Retro Build II

AR/M4 Vintage ARs
1

So hot on the heels of my recent IDF mutt carbine, I’ve but together an A1 style rifle. The build process had some hiccups this time around, as is detailed in a thread in the technical discussion forum. Basically I had some problems getting the barrel nut aligned properly and the entire build ended up being delayed by about a week while I waited for some barrel shims to arrive. I was skeptical they would actually work, but lo and behold using two of them allowed me to correct the issue I was having and the rifle was successfully assembled yesterday evening.

While it is assembled and functional, there are a few minor changes that still might occur.
As soon as I can lay my hands on an A1 style lower I’ll be swapping to one of those.
In the meantime, the Type D stock may get replaced with a Type E and I’ll probably try to clean out the DIY color filling from the selector markings.

Upper receiver is NDS/Brownells with teardrop FA from Fulton Armory and rear sight kit from Windham Weaponry (With an A2 aperture substituted due to personal preference on my part.). Port door (Incorrect, I know.) and BCG and the weld spring and snap ring are from Bravo Company. Slip ring from Brownells. Handguards are surplus.

Barrel is a 1:9 4150 chrome lined unit from AR15 Sport. I had been holding out for one of Brownell’s 1:7 retro barrels, but got tired of the ever increasing wait times due to recalls and whatever else. I know very little of AR15 Sport but they seem to get good feedback on their barrels and the specs listed on the site seemed satisfactory. I also wasn’t crazy about going with a 1:9 vs a 1:7 but honestly, 99.99% of the 5.56 I have is either 55 or 62grains so a 1:9 is really quite adequate for me. The odds of me suddenly stocking massive quantities of 77 grain 5.56 is pretty unlikely.

Lower is a Stag, with a surplus Type D stock on it. As mentioned, I have a Type E that I may put on it instead.

I function tested the rifle today. Only two mags fired today because my glasses kept fogging up, but it worked.

You can kind of make out the smoke coming out of the top of the handguards.

The “05” is a stand in for the rack number I may stencil on there. Looking at all the pics of old ARs over the years made me decide I wanted rack numbers on this one. Why did I pick “05”? It’s my fifth AR. Seemed to make as much sense as anything else. My Type E stock actually came with a label maker rack number of “197” on it, but I sort of like the painted ones better from an aesthetic standpoint.

Some additional thoughts, based on my limited range session, it shoots very nicely. I’m not sure what it is, perhaps the way a 20" pencil barrel + fixed stock balances, but when shouldering this gun it almost seems to “float” into place, VS my carbines which, while lighter in absolute terms, don’t seem to balance in quite the same way, even if they are lighter overall. I have a 16" midlength with a gov’t profile barrel and fixed A1 stock as well, which is a very well balanced rifle but shouldering it doesn’t feel quite the same as this rifle with it’s lightweight 20" barrel, the handling of the fixed stock middie isn’t really “worse” per se, just “not the same”.
Also of note, this is my first 20" rifle, and after years of handling carbines I developed some level of general “awareness” of how much clearance I typically need around objects when maneuvering or carrying the weapon, so I need to get accustomed to doing that with a longer rifle now too.

2

Well, you certainly have a firm grasp on what you need to do to get it to be more like a M16A1 clone. The A1 profile lower, E type stock, and A1 port door are certainly necessities to get it there. Looking good so far. I am working on two more M16A1 clones myself. I have the upper assembly already built for the '72-'73 era one (Colt CK marked upper) and it is using a Brownells/Ballistic Advantage 1/12 barrel. It shoots great. The other is going to be a early model (circa 1967). I have another Brownells/Ballistic Advantage 1/12 barrel on backorder for it. Waiting on the NDS-603 upper (no NDS forge code) and the two XM Gray A1 lowers. I already have all the other pieces I need. Maybe by June or July, both will be done.

3

personally that E stock looks too nice to number buy a surplus one because that furniture looks almost like new

4

I can assure you it’s a trick of the lighting as both the handguards and that D stock are very far from “like new” condition.

