seb5
03-15-09, 16:58
I’ve been wanting to do this for along time and have finally got around to taking pics, hosting them, and so forth. I suppose this is a short story of my last 20 years with AR’s. My odyssey or obsession so to speak. I’ve owned a few others and been issued a few others but these are the current ones living in the safe. Some are used a bunch, some not at all. Some just look good! If I don’t use them, I end up selling them as I’m a shooter, not a collector.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBM1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBM2.jpg
The 1st one up was/is my first AR-15 A-2. That’s how it started life. As my one pre-ban it’s went through many changes. It currently sports a 5 position mil-spec Vltor stock, KNS pins, ambi safety, RRA trigger, Noveske mid length barreled upper by MSTN, Vortex, PRI front gas/block sight, Troy rear sight, receiver sling attachment, and rail system, Trijicon TA01 ECOS, Magpul mags, trigger guard, Tango Down battle grip and VFG, DD offset light mount with a SureFire Nitrolon, BFG padded sling, and a badger tac latch. I really don’t know how many rounds are through it. The upper had about 1000 through it when I bought it and I’ve probably duplicated that. The lower has many thousands through it. I wanted it set up as a DMR type rifle. It’s pretty much just an expensive fun gun now days. It spent the 1990’s as my patrol rifle.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsRRA1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsRRA2.jpg
My second rifle started life as one of the first RRA DEA packages. Other than obviously being in foliage green now instead of black it has also had many changes. I ended up changing lots of stuff on it. It currently sports a 5 position mil-spec extension and Troy ambi receiver sling attachment, Magpul MOE, mags, trigger guard, rail covers, Tango Down stubby VFG, Ergo grip, DD rail attachment point on the Surefire rail, Matech rear sight, Aimpoint T-1 on an Larue mount, Surefire Scout on a Yankee Hill offset rail, Badger tac latch, and a Blue Force Gear sling. This rifle has been my primary school rifle for several years and has had around 12,000 rounds through it. Every 5000 or so I’ve replaced the parts that wear on the bolt and the action spring. It came with an “H” buffer and generally runs very well.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsNOVS1001.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsNOVS2.jpg
My third rifle was what I bought myself coming back from deployment. The Noveske is the most expensive AR series rifle I own. And worth it I think. This rifle actually gets used. As a sniper on my departments SWAT team. I get tired of lugging my Remington rifle through the woods and wanted something that could replace the .308 for many ops. This is what I came up with. I treat it and use it a precision rifle. I have added a NightForce 2.5X10 mil-dot scope in a Larue mount, Magpul mags, a Harris bipod on a Larue mount, DD sling attachment for the rail as the SWS doesn’t have a right side rear swivel attachment, Noveske rear receiver sling attachment, Badger tac-latch. It currently had a RRA match trigger but a Giessele is ordered. It had about 500 rounds of Black Hills match ammo through it at this point. It's a sub MOA shooter to 400 I know for a fact, probably further.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBLD1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBLD2.jpg
Next up is one of my personal builds. I built this as my “put everything I want on a rifle I ever wanted” type rifle. It had quickly become a favorite. I wanted a mid length 14.5 for awhile now. The lower came from Defensive Edge, the stripped upper from Bravo. Larue was the supplier for the BCG, and all hardware in Urban Dark Earth. The Burris Fast Fire and mount came from Larue as well. I might stay with that for awhile but am looking hard at a new ACOG TA33. The barrel is from Sabre, 14.5 and was sent to ADCO for the permanent Vortex. It has mil-spec internals, ambi safety, KNS pins, Norgon ambi mag release, Troy rail with the DD sling point, Specter MOUT single point sling, Badger tac-latch, and SureFire Scout on a Yankee Hill offset rail. This rifle handles great and balances as well as any I’ve ever played with. I’m not sure it’s purpose but I like it. After getting comfortable and confident with it, it will become my house gun, eventually.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsDE1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsDE2.jpg
Next up is my Defensive Edge Grail. I ordered this as I thought it might be my last with the current politics and all. I ordered is in OD as I didn’t have one that color! I really like the balance and the Sully stock might get duplicated on another rifle. This does have a carbine gas system. My only additions to this rifle are the Troy sling attachment up front, DD ambi burnsed behind the receiver, Blue Force Gear sling, P-mags in OD, of course. It came with PRI’s front and rear, and I added the Aimpoint T-1 and Larue mount. I have a Streamlight TLR that is great on the PRI rail. The Surefire flash hider was standard, as was the PRI big latch and winter trigger guard. I have an ambi safety, Norgon ambi mag release, and Magpul trigger guard that will go on it when I get a little free time. For those of you looking at a high end carbine this really fits the bill. Sully’s attention to detail and customer service are outstanding. I probably spoke with him or his wife a dozen times throughout the build process. I can readily recommend this carbine. The only thing I would change on it is the 1/9 twist on the lightweight barrel. It really doesn’t bother me as I much prefer 55 grain FMJ but I know many think that the only was to send bullets downrange is through a 1/7 twist barrel.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBEAU1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBEAU2.jpg
The next mostly complete carbine started life as a Gunsmoke stripped lower. My son decided he wanted a carbine. Being a live on campus college student, that means no hurry. This has been going together since around Christmas and a lot of it is whatever I could locate at the time. The upper is a stripped M-4 from Bravo. The LPK is from Brownells. Not the DPMS, but the other that cost $70.00 with my discount! The BCG is a properly staked by me DPMS with the proper extractor buffer and “O” ring. Of course, as are all my carbines this one has a 5 position mil-spec receiver extension, with a MOE stock and grip, a Yankee Hill ambi H&K hook type receiver plate, “H” buffer, Magpul trigger guard. The barrel is a 1/9 Armalite with mid length gas system and M-4 feed ramps. I have put 2 28 round mags through it just to test function, it worked fine for the limited amount of testing. I have set of mid length hand guards from Cavalry arms on the way and also have a mid length Troy rail on hand. I have’nt decided which way to go as of yet. What I’m leaning hard towards is sending the barrel to ADCO and having them contour(read, lighten the heavy axe handle of a barrel) fit the “F” marked A-2 front sight base that I have on hand, cutting the barrel to 14.5 and putting on a Vortex like my other home build. That would make a nice lightweight, well balanced carbine for my Son. I'll just put irons on initially. Cav Arms fixed rear and the A-2 front sight base. If he wants an RDS or light he can pay for it!
