now i want to start of by say this is very impromptu, i just like where this has ended to the point that i thought i might give some information as such incase anyone wants to follow where i've gone.
i know there's a few of us here with money, and i'm not one of them, so this was an economy build through and through, this is my first rifle i've owned myself, and i don't plan on having more then one for the near to mid future. i wanted somthing i could bring to the range, and bring to the woods, somthing fairly acurate, that was likely to take down a deer one shot, and semi-auto (because with my luck i'd miss the first shot anyways) and as most people with m14s can attest, i didn't factor weight into the matter at all.
this is a first run m305B which i purchased back in april of 2011 (though i didn't get to take it out of the box until the spring of 2012)
the changes i've made are:
Promag Archangel M1A/M305 Precision Stock
m14.ca 2nd gen CASM aluminum rail
Good Iron M14 USGI Muzzle Brake
UTG 30mm SWAT 3-12X44 Compact IE Scope
NcStar Quick Release Universal Bipod
UTG New Gen Combat Foregrip
round operating rod spring guide (can't remember manufacturer)
i've only had one problem with it, and it is faliure to feed for the norinco rounds i purchased for it, about every 3rd round after it warmed up, i brought it to a m14 clinic but nothing could really be said about it, far as i can tell though, the rounds just didn't have enough kick, every other commercial round has worked fine, and you can feel the difference in recoil with other ammunition. also while at the clinic i had the operating rod guide solidified in place and learned how to dry fire the tigger assembly to help smooth the contacts to further smooth the pull, which i did the following day.
From what i was told while i was at the clinic the rifle was in good shape, with no factory flaws.
now that i've got the new brake and the new scope on it, in seems to shoot quite well. i'd like to say a bit about a few of the items i've used.
i've chosen the Archangel Stock because i wanted a good cheek rest and i didn't like what i saw for bolt on aftermart options, since i didn't even have my final scope when i bought it, an ajustable cheek riser was a must for me, its a near clone of another brand of stock that does the same thing at thrice the cost. it required a little carving on the top for the receiver to sit in it properly where the back left of my receiver has a slight downward lip (and the stock does not). the grip enclosure is difficult to operate, and the buttpad is a little harder then i would have expected, but so was the recoil of the rifle.
the scope/brake, and foregrip were purchased as a group to help me with controling the rifle.
it was easy enough to shoot on a bench, there's a hand weld near the butt of the stock so you can hold it tight to your shoulder with your offhand to reduce kick, but shooting off hand was another story, expecially with the scope, i found that it took too long to get back on target while standing compared to the speed of the iron sights. the forgrip gave me the ability to comfortably hold the rifle tight to my shoulder while standing, allowing me much faster times back on target.
and while the kick wasn't enough to cause dark bruising after firing 20-60 rounds, it did break the micro-vessels leaving a bunch of red dots where the butt of the stock would rest. not painful, but visible. my last outing i had the usgi brake and, to my surprise, left me with no mark what-so-ever, the recoil is noticibly less, and although it sounds oddly different, the repor didn't seem any louder
even though leapers put one of their scopes through a torture test, i still wanted to have the brake on my rifle before its addition, i chose this one specificly because i found about 3X was confortable for shooting offhand, while 10x allowed the proper use of the mil dot reticle for supported shots; plus the side mounted parallax adjustment was far easier to work with then having to rotate the end of the scope. and although i detested the fact that i couldn't buy it WITHOUT an illuminated reticle, we arrived at the range shortly before dusk in both rain and heavy winds. visibility was poor to say the least and the illunination did help with the last shots of the night.
i was there to sight in the rifle with the new scope and brake, when we first got there the rain and wind was pretty bad, i was standing behind the bench to get to try and stay out of the rain, the wind was forward facing and was blowing the rain right under the canopy, i shot center followed by the four quadrants, adjusting as i went, by the final target the rain had stopped allowing me to sit down properly, and the results were better then expected
so far i've put around 200 rounds through the rifle in total, and am pleased with its devolpment, i'm left looking for a good case, sling, and some 5/15 mags to complete my wants for this rifle and even those are amenities. other then the spot welds on the brake, and the carving of the stock it has gone on with nary a hitch. thus far its been a good rifle, and i encourge its utility to others.
