Spree...

A bucket for anything that does not fit the above forum categories, both longgun and handgun.
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Re: Spree...

Post by Archer »

OK, 1971 Browning BAR. 300 Win Mag. Has some superficial wear and a scuff or two on it. Wood was Browning Gloss finish. Several handling dings on the wood. The wrist of the stock where it mates with the receiver has a number of cracks and the previous owner attempted to epoxy a chunk or chip of wood back in place at the receiver. The barrel looks clean now that I've wiped it out with some Hoppe's. The previous owner had shot it a few times before he sold it to me and hadn't cleaned it.
I'm thinking new stock at the very least and since it looks like Boyd's CAN be fitted to the gun I'm thinking about going that way with bedding the area around the trigger guard and maybe the area under the stock.

Weatherby Supreme scope variable 2-7X. condition UNKNOWN. The scope seems to work but may not or may not be nitrogen filled any longer. It's set up ok WRT eye relief. Has a major scrape on the backside of the mechanical adjustment.

The scope is attached via a Pachmyer Top Mount Low Swing Scope Mount. This is a period correct, Tip off, QD, low mount. I'm pretty sure the mount is not 100% correctly fitted to the gun. I think the base is correctly installed to the receiver but the indexing pins that contact the mount look like they have contacted the base differently than they do now. The rear pin has been filed some but the forward pin shows an air gap to the mount even though there is a distinct contact mark in the base. The thumb wheel that is supposed to allow you to remove the scope from the base seems like it is tightened quite a bit beyond finger tight. IF I want to budge that I'm going to need a bit of leather and some pliers. I suspect it was tightened that way on purpose to keep it from shooting loose by someone who didn't understand the mount or just didn't care. I'm wondering if the mount has been fiddled with by the guy at the shop the previous owner paid to check out the gun.

I'm sort of debating with myself with regard to updating the mount and scope. The vintage setup looks good but IF the scope needs rebuilding that could be a royal pain and about as expensive as replacing the glass with a more modern tube. The mount could be adequate for small diameter 1" scopes but IF I need to start the fitting process over from go that could be an exercise in frustration. R&Ring the scope and mount gives me a NEW solid pic rail mount and I can add Talley or Warne or A.R.M.S. rings that should give me a rock solid optic and still let me remove the scope inside a minute if need be. It won't let me tip it over to the receiver side in two seconds but I'm not too wild about the thing sitting in front of my nose/teeth when I touch off the gun anyway.
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Re: Spree...

Post by Archer »

Hmmm....

Seems like Faxon barrels are on sale this month.
I ended up getting a .308 20" 5R 1:10 Match Fluted. (Whatever MATCH means.)
I'm leaning toward getting a new Aero Precision M5 receiver set to build it on.
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Re: Spree...

Post by Arroyoshark »

I've had good experience with one Faxon barrel, and they seem quite well made and accurate. Combined with Aero receiver set it should end up being a fine piece. Is it difficult to load AR magazines if the mags are fixed ? No exposure to that, but can you tip up the upper and then load mag ?
When sitting down to clean a gun, the first step is to load another gun - Elmer Keith
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Re: Spree...

Post by Archer »

Arroyoshark wrote:I've had good experience with one Faxon barrel, and they seem quite well made and accurate. Combined with Aero receiver set it should end up being a fine piece. Is it difficult to load AR magazines if the mags are fixed ? No exposure to that, but can you tip up the upper and then load mag ?
There's two major options to build an AR in CA currently.
1) Go featureless. No Flash Hider. No Pistol Grip. No Collapsible Stock.
BUT you get a functional magazine release.

This can be accomplished in a variety of ways but I usually do the following:
a) Install a compensator instead of a flash hider. VG6 Gamma.

b) Install a Strike Industries 'Simple Grip' or a Strike Industries 'Mega Fin' OR install a standard pistol grip with a Kydex wrap around bolt on fin. There are other options including the Monsterman Grip, Resurgent Arms Grip, Exile Machine Hammerhead, etc. I have used a couple Monsterman Grips. (MY preferance is to install the Kydex wrap but my source of those went out of business and other sources typically cost too much. The advantage is that the kydex can be taken off the regular grip and tossed if I ever get out of CA without having to keep track of an unattached pistol grip or having to acquire a new one. The simple grip is less than $10 though.)

c) Install a fixed stock OR install a Strike Industries Stock Block (A small rubber strip that blocks out all the adjustment holes of a Mil-Spec carbine buffer tube EXCEPT the one you keep open to set your stock length and lock the stock in place. There are some specific stock options like the Thordsen Stock or the Hera Stock w/ membrane, that don't adjust and also replace the pistol grip at the same time.

