Gotta love home-made semi-auto rifles!

[Anbira Hicchoru]

Bought this little fella from a guy who made it from scratch, from the comfort of his own home. And I did so through the power of Internet.

http://panicked.org/sa/kw15a
http://panicked.org/sa/kw15b

What is this, you ask?

It is called a lower subassembly, for a rifle known as an AR-15 (essentially the semi-automatic version of an M-16). A lower consists primarily of the receiver, which is the area in which all of the gun's moving parts, well, move. It's also the only part of a gun that is recognized as a firearm by federal law. Ergo, this is the part of the gun you have to fill out a background check to transfer. My lower has a few peripheral parts added onto it, including the trigger group, hammer, spring, a few pins and buttons, and a pistol grip. In addition, the threading for the gun's buttstock is behind the selector switch (red and white thing), and the mag-well (where the magazine goes) is in front of the trigger assembly.

The guy who did this has some really top notch handiwork. All of his lowers are milled from cold forged steel billet, and covered with a matte black duracoat finish. Also, he does custom etchings. I decided to use the silly warning from a claymore mine as mine (Front toward enemy)

So what does this mean?

I only have about $1000 more to spend before this rifle is "functional" and only $2000 more before it is "complete" :x

Oh well. Rome wasn't built in a day either :)

[General Ceel]

The question is. WHY?

[Sudoku]

Because it's Charley!

[Anbira Hicchoru]

Originally posted by General Ceel
The question is. WHY?

Why spend hours on the internet recruiting forum roleplayers?

EDIT: It isn't exactly necessary to quantify a hobby.

[Morgan Evanar]

Originally posted by General Ceel
The question is. WHY? Go to the gun range with some knowledgable, friendly people and report back.

HINT: because it's awesome fun to annhiliate paper and empty cans and water-filled bottles and metal rodents.

[Khendon Sevon]

There's just something about the concentration on a target, the snug fit of a rifle to your body, the controled breathing, and the relaxed, gentle pull of a trigger... and the satisfaction of putting six bullets through two holes less than a quarter's size apart ;)

[General Ceel]

Why spend hours on the internet recruiting forum roleplayers?

Is the staff of Swfans going to sit back and let this member attack me for no good reason? Recruiting forum role players?

All I did was ask "Why?". The desire to construct an automatic weapon is a odd behavior at best. Automatic weapons are not a recreational item. As the owner of 14 hunting rifles and shotguns, and an experienced outdoorsman, I know very well what kind of people desire automatic weapons.

[Morgan Evanar]

It's not an automatic weapon. Try reading.
Originally posted by Anbira HicchoruIt is called a lower subassembly, for a rifle known as an AR-15 (essentially the semi-automatic version of an M-16).Fully automatic weapons are illegal without special extremely difficult to obtain permits.

[Sanis Prent]

Originally posted by General Ceel
Is the staff of Swfans going to sit back and let this member attack me for no good reason? Recruiting forum role players?

All I did was ask "Why?". The desire to construct an automatic weapon is a odd behavior at best. Automatic weapons are not a recreational item. As the owner of 14 hunting rifles and shotguns, and an experienced outdoorsman, I know very well what kind of people desire automatic weapons.

I'm not attacking you, I am flipping the question on you. Obviously, you enjoy what you do a great deal, enough to devote quite a bit of time and energy into it. Is there any real justification for that either, aside from personal utility of recreation?

As for autos not being recreational, I beg to differ, and further refer you to such events such as the Knob Creek Machine Gun meet, and other events like it. The fact that there are Class III weapon owners out there, and none of which have used their extremely expensive collectors pieces for crime (The only post-NFA homicide committed with a legal class III automatic weapon was committed by a police officer) At $10,000 a piece and upward, a Class III firearm is not only practically unattainable, but ridiculously impractical for somebody planning to be a ne'er do well with one.

Not that I'm in the market for anything like that at all. I'm on a comparatively shoe-string budget and don't have the stomach for the red tape I'd have to wade through for that kind of thing.

