Upper and barrel assembly is from an actual FN M16A2 (coast guard surplus IIRC). Lower is a replica (though still metal) and the lower parts are from an AR parts kit. I'm not sure if an authentic A2 lower is legal without a class 3 because of the weird way the ATF handles gun classification?
If made for selective fire it'd be a class III item but I think a reasonable number are in circulation although they'd run you tens of thousands of dollars last time I checked. We can dream.
either a clamp similar to the photo, a "gangster grip" from KAC (very old school) or using a bolt-on weaver rail/dovetail through the handguard's venting holes. companies like surefire (and others) also made outright replacement handguards and Diemaco, Colt, Wilcox, and others made modifications for the front sight base to have an attachment point(s) of some kind.
a genuine M16A2 lower is usually (not always) a machinegun as it meets the definition of readily convertible or already functional as a machinegun. the general definition is if the part functions, with the single action of a trigger to fire more than once; or can be readily converted to do so. some very early M16A2 (Colt model R6521 for example were sometimes marked M16A2 rather than AR-15A2) lowers were never manufactured as machineguns as they were meant for export and the manufacturing contract didn't include the feature, these are extremely rare though.
Was thinking of a stripped lower. But from what I understand since the lower is serialized an A2 lower would be considered a machinegun since it was manufactured as one, even with a semi-auto trigger group?
Huh, good to know. Don't have the 35K to drop on an automatic anyway so I never really looked into the laws behind it. I always assumed you needed some sort of special license or something to own one.
They definitely help with bayonet & buttstroke drills goddamn that sounded gay.
I had an older friend who's prized possession was a legit prison Mini-14, and he mounted a flashlight with something like this. Anyways, I remember him telling me that clamping things to the barrel is fine; just make sure they're not flush against another component (gas/sight block, handguard, etc), to tighten the clamp halfway between them, and to use loctite.
once a machinegun, always a machinegun, with or without the parts, as it is "readily converted", generally speaking. if you want the marking, you can buy a Colt AR-15A2 or one of the commercial export models and i doubt most would care much. for extra autism, you can buy a "stealth" AR-15 lower from PSA or someone that has discreet markings and have it engraved as you see fit and refinished.
I’ve always been partial to the A1 furniture, and honestly the A1 in general. The plastic tech just wasn’t quite there for durability, but the ergonomics were far superior for a combat and general purpose rifle.
Well I failed at removing the muzzle even buying that exact item in your screencap.
What I noticed as I tried to twist it off with a wrench, that the it was making the vises move to the point, I feared that the vises would break before the barrel probably gets marred up or gets bent. So far the barrel looks straight though I will make some gunsmith make sure the barrel isn't fucked.
I've run across AR barrels that are LH threaded, instead of RH. But I assume you've tried spinning it both ways....
that's pretty intense. is it a barrel from the mid 90's? look really carefully with different light all around the flash hider. some "pin and weld" muzzle devices were done and dressed extremely well to the point that after finishing the barrel they were not really possible to feel or spot. this is why you notice barrel services for pin and weld jobs note it is "obviously marked". torque on a removable A2 flash hider is only around 15-20ft lbs per spec, and absolutely not more than 30 ft lbs unless it's a particular muzzle brake or something with special port that might loosen it.
they were pretty popular on lever-action backpack rifles and automatic shotguns, think along the lines of a guide gun. a short Marlin .45-70 Gov. or an Remington 1100. i've also seen some Ruger Mini-14 and Mini-30's with them with their folding stock.
In my head it would sit proudly on top of a TacStar'd pump action. Feels appropriate.
I have a Safariland Model 27 and a Dara Holsters AIWB. Both are optics ready.
I see that you already bought one, but I've been happy with my AlienGear ShapeShift setup for my Sig P365XL, which offers IWB, AIWB and OWB belt and paddle options. They have the same rig for the 43X, but if you don't want to spend quite that much, you can get just the AIWB option for about half the cost. I've found it to be plenty comfortable and like having all of the options that just use the same shell.
Let me take a stab at it: