Posted: 3/16/2011 5:48:07 PM EDT
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It's possible that I enjoy working on my guns as much as I enjoy shooting them. For post 556, I thought I'd share some of my DIY projects with the MO HTF. I am neither a gunsmith nor a photographer, so go easy on me.
My 9 year old son enjoys shooting, but always complains that adult-sized guns are too heavy. When even a Ruger 10/22 was too much for him to hold on an extended range session, I decided to customize it for him. I started off with a take-off stock from Ebay, shortened it for his small stature and then trimmed the forend to make it look proportional. Then, I fitted a Tactical Solutions fluted and threaded aluminum barrel. Instead of refinishing the cheap birch, I painted it with inspiration from my old DCU's. My son loves shooting it, and can pop balloons all day with it. (Don't tell him I have a suppressor for it.) 
I won a "free" lower receiver at a service rifle match and decided to build it up as a fun little toy. I took the UT Arms (local Kansas City company) billet lower and added a RRA LPK and RRA Midlength upper with freefloat quadrail. Topped it off with a LaRue BUIS and it's a fun range toy. I tried an Eotech on it, but didn't like it. I'm thinking I'll try a 1-4x optic on it next. After I saw how easy it was to build from a stripped lower, I ordered an M16A1 kit from GunThings and NDS-16A1 lower from Nodak Spud. After I picked up a barrel wrench and upper receiver vise block, it was a simple build. Of course, it functions flawlessly and is a fun and accurate shooter. Takes me back to the old days with my issued M16A1. 
Up until this point, I had never understood the fascination with the AK-47 family of weapons. Somehow, I got the idea it would be fun to build one from a parts kit. I found a Romanian G kit from a fellow ARFCOM Kansan and found a very helpful MO HTF member who was willing to help me with the build. He let me use his tools and guided me through pressing the barrel out, riveting the trunnions and trigger guard, and pressing the barrel back in. After test-firing and zeroing, I broke it down and refinished the wood and metal. I'm very pleased with the results. 
Now that the AK bug has bitten me, I've decided I have to have a "Krink". I picked up a Tula 1986 AKS-74U kit and a new US made barrel and now I'm waiting on a custom-built receiver from 74ULLC.com. Once the receiver is here and the Form 1 comes back, this pile of parts will be sent to Piece of History Firearms for a full build and finish. With a little luck, I'll have it all done by October! 
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