I ended up putting my E stock on it and now think I like it a bit better. I still need the A1 lower and the proper port door but it looks pretty decent I think.
Technically that buttstock sling mount needs to come off but there’s a good chance that for anything other than photo ops I’m going to end up using a more modern sling than the simple black nylon one that I have on it (I put that same sling on my carbine just to facilitate carrying out to be test fired and find it sucks much less on the full length rifle.)
Honestly the theme I was kinda going for with this was less “Military M16A1” and more “DRMO Police M16A1”, as we had a local sheriff’s department that used DRMO A1s until pretty recently, which I always thought was cool.


A label with rack number 197 was already on the stock when I got it from Numrich a while back. I have no idea if this is the case or not, but using a label maker for the rack number seems like more of a police dept. thing to do than it does a military thing
Note that I did in fact use an A2 aperture, personal preference.


No that’s not a chrome plated magazine it’s just a really well worn Colt 20-rounder, it says “.223” on the floorplate instead of “5.56” which I guess means it was made prior to a certain date which I forget off the top of my head.

5

Correct me if I’m wrong renegade04 but the .223 marked mags are '69 and earlier which makes these “disposable” mags almost all 50+ years old, so of course they look well worn. I have 3 pre '69’s that still have most of the finish on them.
Another note, the early 80’s Sp1’s and early A1 upper SP2’s have A2 rears so that is still correct.

6

Yes I think you are correct, after some reading it seems that in 1969 the stamping on the floorplate was changed to 5.56.
Additionally, it turns out I have a “UI” stamp on the mag body, which means the mag was made by contractor Universal Industries, because it has “.223” on it, it apparently might be an early USAF contract magazine.

7

Very cool, somethin’ to be proud of.

8

Here is a good article on original Colt 20-round magazines.

http://rawles.to/AR-15_M16_Magazine_FAQ.html

9

Funny that article does not mention that Simmonds and Adventureline also made 20’s.

10

Outstanding build. Looks very authentic and convincing indeed. :cool:

Where did you get the hand guards that seem to fit so well? I’ve ordered a pair here and there but they don’t fit so well. They are either mismatched. coming from different weapons and/or the used LH sides from any date / weapon are just too screwed up to ever fit right. :sad:

I’m trying not to buy too many NOS items as I think those should be saved for the originals as opposed to retro(s). For that reason I’m currently working on modifying a set of airsoft hand guards which actually fit quite well, just needing some modification with the heat shields. The plastic appears to be the same thickness as the originals or at least close enough. Once I finish them I’m anxious to see how they perform and stand up at the range.

Both stocks look fine. You did a good job. By all means have fun and shoot the hell out of it. I’d be proud to own it. :smiley:

11

Thanks, I really like this thing so far in terms of general handling and the brief function test I did with it the other day. As far as the handguards go, I basically just ordered a right handguard and a left handguard from Numrich. If you look at the holes, they actually don’t quite line up and are obviously from two different weapons, and both have seen some wear and tear, but they work. At some point I may get a set of them that are in better condition but for now these seem to be getting the job done.

Since we were discussing the mag, here’s a collage of pics of it if anyone is interested.

And one more of the rifle with the mag, plus an M7 bayonet.

12

Looks great. I’ve never considered any of the mags. Was planning on just using whatever I have around. Might be different with the XM177 I’m doing (if the stamp ever gets here).

I got to get photos of mine up here.

If I get the airsoft hand guards working I’ll post those up here too.

13

I just happened to have that old mag laying around even before I got in to retros, someone gave it to me several years ago. Just seemed appropriate to use it in the pics. I’ve used it when shooting a couple of times before I realized it was kind of a curio and it worked​ fine.

14

Circle 10, nice looking build you have there. On the markings question. The military did use the plastic tape like was on the stock when you got it. I was issued several A2s over the years with that type of marking. I’ve also seen that type on many M14 stocks also. As an aside. If you wish to use a painted rack number they were almost universally stenciled.