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsDD1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsDD2.jpg
The last one is the DD I picked up this weekend at the gunshow. I will add a Tango Down stubby and battle grip,and a badger tac-latch right away. Later on it will get the ambi controls. It will probably end up with either the Aimpoint off of the RRA from above, as well as the Scout light, and then take it’s place next to the others.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsgrouphug.jpg
As you can tell I’ve ran the gamut with these things. I suppose my perfect carbine hasn’t been made yet but my UDE middie with 14.5 barrel is pretty close. As a left hander I finally decided to start using the safeties and mag releases available to me. As I can’t justify this many a couple will go away. Of course one to my Son, a friend is on me about the RRA so I’ll probably give him a deal on it. I’ve filled out the SRB paperwork on one. I just have’nt decided which serial number yet. Either my middie build or the pre-ban Bushy more than likely. It’s tough to try to justify all of these but with the politics as they are it’s even harder to get rid of them. I suppose if limited right now the order of preference would be; Noveske, Defensive Edge Grail, Daniel Defense, my old Bushy, my new 14.5” middie build, my Sons new middie build and lastly, the RRA. Other than my .308 bolt gun and a Ruger 10/22 these are the only rifles I own. If I take up deer hunting again it will either be with a heavy barreled .308 or an AR.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBM1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBM2.jpg
The 1st one up was/is my first AR-15 A-2. That’s how it started life. As my one pre-ban it’s went through many changes. It currently sports a 5 position mil-spec Vltor stock, KNS pins, ambi safety, RRA trigger, Noveske mid length barreled upper by MSTN, Vortex, PRI front gas/block sight, Troy rear sight, receiver sling attachment, and rail system, Trijicon TA01 ECOS, Magpul mags, trigger guard, Tango Down battle grip and VFG, DD offset light mount with a SureFire Nitrolon, BFG padded sling, and a badger tac latch. I really don’t know how many rounds are through it. The upper had about 1000 through it when I bought it and I’ve probably duplicated that. The lower has many thousands through it. I wanted it set up as a DMR type rifle. It’s pretty much just an expensive fun gun now days. It spent the 1990’s as my patrol rifle.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsRRA1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsRRA2.jpg
My second rifle started life as one of the first RRA DEA packages. Other than obviously being in foliage green now instead of black it has also had many changes. I ended up changing lots of stuff on it. It currently sports a 5 position mil-spec extension and Troy ambi receiver sling attachment, Magpul MOE, mags, trigger guard, rail covers, Tango Down stubby VFG, Ergo grip, DD rail attachment point on the Surefire rail, Matech rear sight, Aimpoint T-1 on an Larue mount, Surefire Scout on a Yankee Hill offset rail, Badger tac latch, and a Blue Force Gear sling. This rifle has been my primary school rifle for several years and has had around 12,000 rounds through it. Every 5000 or so I’ve replaced the parts that wear on the bolt and the action spring. It came with an “H” buffer and generally runs very well.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsNOVS1001.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsNOVS2.jpg
My third rifle was what I bought myself coming back from deployment. The Noveske is the most expensive AR series rifle I own. And worth it I think. This rifle actually gets used. As a sniper on my departments SWAT team. I get tired of lugging my Remington rifle through the woods and wanted something that could replace the .308 for many ops. This is what I came up with. I treat it and use it a precision rifle. I have added a NightForce 2.5X10 mil-dot scope in a Larue mount, Magpul mags, a Harris bipod on a Larue mount, DD sling attachment for the rail as the SWS doesn’t have a right side rear swivel attachment, Noveske rear receiver sling attachment, Badger tac-latch. It currently had a RRA match trigger but a Giessele is ordered. It had about 500 rounds of Black Hills match ammo through it at this point. It's a sub MOA shooter to 400 I know for a fact, probably further.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBLD1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBLD2.jpg
