5th4x4

OH, C'MON!!!!!!!!! I just went to pick up my lower receiver. D E L A Y E D !!! FBI check. The disorderly conduct from 34 years ago raises it's head yet again. I just went through this exact same thing with the freakin State. Who next? the International Brotherhood of Pastry Chefs? Are they going to get the next crack at delaying this?? Fair enough. It's my record. I own it. But..................... pppppppppffffffffffffffffffttttttttttttttttt

I pick up my lower later today. The parts kit is due to arrive tomorrow. The upper was shipped a few hours ago. ....so of course there are big deals being offered now!

Oh.... and my lower did arrive today! I'll be picking that up at 6:30 tonight The PK... creeping closer; currently driving through PA.

Ok, I went with the charging handle and bolt carrier group add-on. (which means I'm really - and finally! - starting to knock a lot of these parts off of the to-do list now!) According to that picture (if that is truly indicative of what will arrive here), it looks like it has an M16-style flash-suppressor attached. Yes/No? Regardless, I'll need (want) a muzzle brake, so when I look for that, should I assume that the size (thread, I guess) is all pretty much a standard size(?). Once again, a bit of research would probably answer that for me (for the most part, at least), but once again, I've propelled myself a bit more forward in a directions that I hadn't expected to be at this point (I'm actually supposed to be preparing for a meeting right now! ), so I'll take whatever wisdom that anyone would like to toss my way. And btw, that Daniel Defense brake that everyone was praising..... I have questions (actually.... I'll post that separately)

Excellent info/warning Lalo! Once I had made my decision to build as opposed to buy, it had been my intention to build the entire rifle from scratch. HOWEVER.... for expediency purposes (primarily) I have relaxed that stance in regard to the upper. It's a reluctant compromise, but it's one that I've made peace with, so I'm glad that you have continued to showcase these deals that you are finding. As per the 2nd link (BCM)..... I think that's a go for me. I've looked at so many different uppers/parts of uppers, and even after all of that, I still find myself not truly knowing what to go with. Therefore I'm definitely willing to defer to the guys who have been with me all along since I showed up here. And you have certainly provided me with good scoop in the past (or at least I assume it's good scoop, since there haven't been any shoot-outs or flame-wars that have broken out after any of your recommendations). So ok Jorge.... I'm going for it. Many thanks for your many suggestions and links!

Is there a thread here where you can take up collections for bail money donations? If not... it's probably best not to test the legality of that

Ok, so... grenade launcher Well that's off the list. Damn. (they don't even legally allow you to handle the trigger mechanism of a gas pump in this state, so duh!) Btw, my lower receiver and Parts Kit are both enroute to me now (well, the receiver is on it's way to my FFL, but you get the idea) so there won't be a lot of "sitting" once those get here.

Btw is this the slowest build you guys have ever witnessed, or what What's that classic line from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly? "If you're gonna shoot, shoot. Don't talk"

So I would need to specifically buy a barrel with the muzzle brake already permanently attached? Or do I need to have someone weld it in place afterward? Sorry. I'm sure that I could research this myself and not burden you guys with it, but this topic simply came up well before I was really at the point where I would need to begin dealing with it. That said, I really should start dealing with the upper now too, since 2/3 of my lower is on the way now (tracking info obtained!)

Ok, great info. Many thanks guys! So what I do know (or think that I know) about NJ's infringement of our Constitutionally-protected 2nd Amendment rights, is that we're allowed 2 "evil features" before we cross the line into illegality in this Constitutionally-oppressed state. So if I pick a muzzle brake as 1 of those features, then I only have one more to choose from. Am I 'sorta' getting that right? Also.... So does a flash-suppressor on an M16 actually perform the same function as a muzzle-break does? I did get the opportunity to fire an AR shortly after I separated from the Corps, but sadly I don't recall the difference in how it handled or recoiled. And since the M16 was the very first firearm that I ever experienced, I really had no frame of reference regarding recoil. It was the only recoil I had known to that point. And while it did kick pretty good, I was young and relatively undamaged in those days, so I have no idea of the extent of it's recoil. All I know is that during boot camp we spent 2 weeks at the range. And during the 2nd week, it would be shoot-shoot-shoot all day. And while we were staying at the range, we were all issued shooting jackets (so the shoulder area was padded). I don't really recall any pain, but I do recall soreness by the time we were done qualifying. Then again, I probably weighed about 140lbs in those days, so I wasn't exactly carrying any of my own cushioning.