[Khendon Sevon]

Originally posted by General Ceel
As the owner of 14 hunting rifles and shotguns, and an experienced outdoorsman, I know very well what kind of people desire automatic weapons.

Arguably, the kind that don’t use them to kill the beautiful bounty of nature? Is it wrong to own an assault rifle? is it wrong to hunt?

I think it's all personal opinion and definetely subject to debate.

Personally, I have nothing against hunters that eat what they kill (I have many friends that hunt deer), just throwing a view out, trying to get you to look at the whole thing from as many perspectives as possible. (I prefer shooting nature with a camera, it’s lighter in my pack and just as rewarding).

As an experienced outdoorsman, do you also practice Leave No Trace? If so, good man for not adding to the destruction of our dwindling tracts of raw nature.

[Saveeradeevaravaravee]

Originally posted by General Ceel
Is the staff of Swfans going to sit back and let this member attack me for no good reason? Recruiting forum role players?

All I did was ask "Why?". The desire to construct an automatic weapon is a odd behavior at best. Automatic weapons are not a recreational item. As the owner of 14 hunting rifles and shotguns, and an experienced outdoorsman, I know very well what kind of people desire automatic weapons.

I have seen nothing here that could be qualified as an attack. Nor do I see anyone discouraging the recruitment of roleplayers. The point here is that collecting weapons for the sheer beauty of the weapons is no more pointless than recruiting roleplayers for the sheer enjoyment of roleplaying.

Personally, I am a collector of swords. I never was much into guns, but I can understand Charley's love for them. I have never used my swords to cut anything more than a tree limb, nor do I plan to. Just because someone owns a deadly weapon does not mean they plan to use it for violence - in many cases, such items are not used at all. Perhaps you should get to know someone before you start judging what kind of person they are.

Charley, the gun looks awesome, man. Hope you have fun finishing it up :D!

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I just think it looks dangerous. I mean, I know it's a gun, but a home-made semi auto you bought off someone on the internet?? Sounds like there's at least a chance it might just explode in your hand if you used it.

And if the staff needs to step in on any situation regarding posters flaming each other, we will. Also - any registered poster may report threads to the staff if they believe the FAQ is being violated. In fact, please do use this function (for some reason I can't find the button for it right now) or PM a staff member.

[Khendon Sevon]

There's a lil link saying "report" at the bottom right of each post. At least, for the theme I'm using. (I haven't switched in a very long time, I dunno if it changes positions).

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Hey there Slicer buddy :cool


And I particularly like the etching you had put on there, Charley. Very unique :)

[Morgan Evanar]

Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville
I just think it looks dangerous. I mean, I know it's a gun, but a home-made semi auto you bought off someone on the internet?? Sounds like there's at least a chance it might just explode in your hand if you used it.The person who made it isn't "Some Random Person On the Internet." He's actually really good at metalwork and has the equipment to make such a thing.

[JMK]

I was never much for owning guns until last summer when I visited my folks in GA and we hit the shooting range. It was fun as hell, so now I can understand owning & collecting firearms. But cleaning them after flat out sucks. It just does and you can never convince me otherwise. I was totally opposed to hunting, and for the most part still am unless you eat what you kill. But hey, as long as no laws are being broken who am I to say anything?

[Morgan Evanar]

I've never hunted, but I've fished and if you take away my right to eat tasty yellowtail there will be some words! Also, going to the range is awesome. I did it with Charley and had a great time. I'm buying a .22LR target pistol when I get the car sorted as best I can.

Racing habits are expensive.

[Mitara Sinar]

I don't like guns, but I have to be able to use one for work. At work when i'm on duty I'm armed with a GLOCK 21, M26 Taser, and a Nightstick.

other than the time I have spent in the VPD Firing Range, i've never used a gun, and i hope i never have to use it else where.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Originally posted by Morgan Evanar
The person who made it isn't "Some Random Person On the Internet." He's actually really good at metalwork and has the equipment to make such a thing.