the gf snaped this while i was unpacking
a recommended buy for all those on the fence.
i know there's a few of us here with money, and i'm not one of them, so this was an economy build through and through, this is my first rifle i've owned myself, and i don't plan on having more then one for the near to mid future. i wanted somthing i could bring to the range, and bring to the woods, somthing fairly acurate, that was likely to take down a deer one shot, and semi-auto (because with my luck i'd miss the first shot anyways) and as most people with m14s can attest, i didn't factor weight into the matter at all.
this is a first run m305B which i purchased back in april of 2011 (though i didn't get to take it out of the box until the spring of 2012)
the changes i've made are:
Promag Archangel M1A/M305 Precision Stock
m14.ca 2nd gen CASM aluminum rail
Good Iron M14 USGI Muzzle Brake
UTG 30mm SWAT 3-12X44 Compact IE Scope
NcStar Quick Release Universal Bipod
UTG New Gen Combat Foregrip
round operating rod spring guide (can't remember manufacturer)
i've only had one problem with it, and it is faliure to feed for the norinco rounds i purchased for it, about every 3rd round after it warmed up, i brought it to a m14 clinic but nothing could really be said about it, far as i can tell though, the rounds just didn't have enough kick, every other commercial round has worked fine, and you can feel the difference in recoil with other ammunition. also while at the clinic i had the operating rod guide solidified in place and learned how to dry fire the tigger assembly to help smooth the contacts to further smooth the pull, which i did the following day.
From what i was told while i was at the clinic the rifle was in good shape, with no factory flaws.
now that i've got the new brake and the new scope on it, in seems to shoot quite well. i'd like to say a bit about a few of the items i've used.
i've chosen the Archangel Stock because i wanted a good cheek rest and i didn't like what i saw for bolt on aftermart options, since i didn't even have my final scope when i bought it, an ajustable cheek riser was a must for me, its a near clone of another brand of stock that does the same thing at thrice the cost. it required a little carving on the top for the receiver to sit in it properly where the back left of my receiver has a slight downward lip (and the stock does not). the grip enclosure is difficult to operate, and the buttpad is a little harder then i would have expected, but so was the recoil of the rifle.
the scope/brake, and foregrip were purchased as a group to help me with controling the rifle.
it was easy enough to shoot on a bench, there's a hand weld near the butt of the stock so you can hold it tight to your shoulder with your offhand to reduce kick, but shooting off hand was another story, expecially with the scope, i found that it took too long to get back on target while standing compared to the speed of the iron sights. the forgrip gave me the ability to comfortably hold the rifle tight to my shoulder while standing, allowing me much faster times back on target.
and while the kick wasn't enough to cause dark bruising after firing 20-60 rounds, it did break the micro-vessels leaving a bunch of red dots where the butt of the stock would rest. not painful, but visible. my last outing i had the usgi brake and, to my surprise, left me with no mark what-so-ever, the recoil is noticibly less, and although it sounds oddly different, the repor didn't seem any louder
even though leapers put one of their scopes through a torture test, i still wanted to have the brake on my rifle before its addition, i chose this one specificly because i found about 3X was confortable for shooting offhand, while 10x allowed the proper use of the mil dot reticle for supported shots; plus the side mounted parallax adjustment was far easier to work with then having to rotate the end of the scope. and although i detested the fact that i couldn't buy it WITHOUT an illuminated reticle, we arrived at the range shortly before dusk in both rain and heavy winds. visibility was poor to say the least and the illunination did help with the last shots of the night.
i was there to sight in the rifle with the new scope and brake, when we first got there the rain and wind was pretty bad, i was standing behind the bench to get to try and stay out of the rain, the wind was forward facing and was blowing the rain right under the canopy, i shot center followed by the four quadrants, adjusting as i went, by the final target the rain had stopped allowing me to sit down properly, and the results were better then expected
so far i've put around 200 rounds through the rifle in total, and am pleased with its devolpment, i'm left looking for a good case, sling, and some 5/15 mags to complete my wants for this rifle and even those are amenities. other then the spot welds on the brake, and the carving of the stock it has gone on with nary a hitch. thus far its been a good rifle, and i encourge its utility to others.
the gf snaped this while i was unpacking
a recommended buy for all those on the fence.
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