Ordered my AR tonight

[FunkyPertwee]

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/13834/s/psa-16-m4-premium-patrol-carbine-package/category/6/

The $1200 mid-length I posted about wanting sold out over the weekend, however Palmetto Arms posted an M4 Carbine with the same specs and optics for $1000. If you subtract the $400 Aimpoint PRO with QD mount, I basically bought a "mil-spec" M4 Carbine for $600. I only hope the downgrade to carbine gas system was worth the $200 savings.



http://palmettostatearmory.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/3/5/35994a.jpg

[btcave]

You will love it. I've got the same set up as you have pictured, minus the Aimpoint. What twist rate is the barrel? Is it chrome lined or is it moly?

[FunkyPertwee]

You will love it. I've got the same set up as you have pictured, minus the Aimpoint. What twist rate is the barrel? Is it chrome lined or is it moly?

Chrome lined and 1/7 twist. :D

[Schuetzenman]

Well, I hope you get one of the good ones. 7" gas systems are rough on the extracters, chamber pressures are higher during extraction than with the mid-length gas system rifles. Plus, a bayonet doesn't fit right on a 7" gas system rifle unless you have a 14" barrel. Iron sights are closer together. If you have older eyes like me, the front sight is going to be harder to see in focus then the mid-length version of the carbine.

[FunkyPertwee]

Well, I suppose I could always sell this upper and get a middy if I feel its necessary.

Or I could just put together another rifle in the future. :naughty:



I wanted the middy in the first place but couldn't turn this one down for the money.

[Schuetzenman]

Well, I suppose I could always sell this upper and get a middy if I feel its necessary.

Or I could just put together another rifle in the future. :naughty:



I wanted the middy in the first place but couldn't turn this one down for the money.

Cheaper alternative is simply to change out the barrel. Takes less than 15 minutes if you have the tools. Take off handguards, drive out the roll pin holding the gas tube in. Remove gas tube. Put the 3 pronged barrel nut wrench in the barrel nut and break it loose. Spin off nut, pull forward on the barrel and VIOLA, barrel out. A complete barrel will be set up for installation and will probably headspace correctly with no work required. You will notice a pin sticking up out of the barrel extension that locates the barrel to the proper orientation in the upper receiver. Next spin on the barrel nut that should of come on your new complete barrel. Torque down and align the groove in the nut to the gas tube hole in the upper receiver. Install gas tube and put in roll pin. Install handguards, you're done.

Sell old barrel to somebody that likes to clear stuck cases.

[Circle_10]

Based on the specs, it looks like a pretty darn good package for what you paid. Carbine length gas system with a 16" barrel isn't ideal but provided the parts are of good quality (and it sounds like they are) you ought to be okay. The vast majority of AR carbines out there are 7" gas/16" barrel arrangements, including highly thought-of examples like Colt's 6920 and 6940, and some of Daniel Defense's guns. For what it's worth the Canadians deliberately went with a barrel of 16" (of thereabouts) on their SFW carbines as opposed to the more common 14.5 inches.

[NAPOTS]

I would wait until you knew you had a problem before I considered changing anything. Odds are you'll be ok. There are plenty of carbine length gas systems around.

[Schuetzenman]

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/13834/s/psa-16-m4-premium-patrol-carbine-package/category/6/

The $1200 mid-length I posted about wanting sold out over the weekend, however Palmetto Arms posted an M4 Carbine with the same specs and optics for $1000. If you subtract the $400 Aimpoint PRO with QD mount, I basically bought a "mil-spec" M4 Carbine for $600. I only hope the downgrade to carbine gas system was worth the $200 savings.



http://palmettostatearmory.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/3/5/35994a.jpg

So when are you getting it? In time to shoot it on the 4th's weekend coming up?

[FunkyPertwee]

So when are you getting it? In time to shoot it on the 4th's weekend coming up?

Tomorrow morning at 11 AM. :D

I'll probably shoot it out in the yard on the fourth. This weekend will be busy as Hell at the public range in this area, but maybe I can make it to a friend's property to get some real distance to shoot it.

[Schuetzenman]

Tomorrow morning at 11 AM. :D

I'll probably shoot it out in the yard on the fourth. This weekend will be busy as Hell at the public range in this area, but maybe I can make it to a friend's property to get some real distance to shoot it.

Nice, so what magazines and ammo do you have to use in this rifle?

[FunkyPertwee]

Nice, so what magazines and ammo do you have to use in this rifle?

Lots of GI 30 rounders from various manufacturers with various finishes. All but a handful have updated followers. I've also got some Troy mags.

My ammo is 55 gr. xm-193. Some Western European, some Winchester, all with the NATO head stamp.

This is my first AR but not my first 5.56 rifle feeding from STANAG mags.

[FunkyPertwee]

So I got my rifle.

