I thought this would be a interesting post to either bring back or bring to life.
This will give myself and others ideas to ponder for current and future projects.
What modifications would you make on a standard off the shelf 16" carbine? By standard I mean everything basic, A2 design, nothing special to start with.
Obviously the intended purpose or usage of the firearm is crutical to it’s mods so state your intentions in your response.
A shit ton of ammo.
Repeat.
Rifle Class.
Repeat #1.
Repeat #3 
Buy a lot of ammo, take a rifle class, and get involved in some local shooting sports (ie. IDPA or IPSC pistol…most local clubs have carbine side matches, 3 gun competition, etc).
As you learn more about the weapon system and your personal preferences (experience from training, shooting, matches, etc) it will become clear to you what modifications YOU desire.
Dang it, I was going to make the same ammo comment as Derek. Barring the “shoot your way to proficiency” answer and sticking to modifications:
-Replace the rear sight with a same plane aperature (so I can use the smaller aperture on longer shots without worrying about how my zero was affected).
-Replace the front sling swivel with a side swivel, and put a MI MCTAR-30 on the back end to run a BFG Vickers 2point.
-Attach a simple weapon light, maybe a surefire G2 in a VTAC mount on a short rail section bolted to the handguard (or something similar). Make sure it’s arranged so I can activate it easily but doesn’t interfere with my sling.
That’s about it using a standard A2 carbine as a starting point, without replacing the upper. It would function well as a simple carbine that would make a good backup for training, or for teaching/loaning to others, or a truck gun, or maybe a house gun. I can live without optics at the distances inside my house.
That one? Job #1 would be something other than that muzzle device so I wouldn’t be voted off the island, then a sling. After that it’s just the boring attempts to wear it out.
One pt. sling with mount
Light of some sort
Aimpoint or Eotech…if not at least a trijicon front post
Not really mods, but do these as well:
Lots of ammo
Take a class or two or five
Shoot with folks that have a bunch of experience
Good luck,
G
As far a “dressing” the weapon
1)single point sling (unless your planning on rappeling or fast roping I dont see a 2pt as an advatage)
2)Light – G2 or similar in a chuck of 1913 rail on the handguard
3)Gen II Redi-Mag
Follow USMC03’s advice on training and getting involved in the shooting in your area.
Decent magazines, preferably with Magpul followers. 30-rounders, if legal where you are.
ETA: Longer magazines are easier to manipulate.
Here’s what I would do:
Send the upper to ADCO to have that Y brake removed, the barrel threaded and a Phantom installed. Those Y brakes are just obnoxious and rude and if you take a class other students will hate you 
Next I would invest the three dollars in a HD extractor spring and o-ring.
Install a Vickers Tactical 2 point sling
Follow the Derek Conner’s advice
Ok let me take a spin…First I’m going to replace the A2 with an A4 flattop upper, change out the round forward assist with an oval ol’school one. Get someone to chrome out the bolt carrier, change to a titanium firing pin. Add a MagPul trigger guard, put on a single point sling and swivel, add a rear flip up sight, an Eotech holographic sight (sounds cool,never seen one), put on a railed forearm with forearm grip that can accomadate a pressure pad for the tac. light to be mounted. Change out the Ycomp. with a bird cage. Add MagPul loop floor plates to my ‘preban’ 30 rounders (I’m in Taxachusetts), and replace the 2 position telestock circa 1993 with a newer 6 position telestock.
Later on for looks, at a M203 launcher or similar toy.
BTW I just bought a case of 5.56 ammo (52 boxes of 30rds.)so that part is taking care of…
As for Tactical classes…I would love to take one of those three day courses up in the woods of NH but they run 6-800 beans a piece, plus you need to supply 1100 5.56 rounds, 600 rounds for your sidearm and all the tac gear you can muster for three days of combat training. OH but that would be an F’N blast.
I’d skip the titanium firing pin. The only advantage they give you is letting you practice charging the gun. Chroming your BCG isn’t going to give you many advantages that an occasional cleaning couldn’t overcome.
Do yourself a favor and take the class. Look at all the stuff you’re talking about doing…it’s like 7-800 dollars worth of parts and work. You’d be much better suited to take the class (note: it’s not combat training, it’s shooting training). In the class you’ll see what others are using on their rifles to make them work better, you’ll learn what’s good and bad about your current setup and what needs to be improved. Most importantly, you’ll become a better shooter. Remember, shooters are made not born.
Get more ammo. You’ll never have enough.
