First AR Build = SPR

AR/M4 Custom Build Forum
1

I always thought of myself as mechanically inclined, so when I started reading this site and saw all the awesome builds people were doing I just had to join in the fun. My other hobbies include Drag Racing and I have always taken flack for having a shop build my motor and engine setups with myself only doing minor suspension, transmission and maintenance jobs. This was another reason I did not just want to buy an upper and lower and push two pins in. I wanted to do more.

Living in NJ my options were limited, I really want a suppressed SBR but that is just not in the cards. So if I can’t make a barrel shorter, let’s make it longer!

I started getting parts last Christmas as gifts and with my birthday just passing I was able to get the last of them, so here they are:

NOTE: I apologize in advance for the crappy cell phone pics. My Nikon D-200 did not have a single charged battery lol


Pardon my GF eating Gummi Bears at the top of the pic

Lower:
Noveske Stripped lower (Factory Second)
G&R Full LPK, 6-pos RE, Standard Spring, H-Buffer
Magpul ACS stock – Foliage Green [pinned to make NJ Legal :cry: ]
Magpul MIAD – Foliage Green
Magpul BAD Lever [Taken off for interference with upper]
Noveske QD Endplate

Upper:
VLTOR MUR-1A
BCM BCG
BCM Gunfighter Charging handle – Medium
Noveske 18” SS barrel with low profile gas block and “intermediate” gas system
LaRue Tactical 13.2” Rail
Battlecomp v1.5 SS [pinned and welded :cry: ]
Magpul Ladder Covers – Foliage Green

Accessories & Optics
Nightforce 2-10x32 Mil/MOA, ZeroStop in LaRue SPR-E mount
Harris BRM Bi-Pod with LaRue mount.

The lower went together just fine, the only problem I had was with the bolt catch roll pin but that was because I failed to align the bolt catch properly with the hole. Once I got my head out of my ass the roll pin went in just fine.

Since I was working in the garage I figured I would combine my two loves lol

Next came the assembly of the upper. I had more trouble with this since I am a total noob. Let me tell you, trying to install the pin in a gas block THROUGH a hanguard without fucking anything up is HARD! For a period of time I really felt like I took on more than I can handle. But it all seemed to work out at the end.

And here are the two kids together:

I went to a short [25 yard] range last night to function check and get it on paper. Dumb ass me did not realize that the ZeroStop turrets also have a windage limiter on them and got really scared when all I had was 8MOA of adjustment on a scope that is supposed to have 100MOA lol. I was unable to bring the windage to zero and only figured out the limiters when I got home and started reading the manual like I should have before hand.

Rifle functioned perfectly with Federal XM193 ammo and I have Black Hills 68 and 75gr match ammo as well as Prvi 68gr to try at a 100/200 yard range later on just to see what it likes best.

I know this is not impressive at all, but unsupported at 25 yards with the scope set to 2X and holding 1-MIL to the left cause I could not figure out the windage limiter thing-a-majig I was able to get this 10… I mean 9 shot group.

I would like to thank EVERYONE on M4Carbine.net for providing an overwhelming wealth of knowledge and answering the most mundane and minute question. Also thanks to G&R Tactical, Ranier Arms, BCM, LaRue, VLTOR and Noveske for making awesome products and having excellent CS and prices. Also thanks to Belmont31R for the awesome deal on the scope.

PS, in regards to the BAD lever, I saw posts saying there were and were not problems with the lever and an MUR-1A upper, also contacted VLTOR and asked them with them saying no issues were reported. I then put the stripped upper on my BM lower with a BAD lever and did not see a problem. However, when I assembled this rifle the bolt catch was stopping the bolt from moving forward with no magazine in the well. I would have to put pressure on the BAD Lever/Bolt release paddle to let the bolt fly into battery. It seems the back of the BAD Lever was hitting the upper. I may have to file down the back part of the lever but seeing as how that is what holds the lever onto the release paddle I do not know how much I can remove before it becomes to weak. We shall see.

2

Very nice, Alex. I’m sure it will be a shooter. Why the pinned and welded muzzle device? Is a removeable muzzle device on a 16"+ barrel in NJ a no-no?

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No threaded barrels in NJ, and no flash hiders, pinned or otherwise.

4

Correct, you can not have a flash hider or a threaded barrel that has the potential to receive a flash hider :frowning:

Not sure if its the BC 1.5 or the fact that this was the first time I was shooting NATO pressure ammo [did not want to run 5.56 in the BM because who knows what the chamber is] but holy poop is it louder than the .223 in my BM.

