Rightwinger

Yep, brass prep is time consuming as well but I do them in batches. Assembly line style works for me. I do all the primer removal, then tumble, line them up then resize the entire batch, line them up and install all primers, line them up then measure/weigh powders and ram bullets, line em up and crimp or inspect and then box and move on. I try to never load different calibers when running large batches on the same day. The numbers get stuck in my head... If I'm just knocking out a run of 10 running up the chart in grains to see what kind of performance I'm getting that doesn't bother me in the least. I have stickers i put in my storage boxes with load data and I just write out what grains I intend to use, put the sticker in the box then load to what I wrote and put the prepped cartridges under those numbers. What I forget most often is something to write on AT the range so I can say how each did!

Gonna go the opposite direction on you. Don't use dippers or measures for anything but a "get close" start then weigh each charge. Its slow but I have never squibbed or blown anything apart either! I use the stinky little ole Lee thrower that came with a Lee Anniversary kit to set a charge and get it within a grain or so. I throw the charge into my Dillon cup with the sealed output funnel and throw it on the digital scale. Use a trickler to get the last grains dead on and funnel that into the ready cartridge. I immediately put it in the press and seat the bullet. I'm either done or it goes in a ready rack to come back through for crimping if I'm doing any. You cannot go wrong with this as your inspecting/handling each cartidge as its built. If you have to go fast get a good progressive and again, throw charges till they are dead on by weight! I see to much that can go wrong putting powder in cases in a group and not immediately covering the powder with the bullet. My 2 cents, for what its worth to the conversation. (and I do this for .45 ACP, .223 and 38 spc as well as the big dogs so yeah, I have worn myself out measuring one at a time...worth it to me)

Daaaaammmmnnnn I think he did! So I guess we have to come up with a whole new "InterRank" system to know who ranks who. While you all discuss it, I'll be down on the lower level shoveling out the BS....I know my rank already, just can't put a name to it yet.

Never been to M4 before Verbal, nice site, thanks! So it was the height issue on F markings....and I thought it was myth. Good info. T marks would be nice to have if you were throwing different optics on all the time. Not a gotta have in my book though. TDR, Thats a great page to start with for more research. Pretty much covers all the good stuff. I haven't read past page 2 yet so I don't know if they have the step by step of how to put a lower together in there or somewhere else on the site but I'm sure they do. Between M4, ARFCOM and this place...you should have what you need for research...now you just gotta blow the dough!

Dr, Read this article and then look at your barrel for some clues. http://cardinalarmory.com/non-pcart/docs/CombatArms2008.pdf The "improved" 6.8 barrels and chambers sold by Kotonics eliminated some of the problems with overpressure signs and short stroking with the 6.8s. There was a fix to the amount of freebore in the chamber and the new barrels that will allow you to shoot the hot SSA rounds has 6 rifling grooves and not 4. If you count 4 groups of lands and grooves, you have a standard (original SAMMI) barrel and probably the shorter chamber. If you count 6 then you probably have a Kotonics (now Cardinal Armory, didn't know that till I went back to Tims website). DO NOT get the hot stuff if you have 4 grooves as you could see problems in the future and even break a bolt, which was a common problem. Don't worry about it though. Just keep buying the standard Remington 6.8 stuff and it will be fine. You might also want to look up the folks at 68forums.com. Tell Cold I sent ya!

I have never been able to get the straight up answer to that TDR. Most of what I have gathered is that the T marked uppers are simply marked on the picatinny rails with numbers so that you can record where you placed your optics or other accesories. All the T marked uppers I have seen have the numbers engraved or laser etched in the slots. The F as far as I have found is a forged part. Thus the "F" marked front sights. Hey Joe (Hero Gear)....step in here and tell us the low down. I honestly have never seen anything but forged front sights in the standard configuration. Aftermarket Back up and flip up sights might be milled or MIM but the standard front sights always have that "rough" look to them and the line down the flat edge that faces you where you can tell it was ground down after the forging. I have also heard that there may be a height difference in front sights but if so, whats the other height besides F?? Been messing with M16s since the 80s and ARs for the past 4 years and still don't have the definitive answer for you here TDR. Someone will step up with it.

Pre deer season would be fantastic! I'm in...

Guys just remember, in a pinch, as long as you have your lower, you can have 6 different uppers and just plug and play! If you want to start off with one of those basic DPMS rifles you'll have a blast and can then save up and swap out your parts or uppers. That means one lower = 5.56, 6.8, 6.5 Grendel, .204 Ruger, 458 Socom, and a host of other wildcats. All they might need is a caliber specific magazine to run! Just get or build the lower of your choice or get a whole rifle then save up for your next upper! That was my original thought but I get greedy and want all of them to be complete after I start them.

A backpack full of pistols is still a good time! (if we are very nice, maybe a wife or three might drive the cars/pickups and bring the long guns and food) +1 on the ride+shoot Joe!

