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FortTom
13 December 2017, 13:43
This has been on my mind for a while now, I have or have had too many AR's, both bought and built, so this is going to be my "Swan Song". I've been thinking about this project for quite a while, and I had two goals in mind, aside from a good running weapon.

I set a goal of 5 lbs. for the finished project (light weight) and a color scheme for cerakote that would do well in most any part of my home state in any season, where I'm most likely to visit or bug out to in case of a meteor hit.[:D]

The project started with the purchase of a new Faxon "pencil" barrel from a forum member. The rest took hours to google the lightest parts I could find.

I ended up buying a 2A Belois upper and hand guard. Gen 1. Last one or 2 they had in Gen 1, I think they said.
A skeletonized BCG from Aim Surplus
A LRWC light weight stock
MBUS sights
SCALAR Aimpoint mount
A fluted extension tube - CMC Flat Trigger
Everything else came from V7 or 2A Titanium or Aluminum.

Next, my bud and I put our heads together and came up with a four color scheme that we thought would blend in well during most seasons and areas of KY, which we called (wait for it) "Kentucky". We decided on Viet Nam Tiger Stripes for the Stencils.

The next step was the best. My bud said when I got all the parts to him, due to his schedule and logistics he would not only do a little machining, but prep the gun, shoot the 4 colors, bake it, and since he had it there, just go ahead and build the thing. He's a great gun mechanic, and hell, I couldn't turn down an offer like that, so I said hell yeah!! Can't get better friends than that. Poor guy actually pulled an all nighter, applying stencils, shooting, more stencils, etc..sleep a couple of hours then bake.

So, for my last and final "build", that I didn't build here's what I got:

5 lb. 2 .oz with empty mag and sans Aimpoint RDS, T1 or T2, yet to get.

Pics:4694
46934695

I really like the way it has sort of a chameleon look outdoors given the 4 earthy colors I/We chose. It was based on colors that people who really know their stuff about camo suggested, over the years. I held my breath and did it, which seemed totally wrong to my minds eye. Worked out o.k.

Anyway, I will continue to tinker and try various things with all of my AR's and LR, pistols, rifles and shotguns. I just doubt that I'll acquire anymore AR's unless I sell or give another away. Now the final step. See if it shoots and functions like it should. If so, It'll be a bit "lonely" not building AR's anymore, but I'm sure I'll end up in other folks projects, and some more pistol projects, so it's all good.

FT[:D]

Uffdaphil
13 December 2017, 13:52
Love that camo job.

Cotton68spc
13 December 2017, 14:17
That’s badass bother


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

mustangfreek
13 December 2017, 14:34
Nice pile of parts FT

-1 for the Anderson lower though...[BD][:D]

FortTom
13 December 2017, 14:56
Nice pile of parts FT

-1 for the Anderson lower though...[BD][:D]
Ha..ha..You know, I knew someone was gonna go there. [:D] I live close by to Anderson. I've used and seen a lot of builds with them. I've never seen a fitment or function problem with them. Not saying there hasn't been, just sayin...

Anyway, it was light, I happened to have an extra one laying around, so when the upper and hand guard came in, I checked the fit, and it was fine. So I went ahead and used it. I'm not a fan of the giant horse head, but what the heck.[:D]

Former11B
13 December 2017, 15:06
Looks great!

Aragorn
13 December 2017, 15:36
Looks great!

What looks great?? All I see are trees and leaves...

UWone77
13 December 2017, 16:40
Anderson... the "other" Colt...

Great job with the paint.

Big_Tom
13 December 2017, 18:10
Yeah really like the paint scheme

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FortTom
14 December 2017, 10:07
Anderson... the "other" Colt...

Great job with the paint.

Thanks UW and others,

Thanks. That's all my friends doing. When I realized how much freakin work goes into cerakoting, especially mulitiple colors, etching all the old finish off, and prepping, applying stencils, shooting the 'kote, remove and add more stencils, etc..for each of the four colors, then baking the whole thing, I lost all interest in learning how to cerakote, myself.[:D]

I can attest to whatever guys charge who does this for a living, they earn every penny they can get. My friend just does it as a "side", mostly.

FT[:D]

Joelski
14 December 2017, 12:58
Nice looking build. Saying its your last build is lying to yourself. I've been a lifelong shooter, but only recently infected with the bug and same as with a musician chasing the ultimate guitar tone, it's a never-ending quest to build the ultimate rifle, whatever the purpose is.

Aragorn
14 December 2017, 13:28
it's a never-ending quest to build the ultimate rifle,

Dude. My problem, right there.