I kept hearing the term "muzzle brake" here, and I had no idea what it was. But I figured that I'd get around to learning about it when I started buying/working on the upper. But I just did some surface research on it, and it seems to be a flash-suppressor of some kind (or actually a flash-suppressor). So is a muzzle brake the same as a flash-suppressor? Every M16 has a flash-suppressor. Same thing different name??

We can definitely discuss this again once I get far enough along, for sure! Speaking of that, my lower receiver has now inched it's way up into Kearney, so I estimate that it should arrive tired and thirsty in Harrington Park by tomorrow (I hope!). Plus I had to 'nudge' AIM Surplus regarding the never-changing "processing" status of my Parts Kit order. The nudge resulted in a promise of sending me tracking info later in the day, as they said that it had just shipped. I'm not sure if it "just" shipped due to the nudge-influence or not, but if I get a tracking number from them today, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Ok, so lets see.... it's now 3:45, so maybe I'll take a break from working for 'the man' (which won't be too much of a problem, since 'the man' is actually me) and me/the man will spend some time checking out stock/buffer options. Checko had mentioned the option of a heavier buffer, which "shoots softer, less felt recoil" so I think that I'll investigate that as a possibility I don't mean to be a puss, but I wrecked my shoulder (over and over again) pretty darn good in an earlier life, and I recall having to munch on Vicodin for a few days after a skeet-shooting session a couple of years ago. I gave up playing ball for the very same reason, so if I can lessen the after-effects from a day of shooting, maybe I won't have to spend multiple days wrapped in ice and numbed by narcotics afterward. btw, everyone who told me, "You're gonna feel that when you get older" while I was busy being young and reckless... was right!!

I think I've resolved my target illumination issue. I'm going to outfit my entire home with a series of these.... ...and then program them all to respond to the sound of the bolt slamming forward I have the same situation as Vlad; my home has somehow become peppered with nightlights over the years, so there isn't actually much darkness to be found anywhere. I also like the look of that setup he has. Functionally sharp.

Yeah, I began checking out lights right after checko mentioned it. The strobe effect is pretty wild. Another wild effect: the price of those things! Ay caramba!!!!

I agree with you both regarding "blinding light". But I still think that a laser in the room will evacuate a few stressed-out bowels. Btw, how do those rifle-mounted flashlights activate?

That does bring up an interesting issue (somewhat off-topic from the build thread): Using home defense as the example, would it be more advantageous to be using light or laser when you aren't sure if you're dealing with an intruder with a weapon or not? Laser is a bit more stealth than bright light, plus it has the 'sh!t the pants' factor when a laser is suddenly seen tracking across walls and furnishings inside an enclosed space. Then again, caught in the headlights..... I can only say that my own less than extensive room clearing training in the Corps never did involve flashlights or lasers, so I have no first-hand knowledge of how one would stack up vs the other. (although obviously a laser would provide more benefit inside a well-lit room) However I'm sure that there are quite a few LEO on these forums, so I'd be curious to hear what their take on this topic would be.

300+ lumen. Noted. As per that red dot... I don't move so fast myself these days, so unless it can make us both faster, I'll just stick with bathing the target in intense light Thanks for the guidance Krdshrk and checko (one of the benefits about thinking out-loud is that it allows people to give me that look, and shake their heads, whenever I say something off the grid)

"Even the Army"??? Well that settles it then. No laser for me!!! (btw, is it really true that their Humvees come standard with climate controlled seats and heated steering wheels??)

I definitely want that. Actually a flashlight/laser combo sounds even better. It was never my intention to trick-out this rifle for the sake of tricking-out the rifle, but that kind of feature fits the purpose, so it's not one of those extraneous gimmick attachments. I'm putting that item down as a must-have.

