XACT_ABORT
17 June 2014, 20:20
Hi all, first some of this will be a little redundant as I showed a little of this in the winners thread but this is the whole thing.
For those that don't know, there was a giveaway here at Weapon Evolution.The giveaway included many excellent prizes for forum members new and old by some top names in the industry. Seriously, there were great prizes all around and I would have been stoked to have won anything at all. As it happens I was the winner of a complete upper receiver from the good folks at Aero Precision.
It's kind of funny, I don't recall having won anything like this ever. I mean from time to time I would enter a contest here and there thinking all the time that it's completely pointless but I have nothing to lose... This one was no different but since winning this I'm a contest entering fool! So in addition to a super sweet prize, this giveaway has given me hope for a brighter tomorrow. One filled with contest prizes that go bang, peace for all, and if I'm being honest Unicorns.... Who doesn't like Unicorns? Oh, and the ability to go back in time and kick George Lucas in the junk for those damn Ewoks.. And this would be why I don't post on forums much, ADD and aggressive feelings toward George....Anyway, on to business.
The Prize
Through our friend UWone77 I was put in touch with the foulks at Aero Precision. To my surprise I was told that I could choose any of the complete uppers from their site. I chose the mid length COP piston upper. Rather than drill into the specs, you may read about it here (http://aeroprecisionusa.com/complete/complete-uppers/cop-m4-complete-midlength-piston-monolithic-upper-receiver.html)if interested.
This upper is a monolithic unit meaning that what we know traditionally as the upper receiver is permamently combined at least for the most part with what would traditionally be the forend as opposed to assembling the two pieces. The result is a continuous top rail section with multiple modular options for the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock sections of the forend or rail. Whatever suits you as far as a label. The upper was delivered to me as this:
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3835/14420041832_16c3c451d0_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nYfu3U)
My overall impression was that it was a well finished piece with a quality look and feel. The upper comes complete with an Aero branded mid length barrel that appears to be finished with a Melonite or similar type finish. Note also that a charging handle and standard A2 flach hider are mounted in addition to the Adams Arms piston kit being fully installed. Basically there isn't much for a guy to do except for deciding on the modular rail sections. To elaborate a bit in that regard, this upper came with the full kit as far as forend options meaning that I could choose any combination of full or half 1913 rail sections in addition to blank. Here's a pic of the kit in the nice bag roll from Aero:
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3865/14420047722_d2962b2736_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nYfvNs)
Build out the rest?
Almost immediately upon finding out I won the upper, the wheels began turning as to how I wanted to build out the remainder of the rifle. It wasn't going to be acceptable to just get the upper and sit on it and ponder it for a while. As far as I was concerned the choice of a lower receiver was easy, the only legitimate option was an Aero Precision piece.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3844/14236074190_d4d35c254a_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nFZAT1)
This is a part where things got better. I mentiond to the Aero folks that since I had won the upper I would be interested in additionally purchasing a lower as well as other odds and ends like a parts and buffer kits. This of course was no problem as one might expect, but what surprised me was that they even cut me a deal on the remaining parts I wished to purchase. I wasn't expecting it for sure in light of the free to me upper but it did in fact come to pass that the stuff I paid for was very inexpensive.
So from Aero Precision I had on the way a complete upper, lower parts kit, forged lower receiver, billet trigger guard, and buffer kit. There wasn't a whole lot left to pick unless I just decided to upgrade a couple pieces, which I did. I felt like a cool thing to do would be to utilize other giveaway sponsors for some goodies and wound up snagging from Fortis a Hammer charging handle in black teflon as well as a RED muzzle device. Since I have been messing with the cameras a bit lately, here you go...
Hammer
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/14236069688_7edc35da1c_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nFZzxo)
RED (blem)
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/14419623371_7fc77c2342_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nYdkE4)
These are pretty sweet pieces. The Hammer is really cool and the RED although a blem is very nicely finished. Since it's melonited it should go pretty well with the barrel. I was so impressed with it that upon receiving it I immediately jumped on the site to order another to replace the phantom hider I have on my other rifle but alas they were sold out.. I also picked up a BAD ASS and enhanced pin set from Battle Arms Development. I also ordered a Seekins enhanced bolt catch and magazine release button to round out the parts selection. I happened to have on hand a Magpul MOE+ grip and ACS-L stock so I went with those.
Oh, and since I discovered with my first rifle with a red dot that I have an astigmatism I decided to try out a 1-4 power scope in the form of a Leupold Mark AR. The scope has the Firedot SPR reticle and it rides in an Aero Precision ultralight 1 inch mount. That's about it, the rest will be a display of my feeble photography skills but I hope you guys get some enjoyment from them nonetheless.
Thanks again to WEVO, Aero Precision, and the other sponsers of the 50K. Tell your friends and poke around on the forum, there is a ton of well done content as well as a group of helpful folks.
The pics:
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5117/14446676074_5820413350_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1AZtY)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/14447800615_3711e53f96_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1GKLB)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5078/14446436752_9e7750b5ac_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1zLkJ)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3842/14444427971_218f5219e3_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1ptcz)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5074/14446442492_e613dbe55a_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1zN3G)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3907/14467956983_642f60e8f7_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o3u4yc)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3904/14447799945_1a744973b0_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1GKz4)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3844/14424662216_ae34aeab3a_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nYEawG)
More pics (https://www.flickr.com/photos/17132472@N07/) if anyone is interested. Later!