FortTom
14 December 2017, 13:36
Nice looking build. Saying its your last build is lying to yourself. I've been a lifelong shooter, but only recently infected with the bug and same as with a musician chasing the ultimate guitar tone, it's a never-ending quest to build the ultimate rifle, whatever the purpose is.
^^^^^
[:D] I thought SRV had found "the tone", already. Steve Vai claimed Kenny Wayne Sheppard did. This build, if it runs smooth, I think, is my "the tone".[:D]

Joelski
14 December 2017, 14:12
^^^^^
[:D] I thought SRV had found "the tone", already. Steve Vai claimed Kenny Wayne Sheppard did. This build, if it runs smooth, I think, is my "the tone".[:D]None of those guys has one amp they plug one guitar into.

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Jester Gunwerkz
14 December 2017, 16:59
Nice stick, Brother. I think you hit it out of the park with that one. Nicely done.

FortTom
14 December 2017, 18:31
Thanks JG,
Just topped it off with a Christmas present for myself, an Aimpoint T2. I think that should do nicely to finish the thing off and get it ready for firing/breaking in. I've got a couple of T1's on other rifles, so I found the T2 at a decent price at Planet Optics. Hope I'm not disappointed.

FT[:D]

Stone
14 December 2017, 19:30
Agreed! Nice pea shooter. Normally I cringe at lightweight builds but this one turned out nice. You better sell off all your spare parts if your not gonna do another build as I have had a roll pin turn into a rifle. Its like a drug, just one more... The T2's are sweet, put one on my last build. Doubt I will ever go back to the T1's.

mustangfreek
15 December 2017, 00:40
That color scheme came out good...Forgot to ask.. 14.5 barrel ?

FortTom
15 December 2017, 09:52
That color scheme came out good...Forgot to ask.. 14.5 barrel ?

No. It's 16 .in. It was supposed to be 14.5, but I screwed up. The ad said 16 in., and when I got it, it was 16 .in. I went back and read the for sale ad again and sure enough it said 16 .in. I misread the ad. Probably could have shaved another 2 or 3 ounces, but I bit the bullet because I was the one that screwed that pooch, so I just went ahead with what I had.[crazy]

FT[:D]

FortTom
15 December 2017, 09:57
Agreed! Nice pea shooter. Normally I cringe at lightweight builds but this one turned out nice. You better sell off all your spare parts if your not gonna do another build as I have had a roll pin turn into a rifle. Its like a drug, just one more... The T2's are sweet, put one on my last build. Doubt I will ever go back to the T1's.

Thanks, Stone
That's reassuring, I haven't even seen a T2 yet. I've had so much luck with the T1's I figured the T2 would be an "upgrade", but I know how that can go wrong. It also wasn't much more than a T1, at Planet Optics. Thought I'd treat myself for Christmas.[:D]

FT

FortTom
16 December 2017, 22:12
A friend of mine was browsing the forum and pointed out that there was a large gap between the upper and the hand guard in the first two photo's. Actually there is not gap, when those photo's were taken, the parts were just mocked up so the friend who cerakoted it could check the stencils and paint "flow" or alignment. The bottom two were taken when it was tightened up correctly.

FT[:D]

OneGearhead
7 January 2018, 07:03
I'm not usually a fan of camo on an AR, but that looks great. Very clean looking. You guys did a hell of a job on it.

FortTom
16 February 2018, 22:10
Agreed! Nice pea shooter. Normally I cringe at lightweight builds but this one turned out nice. You better sell off all your spare parts if your not gonna do another build as I have had a roll pin turn into a rifle. Its like a drug, just one more... The T2's are sweet, put one on my last build. Doubt I will ever go back to the T1's.

Not sure, Stone, what makes you cringe at a lightweight build. Maybe you think that they won't hold up to some heavy shooting duty? I've seen people mill most the mag well out.[crazy] If you've seen that type of crap, I understand. It did take a lot of research, and questions to WEVO folks to find what I was looking for and ended up with a 5.lb rifle, solid, regardless of it's weight.

I guess this (what I consider a major win) I could share the credit with WEVO members, sorting through the threads, and paying attention to lightweight and solid parts.[:D]

FT[:D]

Joelski
17 February 2018, 03:46
How many builds ago was this "swan song"? At least one if not more? [:D]

Nice thought though!

Stone
17 February 2018, 06:20
[QUOTE=FortTom;160586]Not sure, Stone, what makes you cringe at a lightweight build. Maybe you think that they won't hold up to some heavy shooting duty? I've seen people mill most the mag well out.[crazy] If you've seen that type of crap, I understand. It did take a lot of research, and questions to WEVO folks to find what I was looking for and ended up with a 5.lb rifle, solid, regardless of it's weight.

