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Posted: 4/17/2007 3:59:25 PM EDT
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The story so far...the agency I work for aquired three [3] M16A1s and three [3] M14s recently. The weapons were originally given to a Narcotics Task Force [that had to be disbanded due to State budget cuts] by the 1033 program offered by the United States Army. So the short is the weapons are all USGI issue. The weapons were turned over to our agency and the U.S. Army allowed us to keep them. Two of the M16A1 had already been modded out by the Task Force to carbine configuration and the original cast off parts sold off. But, the third M16A1 had not really been messed with. So I get the wonderful job of modding it out to a 733 Commando clone with a Bushmaster 11.5 A2 upper and so forth. The cast off parts...well, they now reside on my Bushmaster. Here's what I have...The serial number of the A1 is 1790719 - which if I am correct puts it around 1968-9. The Army had obviously rebuilt it at some point as a number of parts are replacements. The bolt carrier and bolt - which remains with the original lower [along with all fire control parts] is Colt marked. I inherited the buttstock [which is an A2], the complete upper receiver [including charging handle], the pistol grip [which appears to be an old bakelite? version as it is "marbled"], and all the old springs, pins, mag release, bolt closure, etc [as these were replaced by me with new parts]. I have slapped all these parts on my "throw around" Bushmaster lower [sorry for the crappy image - I'll get a better one later]: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/sgtmonroe/bushmaster.jpg I plan to get an original A1 stock and swap the pistol grip for a plastic one to get it back to the A1 appearance. I do have a couple of questions: The barrel is a depot replacement and is marked FNMI MP CHROME BORE. Who manufactured this? If I decide to refinish the weapon [which I really don't think I'm going to as the upper and my lower are an alomst exact color match]...what would be correct for a late 60's early 70's A1? |
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Thanks guys for the info and compliments. Hope to get the stock pretty soon for it! I took a better picture of it...of course it started raining! Thats what the spots are on the stock! http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/sgtmonroe/bushmaster2.jpg |
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+1 For keep the old handgrip. Period-Correct Parts are around...it's part of the fun finding the best quality for your build. You may have to buy a few different stocks to get the proper match, depending on the year you're trying to replicate. The one you've got on there now doesn't cut it well and needs to come off asap... IMHO.  Took a little effort..but well worth it and it functions 100%! |
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