Marie

[KF5MLT]

Named her Marie after my then-fiancee's (now wife's) middle name. Been building/evolving her over the last 2 years. The idea is a general purpose fighting carbine.

I first began the project to get more familiar with the platform and to compliment the Armalite rifle I bought as a teenager stepping over into adulthood. Without researching much, I jumped on a deal for a DPMS stripped lower my local FFL had hanging out in his safe. Other than not dropping 2 GI mags (both Center Industries Corp. from Wichita, KA) free, it hasn't given me any issues.

Phase 1:

• DPMS stripped lower
• DPMS lower parts kit
• DPMS flat top upper (without barrel assy.)
• Del-Ton 1/9" chrome moly 16" barrel
• A2 flash hider
• A2 front sight base (not F marked)
• Troy folding rear sight
• Hogue grip
• Choate Tools 5 position stock
• Magpul MOE handguards
• Eotech XPS 2-0
• $5 2 point nylon sling

I decided the stock was too heavy, too wobbly, and pinched my beard too much. Additionally, some reading I did indicated the threads on a mil-spec stock actually filled the threads on the lower all the way. (Is this true? I couldn't find anything solid on it.) Sorry, I forget who made the buffer tube.

Also decided to try out a cheap VFG on special to see what the hype was all about. For five dollars, why not?

Phase 2:

• Magpul CTR stock
• Mil-spec buffer tube
• $5 no-name VFG

I was pretty happy with it, but decided it was time to learn how to do a trigger job. The trigger group came out and made friends with the Spyderco Tri-Angle sharpener and some quality grease. I was pleased with the results, but decided Geissele could do a much better job than I could.

Phase 3:

• Geissele SSA trigger
• Blackhawk 3 point sling

Amazing improvement. Why are my groups still sucking? I shouldn't be getting 3" groups at 25 yards off a rest, even with this poor quality XM193, etc... And shouldn't that stuff be fine in a 1/9" twist barrel? Why is the 62 grain ammo giving poor results too?

I went with chrome moly again because of the purpose for this carbine. 2 MOA is OK, 12 was not. God save us all from protecting the Constitution.

I also decided to throw on a TA11F-A I had purchased with the Armalite long ago as a young man with no better bills to pay from Mom's and Dad's 2nd story.

Phase 4:

• Daniel Defense Chrome Moly 16" barrel, 1/7" twist
• A2 front sight base, F marked
• YHM Phantom 2 flash hider
• LaRue free-float rail
• Trijicon ACOG

After researching much about bolt carrier groups, I have a Daniel Defense M16 BCG backordered. Hopefully I'll see it in this lifetime.

Building and evolving has given me a deep connection to this carbine, and I can't imagine ever selling or trading her. Will be more than happy to post different angles/closeups on request.

[polymorpheous]

You learned the hard way why Del-ton sucks.

I would never recommend messing with a trigger group like you had in "phase 2".
This is just asking for trouble.

[Col_Crocs]

Thank God for phases 2 (minus the VFG), 3, and especially phase 4. Sticking with the major components in phase one would've been insulting to your wife. What BCG are you running in that new barrel of yours?

[KF5MLT]

polymorpheous, the trigger project was certainly fun and educational, but I agree; that's why the Geissele was installed as soon as it got off the truck

Col_Crocs, it's the DPMS bolt carrier group that came with the original DPMS upper. It should hold up just fine until the DD bolt carrier group makes it here. I'm hoping that's under a month but expecting 6-12 months.





Curiously, what's your beef with the VFG?

[Hmac]

Curiously, what's your beef with the VFG?

Current trends are toward grip pronation with minimal angulation at the wrist. The broom-handle concept is like so last year....

[RMiller]

While the parts weren't the best when you started, you've improved them.

One thing I'm not crazy on is the 3 point sling and VFG, but that's just my opinion. Other than that I'd rock it.

Read up, and replace things as needed and you can end up with a solid carbine.

[KF5MLT]

Hmac, I'll be much more open-minded to rhetoric against the VFG than the proposed fashion statements.

Rmiller, thanks for the solid feedback. Can you suggest any replacement parts to improve reliability in its current state?

You'd think with all the fabled wide-open spaces in Texas I'd be able to step out in my back yard and run this gun, but urbanization has pretty much locked me into club carbine matches. That said, the 3 point sling seems to be ok. There may be a time when I have to haul this thing around on foot for 12 miles at a time, and the 3 point sling makes that thought bearable.

[polymorpheous]

Take a hard look at the Blue Force gear VCAS sling.

[MistWolf]

...You'd think with all the fabled wide-open spaces in Texas I'd be able to step out in my back yard and run this gun...

All the fabled open spaces in Texass are just that- fabled. When I was exiled to Tejas, there were few places to go shooting and fewer to go 'wheeling.

Experiment with a good 2 point sling, I think you'll find you like it better. There are times when the 3 point sling gets in the way of the controls

[RMiller]

Hmac, I'll be much more open-minded to rhetoric against the VFG than the proposed fashion statements.

Rmiller, thanks for the solid feedback. Can you suggest any replacement parts to improve reliability in its current state?

You'd think with all the fabled wide-open spaces in Texas I'd be able to step out in my back yard and run this gun, but urbanization has pretty much locked me into club carbine matches. That said, the 3 point sling seems to be ok. There may be a time when I have to haul this thing around on foot for 12 miles at a time, and the 3 point sling makes that thought bearable.

The barrel was a great start. I'd go ahead with the BCG you have planned on.

Like others said, experiment with a solid 2 point sling like the VCAS. It's amazing simple and robust. I'll never go back to a single point.