Ah but he didn't *say* that, did he. Besides, its still the internet and as such the possibilty for people to misrepresent themselves is high. :mneh

[Anbira Hicchoru]

Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville
I just think it looks dangerous. I mean, I know it's a gun, but a home-made semi auto you bought off someone on the internet?? Sounds like there's at least a chance it might just explode in your hand if you used it.

Well not so much with a lower. The good thing is that if the lower is machined off-spec, the worst that will happen is that the gun will not fire, or not fit with the stock, upper receiver, or barrel. When things go bad, the part of the gun that is liable to explode is the barrel, because that's where the action happens.

The good thing about this is that the guy who made these has tested them against parts kits from Rock River Arms, which is an extremely high quality AR-15 parts manufacturer. It's also the company I will buy my upper and barrel kits from. So, not only is it safe, but quality operation is practically assured.


Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville
Ah but he didn't *say* that, did he. Besides, its still the internet and as such the possibilty for people to misrepresent themselves is high. :mneh

Plenty of people with more technical know-how than myself have ordered these, and have put them through the test. Plus, the overhead you have to sink into this sort of thing is immense. You pretty much have to build a quality product in order to get your checkbook in the black.

[Anbira Hicchoru]

Originally posted by JMK
But cleaning them after flat out sucks. It just does and you can never convince me otherwise.

Clearly you haven't thrown a cleaning party. Pop in a good movie, open the windows, and let the Hoppes flow!

Sure, you'll smell like banana laffy taffy for the next week, but its a good way to bask in the afterglow.


Originally posted by Morgan Evanar
I'm buying a .22LR target pistol when I get the car sorted as best I can.


Let me know and I'll buy your first 1000 rounds.

[Ixion]

Originally posted by Anbira Hicchoru
... the worst that will happen is that the gun will not fire, or not fit with the stock, upper receiver, or barrel. When things go bad, the part of the gun that is liable to explode is the barrel, because that's where the action happens....

Unless you put a bad round through the breach and get a rupture OR maybe you go nuts shooting one day and then you pause, the heat of the chamber cooks-off the round in the chamber and you get a real mess (specialy if you're pointing it somewhere stupid) OR you start shooting at barrel full's of plastic explosives.

That said, guns are soooo sexy.

That said, I live in Hong Kong/UK which probaly has the strictest gun laws in the world.

*cries*

[Anbira Hicchoru]

Originally posted by Ixion
Unless you put a bad round through the breach and get a rupture OR maybe you go nuts shooting one day and then you pause, the heat of the chamber cooks-off the round in the chamber and you get a real mess (specialy if you're pointing it somewhere stupid) OR you start shooting at barrel full's of plastic explosives.


The breach is part of the barrel ;)

Putting a bad round through the breach isn't going to happen. I don't have a reloading apparatus, so I almost always buy factory loads. So I don't have to worry about mixing beyond +P+ loads of propellant, or worry about things like unseated primers or the like. That, and RRA barrels are built like brick houses.

Cook-offs aren't an issue either. Semi-auto arms can get hot (ask morg about my WASR-10), but even then, you aren't talking about anything that will cook off propellant. .223 isn't nearly as hot as say 7.62x39 anyway.

As for the barrels of plastic explosives, I wouldn't know. Of course, there's always tannerite, which I'm really wanting to get. It's a reactive powder that produces a safe, but loud shockwave blast when hit by high velocity rifle rounds. It's great for range work :)

[Ixion]

Oh I know, little ol' 5.56's never hurt anybody...........er...well....you know what I mean.

And of course it is, it's designed to be shot at on ranges.
It goes boom nice but if you wanna...say...level a hut, a car or a small house then you gotta use Something like..............Hmm..............Hydrazine (liquid suspension) or maybe Nitroglycerine de-stablised TNT.

