You can talk about "vibes" all you want, but the A2 was a huge setback for the military AR rifle. The Canadian C7 was the superior upgrade. I wish I had that. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Other takes of the day:

Dissipators are not good.

The best M16A2s were the carbine variants.

From left to right

H&R Colt 604 20" 1/12

PWA Commando that id like to have cut and put a modulator on

Bushy XM15 with a ban era A2 style upper

I have a H&R COTS lower that im unsure what im going to do with, but its gonna have a carry handle.

It just fits right in.

I bought an Action Arms Mark V red dot sight and it arrived with the batteries corroded in it and a broken battery compartment lid. I had to use electronic cleaner spray, brush, and tweezers to work out the blue crusted batteries. Then sprayed some more magic spray and started on the lid.

The lids threads are completely gone and will only stay on with force. Best solution I could find was a tiny hose clamp. The dot turns on now and the adjustment knobs work so good chance I can zero and shoot with it. The side battery compartment is a unique badass look and is like a mock Aimpoint 2000. Similar to the old Tasco Propoints.

Threw it on some nice old weaver rings and a woodland sling. The light is just some cheap light I got in a parts bin at a local store. No clue what brand but it's has 2 brightness settings and a strobe option. Light as a feather, DPMS with a retro optic.

Just saw this pop up on my instagram. https://alleghenyarms.com/product/agw-m5000-red-dot/

hacksawed the stock, grip, foregrip, and gooseneck - printed handguards - modified M-LOK pic section for mounting the VFG

UPPER
BKF 11.5” M16A2 complete upper receiver

FCD NP3 BCG - Serrated

FCD 2-dimple EPC

Geissele Super Charging Handle

Trijicon TA44 ACSS

Midwest Industries Carbine Quad Rail w/ Out of Sight Solutions stubby grip

Surefire M640DFT w/ Hammy MJF Nylon cover

LOWER
Bad Attitude Department Low-Key (Ambidextrous, Pictogram Selectors, Stripped)

Bad Attitude Department mag release & takedown pins

BCM MK.2 Buffer System w/ VLTOR A5H3 weight

B5 CAR-15 Stock with modified Masen pad

Luth A1 Pistol Grip

Geissele SSA-E with SSA springs

Sig Ambi Bolt Catch

FCD RBF

FCD Winter Trigger Guard

Schmid Tool Ambi Selector

7.5” from Bkings.

I’ve got an A1 and an A2 lower sitting around and I’d like to buy a variety of short barrel uppers for. SBR. It’s now easier than before (in Arizona at least )…I figure why not . Really considering this super short.y. No particular purpose other than having a variety of lengths. I’ve never shot one that short. I’m wondering if I should skip it and start at 10”

Presenting today one of a rare kind: Colt AR15 A2 Government Model (R6550), transitional A2 model produced between 1988-1990, only about 9000 examples were manufactured.

It comes with a Colt proprietary .22LR conversion kit and a mount.

An interesting feature is the neutering of the bayonet lug as Colt was bracing for the AWB in 1994. The first 3000ish, however, have the bayonet lug intact.

R6550 features a GS-prefix serial number, utilizes a 20-inch chrome-lined barrel with a fast 1:7 twist rate, a direct impingement gas system, and a classic A2-style fixed carry handle with a dual-aperture rear sight, with A1 lower. It closely mirrors military M16A2 specifications—complete with A2 furniture and a trapdoor buttstock

I recently picked up a Bushmaster xm15 e2s that someone has put a GM Hydramatic barrel in. I’m looking for some guidance.

I’m more interested in making the Bushmaster into a more accurate A2 with the proper barrel. I’m considering either selling off the GM barrel, but don’t really know the value on something like that. Or should I just holding onto it for an A1 build later on?

At a gun show today and quickly saw what appeared to be modified QXL dive light in the rubber coating with the switch sticking thru along with 2 hose clamps already attached and the bolts and nuts also attached for the handguard mounting. Looked legit but didnt have time to really inspect it. It did have an LED upgrade bulb which was unexpected.

I was very gruffly told $300.

I know its hard to judge with my limited description but should I go back and explore this a little more tomorrow?

