Bronze Lifetime
- Messages
- 12,621
- Reactions
- 28,845
Well, actually it'll end up three builds from the parts going into this one... starting thinking was one cheap crappy "just to say it was built as a pistol" completion kit for building up my lowers, then as budget allows reshuffle the parts to gradually build up to a .22LR 10.5", a 5.56 10.5" and a vaguely Mk 18-ish 10.3" 5.56 that can fit into a briefcase.
Already in hand/on-order:
--2 EP Armory poly EPL's, assuming they survive machining
--Cheap crappy Tacfire buffer kit
--Aero stripped upper and UPK
--3 Anderson LPK's
--CMMG ambi safety
--VLTOR CASV-EL handguard
--Rustoleum Olive Drab spraypaint
To acquire, known parts:
--Precision Armament AFAB-556, to replace one originally meant for my carbine
--Indian Creek BFD, ditto
--Individual replacement PA Accu-Washers to re-complete set
--3 sets KNS Precision anti-walk pins
--3 sets YHM EZ-pull takedown pins or similar
--Tennessee Arms Liberator hybrid-poly lower
--PSA 10.5 FSB upper
--Diamondhead DHD-1401 rear sight
--Badger 249-02 Tactical Latch
--FAB PTK angled foregrip
--FAB AGF-43S folding maingrip
--Krylon Satin Lagoon spraypaint
To acquire, not yet known...
--10.3" FSB barrel for Aero upper - Daniel Defense, Andro Corp or other?
--Barrel nut/delta ring - DSA makes a special Delta for the CASV, or should I go full Colt it from Brownells? Are these as Brand Finicky as uppers, barrels, etc, or just "commodity parts" like detents etc.?
--.22LR 10.5" upper--any ideas here?
--BCG's--so far my DSA hand-cycles OK, but haven't headspaced or fired, so unsure if I should buy another
--three charging handles, pref milspec
--Two more rear sights
--Two better buffer assemblies, possibly Sig Brace or Shockwave Blade
--Optic--CASV has a .475" riser built in as part of its mount system, so that needs to be taken into account. I prefer EoTech-style big-screen holographic "Head Up Displays," but since there may not be any with thin enough bases to co-witness and this needs to be a compact one for discreet carry I may be stuck with Aimpoint-style tubes.
Possibilities:
--Two belt-loop mag carriers to strap to brace if used?
--LAW Tactical sidefolder?
First phase build, I'm thinking just drop the CASV onto the PSA upper, slap the PTK onto it, and the AGF43 grip and Tacfire buffer onto one of the cheapo EP's. The Aero upper I bought as a learning exercise, trying to grow my skills a little at a time, so it'll be set aside for a while waiting for a barrel. Call this "Gremlin 1.0"--on this one I'll wait on the optic, relying on iron sights
---Parts not yet in-hand: KNS pins, DHD rear sight, PSA upper, FAB maingrip and AFG, BCG, CH
Why "Gremlin"? Got a better name for a nasty little green thing that can bring the pain completely disproportionate to its size?
Phase Two, I'm thinking pick up and snag the Tennessee Arms lower as "permanent home" for the Gremlin's parts, along with the permanent buffer assembly, moving the cheap Tacfire over into the Completion Parts Kit, possibly add the optic here.
--Parts not yet in-hand: Phase 1 plus Badger latch and upgrade buffer
Phase Three, barrel the Aero upper and hand down the PSA to Completion Kit. This of course means re-zeroing the sights... and might be time to add the sidefolder.
Parts breakdown so far, bold parts in hand or on order (black = .22, teal, blue = trainer/sharing 5.56, green = Gremlin)
Lower: EP Armory poly - EP Armory poly - Tennessee Arms hybrid
LPK: Anderson - Anderson - Anderson
FCG pins: KNS Precision - KNS Precision - KNS Precision
TD pins: Yankee Hill - Yankee Hill - Yankee Hill
Mangrip: Anderson A2 - Anderson A2 or non-folding FAB AG43 - FAB AGF43S
Buffer assembly: Tacfire - unknown - unknown
Upper receiver: unknown - Palmetto - Aero
BCG: unknown - unknown - unknown
CH: unknown - unknown - unknown
CH latch: standard - standard - Badger 249-02
Barrel: unknown 10.5 FSB - Palmetto 10.5 FSB - 10.3 FSB, see above questions
Handguard: unknown - Palmetto M4 - Vltor CASV-EL
Muzzle device: unknown - Palmetto A2? - PA AFAB-556 w/ ICD BFD
Foregrip: none - none - FAB PTK
Any of you guys out there have any suggestions on parts that've worked well for you? More "economy grade" like PSA are fine as two of these are not going to be Serious Work Guns, but I'd also like some ideas about high-end parts for the Gremlin's final rebuild.
