New Brownells Retro Rifles at SHOT 2018

[Firefly]

No, not really. If you were hawking MAC-10s or S&W Model 59s, yeah...

But this would be like beatniks posing with M1 Garands and M1 Carbines. Yeah they existed at the same time but are not exactly synonymous.

It's like trying to avoid the Vietnam War aspect or the Cuban Insurrection/African Bush War.

Disco Duck and classic cars aren't what I think of when I see an A1 or a CAR-15.

I think of a 19 year old of modest background walking into the jungle to fight the little man on his own turf during a turbulent time.

Nothing will change that.

Same with a Garand, I think of some kid in Europe or Asia.

Same with a Krag or an Enfield. Some kid in France fighting the Hun.

Sorry.

I dont own the rifle but Troy's commercial touched on the Son Tay Raiders and was honoring their memory.

BUT.....I'm just one guy with an opinion. If others like it, have at it.

That said, I am still getting the Brownells CAR-15.

[Eurodriver]

No, not really. If you were hawking MAC-10s or S&W Model 59s, yeah...

But this would be like beatniks posing with M1 Garands and M1 Carbines. Yeah they existed at the same time but are not exactly synonymous.

It's like trying to avoid the Vietnam War aspect or the Cuban Insurrection/African Bush War.

Disco Duck and classic cars aren't what I think of when I see an A1 or a CAR-15.

I think of a 19 year old of modest background walking into the jungle to fight the little man on his own turf during a turbulent time.

Nothing will change that.

Same with a Garand, I think of some kid in Europe or Asia.

Same with a Krag or an Enfield. Some kid in France fighting the Hun.

Sorry.

I dont own the rifle but Troy's commercial touched on the Son Tay Raiders and was honoring their memory.

BUT.....I'm just one guy with an opinion. If others like it, have at it.

That said, I am still getting the Brownells CAR-15.

Amen.

[Kevslatvin]

I know it's not the point of these rifles to compete against the modern ar15/m4 clones out there but with an optic setup like this
http://i.imgur.com/MZh4OPG.jpg

Couldn't they fare pretty well. I mean that is pretty similar to what the Delta guys used during the Black Hawk down era.

That Said I'd like an XM177 please.

[MountainRaven]

You don't love the promos?

https://youtu.be/ava58Jm4Jo8

I enjoyed it.

No, not really. If you were hawking MAC-10s or S&W Model 59s, yeah...

But this would be like beatniks posing with M1 Garands and M1 Carbines. Yeah they existed at the same time but are not exactly synonymous.

It's like trying to avoid the Vietnam War aspect or the Cuban Insurrection/African Bush War.

Disco Duck and classic cars aren't what I think of when I see an A1 or a CAR-15.

I think of a 19 year old of modest background walking into the jungle to fight the little man on his own turf during a turbulent time.

Nothing will change that.

Same with a Garand, I think of some kid in Europe or Asia.

Same with a Krag or an Enfield. Some kid in France fighting the Hun.

Sorry.

I dont own the rifle but Troy's commercial touched on the Son Tay Raiders and was honoring their memory.

BUT.....I'm just one guy with an opinion. If others like it, have at it.

That said, I am still getting the Brownells CAR-15.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The M16 didn't really hit the silver screen until the 70s, so I think the theme fits.

Besides, Tropic Thunder and R. Lee Ermey DI-isms notwithstanding, Vietnam, Congo, Cuba aren't exactly goldmines of hilarity like 70s pop culture is.

And what would Rapidfire Rachel and Lola Strange do?

I know it's not the point of these rifles to compete against the modern ar15/m4 clones out there but with an optic setup like this
http://i.imgur.com/MZh4OPG.jpg

Couldn't they fare pretty well. I mean that is pretty similar to what the Delta guys used during the Black Hawk down era.

That Said I'd like an XM177 please.

They absolutely would fair well: Sling, white light, sights you can see. You don't need anything else in a defensive rifle. Like an AK, but more accurate and with better ergonomics.

One note of interest, is that Jason Falla has an RDS mount made by KAC that actually gets the optic up almost as high - maybe even the same height as some of the carry handle-mounted options.

ETA: Maybe y'all would prefer an ad a bit more like this:



:P

ETA2:

Go figure that I couldn't find many pictures of Colt 601s wearing green furniture, but as soon as I add the word, "sling," to it, all sorts of things come up.

And so did this:


I don't know how Atlantic did it on their fakelite AK furniture, but IMO Brownells should find a way to mimic that beautiful mottled look on their brown "A1" stock sets.

[Dienekes]

I could get interested in the 601. When I was introduced to the USAF ‘s version in late 66 they were all black; never saw a green one, ever.

I would need an optic, though. When I got back into the AR carbine with the l5” barrel in ‘96 I couldn’t use the irons for doodly. A compact ACOG on top of the fixed carry handle put me back in business.

The Brownell’s clone would be the same situation; maybe someone will come out with a period-type optic similar to the original Colt 3X, etc., at a lower price point.

Next I want a fully functional, period-correct light saber and the ability to levitate things. (The latter would be great for getting groceries out of the car trunk and into the pantry after a shopping trip.)

