My next diversion - AR Build

itschris

itschris

Moderator
Noveske is a good choice. Great reputation and customer service. I have a N4 Light Lo-Pro. I put together the lower by myself (standard parts), but ordered a complete upper. I put on an ACOG TA31DOC.

Performed well during a carbine/ handgun class I took.
Yep... I'm pretty stoked about this build. To me, Noveske, Knights, and LMT are on a top tier by themselves. Evidence? Not much other than my internal "I feel a bit cooler than I did before" meter.

I have to say that my S&W M&P Tactical AR's are super fine rifles. The machining is fantastic and the fit is awesome. Everything was properly staked, including the gas keys. Great weapon. My brother in law was shooting just outside 2" groups at 100 yards with both of them.

I can't shoot that well anymore... well... probably never could, but it's cool to see what the weapon can do in the right hands.

Everything should be coming this week. I have to find an engraver nearby though. Not as easy as I thought. I found one place, but he wanted to charge $100. Told him to go pound sand.
 
Tarub

Tarub

Senior Audioholic
I hope I am preferred well enough for those ugly slow moving risen from the dead people stressed situations. Or else I'll call Milla Jovovich.

 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Training is what let's you survive stressful situations. A safety should not impede your ability to overcome a situation. It's repetetive training. Even today when I draw my gun in practice or class, my thumb still automatically sweeps for the safety on the gun a-la 1911.

A manual safety will prevent an accidental discharge when drawing your weapon in a hurry life threatening situation.
Training can't put you in a life threatening situation, only prepare you. There are also times where you may physically be in an odd position, or be unable to fully compress the grip, and always the possibility of the system not properly releasing. I'm not saying this could happen all the time, but the potential is there. I'm fine with the dual stage trigger ala Glock. Less likely to be an issue IMO.
 
itschris

itschris

Moderator
Training can't put you in a life threatening situation, only prepare you. There are also times where you may physically be in an odd position, or be unable to fully compress the grip, and always the possibility of the system not properly releasing. I'm not saying this could happen all the time, but the potential is there. I'm fine with the dual stage trigger ala Glock. Less likely to be an issue IMO.
I agree, but what I'm saying is that a manual safety shouldn't impede your ability in any way. You train to pull and drop the safetly... it's automatic. This is how I think about it:

quickly grab anything.. a coke can, a remote... anything. Tell me what your booger finger does. I'll pretty much guarantee that your trigger finger grasps the object along with the rest of your fingers.

Now, let's say you find yourself in a struggle. Somebody is either just about on you or already on you and you're trying to pull your weapon. I know that your finger will get to the trigger. I've seen it over and over again in training courses with training handguns. Inevitably, the finger finds the trigger in the natural, albeit stressed and paniced grasp. That's not at all what you want to happend as you try to draw your handgun.

Training however can help... not guarantee, but help you prepare. It's easier to train to do something extra vs. not doing something that comes natural. Practicing to drop the safety is something that can easily become second nature... much like your finger always find the trigger.

I'm not suggesting this line of thinking is best, absolute, or what should be, etc.. It's just what works for me. I'm always concerned that the manufacturers tout these safety features and they're parrotted by gun oweners who probably haven't taken any training whatsoever and don't even know what any given particular safety device is even protecting you from. I have a neighbor and friend, one is a supervisor in the county sherriff's dept, the other is a commander in the FDLE. Over the years we've talked about this very thing... (and I'm sure you've seend the video of the officer shooting himself in the leg with his Glock while giving a speech to a classfroom full of kids) ... that accidental discharges are more common with Glocks, M&P's, and XD's more so than revolvers, DA pistols, or even 1911's carried cocked and locked.

Eveyone has to decide what works best. My only concern is that most people probably never bother to even take a single training or defense course to even know what options are out there and what would work best or not at all for them. Mine is just one example that has served me well.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
In California, I believe it is now required that you take the Handgun Safety Course for purchasing a handgun, which gives you at least the basics of how both a revolver and pistol work. You know where the safety is, how to correctly load, unload, etc... The basics, and I think it is a good thing. It is a 2 day course including time at the range (.22) with an optional 3rd day firing weapons of other types and larger calibers.

I was literally just reading last night that G&A recommends that you should be going to the range with YOUR weapon(s) ( :D ) to maintain your skill with that particular weapon at least once a month. Repetition and familiarization are key, I agree, and SAFETY procedures are also a SIGNIFICANT factor. I saw it in the class many times. People forgot the basic steps simply because their adrenaline was pumping. They lack the experience, the control and the familiarity.

I was also watching The First 48 on Sat and there was a girl describing a shooting. She said the kid who shot, initially tried to fire and the gun did not go off...safety was on. If you are unfamiliar with the weapon, bad things will happen, so practice is important. And I am NOT suggesting criminals should get practice!! But we all know idiots don't take classes.
 
Last edited:
itschris

itschris

Moderator
I just got a notice from UPS that they delivered my upper and lower to the FFL. I'm waiting for them to call so I can go down and fill out all the paperwork and take possession.

Some parts came yesterday... the stock and buffer assembly. The small parts kit should be here tomorrow along with the ambi safety I ordered.

I think the only thing that's going to hold me up is the trigger. It's supposed to be here by the end of the month, but in the gun world... that means March sometime. Either way, no big deal. I got get the lower off to the engravers to put my NFA Trust info on it, then I have to wait for my stamp anyway to complete the SBR build. I have another upper (a 16") that I'll play with in the meantime. Pics to come.
 
darien87

darien87

Audioholic Spartan
Last build I did, ended with a spring to the eyeball. There's all these little springs you gotta hold just right or they go BOOOOOIIING and are never to be found again.
That made me think of this scene from Wild Target. Skip ahead to 3:50.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
itschris

itschris

Moderator
Well... I finally got my main package. My Noveske matched set finally arrived. So this is what we got:

1) Noveske Lower
2) Noveske Upper
3) Magpul CTR in FDE
4) Daniel Defense Buffer Tupe, Enhance Spring, and H Buffer
5) Magpul ASAP Plate and Sling Adapter
6) Magpul Trigger Guard (not pictured)
7) Battle Arms Ambio Trigger Set
8) Magpul MIAD Configurable Grip
9) Small Part Kit (not pictured)
10) Trigger... still waiting for the Geiselle SSA-E Two Stage to show

Noveske1 (Large).jpg

Everything just sorda thrown together for a goup shot of what it will look like:

View attachment 9945

This week it's off to the engravers for my NFA Trust info to get market and it's all off to the BATF. Now the wait pretty much begins. I'll put this all together once it comes back from the engravers and put one of my non-SBR uppers on to see how it all works.
 
itschris

itschris

Moderator
I finally got around to building my lower last week. It was a lot of fun. Didn't lose a single spring in the process All told, it took about an hour or so. I just took my time. I just ordered two more lowers so I'll be doing some new builds soon. I don't think I'd change a single choice in parts from this build. It's pretty much perfect. I did go with a different trigger. Geissele spun off a new company called ALG which reworks/retunes a standard milspec trigger assembly. It's clear these folks know what they're doing beyond their just thier incredible custom groups, because this milspec trigger is amazing. Granted, it's not a super slick 2 stage SSA-E, but it's a perfect single stage... which I prefer anyway. I like it so much, I bought one for my other rifle.

Anyway...here's a couple glam shots:
 

Latest posts

newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top