This is good! I like how you laid all of that out, checko. Thumbs up, bro! I'll probably use that as the basis for my checklist, and modify/update it as things progress and as new information/advice filters in. I've had some really helpful (and supportive) responses in this thread (as well as via PM!), and this is of particular benefit to me. Much like a recent post from vladtepes, it helps me to direct my thinking about this build. So thanks for that! Summarizing: I've already ordered my lower (Spikes Tactical Spider) and parts kit (Spikes Tactical again). So now I'm trying to focus on just compiling parts/components. I am so itching to start building this thing! I've got my tools, vise, everything (I hope!) at the ready for incoming hardware! (and a special shout-out to bhunted for his tool dissertation via PM. Many thanks John! I did actually have a lot of what I'll need... although the armorer's wrench does remain a specific "need" item. So that is definitely my next purchase. And my torque wrench.... still MIA) I already know that I'm going to have some questions about that list (clarification/detail) but I like being able to work off of a list like that. It's good to be able to see what objectives still lie ahead. Ok, I gotta go write some code for someone now (freakin work :/ Major freakin rifle buzz-kill), so I'll return with some questions after that.

Point taken! I did finally get the FFL squared away on Sunday, so my lower has officially been shipped as of this morning. And I have also already ordered a parts kit as well (that order is apparently in "processing" status). So.... The next step will be checking out the options for a stock, I guess. I have actually looked around (browser window shopping) a little bit, but I also know that the stock can fall into one of the Jersey-law pitfall areas, so I'm sure that I'm going to need a bit of knowledgeable/experienced help with that at some point. So anyway, it hasn't all been just chatter There are rifle parts that will soon be entering into my orbit soon enough. Wait, scratch that. NOT "soon enough". More like "eventually". Anyway, lets say that while the stock may be on the to-do agenda at the moment, what else could I be acquiring right now? I'm assuming that there are some things that aren't "preference" items; there are also just some basic/standard "need" items that I'm going to have to acquire, so what can I get checked off of my to-do list by ordering something right now? Thoughts?

To tell you the truth, I'm kinda enjoying the quiet right now But if I do ever get lonely for jackazzery, my Marine brothers over on the other forums would provide it in abundance for me. (although FYI: I'm not particularly lonely for all that jackazzery much anymore these days. The un-moderated forums are a zoo, and the moderated one's are a snooze. I rue the day when Military.com sold-out to Monster.com. They destroyed the most popular Marine hangout on the internet with all of their corporate pc bs). So anyway... I think I'll just keep my head down here and not make myself a target at this place. I like you guys, so I don't feel like stepping into the middle of any long-standing flame wars . Besides, I've got enough on my plate with this AR deal.

In that case, just let me enjoy the illusion for a while But what I was really saying is that there is a certain brotherhood here. That's great! And brothers fight, so everything that goes along with that is to be expected (even if I haven't actually witnessed it for myself yet). And btw, I don't want to come across as sounding un-pc myself. I tend to use the term "guys" as an across-the-board descriptive for the entire group. And besides, I've only encountered guys here so far (as far as I know, at least). Then again, I haven't really strayed too far from my own situation since I've arrived here, so I'm sure that things are a bit more diverse in other sections of this board - out there where all of the constant bickering.... creative use of curse words and highly un-pc insults... notorious barely-there bikini pics..... and the endless rounds of forum suspensions are taking place )

You guys never cease to amaze me. I feel right at home here. It feels very similar to being on any of the Marine Corps boards - except for the constant bickering.... and the creative use of curse words and highly un-pc insults... and the notorious barely-there bikini pics..... and the endless rounds of forum suspensions. Otherwise.... exactly the same

Read minds much?? Btw, I haven't really researched grips yet, but that is something that I'm thinking (?) that I might want to purchase specifically (separately). So should I try to buy a PK that comes without a grip, or is the cost negligible when you factor in the greater number of options for those that come with one? Btw, I gotta go meet my FFL guy now. So if I didn't adequately thank you for that link yesterday Jorge, allow me to do so now! Great find! Thanks for your effort in helping me!