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.

Holsters

• Alabama Holster Company (Kydex)
• PJ Holsters (Kydex)
• Garrity's Gunleather (obviously)

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.

Unscientific Plastic Magazine Test

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

HK-91 Miscellany

Numrich's website can be difficult to navigate, so here are the HK-91 and HK-93 pages.  I want to get the G3 schematic poster!


Also of interest is the Command Arms AR-15 stock adapter for 91-pattern rifles, available at Apex.  I didn't see it on their webpage, so I presume they discontinued it, like Smith Enterprise discontinued the Vortex for the 91.  TAPCO makes a plastic one, but I want metal.  ACE apparently makes an aluminum adapter, but I've read that it can't be used with the standard buffer, whereas the CAA one uses the standard recoil spring assembly.

Shooting Glasses

Thus far I've come across three types of shooting glasses that accommodate prescription (Rx) inserts.

1. Radians StrikeForce and StrikeForce II (8600 & 8650), which use the RX-85 inserts
2. Revision Bullet Ant, Desert Locust, and Sawfly, which use the Rx carrier
3. ESS Profile NVG and Advancer V-12, which have an available Rx carrier

Radians is the cheap solution, but the Rx insert sits such that the top of the insert is slightly above the outer lenses, which is pretty uncool.  Revision or ESS are much more expensive, but appear to be much more rugged.

M14 Mags

So I'd bought M14 mags from CDNN marked "W", supposedly mil-spec.  Well, I did some searching to find out more about them, as I should've done before.  It turns out that the real thing were manufactured by Westinghouse Electric back in the day, and these probably aren't the genuine article (info).

James Wesley, Rawles wrote an article on M14 mags just after the 2008 election.  His prediction on prices was off, but the info looks useful.

Rifle Company has a flowchart or three on how to identify the nature of M14 mags.

Lastly, 44mag.com has Check-Mate Industries mags on slight discount in quantities of 10, which is good to know.

CZ 52

Some links on accessories for the CZ 52 that I found on a forum post:
Harrington Products - replacement firing pins, rollers, and extractors
Buymilsurp - has a section for CZ 52 parts, including all small hardware and armorer's kits
Gun Parts Warehouse - has a section for CZ 52 parts, including a slide catch with external release

Also, I found a couple unflattering forum posts that discuss the relative strength of the CZ 52 versus the TT-33, on Gunboards and THR.