AK guy here. I have an M&P15 sport, and I like it. I shoot it pretty much as is with the A2 front sight and magpul flip up rear sight. No tacticool shit, no add ons, just simple. And I enjoy shooting it that way.
I have begun to really like and appreciate the simplicity of the A1 style rifle with fixed carrying handle upper receiver, triangle handguard and fixed stock.
How do I go about building putting together a modern AR (I was thinking about a nickel boron BCG, nice trigger, etc) but keep the A1 appearance and not break the bank?
It just me or have A1 ARs gotten really popular lately?
>>29564217
Nodak Spud lower. I paid 210 out the door for the stripped lower.
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/barrel-parts/rifle-barrels/ar-15-m16-20-a1-rifle-length-barrel-chrome-lined-1-12-sku100016584-77794-159342.aspx
then the rest is easy. Anything else post. Will monitor for a while.
>>29564755
I've noticed a resurgence in popularity with respect to full-length AR-15 rifles in general. Thankfully, folks are realizing that 20'' is best and all that tactical 14.5'' shit isn't the best general purpose gun for their style of shooting.
>>29564217
http://shop.ar15sport.ihoststores.com/productinfo_v3.aspx?productid=BARREL-20LWT19
-Wait for this to get restocked.
-I bought the rest of the parts- pistol grip, handguards, flash hider, front sight parts, buttstock from the same site. I just went with a PSA LPK, upper parts and lower because I'm not too anal about details.
-The hardest thing to find is an A1 upper, Brownell's sometimes has them in stock if youre lucky, otherwise just keep a watchful eye on Gunbroker &c.
-A1 rear sight parts are unobtanium.
![WP_20160331_007[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/h7BsKrC.jpg "WP_20160331_007[1].jpg")
>>29564755
It's a sexy, retro, historical rifle that has great ergonomics, almost no recoil, and an astoundingly light weight. I think more people have come to realize these factors and want it as a result. That said, the ship has sailed on easily done/cheap A1 builds since the parts kits dried up. The biggest pain in the ass is the upper, since everyone is buying A1 uppers as soon as they hit the market, leaving most with either a shitlong wait for an NDS or getting a retarded black retro upper from Brownell's. Other, more minor parts like the fire selector and dust cover are also pretty hard to find now, and the rear sight assemblies are getting to be that way too as of late.
>>29564812
Most people do their shooting at 0-300. Guess what's still ideal at that range.
>>29564785
>>29564833
Thanks anons. What's up with the "pencil barrel", it's just a thinner barrel that they used on the A1s? I could have sworn I just saw an A1 upper on Brownells, I have to take a look again. So if A1 rear sights are impossible to get, what are the other options? That's a bummer too because the A1 rear sights are one of the reasons I really wanted to do the replica type build.
>>29564812
OP here, as I said I am really an AK guy. I appreciate simple, well functioning machines and guns, and to me the A1 is a great example of what an AR should be. The fucking ricer mall ninja shit is out of hand. I don't care about having a "custom tailored for ME" AR, just a good shooting reliable one that looks like it could be used in actual service, not in some neckbeard's basement next to his dragon dildos and furry costumes. I like shooting my stock simple M&P15, but every time I shoot it I wish it was an A1, and I really wish it had a full retard switch too... :(
funny enough, though, one of my AKs is kinda mall ninja'd out.
>>29565022
Do you need me to get you an entire parts list? I am drunk, cleaning my P38 and watching schindlers list. I really dont want to.
>>29564217
What is the best A2 clone on the market right now?
>>29565022
A1s had a 20" pencil profile barrel with a 1:12 twist. If you want, you can skimp out on holding true to the twist rate if it makes things easier.
http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/gm-m15-m16-a1-5-56mm-20-1-12-twist-20-barrel/
This right here is pretty much perfect, although it lacks the barrel nut and installed FSB that the ones from AR15sport offer.
The rearsights aren't so much impossible to get as hard to find nowadays. DPMS was churning them out regularly, but they seem to have stopped for whatever reason. If you hunt, though...
http://www.e-sarcoinc.com/m16a1rearsightsetcomplete.aspx
>>29565087
Colt sporter if you can find it.
armalite (mucho dinero)
older xm15e2s.
Del-Ton makes a bad ass kit for cheap as hell. Chrome lined too.
PSA.
In that order.
>>29564755
>lately
You're like 5-6 years late on that one.
The retro AR market blew up around 2010-2011-ish, and most of the cheap parts got bought up. You're looking at $500+ for a parts kit in mediocre shape.
Cryptic Coatings makes a good BCG.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mg7LNSKcp8
>>29565135
>Del-Ton makes a bad ass kit for cheap as hell. Chrome lined too.
I've heard mixed things about Del-Ton, but with the gun community the way it is I can't tell if they're genuine issues, or just mall ninjas shitting on anything that doesn't cost as much as a used car.
Anyone here have first-hand experience with them?
>>29565198
I have built 7 and nary an issue. The gun community is almost as bad as the car community. I have it so it's better.
>>29565070
Not that kinda guy who's too lazy to search, as I have, some shit is a little confusing and parts availability seems to be a lot less these days. If you ever have spare time and you're bored you can send it to [email protected], it would be put to use
Alot of A1 parts are hard to come by or really expenisve, so i said fuck it and made a a1/a2 hybrid. got an a2 lower from nodak in xm grey(not a wait time and the differences in a1 to a2 are not that important to me). got a a2 buttstock and pistol grip, then a a1 upper but with a 1:9 twist barrel. Its nice