Allegedly the red dot and laser come from Atlanta PD itself, but I have no good way to verify that. Pretty soft shooting, I have a slightly heavier than usual buffer but may throw the Masen pad back on. Other than a B5 clone of a Lonestar, I think that we are calling this one done. Might actually have to snag an FRT for this one.

Added a PRI M84 combat latch, a ARD for colt 4x scope, and early style forward assist!

Period-correct recommendations
My uncle gifted me a Bushmaster upper from the ’90s, so I put together a Bushmaster lower to get it running. It runs great, but the current setup feels a little bland, and the A2 stock looks kind of out of place to me.
Since the upper is from such a cool era of Bushmaster, I’d like to keep the build period-correct rather than throw modern parts at it. I’m leaning toward something along the lines of the second picture, but I’m not entirely sure where to start.
One of my biggest hang-ups is the delta ring and handguard compatibility. I’d like to change the handguards, but I’m not sure what options would work best with this setup, especially with the fixed front sight base.
Has anyone put together a similar ’90s Bushmaster build? I’d appreciate recommendations for period-correct furniture, handguards, and any other details that would help give it that classic look. I’m open to constructive criticism, too. I was just excited to get it running and threw something together for now.

I found these TACM III weapon mounted light lamp assemblies while going through some family estate items I inherited. They had been carefully stored away in a box that had receipts in it from the early 2000’s, so I believe they are quite old.

I have tried to google some stuff to know more about them, but can’t find much.

Based on the little I can find, it appears TACM III was a major player in the late 90’s and early 2000’s in the tactical light game. TACM 3 originally operated under the name Diamond Products Marketing, Inc.

It looks like they were popular with law enforcement. Did they ever have any military contracts? Any other interesting tidbits about them?

Hi all, getting ready to build my first ar. Does anyone have any experience with this kit from what a country? Looking to build an ar using real colt m16a1 parts and this looks to be my only option.

My pre-injunction 11.5

The three amigos

We are visiting a collector in Europe who has an incredible selection of rare firearms. Here is an extremely-early production Model 01 AR15. The serial number is 000192, and because the serial numbers for the Model 01 started at 000101, it is among the first 100 ever manufactured. This extremely-early serial number also indicates it was probably manufactured in December of 1959, the same month that large-scale production of this model started. 

The Model 01 was the first mass-produced version of Eugene Stoner’s AR-15 design after Colt acquired the manufacturing rights from ArmaLite. Serial production began in December 1959 and continued into mid-1963, with roughly 14,500 made in the range starting around serial 000101 through about 014484.

These early rifles were primarily for U.S. Air Force use, Project AGILE testing (AGILE was basically the predecessor to DARPA), limited foreign military sales, and some commercial/police sales. Key early export contracts included small batches (around two dozen each) to Malaya/Malaysia and India, plus smaller numbers to places like Australia, Burma, and Singapore.

Note some interesting features on this early AR include semi-gloss green furniture (is this original furniture?). These also have the slab-side lower (no fencing around the magazine release at all) and this is probably a 1-14" twist barrel. 

If this rifle was a transferable machinegun in the US, it would probably be worth in the $40k - $50k range. 

After being bitten by the bug of carry handles, I decided I needed a gray build. Build details:

BAD Attitude Lowkey raw aluminum A1 lower, electro etched and Moly Resin’d ([u/SLN583](u/SLN583), thanks again for the tutorial my man.)

Original Colt A1 CH marked upper with C MP Chrome Bore barrel

70s SP1 LPK

NOS Seatbelt Sling

USGI furniture (don’t grill me for the wrong stock, I had it on hand already from a previous build, trying to source a Type E in good shape)

Early-ish Colt - Armalite marked Bipod

All in, I think the build cost around $1100. The upper was complete- I managed to snag it off gunbroker for ~$600. SP1 LPK & sling was from AR15 sport and about $200 total. Front take down pin and buffer assembly was from max arms (probably aren’t 70s produced but close enough) and were about $60.

Furniture was sourced from various places.

Only thing I’m not 100% happy with is the depth of the right side of the colt manufacturing markings. Definitely undercooked but I don’t think it’s entirely out of the realm of rollmark irregularities.

An old guy brought in his AR to sell today and he had this bad boy attached. For the right price, I might like it for a late 90’s Colt SBR build that I have in mind.

I very much appreciate any input you all might have on a fair price that I may offer the fella.

Many Thanks!