Primary Weapons - What and Why - LF repost

AR/M4 AR General Discussion
1

I carried this over from lightfigther as I thought it may be of some interest here.

In the spirit of the Warfighting kit layouts I decided to start a post on primary carbine/rifles.

My primary probably need no introduction as I like to post it all over. However for the unintiated.
KAC SR16 Upper on a Bushhamster lower (converted to auto in theatre and an entire Colt internal set replacing the crap)

Magpul CTR with rubber butpad so it stay on my gear while moving etc.
I got the gun with a Crane stock and promptly tossed it in favour of the CTR as I’m just not a Crane fane (BigRed scavanged the stock and rolls it on his Shorty)
I like the CTR checkweld with my Peltors and helmet etc on, while I love Eric K’s new E-Mod I’m not as comfortable with it jocked up (maybe it will change I ordered one for here and will play with it for a time at the range to see if I can get used to it)

Receiver end plate - I went with a DD one as it was all I had on hand at the time, I’m more partial to some others - but it works and at the end of the day its not a fashion stament.

Magpul MIAD - small insert -
Now I know someguys love the larger inserts and when shooting prone its very nice - but moving and flipping the selector is tough with those - so I went with the small and run them that way on all my guns but my AR10T.

As for the KNS pins - well I figured they can’t hurt and I’ve seen some pins come out of some guns before - so I figured better safe than sorry - especially on a Bushy

RediMagGen II – well most times your first reload is the most important - it does add some weight to the gun - but that why we have MWR Gym’s

KAC 600m BIS (its got the 300m large aperature drilled in it) -it works

Short Dot GenII
Well most of the time you need an Aimpoint – but now and then some asshole makes you wished you brought an ACOG…
I dont like the adjustment on the SD Gen1 as they tend to get bumped easily by gear and all of a sudden your elevation/windage and illumination are WRONG.

Larue Mount – need I say more.

KAC vert grip - small,lite, and easy to replace

Scout Light - previously I’d been running a G2 and still have them - but I’ve had this Scout light for a bit and figured I’d make it work for a living - Its lite enough and still has more than enough light for most needs.

I vastly prefer the A2/GenII Redi-Mag over the early one - for both reloading and performing IA/RA’s

The BlueForce Gear Skeletonized one is the best IMHO - as it combines the easy of locking the bolt catch with the seperate mag release.
I have the BCE on this one to make up for that - and prefer the BFG one that is on my Hk416.

Slings - I’ve got a BFG VCAS using a DD rail mounted QD. While being wholely jocked up you lose some of the adjustement range of the sling it still works better than any of its contemporaries that I have seen.

John - this is ShortDot 1, I had it in Afghan and then Hoddie had it there – ShortDot 2 is on the 14.5 Hk416 and ShortDot 3 was stolen on Mike’s Recce.

I will get more detailed - but my basic rule is run as much gun as you can.

The only reason I’d carry a shorty is if your dedicated to Urban DA, or your like one of our Pimptastic members here (BigRed) and role like this.

Where your shorty is really a secondary of sorts…

And the tickle trunk.

Even when I run open top mag pouches the redi-mag is faster standing – its doubly faster when in a vehicle, or in a less ideal postion.

Shadow4Golf – yeah I was hoping to get others to post their setups too, I know most are issued M4/M4A1 - but some of the ‘optional’ accessories are outstanding. Especially the redi-mag for some admin reasons in addition to its combat use, now that you need a weapon in the DFAC. I despise those butstock mag puches as they typically can snag the CH when you run it - may be fine utterly steril - but any sort of drama and it will help Mr. Murphy bite you.

Back to the gun

PRI gasbuster - I love the latch and the extra girth of the body leads to less flex when you try to run it when running or doing something else that makes it awkward - I’ve had some of the skinnier ones bind on me before and now I run the GB’s exclusively.

Bolt - Colt, w/ Crane O ring upgrade
Bolt Carrier - DPMS Hard Chrome – I got this one a while ago and the key was staked quite well - it cleans up really well and carbon does not seem to adhear well to it.

Barrel - Douglas 1:7 SS Wydle Chamber (by CLE) 16" middy. I know some don’t like SS barrels for cbt use - but seeing some of the SPR data by Crane on the Douglas - I went with this one when KAC built the gun for me.
I’ve run this barrel thru some high volume courses and days - it runs auto with Mk262 quite well (though I’ve never need to do so - I just like the know it can) - and even when hot (I ran 7 mags thru it once to make up for a PKM that went down once out of the CAT car) still extracts well.

Rail URX - I like them what can I say.

KAC flip front sight – while I beleive that fixed sights are more robust - using the SD I prefer the flip - as well as better image using a PVS-22.

In the MIAD I have a spare bolt, firing pin, cam pin etc.

I have a PEQ-2A, and Attila-200 and a few other toys, but for 99% of PSD ops it adds weight and bulk that I dont need - same with the cans. Its a tool in the tool box.

2

Kevin_B,

       Excellent post!


       I'm in the process of changing my primary SWAT gun from a 14.5" M4 back to a 16" mid-length.  I've gone back and forth between these two platforms over the last several years (started using mid-lengths in 2002).

       I'm going to run a Sabre Defense 16" mid-length (just waiting on the lower from Grant) with a Short Dot and Surefire Scout over the next year and see how it works for me for what I do.  One drastic move I'm going to make is I'm going to run the gun [b]without[/b] the vertical foregrip.  I have found that in competiton and training that I can drive the gun better without the vertical foregrip.  In the past I have had things work well for me at the square range, and not work so well at work.

       I hate posting pics in other people's thread, but it will look like this gun (only differences being a MIAD, Scout light, and Short Dot):


       A majority of my work is serving warrants (CQB), thus I have always prefered a shorter gun.  Only time will tell if this set up works well for me or not.

       I have found that I prefer heavier stocks on mid-lenths (ie. Magpul UBR's, M93B's, or Vltor EMods) as it balances out the gun much better.  With the Short Dot and the Redi-Mag being close to the center of balance, how well does the CTR balance on that gun?

S/F,
Jeff

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I hate posting pics in other people’s thread

Surely you jest :smiley:

Both of you give us a lot of good things to think about.

4

I’m interested in thoughts on the 12.5" barrel CAR gas system as a GP long gun.

5

Last week I sent off an almost new Shrubmaster 14.5" M4 profile barrel to get cut down to 12.5" for this very purpose. A customer gave me the barrel so I’m not complaining that it’s a 1x9 twist. He only fired 300 rounds through it.

6

Great post - thanks for sharing your thoughts on what works based on your experiences.

And for some reason I just thought this is perfect sig line material:
“Well most of the time you need an Aimpoint – but now and then some asshole makes you wished you brought an ACOG…”

Stay safe.