2) Install a type II maglock that requires the weapon to be 'disassembled' in order to remove the magazine.
The most popular of these systems is probably the Juggernaut Hellfire system that replaces the disassembly pin with a button activated cam that allows the upper and lower to separate about 1/10th of an inch. This is combined with a replacement for the bolt catch that prevents the magazine release from being pressed while the weapon is fully assembled and locked together in firing configuration. Once the button is pressed the muzzle sweeps down a tad the mag can be released and replaced and the gun locked back in the firing configuration in a matter of a couple seconds. This is actually much faster than the old type I bullet buttons that required a tool to press the mag release. You wouldn't have to install the disassembly pin replacement. You could then tip the barrel down and load the mag while it was locked in the lower receiver.

As a side note:YEARS ago there was a specific AR receiver manufactured with a internal box magazine that had to be loaded through the top. You HAD to pivot the upper down or take it off to load the weapon. Those were NEVER popular and they disappeared as soon as the bullet button option came out. Those receivers didn't have an opening at the magwell bottom at all.

2b) There are systems that prevent the mag from being extracted except out the top of the lower but they are NOT popular. Some of these systems combine with a magazine that loads from the side via stripper clips. A friend of mine has one of those for his AK.

3) There are also systems that prevent the gun from operating in semi auto mode without an extra step. I've only seen one of these on the range that a coworker was using. I shot the thing and hated the extra required step(s). He shot my latest M5 Aero .308 featureless with an 18" fluted barrel and is thinking about modifying his AR to loose the extra monkey motion.
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Re: Spree...

Post by Arroyoshark »

Thanks for such a thorough reply. What an interesting set of metrics to work through just so your firearm does not look like something your state does not like. Well, at least you can still have some fun with them.
When sitting down to clean a gun, the first step is to load another gun - Elmer Keith
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Re: Spree...

Post by Archer »

Archer wrote:Finally got to the range with another of my .308 ARs (7.62 NATO not BO). 18" fluted built on a Aero Precision M5 receiver set. Gun functioned fine but I didn't have a spotter with me and I'll need to go back and sight it in another day.
Update on this one, I got to the range with the coworker who was selling the Browning BAR. Sometime in September. Brought this M5 18" SS fluted and set up a slightly larger target at 50 yards. Got the gun on target this time. Pushed it onto the steel at 300 yards. This was a really fun build.

Also got the Howa 1500 Tactical out for the first time. Took a moment to get it on target since I'd forgotten I picked up a +MOA mount for it but it dialed in and was tapping the 300 yard gong in short order. I'm going to need to get this one out to the other range and see if they still have a gong set up at 600. The initial comments about this gun were on page 7 of this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=6229&start=60
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Re: Spree...

Post by Archer »

Parts is Parts...

Browning BAR 300 WM, picked up some parts to refurbish the action if necessary.
Picked up a Boyd's type II stock. I'll have to sand it down to fit as in the linked video in the post above and I plan on bedding the backside of the trigger guard and any other areas that don't fit quite right. I've got a type II stock bolt and stock bolt plate on order just in case there really is a difference in the attachment location.

A few more parts to fix up the .308 Faxon including a Aero M5 upper and lower receivers plus a Midwest Industries handguard.
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Re: Spree...

Post by Archer »

Browning BAR scope mount from EGW on the way.
I'm not sure if I'm going to put the 1" Nikon I've got here on it OR if I'm going to add a higher power glass to it.

The Boyd's furniture is 'pepper' laminate. Similar to the old Faijen 'black on black' but maybe a little darker.
Scaled laser checkering.

Gray Marine Tex should blend in as a bedding compound.
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Re: Spree...

Post by Archer »

It is amazing how few parts a few hundred dollars gets you.

$300 here
Gas regulator/port, recoil guide & spring, couple magazines, a 3" bolt, a threaded steel plate, a sling swivel stud and a scope mount.

OR

$370 there
Rear sight assembly x2, Rear sight tool, Bolt Head (complete), couple sight ball bearings, roller retainer plate x2, extractor spring (x1 although it should have been x4 but I forgot to hit the update cart button).

Pretty soon you've paid twice what the gun ought to run buying a few replacement parts.
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Re: Spree...

Post by Archer »

I now have most of the parts to complete the next Aero Precision M5 that will wear a 20" match Faxon barrel.
The lower should be available next week.
I'll need a scope. I'm thinking 1-8X as a minimum.
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