TGO David

Will you want to use it as a 5.56/.223 periodically or will this be a one-time conversion? The reason I ask is because you can do this the cheap way or the slightly more expensive albeit more convenient way.

Well if you already bought it, now's not the time to be soliciting opinions is it? Ankle carry isn't optimum for a BUG. Just not readily accessible for quick deployment of the firearm. Ankle carry is better suited for deep cover or for carrying a backup to your backup. Also good for your "plant" weapon if you shoot an unarmed person and need to arm them up real quick. Just kidding about the last part.

Technically the lower *IS* the firearm since it is the serial numbered part. Expect to pay out the wazoo for a transferable full auto lower.

The M&P and XD finish may be similar but it's not as durable as the Glock finish. I'm not sure why, but it's just the way it is. I've owned all three. Have two of them right now. The Glock finish wins hands down.

Glocks look better with some nicks, scrapes, dings and wear on them. Stop worrying and carry whatever feels best. PS: I know a guy from another forum that bought a Dodge Ram pickup several years ago and to this date has never hauled anything in the bed of it. The paint in the bed is as shiny as the paint anywhere else on the truck. He gets so much crap from everyone else about it that I think it has become a matter of spite to ensure that the bed never sees cargo now. Now you tell me... WHAT. THE. HELL. Why would you buy a truck, a tool for all practical sakes and purposes, and then be afraid to haul something in it for fear of scratching the bed? The same reason you'd buy a Glock and then worry that your holster might scuff the finish.

Yeah but you'd probably get 20% less food after she ate part of your order.

If you guys were just a little bit closer to Nashville or had a 2nd shop up here, that'd pretty much eliminate my only complaint.

I carry in "Condition Obama" ... with my guns safely held by the United Nations. To defend myself, I use harsh language, empty threats, rude gestures and sanctions against my attacker's home country.

Actually none of the items listed on that chart confuse me in the least. If an item confuses someone, they should ask for clarification or guidance. If they are still confused or just don't see the merit in spending a little more (or sometimes even a little less) to obtain components or complete rifles that include the more desirable features, then I am sure that an "Armalite, Bushmaster, Rock River, S&W, etc... Ad Naseum" will meet their needs just fine. Until something breaks, bumps, hiccups or otherwise fails to perform adequately or up to their own expectations or standards... at which time they can once again ask for clarification or advice. By the way, as someone who has an engineering degree (me) and who has "magnafluxed" plenty of automotive parts over the past 20 years to search for cracks and stress fractures, and found plenty by doing so that were not otherwise visible to the naked eye, I can assure you that your casual dismissal of MPI is pretty narrow sighted. But what do I know.

Home run!

I see. I admit, I didn't bother looking back through 12 pages to figure out which one it might have been.

A lot of pictures have been posted in this thread. Can you be more specific?

Here is a nice comparison chart of major AR brands, courtesy of the fine folks at www.m4carbine.net . If you haven't already signed up over there, I recommend that you do and (a.) lurk and read a lot and (b.) post only when you can't find an answer for your question by searching their forums. A lot of common questions have already been answered numerous times over. Of course we here are willing to help you in most any way we can as well. The only thing more fun than spending your own money on a new rifle is helping someone else spend their money on a new rifle.

With all due respect, 1911forum.com blows. If you so much as forget to genuflect and cross yourself as you pass the giant painting of St. John Moses Browning in the foyer, you'll receive swift and brutal punishment at the hands of their moderators. I once said that a certain accessory "sucked" on that forum and received a disciplinary action from their moderating team for using such urbane language. Please. If you really want to know about solid fighting 1911s, visit Hilton Yam's 10-8 Forums and do yourself a favor and keep quiet for a while. They are polite but intolerant of neophyte questions that ruin their signal-to-noise ratio.

All I need is guaranteed immunity and I would walk to Ohio to end this mother****er's life.

They just want to come home. Can you blame them for wanting that? I wonder how many of these 134 serving overseas are just low level grunts and how many are higher level officers. I would suspect that the percentage among higher level officers swings the other direction and favors McCain. The people with a more birds-eye view of the ongoing plan of action aren't as concerned about coming home as they are about winning the war. So to translate: Private First Class Homesick is donating to the Obama campaign. File that under "D" for DUH. Colonel Init T. Winit is donating to the McCain campaign because he doesn't want to see all of our hard work get washed down the tubes by some freshman hack senator who is willing to pander to whomever writes the biggest checks. You're my homeboy, Len... but if Obama gets elected I'm going to leave you daily "State Of The Union" voicemails for the next four years telling you how much he sucks.

I sort of wondered that too back when he had the run-in with the cop outside of his local Wal-Mart. I remember reading it and thinking that both sides could have handled the matter a lot better than they did.

I'm guessing the same people who would be willing to spend a couple thousand in legal costs (not to mention missing work) to do this...

As do we all I'm sure.

I decided to add a Noveske KX3 (aka the Krink) flash hider to the build. These ugly little flash hiders are said to help address two problems with short barrel ARs. Namely, they direct a lot of the concussion foreward of the shooter so that it's not so damned loud back behind the trigger and they aid in proper back-pressure for more reliable cycling of the gas system. Other people's pictures follow...

You are fortunate to have a local FFL that doesn't charge a fee. Consider, however, that you are supposed to pay the Tennessee Dept of Revenue a "use tax" on any mail or Internet orders from out of state. Whether you do this is your business, but legally you're required to do so.

Yes, Deidre is the employee / instructor and would have been my recommendation also if it has to be a female-led class. My other recommendation would be Todd and Dustin at CIS. Neither of them are chicks (Todd... I gave you a perfect setup here, man. How often does Dustin actually read the forum? ) but my wife took their class and never once felt intimidated or otherwise uncomfortable by the fact that it was taught by men.

Obviously a joke, but just the act of accepting money for a transaction like this is enough to put you away for a while.

Gentlemen, I'm going to postpone my participation until 2009 so that I can get my SBR finished, dialed in and stockpile ammo. I came >THIS< close to taking Todd and dunndw up on their generous offers to borrow a carbine for the class, but I'd still be out the cost of ammo and tuition at the moment. Funds that presently need to be applied to finishing up this silly SBR and, as my wife keeps reminding me, putting furniture in the nursery. I look forward to reviews from the class and any photos that may be taken along the way!

You know... Glocks are the 1911 of the polymer handgun world. Look at the tremendous aftermarket support that they enjoy! You can buy a Glock and have the foundation upon which to build a gun exactly the way you want it, however you want it, for very little cash. Or you can buy an HK and have an HK exactly the way that HK wants you to have it.