LMT M4, To shoot, or not to shoot, that is the question...

AR/M4 Custom Build Forum
1

So I recently finished a LMT M4 build project. I built the thing as an experiment really. This all started out at a gunshow, I went there to buy some steel targets and pick up a couple smaller items. I am nosing around and there was a table, that had a brand new LMT 14.5 upper on it with a Bolt, Bolt Carrier and one of the new Tach Latched LMT charging handles. The price was $500.00. So I asked the fellow behind the table if the price included the Bolt, Bolt Carrier Charging Handle. To my surprise he said yes. I even asked twice to be sure as complete uppers minus the Bolt Carrier group and Charging Handle are like $485.00 on a good day. So $500 bones cash and carry. I thought to my self “not bad” thus began the quest to see how inexpensively I could finish out a M4 carbine.

Next came a YHM 5C1 flashhider to get the barrel out past 16 inches. $25.00 and I drilled and pinned it. Then I bribed a buddy with a welder (couple of beers $5.00) to weld over the pin. I sanded the weld smooth and hit it with some cold blue. So now it is legal to put the upper onto a lower.

Total at this point $530

Next came a LMT Defender 2000 lower from Dynamic Armament for $300.00. It took a month and with shipping and transfer fee It came out another $30.00 so the lower was had for $330 to my door.

Total at this point is $860.00.

Hand Guards, I picked up one of the Blemed Knights RASs, that (for the life of me, I can’t tell what the Blem is) for $165.00 delivered.

Total at this point $1025.00.

I next traded out the Ergo Grip to a buddy for a Magpul Maid grip that he did not like (silly him) so score there. He also came off a Magpul Trigger Guard for $15.00

Total at this point $1040.00.

Next I turned to Ebay and took two very big rolls of the dice. I was worried about airsoft fakes but I lucked out and wound up buying a Knights 600 meter BUIS for $110.00 delivered and and LMT buttstock for $137.00 also delivered. They are both real thank goodness.

Total at this point $1287.00

Now, we have a working dependable Carbine. So the question is should I shoot it or stick it away for a rainy day. I have my Piston driven M4 that I shoot all the time and it is my “go to” Carbine. I really did not start out that day to build an LMT M4 but it became a “can I build it cheaper project?” and I don’t think I did too bad. But I don’t need another M4 Carbine. Soooo Shoot? Don’t shoot and save…

Hummmmmmmmm the things that make ya go hummmmmmmm

IPSC_GUY
SIERRA II ALPHA

2

What would you do with it if you didn’t shoot it?

3

If a “rainy day” means you need money, then maybe.

If a “rainy day” means you need another reliable carbine in a hurry, then an unproven weapon (even Tier 1 like your LMT) might get you wet.

I built one very similar to your’s and love it. LMT already test fires the hell out of their uppers, so it’s not like it would make a big difference if you ran several hundred rounds through it.

4

Ahhh good points. I doubt very much I would sell it needing the cash, maybe as trading materiel now that I think about it.

I think if I do shoot it, I would do so to make sure it is 100% (Say 200 or 300 rounds) reliable and keep a round count log book for it? Your right though and untested fire arm is just that. Again good point.

IPSC_GUY
SIERRA II ALPHA

5

If you just sight it in and do some reliability firing, I can’t imagine it hurting the value of it.

It should be an extremely reliable carbine. If keeping it for SHTF I would just make sure that it works well with the ammo and mags that you plan to keep on hand.

It would also drive me crazy to have that nice of an M4 sitting around and not put any rounds down range.:smiley:

6

I think if I do shoot it, I would do so to make sure it is 100% (Say 200 or 300 rounds) reliable and keep a round count log book for it?
I would sight it in and do this at a minimum.

7

I’d have to agree, just for the sake of knowing it fires correctly would help me sleep better at night and even if I were buying/trading for it I would feel better knowing its fully functional

8

Hey, you’re an IPSC guy, so you already know what to do - zero it, shoot it until you get bored with it, put it away, and build another rifle. Do you have too many?