Already in hand/on-order:
--2 EP Armory poly EPL's, assuming they survive machining
--Cheap crappy Tacfire buffer kit
--Aero stripped upper and UPK
--3 Anderson LPK's
--CMMG ambi safety
--VLTOR CASV-EL handguard
--Rustoleum Olive Drab spraypaint
To acquire, known parts:
--Precision Armament AFAB-556, to replace one originally meant for my carbine
--Indian Creek BFD, ditto
--Individual replacement PA Accu-Washers to re-complete set
--3 sets KNS Precision anti-walk pins
--3 sets YHM EZ-pull takedown pins or similar
--Tennessee Arms Liberator hybrid-poly lower
--PSA 10.5 FSB upper
--Diamondhead DHD-1401 rear sight
--Badger 249-02 Tactical Latch
--FAB PTK angled foregrip
--FAB AGF-43S folding maingrip
--Krylon Satin Lagoon spraypaint
To acquire, not yet known...
--10.3" FSB barrel for Aero upper - Daniel Defense, Andro Corp or other?
--Barrel nut/delta ring - DSA makes a special Delta for the CASV, or should I go full Colt it from Brownells? Are these as Brand Finicky as uppers, barrels, etc, or just "commodity parts" like detents etc.?
--.22LR 10.5" upper--any ideas here?
--BCG's--so far my DSA hand-cycles OK, but haven't headspaced or fired, so unsure if I should buy another
--three charging handles, pref milspec
--Two more rear sights
--Two better buffer assemblies, possibly Sig Brace or Shockwave Blade
--Optic--CASV has a .475" riser built in as part of its mount system, so that needs to be taken into account. I prefer EoTech-style big-screen holographic "Head Up Displays," but since there may not be any with thin enough bases to co-witness and this needs to be a compact one for discreet carry I may be stuck with Aimpoint-style tubes.
Possibilities:
--Two belt-loop mag carriers to strap to brace if used?
--LAW Tactical sidefolder?
First phase build, I'm thinking just drop the CASV onto the PSA upper, slap the PTK onto it, and the AGF43 grip and Tacfire buffer onto one of the cheapo EP's. The Aero upper I bought as a learning exercise, trying to grow my skills a little at a time, so it'll be set aside for a while waiting for a barrel. Call this "Gremlin 1.0"--on this one I'll wait on the optic, relying on iron sights
---Parts not yet in-hand: KNS pins, DHD rear sight, PSA upper, FAB maingrip and AFG, BCG, CH
Why "Gremlin"? Got a better name for a nasty little green thing that can bring the pain completely disproportionate to its size?
Phase Two, I'm thinking pick up and snag the Tennessee Arms lower as "permanent home" for the Gremlin's parts, along with the permanent buffer assembly, moving the cheap Tacfire over into the Completion Parts Kit, possibly add the optic here.
--Parts not yet in-hand: Phase 1 plus Badger latch and upgrade buffer
Phase Three, barrel the Aero upper and hand down the PSA to Completion Kit. This of course means re-zeroing the sights... and might be time to add the sidefolder.
Parts breakdown so far, bold parts in hand or on order (black = .22, teal, blue = trainer/sharing 5.56, green = Gremlin)
Lower: EP Armory poly - EP Armory poly - Tennessee Arms hybrid
LPK: Anderson - Anderson - Anderson
FCG pins: KNS Precision - KNS Precision - KNS Precision
TD pins: Yankee Hill - Yankee Hill - Yankee Hill
Mangrip: Anderson A2 - Anderson A2 or non-folding FAB AG43 - FAB AGF43S
Buffer assembly: Tacfire - unknown - unknown
Upper receiver: unknown - Palmetto - Aero
BCG: unknown - unknown - unknown
CH: unknown - unknown - unknown
CH latch: standard - standard - Badger 249-02
Barrel: unknown 10.5 FSB - Palmetto 10.5 FSB - 10.3 FSB, see above questions
Handguard: unknown - Palmetto M4 - Vltor CASV-EL
Muzzle device: unknown - Palmetto A2? - PA AFAB-556 w/ ICD BFD
Foregrip: none - none - FAB PTK
Any of you guys out there have any suggestions on parts that've worked well for you? More "economy grade" like PSA are fine as two of these are not going to be Serious Work Guns, but I'd also like some ideas about high-end parts for the Gremlin's final rebuild.
