Wow, I finally finished my very first build.  It was a lot easier than I thought it would be (used the right tools).  I was trying to build a super lightweight rifle, inexpensively, using left over parts.  While it may not be the lightest, it is light, and inexpensive, and uses some of the more strange parts I had in my parts box.



Lower is a RRA with ARFX Stock, Hogue Grip, Grip Gapper, RRA Match Two Stage Trigger, RRA Star Safety, DPMS Tactical Mag Release, DPMS Tactical Bolt Catch/Bolt Hold, Colt B/C Assy with Wolff Extra Power Extractor Spring, Colt Charging Handle with PRI Military Big Latch, Bushmaster Super Lightweight bbl Assy (16” 1/9 Twist), KAC Front Site Tower QD Sling Swivel, A2 Hand Guard Top, Fobus M33 Hand Guard Lower, Unknown Mfg Vertical Grip, Fobus Light Holder, TACMIII Light, GG&G Rear BUIS (old style), CQB Solution Single Point Sling, Trijicon Compact ACOG (24-4) 1.5x24 with high ring mount.

Here it is stripped down somewhat.


I have not had the chance to shoot it yet, or weigh it.



The RRA Match upper I scored on the EE board, and was VERY tight.  After opening and closing it many times, and a little lube, I don’t need a mallet anymore – but when closed it is still tight without any looseness or movement.

The thing in the sight tower is the KAC QD swivel adaptor, without the swivel in it.  When I use a 3-point sling, I put the swivel back in and take off the sling and QD swivel off the midpoint.  I really like the KAC QD swivels, all my slings have them so I don’t have to remove them from the sling, they pop off in an instant, and are also used on my other midpoint receiver plates and on my Vltor stock(s) without additional adaptors.  They are ambidextrous, and I can use the QD eyelets as well.

The controls are not normal. The tactical bolt release has a large pad, and an additional pad to serve as a bolt hold catch.  The tactical mag release sticks out quite a bit, as well as being large.  I would not recommend using these controls unless the rifle is a range queen, then they are handy, but not good for a SHTF rifle.  The one practical use for me will be in the Alaskan winter – the controls will be very easily manipulated with gloves on.  The foam rubber on the ARFX stock will also be very nice in the winter.

The GG&G rear BUIS is a leftover from being replaced by an ARMS#40A on another rifle.  I still like it, and it does sit lower than a #40.  You can see here that it can be raised even with the compact ACOG still mounted – plenty of room.

The Compact ACOG is the ‘Special Ring’ model, got it that way so I could mount it to other rifles without picatinny rails.  Here you see the ‘high’ mount, but I have the medium and low mounts as well.  The high sits above the iron sight plain, the medium and low below it.  The iron sights would cowitness if the 1.5 magnification didn’t mess with the front sight.  I can see the sight tower in the scope, but it does not get in the way of using it.  This model of compact ACOG has so much eye relief, I was able to mount it way forward, and acts almost like a red dot, which is what I intended and why it’s just a x1.5 magnification.  However, the ACOG cost more than the entire rifle, so I am considering other optics, like a cheap red dot to go more in line with my inexpensive theme.  I also have a Colt carry handle if I want to go more SHTF mode.  I have an old original Colt scope with BDC, and may use that on the carry handle instead of a lighted optic and BUIS.

The Fobus M33S lower does what it needs to, cheaply.  My other rifles have mostly KAC forends, so I have no guilt, and I will not be mounting any optics on it, even if I use the upper rail part of the hand guards (only the lower is Fobus, the upper is a standard A2) – it does everything I need it to do, cheaply (got it in trade), and lightweight.  I really like the QD nature of the light holder.  I also have the QD Fobus bipod adaptor, with a lightweight B-Square bipod, just for the times when I want the bipod.  The light is a weapons grade TACMIII I bought at a gun show a long time ago.  It’s made of machined Delrin, so it’s also very lightweight.  The vertical grip is very lightweight (got it from CDNN for $10, don’t know who makes it)

I may switch the grip from Hogue to a Battlegrip as the Battlegrip may be lighter, and I am not using one yet. I like trying everything out.  The barrel looks a little naked to me, but is in line with my lightweight motif.

Some of you may have seen my other rifles, all really expensive and accessorized to the max, but I think this is the one I will be shooting most, and probably enjoy the most as I built it myself.  Can’t wait to start building the next one!!!

Very nice!