(I know far more about explosives then I do guns)

[Helenias Evenstar]

It goes boom nice but if you wanna...say...level a hut, a car or a small house then you gotta use Something like..............Hmm..............Hydrazine (liquid suspension) or maybe Nitroglycerine de-stablised TNT.

(I know far more about explosives then I do guns)

You had me until the last bit. Do you have any idea how unstable and just outright stupid it is to even consider de-stabilised explosives?

Oh and in case anyone asks, it's just Marcus being intensly bored and rifling through accounts and files of an ex-wife.

[Anbira Hicchoru]

Originally posted by Helenias Evenstar
You had me until the last bit. Do you have any idea how unstable and just outright stupid it is to even consider de-stabilised explosives?

Oh and in case anyone asks, it's just Marcus being intensly bored and rifling through accounts and files of an ex-wife.

That's the beauty of Tannerite. It's stable as mud. I can light it, drop it off a building, even shoot it with lower velocity ammo and it doesn't do a thing. It is extremely particular in what sets it off :D

And it's safe to boot. They're like shootable fireworks.

[Helenias Evenstar]

Originally posted by Anbira Hicchoru
That's the beauty of Tannerite. It's stable as mud. I can light it, drop it off a building, even shoot it with lower velocity ammo and it doesn't do a thing. It is extremely particular in what sets it off :D

And it's safe to boot. They're like shootable fireworks.

So tell me, any chance of having some Tannerite when we go shooting?

[Anbira Hicchoru]

Chances are there. It all depends on asking permission to use it.

[Djinn S'jet]

It was a JOKE.

I would call tannerite a hazard, let alone anything else.

(BTW, depending on the hydrazine composition, that could be more powerful then the TNT de-stabalised or no)

But yes, it was only a joke; I woundn't dream of shooting anything other then what is designed to be shoot (and in self-defence of course).

[Helenias Evenstar]

Originally posted by Djinn S'jet
It was a JOKE.

I would call tannerite a hazard, let alone anything else.

(BTW, depending on the hydrazine composition, that could be more powerful then the TNT de-stabalised or no)

But yes, it was only a joke; I woundn't dream of shooting anything other then what is designed to be shoot (and in self-defence of course).


A joke was it? Well you were claiming to know something of explosives and seemed to be tryign to be somewhat serious, so forgive me that I didnt see the obvious JOKE there.

Be that as it may, it doesnt matter if de-stabilised TNT is less or more powerful - you fart wrong, it most likely will explode. If you screw around with de-stabilised explosives, you tend to end up with pieces of you in the next post code.

[Djinn S'jet]

*Sigh*

I mean I did say something about leveling a house right?
I mean what kind of a serious situation would involve (a civilian) rigging a house to be blown up when shot?

Well I'm sorry all the same, I thought the sarcasm was obvious enough but I guess the de-toning effect of the net has struck again.

BTW, Hydrazine is worse; quite literaly, it can detonate if you breath on it wrong, well, depening on the composition of course; but aaaaanywa, t'was only meant to be a harmless joke.

I appoligise.

*bows at the feet of the serious people*



In future, maybe I should stick to something simpler like starship design. :p

[Khendon Sevon]

Be careful with starship design, you'll have me getting my hammer of smiting out and itching to use it at the moment's notice of anything borderline not-acceptable.

[Djinn S'jet]

Well that's resonable; btw, ever thought about typing up a list of "do's & don'ts" for swfans compatable starship design?

[Dasquian Belargic]

Originally posted by Djinn S'jet
Well that's resonable; btw, ever thought about typing up a list of "do's & don'ts" for swfans compatable starship design?

We probably had some at one point, but good old common sense and logical generally does the job.

[Charley]

UPDATE:

I am adjusting my specs on this rifle, and decided not to get the single-billtet forged aluminum quad accessory rail foregrip. That move right there will knock $160 off of the final sticker price.

Depending on a few things, I also may opt out of the Beta C-mag, which will cheapen the project by another $250

Hopefully I'll get a law enforcement muzzle brake in the TFR secret santa thread :)