I guess this (what I consider a major win) I could share the credit with WEVO members, sorting through the threads, and paying attention to lightweight and solid parts.[:D]

Its just that most of the lightweight builds I have seen, seem to give durability and strength a backseat ride. My rifles are tools and to me everything needs to be as strong as possible. I have taken tumbles down muddy hills and in that scenario some of those builds would have crumbled up like an aluminum can. Every time I do a build, all I can think of is that Daniel defense video of where they threw the rifle out of the helicopter and picked it up and it still worked! I suppose they are not for runnin and gunnin but to me a rifle should be ready for all and every scenario. Some of those guys got so obsessed with weight reduction the parts get paper thin. I think you did good brother! I think you found the balance between weight reduction but still kept durability on the radar. That's a sweet pea shooter! Did you pick an optic yet?

FortTom
17 February 2018, 11:14
[QUOTE=FortTom;160586]Not sure, Stone, what makes you cringe at a lightweight build. Maybe you think that they won't hold up to some heavy shooting duty? I've seen people mill most the mag well out.[crazy] If you've seen that type of crap, I understand. It did take a lot of research, and questions to WEVO folks to find what I was looking for and ended up with a 5.lb rifle, solid, regardless of it's weight.

I guess this (what I consider a major win) I could share the credit with WEVO members, sorting through the threads, and paying attention to lightweight and solid parts.[:D]

Its just that most of the lightweight builds I have seen, seem to give durability and strength a backseat ride. My rifles are tools and to me everything needs to be as strong as possible. I have taken tumbles down muddy hills and in that scenario some of those builds would have crumbled up like an aluminum can. Every time I do a build, all I can think of is that Daniel defense video of where they threw the rifle out of the helicopter and picked it up and it still worked! I suppose they are not for runnin and gunnin but to me a rifle should be ready for all and every scenario. Some of those guys got so obsessed with weight reduction the parts get paper thin. I think you lgood brother! I think you found the balance between weight reduction but still kept durability on the radar. That's a sweet pea shooter! Did you pick an optic yet?

Stone,

Yes, I ordered an Aimpoint T2 about the same time I posted the original post. Took quite a while to get here due to some hassles, but everything worked out ok, and it got here a few weeks ago.

Back to the issue of light weight AR's, I agree. I've seen rifles that had every conceivable bit of metal milled out until they resemble swiss cheese. Quietly sighed in my own mind. Many are just a disaster waiting to happen. As you stated, some are ready to fold up like an aluminum beer can. I know what you mean about tumbling down hills I've fallen a couple of times my self, weapons and optics survived. Me...not so well.

Also, on the other hand, I think I pushed the limit on what I could get away with, without having a fragile weapon. I wouldn't push it any further, for exactly the reasons you stated.

FT[:D]

VIPER 237
17 February 2018, 12:27
I love the camo. What colors did you use if you don’t mind me asking?


Anderson... the "other" Colt...

Great job with the paint.

The poverty pony at its finest

FortTom
17 February 2018, 12:54
How many builds ago was this "swan song"? At least one if not more? [:D]

Nice thought though!
^^^^^
[:D][:D][:D]

Computalotapus
23 February 2018, 07:14
It's never really last build.. its just the last one until the next one

gatordev
23 February 2018, 12:36
Who's this guy? ^

FortTom
23 February 2018, 13:01
It's never really last build.. its just the last one until the next one

Damn Comp, where have you been? I've been looking on milk cartons to see if your face popped up...[:D]

FT

Computalotapus
23 February 2018, 14:13
Who's this guy? ^

Move along nothing to see here


Damn Comp, where have you been? I've been looking on milk cartons to see if your face popped up...[:D]

FT


Moved to a location that has very little to offer anyone wanting to get out and shoot. Redirected my shooting passion to riding motorcycles. But hopefully soon I won't have to worry about the shooting issue anymore. Looking at buying a plot of land and I will have a range on it.

FortTom
23 February 2018, 14:43
Move along nothing to see here




Moved to a location that has very little to offer anyone wanting to get out and shoot. Redirected my shooting passion to riding motorcycles. But hopefully soon I won't have to worry about the shooting issue anymore. Looking at buying a plot of land and I will have a range on it.

I actually entertained that idea, I would love to have my very own range, but reality set in and in a few years or so, I might not have the energy or strength to keep up a house and property, so I folded and bought a Condo instead. Everything is done for you.

Keep us posted on the status of your range. I'm envious.[:D]

FT[:D]

FortTom
20 July 2018, 19:13
How many builds ago was this "swan song"? At least one if not more? [:D]

Nice thought though!

Eh.... just one, now.[wow]