Dr, Get you some Silver State Armory ammo! Good stuff. If you have a standard 6.8 SPC chamber though don't get their hot stuff. Did you get a Kotonics with the tighter 6.8 chamber stats or a Bushy/DPMS with the Remington stats? http://www.ssarmory.com/index.aspx

TDR, When your looking at uppers, make sure they come "complete" with the bolt carrier group or you'll be ticked and looking to dish another 130 or so out to get it. Most do come with the BCG but some do not so read the fine print. Unless you buy a complete lower you will need some things that you might not know about. A complete Lower Parts Kit will give you the trigger group, take down and pivot pins, magazine release, and springs and detents for those items (I will show you when we get together). You will also need a stock (ACE) a buffer tube, buffer spring and buffer. You will also need to check if the LPK you order has a trigger guard ! Some do not. I like the new "winter trigger guards" that have more finger room being curved downward instead of straight. You get all that and you can slap the upper and lower together and have an operational AR minus the optics/sights of your choice.

Now your going to face the quandry of where to put your weapon. My workplace has a no firearms policy. I will say the small storage area under the seat has more than enough room for a 642 in its pocket holster....should I ever decide to at least have one nearby. And it locks ! I sure wish they would act on law to allow citizens to keep their weapons in their vehicles.

That's why I have a stripped lower sitting in the safe....just in case they don't want me to get any more later!

Loved mine. Will probably own another someday when money becomes available again. It was a zero defect shooter. I now carry a Kimber and love it too, but its hard to compare the 800 dollar gun to the Taurus for under 300 and have pretty much the same reliabilty. Customer service? Never needed it either so it didn't bother me if they were poor.

Yep, look alikes. Same thing as the mil version, just no happy switch. One of the popular terms is M4gery

No problem at all. I'm off Friday and Saturday. Late mornings are best as its still relatively cool and of course the family will be doing eats and fireworks Friday night. Sunday after church is also doable. Let me know. I'll PM you my cell phone and we can schedule it up.

TDR, I'll let you shoot my RRA anytime you want. If you can come up to the Bethpage/Westmoreland area this weekend we can throw some lead down range at my brothers place. I might even let you pull the trigger on the big version in 458 SOCOM. That one has the ACE stock you like on it.

These things are like cars, buy your base model and do what you want to it afterward. My recommendation, get the Rock River Arms A4 flat top and order the ACE stock, either from them as a mod, or online and then put it on and save the collapsible or standard stock for "when ever". Grab an Eotech and your ready to go. 800 bucks and you don't have any of it yet....gonna be tough! I will state that Rock River has gone up a bit since I bought mine. Then go to Yankee Hill Mfg and get your free float tube there. http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=225 http://www.yhm.net/store/forearms.html http://jsgunparts.com/jsstore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=8 With all the vendors here, you could probably email a few and find something close to what your looking for already on their shelves. Holler at Hero Gear, he was gearing up for a group buy on lowers. If you get your lower, 90% of the battle is done. Nothing else requires you to do the Fed Forms and TICs. Everything else, including a full upper can come to your doorstep via UPS!

They must have better blanks now than they did in the 80s. When we weren't caught throwing the damn blank shells away and HAD to dirty...I mean fire the weapon, they sounded more like paper caps than any actual shot. We used to take the blank adaptors off and cycle by hand so we could actually hear a noise. At least they have a weapon that was fired before it was dropped...they can study it

Psst Dan.....move slowly because theres a freaking snake eating your gun man! Nice grips!

This guy was soooooo French ! If intentional, he couldn't even finish what he started wounding eveyone with a military rifle ! If an accident, how could he not know he was getting a bunch more recoil, noise, screams, gnashing of teeth...etc. SHOOTER FAIL !

That grass is the small "pond" I have been trying to build into the side of that small hill. Its drying up to fast but does grow some spectacular water iris. If we get some rain tonight the grass will need mowing again tomorrow....sigh.

And yes there is an order here....first...the Mrs, the firearms and then the bike but the guns and motorcycle are really close for a tie behind my firey wife. Just finished putting the M44 Mosin back together after blueing the barrel and polishing the other hardware a bit. The wife notices a blemish of rust on one of the rifle barrels as I am making room in the safe so I do a run through of the entire collection to run a patch down every barrel and a cloth over all outer metals. Since I had them out and wanted a picture of the Mosin I put a few of the favorites outside with the bike which I also just did some changing to. I often wonder if its smart to post pics of your stuff but I like the conversations it brings up sometimes as I have some different calibers than most. Rock River UTE AR w/Eotech 512, Custom .458 SOCOM by Marty Ter Weeme and a Tromix lower with RRA guts, Mosin Nagant courtesy of the Rabbi, 300 Weatherby Vanguard, 340 Weatherby Mark V on a Boyds thumbhole stock, on the seat, Kimber Compact Stainless

90% in favor now! Firemission complete.

If that rifle is in decent or better condition you got a great deal! Enjoy!