Everything seems great. Only things I've noticed are that the dust cover is harder to snap on than my father's M&P-15, and the M4 handguards have a little wiggle to them. I can see the front handguard retainer (by the front sight) is wiggling itself. I'm not sure yet how big a deal that is, as it is just little wiggle and this is a patrol rifle, not a precision target piece.

And here are the pics no-ne requested.


http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h399/FunkyPertwee/photo1-11.jpg (http://s1107.photobucket.com/user/FunkyPertwee/media/photo1-11.jpg.html)
Yes this gun is wet. I live in a swamp.

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h399/FunkyPertwee/photo2-10.jpg (http://s1107.photobucket.com/user/FunkyPertwee/media/photo2-10.jpg.html)

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h399/FunkyPertwee/photo3-7.jpg (http://s1107.photobucket.com/user/FunkyPertwee/media/photo3-7.jpg.html)
Made in my home state. :salute:

[FunkyPertwee]

Forgot to mention that I added the Troy rear flip-up myself. Luckily my uncle had a spare and gave it to me.

[AK-J]

Looks GOOD! :thumbsup:

Don't worry about the handguard, sometimes the front retainer isn't pinched snug enough by the FSB when the FSB is pinned in place. Doesn't affect performance in any measurable way. Same with the dust cover... It's new, the spring still has its full tension, and there hasn't been a grove worn in on the upper receiver yet.

As far as the carbine vs. mid-length gas system goes, unless it gives you problems, don't worry about it. Have several friends that have carbine length gas system rifles, and none of them have had any issues worth mentioning.

[TEN-32]

Nice looking rifle! :thumbsup:

[az_paul]

Congrats! Nice looker, too!

[Schuetzenman]

Yes I also say nice looking rifle. That patrol rifle sight from aimpoint is really quite the bargain. Visible plus night vision settings and can run for 5 years. I'm looking at getting one myself even though up to this point I've been an Etotech fanboy. For the price of an Eotech 512 which is not NV capable the Patrol Rifle sight IS and with that Aimpoint battery life, I think I just have to get one to have in the collection.

I found a local gunshop selling them for $399.95 with tax out the door $424.

[FunkyPertwee]

Thanks for the compliments and advice everyone.

Scheutz, the PRO is a 3 year battery life model. Also, the mount it comes with has a removable bracket that allows you to make it absolute cowitness as opposed to lower 1/3, in case you got really used to absolute cowitness with your Eotech. I'm keeping mine as a lower 1/3 for now.

[Schuetzenman]

Thanks for the compliments and advice everyone.

Scheutz, the PRO is a 3 year battery life model. Also, the mount it comes with has a removable bracket that allows you to make it absolute cowitness as opposed to lower 1/3, in case you got really used to absolute cowitness with your Eotech. I'm keeping mine as a lower 1/3 for now.

3 years still quite a bit better than the maybe 1,000 hours of a 512 Eotech (probably more like 600 ish on daylight bright settings).

[Schuetzenman]

Because of your original post I was influenced in a recent purchase. Having just completed a light barrel 16" middy upper I was looking for a red dot and popped for the Aimpoint PRO yesterday. Prior to this I've been an Eotech owner, I have two 512 models. The reasons I went Aimpoint PRO were; cost, Night Vision capability, battery life and at the same price as the entry level 512 Eotech. 512's are not NV capable. The PRO's mount system is the last reason, you have to love that thumb screw mount with over tighten protection. Unfortunately it will be at least 2 weeks before I can get out and sight it in. So it seemed a no-brainer, Eotech 512 for $400 or an Aimpoint PRO for $400 with NV capability for the same price as the 512.

BTW, did you get to shoot your rifle over the Holiday weekend?

[FunkyPertwee]

No, unfortunately I didn't get to shoot this weekend.

I hope you like your new Aimpoint. A few people I know have been asking me about mine. I need to shoot with it so I can give them a real review.

The PRO was on sale on Palmetto arms website this weekend for $350 plus shipping. I totally forgot you were looking for one or would have given you the heads up. Sorry dude.

[Circle_10]

The PRO was on sale on Palmetto arms website this weekend for $350 plus shipping. I totally forgot you were looking for one or would have given you the heads up. Sorry dude.

Damn. So much for my thinking I got such a good deal when I got mine from AIM for an even $400 with free shipping.

[Schuetzenman]

No, unfortunately I didn't get to shoot this weekend.

I hope you like your new Aimpoint. A few people I know have been asking me about mine. I need to shoot with it so I can give them a real review.

The PRO was on sale on Palmetto arms website this weekend for $350 plus shipping. I totally forgot you were looking for one or would have given you the heads up. Sorry dude.

Yep, wish you had given me a H.O. on that, would of saved me $50 bucks at the very least. (:

My next item to acquire is NV. I think I've narrowed it down to the SPARK http://www.opticsplanet.com/armasight-spark-core-night-vision-monocular.html from Armasight at optics planet. It is the equivalent of Gen 2+. Which maybe is a topic for another thread. :D