9

put it in the safe for many years

10

How do you know until you shoot it? I would not declare this until you’ve ran 1,000 trouble free rounds through it.

Even new Noveske’s and Colt’s have had issues. Run it for a while.

Otherwise, you did good.

11

Zero it, test it and yes, do keep a log esp if youre keeping it for this reason. You may want to give it a good cleaning as well.

12

Looks like you made a good build, but I would use it, instead of putting it in the safe. Whats the point of spending the money and having a rifle if you don’t shoot it?

13

That is a really good question and I will try and explain here.

Ahhhhh true I really do need to “proof fire” it. I, in actuality only have two assembled AR-15s besides this LMT M-4. A Noveske lower with my Piston creation upper and another LMT MRP with a 6.8 barrel in it…

Now that being said I have 5 other sets of Noveske Lowers with uppers sitting on them ready to go and the parts to build all 5 of them into M4s. Yes I have become a parts Pack Rat. In addition I am working on an SPR upper and a 16 inch upper and once the SBR paper work gets done a 12.5 and a 10.3 upper, both piston driven.

My goal is to have two core Noveske Lowers ready to take what ever 5.56 upper I chose from “my system.” I like the idea of a system. In addition to the 6.8 MRP. The four other parts kit M4s have become my rainy day stash. I have been buying the parts for them slowly and when good deals have come along.

This LMT M-4 was just kind of an experiment of can I do it really cheaply? Sounds silly and it doesn’t really fit into my “plan” of what is useful. You see I don’t want to be the guy with 75 guns just for the sake of having them. My AK collection is starting to lean me that direction. It already consists of 2 Galils, 2 Bulgarian based AKS 74s, A Krink Kit and a Galil SAR kit both awaiting From 4s so they can get built. My one want in addition to these is a Russian Tiger as well. At the moment all of the AKs are toys.

Ideally here is my philosophy of gun ownership. A prepared person NEEDS the following firearms. All HAVE to be good reliable weapons that you can depend upon. The following are the categories and what I have chosen for each.

  1. A Pistol, - 1911 based defensive side arm.

  2. A Semi Auto Rifle, - AR based carbine.

  3. A Semi Auto Shotgun, - Saiga 12.

  4. A Bolt Action Long Range, Accurate Rifle, - FN SPR.

  5. A .22 caliber Rifle, - Rugger 10-22.

  6. A .22 Caliber Pistol, - Smith & Wesson Model 41.

Numbers 5 and 6 can also be conversion uppers in order to dispense with another gun. The long and the short of it is that is what I think one “needs” and after that they are toys or variations. Don’t get me wrong toys are fine but like I said I am trying NOT to collect guns just for the sake of having them.

So I am going to take everyone’s very good advice and proof fire the LMT M-4, with a set number of rounds that I will log, then clean spotlessly and for the moment put away. A buddy of mine in the Army used to keep one Rock River M-4 built up at all times for trading materiel. Maybe that is what I will do with this thing.

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

IPSC_GUY
SIERRA II ALPHA

14

Trade it for bullets.

It’s better to wear them out than to let them sit and rust out – otherwise why have them?

15

If you’re planning on not shooting it for the fear that a “used” rifle would have decreased value, I pose this question to you:

Would the loss in value be worth it to gain enjoyment from the item?

16

I have found that selling used LMT parts (or even new pre owned LMT parts) on the aftermarket is difficult and for some reason it is hard to get what you think they might be worth compared to BCM or Noveske.

17

I have had the same experience. There is a pretty good amount of depreciation with LMT. Then again, short of Colt, everything seems to depreciate to a greater extent.

18

Too much emphasis is placed on round count. It’s useless without also recording shooting conditions and results.

Condition of the firearm is much more important. How does one know the seller kept an accurate count?

A weapon built and never shot to ensure function is a liability. If you sell it and it fails to be reliable, it can hurt your reputation. If you need it to save your life, the consequences of failure can be very grave indeed

19

Shoot the hell out of it.

20

me too, I have a NIB LMT M4ish up for sale right now, and I’m already $75 under msrp with no offers. strange…