For those that don't know, there was a giveaway here at Weapon Evolution.The giveaway included many excellent prizes for forum members new and old by some top names in the industry. Seriously, there were great prizes all around and I would have been stoked to have won anything at all. As it happens I was the winner of a complete upper receiver from the good folks at Aero Precision.
It's kind of funny, I don't recall having won anything like this ever. I mean from time to time I would enter a contest here and there thinking all the time that it's completely pointless but I have nothing to lose... This one was no different but since winning this I'm a contest entering fool! So in addition to a super sweet prize, this giveaway has given me hope for a brighter tomorrow. One filled with contest prizes that go bang, peace for all, and if I'm being honest Unicorns.... Who doesn't like Unicorns? Oh, and the ability to go back in time and kick George Lucas in the junk for those damn Ewoks.. And this would be why I don't post on forums much, ADD and aggressive feelings toward George....Anyway, on to business.
The Prize
Through our friend UWone77 I was put in touch with the foulks at Aero Precision. To my surprise I was told that I could choose any of the complete uppers from their site. I chose the mid length COP piston upper. Rather than drill into the specs, you may read about it here (http://aeroprecisionusa.com/complete/complete-uppers/cop-m4-complete-midlength-piston-monolithic-upper-receiver.html)if interested.
This upper is a monolithic unit meaning that what we know traditionally as the upper receiver is permamently combined at least for the most part with what would traditionally be the forend as opposed to assembling the two pieces. The result is a continuous top rail section with multiple modular options for the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock sections of the forend or rail. Whatever suits you as far as a label. The upper was delivered to me as this:
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3835/14420041832_16c3c451d0_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nYfu3U)
My overall impression was that it was a well finished piece with a quality look and feel. The upper comes complete with an Aero branded mid length barrel that appears to be finished with a Melonite or similar type finish. Note also that a charging handle and standard A2 flach hider are mounted in addition to the Adams Arms piston kit being fully installed. Basically there isn't much for a guy to do except for deciding on the modular rail sections. To elaborate a bit in that regard, this upper came with the full kit as far as forend options meaning that I could choose any combination of full or half 1913 rail sections in addition to blank. Here's a pic of the kit in the nice bag roll from Aero:
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3865/14420047722_d2962b2736_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nYfvNs)
Build out the rest?
Almost immediately upon finding out I won the upper, the wheels began turning as to how I wanted to build out the remainder of the rifle. It wasn't going to be acceptable to just get the upper and sit on it and ponder it for a while. As far as I was concerned the choice of a lower receiver was easy, the only legitimate option was an Aero Precision piece.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3844/14236074190_d4d35c254a_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nFZAT1)
This is a part where things got better. I mentiond to the Aero folks that since I had won the upper I would be interested in additionally purchasing a lower as well as other odds and ends like a parts and buffer kits. This of course was no problem as one might expect, but what surprised me was that they even cut me a deal on the remaining parts I wished to purchase. I wasn't expecting it for sure in light of the free to me upper but it did in fact come to pass that the stuff I paid for was very inexpensive.
So from Aero Precision I had on the way a complete upper, lower parts kit, forged lower receiver, billet trigger guard, and buffer kit. There wasn't a whole lot left to pick unless I just decided to upgrade a couple pieces, which I did. I felt like a cool thing to do would be to utilize other giveaway sponsors for some goodies and wound up snagging from Fortis a Hammer charging handle in black teflon as well as a RED muzzle device. Since I have been messing with the cameras a bit lately, here you go...
Hammer
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/14236069688_7edc35da1c_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nFZzxo)
RED (blem)
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/14419623371_7fc77c2342_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nYdkE4)
These are pretty sweet pieces. The Hammer is really cool and the RED although a blem is very nicely finished. Since it's melonited it should go pretty well with the barrel. I was so impressed with it that upon receiving it I immediately jumped on the site to order another to replace the phantom hider I have on my other rifle but alas they were sold out.. I also picked up a BAD ASS and enhanced pin set from Battle Arms Development. I also ordered a Seekins enhanced bolt catch and magazine release button to round out the parts selection. I happened to have on hand a Magpul MOE+ grip and ACS-L stock so I went with those.
Oh, and since I discovered with my first rifle with a red dot that I have an astigmatism I decided to try out a 1-4 power scope in the form of a Leupold Mark AR. The scope has the Firedot SPR reticle and it rides in an Aero Precision ultralight 1 inch mount. That's about it, the rest will be a display of my feeble photography skills but I hope you guys get some enjoyment from them nonetheless.
Thanks again to WEVO, Aero Precision, and the other sponsers of the 50K. Tell your friends and poke around on the forum, there is a ton of well done content as well as a group of helpful folks.
The pics:
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5117/14446676074_5820413350_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1AZtY)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5587/14447800615_3711e53f96_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1GKLB)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5078/14446436752_9e7750b5ac_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1zLkJ)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3842/14444427971_218f5219e3_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1ptcz)
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5074/14446442492_e613dbe55a_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1zN3G)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3907/14467956983_642f60e8f7_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o3u4yc)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3904/14447799945_1a744973b0_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/o1GKz4)
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3844/14424662216_ae34aeab3a_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/nYEawG)
More pics (https://www.flickr.com/photos/17132472@N07/) if anyone is interested. Later!