[MountainRaven]

I've had my Brownell's 601 homage for all of about a week and while I love the way it looks with the brown retro furniture (I replaced the green with the brown) and my At The Front repro OD#3 cotton M1 web sling... I want to be more practical and mount the OD green VCAS sling with metal hardware I bought for my retro carbine. And I noticed while watching Ken Burns's The Vietnam War that by '73, a lot of XM16/XM16E1/M16/M16A1 rifles were fitted with field expedient slings more akin to those seen on Troy's Son Tay Raid XM177E2/GAU-5/A/As (a general purpose strap attached front and rear with paracord).

Anybody have anything helpful on how to rig up a paracord loop for the buttstock? I'm not finding a whole lot on the interwebs - not, at least, without having the photos Photobucket'd.

Thanks!

[Quentin]

After reading up on Brownells retros and watching MrGunsnGear and MAC videos I ordered their 601 clone and got it two days ago. Kinda embarrassed because I was Army and carried the M16A1 in Nam! But I just love the slabside and no FA, completely unlike my other ARs, and so much like the first rifles the military bought. So I got the Air Force model. Even the funky green furniture is growing on me though I don't remember seeing one like that in 1968! (Likely many were painted black by then.)

I can live with the few inaccuracies, overall Brownells got the 601 close enough. I'm pleased with the quality, too. I'm just adding a green M1 Garand sling and calling it done. It was tempting to build an A1 clone but I'm 70 and want to shoot a retro NOW!

It doesn't look like they've sold many so far, the BRN-601s in the videos had serial numbers between 0058 and 0076. A month later, mine is still in the 0070s.

[RHINOWSO]

The sad part is, the only thing worth talking about from this years SHOT SHOW are some retro clones. No real innovation, just make more 9mm and pistol length ARs so bubba can feel like a commando.

So not much different from SHOT 2017. Glad I passed this year.

[Eurodriver]

So not much different from SHOT 2017. Glad I passed this year.

Been like that for like 4 years at least.

Even when companies do innovate, they take a year to get product into the hands of end users.

Looking at you AAC.

[MountainRaven]

After reading up on Brownells retros and watching MrGunsnGear and MAC videos I ordered their 601 clone and got it two days ago. Kinda embarrassed because I was Army and carried the M16A1 in Nam! But I just love the slabside and no FA, completely unlike my other ARs, and so much like the first rifles the military bought. So I got the Air Force model. Even the funky green furniture is growing on me though I don't remember seeing one like that in 1968! (Likely many were painted black by then.)

I can live with the few inaccuracies, overall Brownells got the 601 close enough. I'm pleased with the quality, too. I'm just adding a green M1 Garand sling and calling it done. It was tempting to build an A1 clone but I'm 70 and want to shoot a retro NOW!

It doesn't look like they've sold many so far, the BRN-601s in the videos had serial numbers between 0058 and 0076. A month later, mine is still in the 0070s.

Furniture may have been a later model in black. I don't know if they painted the brown fiberglass furniture black or simply replaced it with the later furniture that was made in black. Could have been both.

In any event, my 601 has a serial number in the 60s. My XM16E1 has a serial number in the mid-400s. The 601s may not be selling well, but the partial fence XM16 lowers and XM16E1 homages must be.

ETA: While regular M1 Garand slings work, I'd advise getting an "extra-long" model. C. 54" long. Regular M1 web slings are 45" long. And while they work, they don't give you much extra length to work with. The 54" long ones seem to be perfect (and seem to be the sort of M1 sling issued with the M16). The nylon M1 web slings may all be the right length, I don't honestly know, but the cotton ones are mostly the shorter length. I found a longer one, made new from surplus USGI cotton mildew and rot treated cotton and USGI hardware on eBay - it's not the best, but it's pretty good, especially for the money. And I like the cotton M1 web slings better than the nylon ones.

ETA2: On an unrelated note...
I noticed that the magazine Brownells shipped with my XM16E1 was manufactured with a significantly different stamping machine than the one that turned out my NHTMG/Okays. And as far as I can tell, the NHMTG/Okays look identical to the original aluminum 20-rounders made in the 60s. The images in my 1966 M16/XM16E1/XM148 TM and in the M16A1 comic look like the NHMTG/Okays and not like the Brownells magazine. Which might make the magazines the Brownells XM16E1, M16A1, and XM177E2... another inaccurate part (but remedied easily enough).

ETA3: Well, I'm now confused on M1 web slings. I have a USGI nylon one, an AmmoGarand repro cotton one, and an AtTheFront repro cotton one. The AmmoGarand and ATF ones are supposed to be the same length, but the AmmoGarand one is about the same length as my USGI nylon one and about the same length as the "extra-long" slings I got. The ATF sling is significantly shorter than all the other slings I have. I'm curious if the AmmoGarand repro sling is simply made to the same length as the USGI nylon slings - which came out after the M16 - and the ATF sling is a pre-M16 M1 web sling-length. And/or if ATF and AmmoGarand are measuring their sling lengths from different points.