Noveske NSR. Very, very light and totally solid feeling. Very nice looking too! Several ounces lighter than the handguard on a Mod 1 or Mod 0. It installed at 75ft# at the crowfoot, using a real torque wrench, using plenty of moly grease. This was my first barrel nut install ever. I learned that the mil manual specifies a max of 80ft-lbs, but this is measured using their torque wrench attached to an armorer’s wrench, which adds more leverage. So in reality, max spec is more like approx 88ft-lbs at the crowfoot. Perhaps this is why Noveske says to use a minimum of 40ft-lbs at the crowfoot instead of 35ft-lbs which is what the army manual states. By rough calculation, they are about the same torque value at the nut. Secondly, I learned that a carefully made wooden block can be used with a solid bench vice instead of some pricey store bought methods of securing an upper receiver during install. Third, I realized that I didn’t own a damn ½’’ drive to 3/8’’ drive adapter to use my ½ drive breaker bar on the 3/8’’ drive crowfoot for loosening the barrel nut. I had to interrupt my fun and make a quick trip to sears.
I have been inquiring and asking about Noveske offering MUR with a hole drilled for the included anti-rotation pin. After installing a barrel nut myself, with a real torque wrench, I don’t think it is a problem anymore. It is a similar amount of torque as the lug nuts on my car, which have never come loose. I admit I was whining over nothing.
Optic: This is a borrowed optic from a previous rifle I used to own. Better glass will come in the future. It is a 7 year old Bushnell Elite 10x40 in an Armalite mount. Nice for the price. I like the height of the armalite mount. It is a little lower than larue or ADM mounts. My head rests nicely on the stock at this height.
Bipod: Again, borrowed from a previous rifle. I was able to attach it to the NSR with a Harris steel bracket which I modified and bedded to the inside of the NSR with JB weld. Bedded is the key word, it is not stuck on there! It is on very solid and the mount weighs very litte.
Results: Surprisingly light and balanced considering the 18’’ barrel and optic. Adding the bipod threw things off a bit, but it is still sub 10 pounds. The 11 oz NSR and battlecomp system really helped out with the balance. Building an AR myself (minus pinning the gas block) was something I have always wanted to do. It was a blast!
So far I have only been able to make one trip to the range. This was prior to attaching the bipod and with a standard GI trigger, shooting on a wobbly range rental adjustable rest. I can't wait to get back to the range and shoot some more with the improved set up.
Range results:
PMC bronze 55gr. Not too bad, probably better accuracy than the superformance.
Hornady V-Max 55gr- I tried these because Trident keeps talking about them. These made the best groups for sure.
10 rounds @ 100 yards, 108 degrees with a light full value breeze. I can't wait to get back out with the new trigger and bipod!
BH 69 gr SMK- Cabelas didn’t have any 77gr smk, so I had to try this. Second best accuracy.
Hornady 75gr Superformance- Initial reviews online seemed bad, but then it seems
Hornady made some changes. Of note, when shaking the round it appears to be almost entirely full with powder compared to the others. This round was the least accurate (worse than PMC), but seemed pretty hot.
I'm 100% positive this rifle is going to get me into reloading some day soon...
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Originally Posted by zx2man
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