Milling a TNACo 80% Receiver

Just in case, here are some instructions, along with a 2-part video series on how to do it [1, 2].

Yet Another Link Dump

Hell, I have too many tabs open on my phone!!

• Mike Longo Trio, Only Time Will Tell -- I don't recall why I had this open....
• Raynor DuraGrille security grille -- I think I was looking for roll-up shutters for house security; or perhaps it was for a shed?
• Joel Anderson's World Coins -- WWII silver
• Isabel Leonard -- operatic beauty
• Setting up a Go-To AR-15 -- for a car gun?
• Odd Squad soundtrack Stop the Music
• Minnesota Judicial Branch Case Records site
• Norah Jones On Piano Jazz -- nice NPR session with Marian McPartland
• For All We Know lyrics -- from the above Norah Jones set

Actually, this is only a third of them, but it gets unwieldy with too many links....

Topical Black Rifle Stuff

A link dump, of sorts.

• San Tan Tactical's STT-15 lower receiver: I need this ambi receiver for my 2nd SBR.
• The Maxim Defense CQB stock looks like a good alternative to the MVB ARC stock, being 4 oz lighter, but 1/2" longer.
• Tennessee Arms Company has hybrid polymer lowers for cheap; featured in Firearms News along with the KAK Industry .358 Win barrel.  Also has 80% polymer lowers.
• Veriforce Tactical has M-Lok handguards, some in pistol size that cost under $100.  Sounds like a good deal for a car gun.
• The GunTec USA M-Lok handguards look almost identical, but were advertised in Firearms News.
• Thordsen Customs has a CAA stock saddle basically mounted on the buffer tube.  I think I prefer the KAK Industry Shockwave Blade, but this is kinda a cool look.
• And of course there's the Shockwave Blade: Not as bulky as the Sig brace, still counts as a pistol, but in a SHTF scenario, could be shouldered (illegally).  The .358 Win barrels pointed to by Firearms News are pretty cool.  Might have to build myself an AR-10-style rifle.

So many items, so little time.

Can Comparison

On the Minnesota NFA FB group, a guy posted a link to an Arfcom thread and YT video of a comparison of a bunch of popular rifle suppressors.  Very cool.  Apparently the Rugged Surge, Dead Air Sandman, or Silencerco Omega are the ones to consider.

AR-15 Retractable Stocks

Recently on Facebook I saw a picture of a Remington 870 with a retractable stock, which was completely badass.  (There is a difference between retractable and collapsible.)  I then set out to find it, but didn't see anything for an 870.  It turns out that the picture was using an AR-15 stock adapter and a Nordic Components CRS (Compact Retractable Stock).  Midway used to have them for $120, but they're now discontinued.  There was a similar one made by Loki Weapons Systems, but they ran afoul of the ATF and are now defunct.

The only similar item I could find is the North Eastern Arms CCS (Compact Carbine Stock) over at Brownells.  This isn't the same since it actually has a buffer tube, whereas the CRS only worked with buffer-less systems (such as the 870).  Further, it includes a modified bolt carrier group and such, and so costs $330.  Ow.

AR-15 Pistols

Looking into building an AR-15 pistol, but don't want to have to use a modified bolt carrier.  Phase 5 Tactical appears to have a pistol buffer tube (receiver extension) that works with a standard BCG, unlike the GSE setups.  However, it looks like 7.5" barrels require special considerations with the gas tube.  Their quad rail looks neat too.

Arfcom has an area specific to AR-15 pistols.  The section on ATF letters is interesting and useful.  Apparently the Franklin Armory pistol can have a vertical foregrip because its OAL is over 26", and thus falls into a gray area where it's not an AOW.  Supposedly an 11.5" barrel will result in that OAL.

Bolt-Action AR-15 Upper

I thought it might be neat to have an AR-15 upper that is bolt-action, so I went looking.  Apparently there's not much in the way of real bolt-action uppers.  However, a forum post directed me to White Oak Armament's site, which has a modified upper with a modified BCG with bolt handle.  On one hand, leverage for extraction is likely limited.  Furthermore, odds are good that the action isn't sub-MOA.  Still, it's an interesting concept.

One could build something similar by using a switched gas block and a side-charging upper.

White Oak's sells an interesting adjustable stock that requires a side-charging upper.  I like the steel buffer tube, but it's got aluminum parts as well.

AR-15 SBR

So I'm jonesing to have an SBR.  Not like I can really afford to do it, but I want to.  In the worst way.

I was thinking it might be easier to buy a registered receiver.  However, apparently that's not the way it works: even though the receiver is the registered part, there are certain requirements on ATF Form 1 or 4.  There's a thread on Arfcom on this subject, with a link to the ATF FAQ on SBRs.

Well, and then there's the issue of whether or not I'd need law enforcement approval if I were registering under my LLC.  The Interwebz say no, but the Form 1 instructions doesn't specifically say this.

I also found Tactical Innovation's AR-15 lower receivers, the T15BDX.  I think I'd have to pick up one of those if I ever decide to pull the trigger on an SBR.  Nice looking hardware.

Custom AR-15 Lowers

ASA posted on FB a picture of the selector switch on a "Pirate" lower, showing Arrgh (safe), Parley (semi), and Plunder (full).  The manufacturer's mark wasn't visible, but I searched and found that it was done by Tom Sawyer MFG in Woodbury, MN.  A thread on The High Road noted that Tom Sawyer MFG is no longer doing firearms engraving, and are referring people to Orion Arms.  Apparently they'll take a blank AR-15 receiver and engrave whatever on it.  Unfortunately, they have no blanks at the moment.

Machining AR-15 Lowers

Found an interesting forum post describing the advantages of machining from a forging as opposed to a billet.  45 min to machine a forging vs. over 2 hrs for a billet?