Don’t let something as stupid as tac gear dissuade you from training. I’ve shot many a class working with a simple belt rig and reloading magazines out of my jeans pockets and I’ve got all the tac gear a guy could need. All you really need for a class are: ammo, mags, functioning weapons, a good holster and sling and that’s IT.
If you’re dead set on tinkering with that rifle at least read USMC03’s post about necessary mods for carbines (link).
Since this is the interweb, I can’t tell if you were kidding around or not. If you were, that was pretty good.
If you were/are serious, I’d recommend that you do a lot more reading of the threads here and then maybe re-evaluate your position.
Just a friendly suggestion.
Lose the Y-Comp.
Put a MI Rail and a good VFG on it or at a minimum some M-4 double shield handguards.
Forget the Titanium firing pin. A total waste in an AR as the hammer dictates 85% of the lock time. Steel takes shock better anyway.
Forget chroming the bolt, hard to do it after the fact. There might be some merit in NP3 on the BCG but that would be the last thing I spent money on.
Consider a PRI Gasbuster charging handle, upgrade your extractor spring, insert and outsert (I like the MGI D-fender) and consider a heavier buffer. I love the MGI RRB for that and other reasons. Its pricey but worth every single penny IMO.
Then ammmo and classes and practice.
Honestly and respectfully, I see that this post wasn’t taken as it was intended, purely for fun and imagination. I will however take the following suggestions as I’m new to this platform and seek answers as questions come to me.
Thanks and Happy New Year:)
JMJ
like said above but I would definately not hesitate to ask others with trick stuff if you can shoot it or check it out especialy if you ask nice. Take it from others that have started like you and spent lots of $$ on crap before they found what works. If you are doing it right you should have to spend alot more on ammo than anything else for your weapon. If you go to a class Dress for out doors, bring six good function tested mags 2000 rounds of ammo(never show up with the minimum Because more often than not you will have the chance to dump alot more) a good attitude and listen to what the instructor has to say. The best instruction for a new shooter comes in the form of getting time behind the sights and listening. If you are capable of shooting your rifle accurately and safely a good carbine instructor will turn you around and make you a skilled shooter in a few days then it is up to you to continue practicing what you learned and learning more. You can find some one day classes out there and that would be a good start. As far as gear goes use USGI pistol belt with a mag pouch and it should cost very little and serve you well you don’t need body armor, 20 mags, Huge Medicalpouch etc. etc just stick to the basics.
Also Resq47 Will kill you if you show up with a Y comp on you rifle. Change that out before you shoot a class for the sake of the others and you will be more liked
Agree.
Why?
Money wasted on bling
Waste of money as the firing pin is not the limiting factor in an AR’s lock time
I’ve always gotten along just fine with a GI one
You might want to try a two-point tactical sling before deciding
OK
You might want to try an EOTech and several other optical sights before deciding
There are simpler ways to mount a light on an AR
Since you live in Mass, your rifle better be pre-ban to do this
Since you live in Mass, your rifle better be pre-ban to do this
Don’t
Buy more. Lots more
Best money you will spend. Besides, all you need is some sort of way to carry three or four rifle mags and a couple of pistol mags plus some outdoor clothes you already have and some knee and elbow pad from Home Depot.
Slather it in Mayonnaise and let 14 kittens and 7 puppies lick it clean…Then just shoot it and leave the rest alone.
JJ,
How to put this…
As you noticed, M4C is a little bit different forum than some of the others… while some may be put off by the folks here, there is the potential to learn a LOT from the crowd that has gathered. If you look at some of the names here (and as you find out who some of the more cryptic handles belong to), you will see that the forum has some talent and experience that you would be hard pressed to find in any other public board.
That said, don’t take the replies to this thread as negative… but the deal is that most folks here are much more into practical and reliable and function will almost always overshadow form – not that are not some pretty damn nice looking weapons posted on M4C, just that very few look like they belong to the poster child from some Tactical Webstore.
Please accept my (our) open invite to be part of what is going on here though… new shooters only become old shooter with time and each and every person here has been a new shooter at some point in their life… for some, that is a lot longer than others, like our beloved Grant who just clicked the elevation up one more notch!
Feel free to ask anything… I assure you that you will need no more than some humor and a little thick skin now and then, but what a person can learn here is really quite impressive. As you have seen, the “pimp my rifle” threads don’t go over here as well as some other places, but consider that a positive – for a lot of us “fashion builds” just ain’t how we roll.