Going old school - sort of

[Fuzzy-Reticle]

Since BCM is having such a good sale on uppers I decided to order a full size 20 inch upper and some parts to assemble a clone of the Colt AR15a4MP FDE.
For the price of the parts and a lower it will be cheaper and in all likelihood better than the Colt.
I handled the Colt a few days ago and hated the K grip that was on it. I really liked the rest of the rifle however the gun store in Castlerock wanted $1350 so I passed. I figure I can build it for just a hair under $800.
Now the wait begins for the big brown truck of happiness to deliver my upper.
I have always liked the A4 and want another AR so what the heck.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll190/fuzzyreticle/cc5a423b1efc991a35cb84dc95a9d80e_zps19765e89.jpg

[wildcard600]

good choice. been thinking of doing a 20" build myself.

[ABNAK]

I just wish that fixed Magpul stock was a little shorter. I'm tall enough (6'1") to use it but prefer them a little shorter......maybe A1 length at the longest.

[SeriousStudent]

I actually built something very much like that out of spare parts I had laying around. I had picked up a Colt M16A2 barrel for stupid cheap years ago, and had a spare lower. I got a used upper receiver off the EE and then you know how that works....

It actually is very comfy to handle and shoot. Mine uses the same furniture, just in black. A fair number of my friends are former grunts from the 70's and 80's, and enjoy how it works.

Nice looking rifle.

[MistWolf]

I love the 20 inch rifle. I don't need it, but I've been giving serious thought to a lightweight configuration very much like the one Fuzzy put together. I like it

[foxtrotx1]

The 20 inch A4 is my favorite config. Light enough, balanced well, and since most of my rifle use is in open land, length isn't a concern. The extra velocity doesn't hurt and the rifle gas system/buffer system is the gold standard for smooth shooting.

[LoveAR]

Does "old school" also mean it should not have a free float hand guard? Just asking.

[wildcard600]

Does "old school" also mean it should not have a free float hand guard? Just asking.

i would think so. why do you ask ?

[Zirk208]

Does "old school" also mean it should not have a free float hand guard? Just asking.

Magpul MOE's aren't free float if that's what you're getting at.

[buckkiller35]

I love my 20" BCM rifle. I may order another 20" upper from BCM while they come with the free bcg.

[Hank6046]

I would love to have something like that into my collection, if you were former military and handled the A4's or even some A2's a 20" rifle warms your heart like a hot cup of coffee on a cold day. I've looked at doing something like this for a while, just trying to justify another 5.56/.223 rifle. Hope you find what your looking for, check out G&R for prices I thought he had some 20" BCM's or Colts for less than $1350

[ABNAK]

I have an A1 clone that harkens back to my Army grunt days (see sigline). Found one of CMMG's 20" A1 profile, chrome lined, 1:7 twist barrels back in 2009 and built it into the clone. It amazes me how light and well balanced it is, especially when you consider how heavy a carbine can get with rails and optics these days. The bonus is that I can shoot the modern ammo with that twist rate.

[Fuzzy-Reticle]

I already have a Colt HBAR and love it. I want to leave it alone. It was the first AR I ever owned/fired. Everything today is keymod and FF rails and so on. Those are all very cool and excellent setups. I wanted something basic but just a little different than the rest of the crowd. I bought a rifle from a member here a while ago and it had the Magpul fixed stock on it and I loved it. I sold the stock but should have kept it. Been wanting to do a 20" rifle with that on it for a long while.

[Fuzzy-Reticle]

I got the first part of this rifle ready to go today. Assembled on an AERO lower using CMMG pins and springs and an ALG trigger from ACT (nicest GI trigger IMHO) and the Magpul MOE grip and trigger guard.
The upper and MOE rifle buttstock and MOE handguard will be here Thursday.
Time to think about optics. Stick with irons or an RDS or some magnification? Would love an ACOG but that isn't in the budget.
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll190/fuzzyreticle/BCM%2020inch/20141007_131953_zpsumafgj1u.jpg (http://s288.photobucket.com/user/fuzzyreticle/media/BCM%2020inch/20141007_131953_zpsumafgj1u.jpg.html)

[SeriousStudent]

......
Time to think about optics. Stick with irons or an RDS or some magnification? Would love an ACOG but that isn't in the budget.
.......

Honestly, I love the irons on mine.

[Junkie]

I need to build a rifle sometime... are there any A1 profile barrels available that're nitrided (and good quality)?

[wildcard600]

Honestly, I love the irons on mine.

Yeah, the irons on a 20" with that sweet sight radius are half the reason i like rifle length AR's.

[R.O.U.S.]

I need to build a rifle sometime... are there any A1 profile barrels available that're nitrided (and good quality)?

I was going through another thread, and came across this. It's a real, unfired M16A1 barrel...for $995.

http://www.autoweapons.com/photos/accys/colt.html

[ABNAK]

I was going through another thread, and came across this. It's a real, unfired M16A1 barrel...for $995.

http://www.autoweapons.com/photos/accys/colt.html

Umm, yeah......that dude is smoking crack.

[ABNAK]

Fulton Armory has a stripped barrel, 20", A1 pencil profile, chrome lined, 1:8 twist.

http://www.fulton-armory.com/barrelfa16m4gicontourcm1x9threadedchromelined-1.aspx

All you'd need then is a .625" FSB and some taper pins, triangle handguard cap, barrel nut, delta ring assembly, then send it off to ADCO.