 Also, I found another place (Stillers Precision Firearms) that sells funky billet lowers for nearly $400.  If they have any in stock, that's about what regular lowers are going for these days....

Barrel Lust

In this political environment, parts for "black rifles" are in short supply.  I've had a barrel backordered for a couple months; it was on order prior to Sandy Hook.

So AIM Surplus posted on Facebook that they have a Spike's Tactical Lothar-Walther barrel in stock.  Stainless steel, polygonal-rifled, 1 in 8" twist.  They only have the 16" model, but Spike's website has the 18" model in stock.  The price is the sticking point: $340 (16") or $355 (18") plus S&H.  Ouch!

I haven't seen any other AR-15 barrels with polygonal rifling, so this is way cool.  In stainless, you could probably shoot 100k rounds through the thing!

Unscientific Plastic Magazine Test

In case you were wondering what those plastic AR-15 mags could take, here's one data point from Arfcom.

M16 PM Comic

1001th post!  Well...not all of them were public.

On one of the usual gunblogs, probably SayUncle, there was a link to a vintage comic on how to do proper preventative maintenance on the M16A1.  Sweet!  They should totally reprint this.  I'd buy a copy just for the novelty!

RDIAS

For some reason, I got the urge to read about registered drop-in auto sears (RDIASes).  I'd love to own a machinegun (although in my crummy state I can only own C&R MGs) and a RDIAS seems like a good option.  Being drop-in, it can be moved to another lower receiver, as being the registered part, it's not limited to one lower.  Plus, an RDIAS works with .22LR conversions, so one could burn through 1k rounds for less than $50.

Well, Google turned up a few interesting hits:

• Quarterbore's DIAS page, with great pictures (the toolbox case for AR-15s is cool too!)
• A discussion of RDIAS vs. RLL vs. RR on Arfcom
• An Ohio gunsmith who works on NFA weapons and can fix damaged RRs

Ah, I wish I were rich and lived in a state that didn't suck from the perspective of gun laws.  Maybe it's time to move, or buy some land in a neighboring state....

AR-15 Workprints

I've run across a PDF file containing dimensions for an AR-15 lower receiver before, but then lost the link.  Recently I ran across a page containing CAD files for an AR-15 lower and DIAS (drop-in auto sear).  The former is cool, but machining a lower would be difficult and time-consuming, and machining a DIAS is felony-level illegal due to the Hughes Amendment to the 1986 FOPA.

There's also CNC Gunsmithing, that shows a bit how to do the machining with CNC, and has a few prints available.

Magpul has dimensions for an M4 receiver extension online.

Practice Rifle Grenades

Searching for some practice rifle grenades for an M4 (even though they usually have the M203 launcher), I found a forum post on Arfcom that linked to a set on Numrich.  Unfortunately they're out of stock at the moment, but it'd definitely be neat to play with, given enough room to shoot them (a few hundred yards, at least).

The description from the poster:

Current military issue. Used by the IDF for training purposes on M16 and Galil .223 rifles. Fully-inert 14" grenades are patterned after the IMI BT/AT-44 dual-purpose rifle grenade. New set is packaged in the original wooden crate, dated 1-98, includes 6 grenade assemblies and the following repair parts: 40 plastic fins, 32 body tubes, 12 outer sleeves, 30 spacer rings, 24 locking nuts, 2 nut wrenches, 1 key wrench, 20 M16 ladder sights and 30 Galil ladder sights in 35/60/85 meter graduations (197 pieces total). Weight, 27 lbs.

AXTS Lower

Via the Defense Review blog, I found this bad-ass fully ambidextrous lower receiver from AXTS Weapons Systems.  The pattern above the mag-well goes well with those PMAGs....  The downside is that this lower only comes fully assembled.  The A-DAC-F is their stripped lower alternative, but it's not built the same.

AR-15 Lower Manufacturers

You know, I could've sworn that I saved the link, I think it was on Arfcom, showing the various lower brands with their actual manufacturers.  For some reason, I can't find it in my links.  So here's another list I found:

Lewis Machine & Tool

• LMT
• Lauer
• DS Arms
• PWA
• Eagle
• Armalite
• Knights Armament
• Barrett

Continental Machine Tool

• Stag
• Rock River Arms
• High Standard
• Noveske
• Century (New)
• Global Tactical
• CLE
• S&W
• MGI
• Wilson Tactical
• Grenadier Precision
• Colt

LAR Manufacturing

• LAR
• Bushmaster
• Ameetec
• DPMS
• CMMG
• Double Star
• Fulton Armory
• Spike's Tactical

JVP

• Double Star
• LRB
• Charles Daly

Mega Machine Shop

• Mega
• GSE
• Dalphon
• POF
• Alexander Arms

Olympic

• Olympic
• SGW
• Tromix
• Palmetto
• Dalphon
• Frankford
• Century (Old)

Sun Devil

• Sun Devil forged billet receivers

Superior

• Superior Arms
• Lauer (New)

Aero Precision

• Aero Precision

Arfcom's Guide to Assembling an AR-15 Lower

AR-15.com has a detailed guide on how to assemble an AR-15 lower.  I guess I didn't have to buy a book and two videos on AR-15 builds, but it sure helps a rank novice to the art of gunsmithing.  Seems simple, but hey, most gun owners can't even detail strip their guns, so....

Other Lowers

Found a couple AR-15 lowers of interest.  Still can't find any made out of steel, except the 80% ones that you have to finish yourself, or the $1k Spider Firearms one.

Aero Precision (I think they make the AR-57 as well)
Stubborn Mule Outdoor Supply (slick looking single-shot lower, except I prefer the standard trigger guard)