Thanks, the bench was here when we moved in. It was originally a bar top, but very badly done by the original owner's ex-husband. Since she doesn't really care about him any more, we have the green-light to do anything we want (within reason) to anything he had a hand in. I've been to really nice home bars, and would never think of mounting a vise through the top, or hammering dents into it, but this bar is not one of them.
Anyways... All of my ARs are Frankenbuilds, but pretty fun and functional. The most "correct" rifle I have is the M16A4 upper build, based on a Sabre Defense contract that had been de-milled and sold as parts kits a couple years ago. By the time I got it, only the upper receiver remained. You can read about them here:
http://www.sturmgewehr.com/forums/index.php?/topic/15173-sabre-defence-sdm-m16a4-rifle-upper/
Aero Precision and PSA sell rollmarked "M16A4" lowers, but I might take a blank 80% I have laying around and have the correct Sabre Defense logo & text added to it.
I have never done much with the 80% stuff, it did look interesting though.
For the most part, lowers are dirt cheap (or were).
Back when i was doing it, a basic lower was about $40 - $60 all day long.
If i were to do it again, i would try one of those areo precision billet receiver sets, and really go crazy with it $$
I learned to love RRA two stage triggers, with a little work i can make them really nice.
then i picked up a Geissele trigger.
got the rapid fire, and stuck it in the beater/blaster.
OMG, I can't believe how amazing those are with no polishing or stoning.
Now i want to rip out all of my RRA triggers and go to town.
My 308 might get one of their two stages later down the road...
and all of mine are franken builds, except the AR10.
The AR10 is 100% armalite, except for the gas block (has an adjustable fancy brand name thing), fde PRS stock, and matching hogue grip.
Back then, armalite would do the 13 days of Christmas sale, and Easter sale every year.
so over two years i bought up parts for the build.
the second year was the obama years.
things got real hard.
Original plan was to use a noveske barrel, but i decided against the heavy weight.
And i think they became real hard to come by during that time...
I finally paid some finders fees so i could finish the build.
The barrel i used was still silly heavy, i can't imaging how heavy it would have been if i went full heavy profile. lol
With franken builds, the hard part is getting the upper and lowers to match up color wise.
With the beater, it got a surplus police A1 upper.
Had some honest wear on it.
Totally mismatched the lower i used.
So a little sandpaper and a polishing bit on my die grinder, it now matches perfectly!