[Junkie]

Chrome lined match quality? Huh.

[tostado22]

Should be a fine rifle. One of my favorites to shoot is a standard M16A2.

I need to get in on this BCM sale. I want a KISS 11.5" upper for my SBR. BTW, I've noticed a lot of members in Colo Spgs. We need to get a M4C shoot organized.

[Junkie]

Umm, yeah......that dude is smoking crack.Yep. He claims it's a real A1 barrel, but then he says 1/7 twist. Which one is it?

[BrigandTwoFour]

Chrome lined match quality? Huh.

A lot of people have used Fulton's chrome lined match barrels to great effect. Not that they're winning high power or anything, but certainly riding around the 1 MOA mark. That is more than good enough for most AR users.

[Fuzzy-Reticle]

Folks need to have realistic expectations of the gear they purchase. Great thread about mechanical accuracy verusus practical accuracy buried here. When a vendor makes a claim about SUB MOA precision it is time to get your GOOGLE-FU warmed up and start to do your reasearch. Sometimes these claims are accurate and far to often it is marketing hype. Educate yourself and buy once and cry once.

[henschman]

I have an A4 (PSA with the FN barrel), and it is my overall favorite AR. I had it in a very similar setup to the one in the OP when I first got it, except mine had a CTR stock and KAC rear sight instead of Magpul. It shot great like that, and even better after I went to the free float handguard, Aimpoint, and Magpul fixed stock. I use the dot for everything out to 300 yards with a 50/250 yd. zero (gotta love the ballistics on that 20" barrel), and the co-witnessed irons for everything further. I put a 4 MOA A1 profile front sight on it. Going to the fixed stock was a big improvement with cheek weld as well as recoil, and the ability to carry a full cleaning kit with sectioned rod in the stock is awesome. I had to put the thicker butt pad on it to get it to the right length though.

This thing handles great, but not as good as my Colt 604. The gov't-profile barrel is the only thing keeping it from being perfect. I have plans to send the barrel off to Adco to be turned down to 0.58" forward of the gas block. The top pic is the original setup, and the bottom one is how she looks now:

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk201/henschman/guns/IMG_0278.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk201/henschman/guns/image_zpsd9583458.jpg

[BrigandTwoFour]

Folks need to have realistic expectations of the gear they purchase. Great thread about mechanical accuracy verusus practical accuracy buried here. When a vendor makes a claim about SUB MOA precision it is time to get your GOOGLE-FU warmed up and start to do your reasearch. Sometimes these claims are accurate and far to often it is marketing hype. Educate yourself and buy once and cry once.

Was this the post you were talking about? USMC03 used to post it in a lot of places where people kept asking about Barrel X vs Barrel Y, or this configuration vs that configuration.

Which carbine is more accurate? (http://www.03designgroup.com/technotes/which-carbine-is-more-accurate)

For the vast majority of users, shooting int he vast majority of situations they may face, a rifle cabale of 1 to 2 MOA is more than enough.

[Fuzzy-Reticle]

That is the one. Thanks for the link.

[Fuzzy-Reticle]

Nice looking stick.

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk201/henschman/guns/IMG_0278.jpg

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk201/henschman/guns/image_zpsd9583458.jpg[/QUOTE]

[Fuzzy-Reticle]

Ok so UPS got here and I put it all together.

The upper and lower fit is fantastic. I can not detect any slop or play between the two. The balance is of this setup is great.

The upper is marked BCM4 and it has M4 feedramps. Ok by me.

I think the finish of the upper and lower are a perfect or nearly perfect match.

Tossed on a cheapo Primary Arms RDS in an Aimpoint mount I had laying around for giggles. Still pondering on what if any optics to add.

It started to rain like a bitch bastard here today so will have to wait until later to shoot it. Will detail strip and clean/lube it tonight.

I am very happy with this configuration. No buyers remorse here. It was less expensive than the COLT A4 and better than the FN IMHO.

In the end it is what a I wanted to do. Something different than the carbines and middies that are around but a little classic and bit modern. Who says full size AR's are dead?

I am positive it will serve me well. Time to plan a trip do so some Coyote hunting. :)

Aero lower
BCM govt profile 20" upper 1/7 twist
BCM bolt and carrier
BCM Gunfighter charging handle
Standard rifle receiver extension and buffer/spring
CMMG pins and springs
ACT Trigger
Magpul MOE furniture and MBUS




http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll190/fuzzyreticle/BCM%2020inch/IMG_7298_zpsbcc71803.jpg (http://s288.photobucket.com/user/fuzzyreticle/media/BCM%2020inch/IMG_7298_zpsbcc71803.jpg.html)


http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll190/fuzzyreticle/BCM%2020inch/IMG_7299_zps69494029.jpg (http://s288.photobucket.com/user/fuzzyreticle/media/BCM%2020inch/IMG_7299_zps69494029.jpg.html)

[Dirty_H]

That looks amazing. I just acquired a PSA 20 in rifle this week. Take this as a compliment, but I plan to damn near copy what you did to yours. (only in OD green) It looks fantastic.

In the future I plan to stick a 1-4 power optic on it. Probably a Burris Tac30.