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I think you should get a proper work bench and quit doing your work on the engine of your car. I imagine it’d be a bitch if you lost a spring in that thing :wink: .

Nice shooter, nice parts!

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Very nice. Looks like you did it right the first time. I think you’re going to really like the ACS stock. You might want to add a match trigger down the road to really wring out the potential of your nice barrel and glass. I have a Geiselle and a JP and they’re both great. You could always send your standard parts to Bill Springfield too. I got a real kick out of your engine bay pics. Thanks for posting.

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Yeah, using the throttle body as a vice was not working out to well.

Thanks!

The trigger is deff. on my mind. Honestly the trigger that came from Grant in the parts kit feels 100000x better than the one in my BM. Right now I am still a noob, and I am sure the rifle is capable of more than I am. Once I get to a point where I feel like the trigger is holding me back I will invest in something like a Geiselle.

8

Looks nice.

9

Great job Alex! The gun looks great. Need to go out and see how she does at 100-200 yards+.

10

Awesome rig, Alex.

Keep us posted on the BAD. I’m running almost the same exact setup as yours and was considering tweaking that lever to fit the VLTOR MUR.

11

In my experience, it’s absolutely worth tweaking the BAD for the VLTOR’s.

That first post has it all - very nice.

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It’s…BEAUTIFUL… :eek:

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Thanks guy!

Im going to mess with the BAD next week, this week is just full.

Going to try and make it to Range14 before the end of the month. :slight_smile:

14

Nice build!

I want more specs on your car, what do you run?

15

hahaha

Okay,

its a 2001 Trans Am WS.6, 6speed.

Stock bottom end 346 [LS1] with TrickFlow 225cc ported heads, a large/huge cam, 1-7/8" headers, true dual exhaust, strange 12-bolt with a spool and 4.56 gears, face plated T56, Monster 11" race clutch, BMR/Spohn/QA1 suspenssion, FAST 102mm intake and TB [as you can see in the pic] factory computer - tuned, factory coils and such. 6-point roll bar

this setup made 523hp with a 7600rpm rev limiter.

My old setup was about 30hp less on avarage, with a bone stock transmission and 600rpm less it went 10.32 @ 132+ on a dreary day where I was actualy having to use my wipers at the top of the track. Scary I know. We kept the heat in the track by running but there was mist in the air that day. Water can’t be compressed so I am sure the car was loosing power.

Car was in an issue of GM High Tech but during the shoot for the article it only went 10.5’s cause it was hot as balls!

I am looking for a 9second pass with the new setup.

This is a You-Tube vid of my old setup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTSA778AqtA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

16

Nice rifle and way to not skimp on the components! Looks like it shoots well!

17

Awesome set up. Both the car and the gun. Makes me wish I didn’t sell my WS7 (not a typo). What brand headers are you running?

I can appreciate the true duals. Most people who don’t understand the Trans Am would overlook that, but given the crappy OEM design, its no easy task.

I was running SLP longtubes, SLP high flow cats, and Borla at the ass end. It made coming home late at night difficult, so I can’t imagine the true duals, especially if they are straight pipes.

Shoot me a PM on your thoughts on the ACS after you run it awhile. I need something to balance my gun better than the MOE, but I think the UBR is overkill. I’ve heard mixed feelings on the ACS…

18

I really like the sloped sides of the ACS, it makes getting a good cheekweld easier than the MOE stock I have on the other rifle. Im a slim guy so I don’t have big cheeks to hag over the side, I usualy slide right off the stock lol.

The car is loud, look at the you-tube clip. Headers are made by Kooks. They used to be in Long Island but moved to NC. Probobly the best headers on the market today for these cars. 10 years ago SLP was the only game in town for exhausts and headers. My first aftermarket exhaust as an SLP LoudMouth.

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That was a good vid! Awesome driving, nice to see people rowing thru gears like that.

I have a quick car as well, but from a dig you would eat me up as Im not setup for that, more for handling and top end runs.

I always get a kick out of youtube warrior comments, they are always experts about YOUR setup!

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I haven’t been able to really pin point why people don’t like the ACS. Its between that and the VLTOR or LMT SOPMOD. I’m with you, I need a pillow on my stock. The MOE isn’t cutting it. I’ll save it for a future lightweight build though.

Never heard of Kooks, I’ll look into them if I ever get another F-Body. I probably would have went LoudMouth, but I bought the Borla used. I don’t think I would have payed retail for Borla. But I loved the sound of that exhaust. Neighbors…not so much.