Next up is one of my personal builds. I built this as my “put everything I want on a rifle I ever wanted” type rifle. It had quickly become a favorite. I wanted a mid length 14.5 for awhile now. The lower came from Defensive Edge, the stripped upper from Bravo. Larue was the supplier for the BCG, and all hardware in Urban Dark Earth. The Burris Fast Fire and mount came from Larue as well. I might stay with that for awhile but am looking hard at a new ACOG TA33. The barrel is from Sabre, 14.5 and was sent to ADCO for the permanent Vortex. It has mil-spec internals, ambi safety, KNS pins, Norgon ambi mag release, Troy rail with the DD sling point, Specter MOUT single point sling, Badger tac-latch, and SureFire Scout on a Yankee Hill offset rail. This rifle handles great and balances as well as any I’ve ever played with. I’m not sure it’s purpose but I like it. After getting comfortable and confident with it, it will become my house gun, eventually.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsDE1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsDE2.jpg
Next up is my Defensive Edge Grail. I ordered this as I thought it might be my last with the current politics and all. I ordered is in OD as I didn’t have one that color! I really like the balance and the Sully stock might get duplicated on another rifle. This does have a carbine gas system. My only additions to this rifle are the Troy sling attachment up front, DD ambi burnsed behind the receiver, Blue Force Gear sling, P-mags in OD, of course. It came with PRI’s front and rear, and I added the Aimpoint T-1 and Larue mount. I have a Streamlight TLR that is great on the PRI rail. The Surefire flash hider was standard, as was the PRI big latch and winter trigger guard. I have an ambi safety, Norgon ambi mag release, and Magpul trigger guard that will go on it when I get a little free time. For those of you looking at a high end carbine this really fits the bill. Sully’s attention to detail and customer service are outstanding. I probably spoke with him or his wife a dozen times throughout the build process. I can readily recommend this carbine. The only thing I would change on it is the 1/9 twist on the lightweight barrel. It really doesn’t bother me as I much prefer 55 grain FMJ but I know many think that the only was to send bullets downrange is through a 1/7 twist barrel.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBEAU1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsBEAU2.jpg
The next mostly complete carbine started life as a Gunsmoke stripped lower. My son decided he wanted a carbine. Being a live on campus college student, that means no hurry. This has been going together since around Christmas and a lot of it is whatever I could locate at the time. The upper is a stripped M-4 from Bravo. The LPK is from Brownells. Not the DPMS, but the other that cost $70.00 with my discount! The BCG is a properly staked by me DPMS with the proper extractor buffer and “O” ring. Of course, as are all my carbines this one has a 5 position mil-spec receiver extension, with a MOE stock and grip, a Yankee Hill ambi H&K hook type receiver plate, “H” buffer, Magpul trigger guard. The barrel is a 1/9 Armalite with mid length gas system and M-4 feed ramps. I have put 2 28 round mags through it just to test function, it worked fine for the limited amount of testing. I have set of mid length hand guards from Cavalry arms on the way and also have a mid length Troy rail on hand. I have’nt decided which way to go as of yet. What I’m leaning hard towards is sending the barrel to ADCO and having them contour(read, lighten the heavy axe handle of a barrel) fit the “F” marked A-2 front sight base that I have on hand, cutting the barrel to 14.5 and putting on a Vortex like my other home build. That would make a nice lightweight, well balanced carbine for my Son. I'll just put irons on initially. Cav Arms fixed rear and the A-2 front sight base. If he wants an RDS or light he can pay for it!
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsDD1.jpg
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsDD2.jpg
The last one is the DD I picked up this weekend at the gunshow. I will add a Tango Down stubby and battle grip,and a badger tac-latch right away. Later on it will get the ambi controls. It will probably end up with either the Aimpoint off of the RRA from above, as well as the Scout light, and then take it’s place next to the others.
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/sebfive/ARsgrouphug.jpg
As you can tell I’ve ran the gamut with these things. I suppose my perfect carbine hasn’t been made yet but my UDE middie with 14.5 barrel is pretty close. As a left hander I finally decided to start using the safeties and mag releases available to me. As I can’t justify this many a couple will go away. Of course one to my Son, a friend is on me about the RRA so I’ll probably give him a deal on it. I’ve filled out the SRB paperwork on one. I just have’nt decided which serial number yet. Either my middie build or the pre-ban Bushy more than likely. It’s tough to try to justify all of these but with the politics as they are it’s even harder to get rid of them. I suppose if limited right now the order of preference would be; Noveske, Defensive Edge Grail, Daniel Defense, my old Bushy, my new 14.5” middie build, my Sons new middie build and lastly, the RRA. Other than my .308 bolt gun and a Ruger 10/22 these are the only rifles I own. If I take up deer hunting again it will either be with a heavy barreled .308 or an AR.