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With Obama as president and the Democrats controlling the House of Representatives and the Senate, a new assault weapons ban provision is on the horizon.   The first assault weapons ban was signed by Bill Clinton and was in effect from 1994 to 2004.  Basically, the bill outlawed “assault weapons” which are defined below:

Semi-automatic rifles able to accept detachable magazines and two or more of the following:

• Folding stock
• Conspicuous pistol grip
• Bayonet mount
• Flash suppressor, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate one
• Grenade launcher (more precisely, a muzzle device which enables the launching or firing of rifle grenades)

Semi-automatic pistols with detachable magazines and two or more of the following:

• Magazine that attaches outside the pistol grip
• Threaded barrel to attach barrel extender, flash suppressor, handgrip, or silencer
• Barrel shroud that can be used as a hand-hold
• Unloaded weight of 50 oz (1.4 kg) or more
• A semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm

Semi-automatic shotguns with two or more of the following:

• Folding or telescoping stock
• Pistol grip
• Fixed capacity of more than 5 rounds
• Detachable magazine

If you are looking to make some money, assault weapons or parts would be a good thing to invest in.  It’s extremely likely that these weapons will be banned in the near future.  However, if a person owns a prohibited weapon before the ban is enacted, that person’s weapon is grandfathered in, meaning the weapon is legal as long as it was manufactured prior to the date the ban becomes enacted.

People are already buying up guns, ammo, and accessories in fear of the ban.  I went to a gun store a few days ago and it was packed.  Everybody was trying to get theirs, including the store employees.  One employee was buying 3 AR-15 stripped lower receivers, which is a good idea because the lower receiver is the item that will be banned.  After the ban is enacted, if you have a stripped lower receiver, you’ll probably be able to find parts to complete it.

As soon as the ban is enacted, there will only be a limited supply of pre-ban guns and accessories.  The weapons ban will drive the demand way up, while the supply of these items will shrink.  As the supply dwindles down, the price of these items will skyrocket.

Some less pricey items to get before the ban are:

• 30 and 20 round magazines
• Pistol magazines over 10 rounds
• Extended pistol magazine

If you’ve got a bit more to spend:

• Complete assault rifles (AR-15, AK-47 especially)
• Machine Pistols (Mac-10, TEC-9, etc)
• Lower receivers for assault rifles

AR-15 Stripped Lower Receiver

30 Round Magazine

Basically, try to get anything that will be become illegal before the next ban comes.  The ban may even be worse than the last ban in 1994, it may ban all assault weapons, so get your gun while you still can.

A few weeks ago, I ordered a Daniel Defense Omega free float rail for my midlength 14.5″ AR-15.  I didn’t like the stock handguards because they heat up too quickly, and because I wanted to mount accessories to the rails (vertical foregrip, flashlight, etc).

After doing my research and looking at free float rails from Troy, YHM, LaRue, and Knights Armament, and Daniel Defense, I came to the conclusion that Daniel Defense had the rail for me.  This was because of the price, ease of installation, and good reviews that I had read.  Most free float rails from the other manufacturers required that the delta nut assembly be removed.  To remove the assembly, you’ll probably have to use a dremel and cut it off, which is something that I did not want to do.  Also, while the other manufacturers come close in price, they are not as easy to install nor are they proven to perform as well as the Daniel Defense Omega.

Installation of the Omega rails was a breeze which took me all of 5 minutes, literally.  All you have to do is take off your stock handguards, attach the Omega rails in the handguard’s place, and tighten a few screws and allen set screws.  The flat head set screws attach the two parts of the rail to each other and the allen head set screws attaches the rail to the delta ring (far left in the picture).

The way the Omega rail attaches to the rifle had me worried until I took it to the range.  This is because the only thing attaching the rail to the rifle are 4 allen head set screws at the base of the delta ring (far left in the picture above).  This gives support to the lower portion of the rail, but there is nothing holding the rail to the upper part of the delta ring (far right in the picture above).  You would think that you could shove the rail around at the upper base, but the rail stays installed firmly.  It doesn’t move unless you give it some strong force.

After going to the range and firing a few hundred rounds, I can finally say that I strongly approve of the Daniel Defense Omega rail.  It held up great and didn’t rotate or come loose.  The rail also dissapated heat much faster and much better than the stock handguards.  I should also mention that the finish on the rail is top notch and did not scratch or mar after mounting and unmounting various accessories.

I recently go a hold of some of the new Magpul polymer magazines dubbed “PMags”.  These magazines are made out of an extremely lightweight, yet strong polymer and holds 30 rounds.  PMags were designed to be mass produced quickly without leaving quality behind.

One of the first things you’ll notice about a PMag is the shape and texture.  These magazines have slightly less curvature than their G.I. issue counterparts and are textured differently as well.  The strength is unbelievable; there’s no way I’m breaking one of these.  One person on YouTube has actually ran over a fully loaded PMag with a Chevy truck, then loaded the magazine, and fired every round without a hitch.  That’s got to say something about its strength.

Hand loading rounds into the magazine is much easier than with standard G.I. issue mags.  You don’t have to put nearly as much pressure on the spring to get it to compress.  With the G.I. mags, the spring is fairly strong and it can get tiresome or annoying after loading hundreds of rounds.  I also like the base of the magazine; it makes it easier to get a good grasp for removal/reloading purposes.

I haven’t fired any rounds out of these new PMags since I haven’t been to the range yet.  However, I beleive they perform flawlessly, at least that’s what many other people in the AR 15 community have observed as well.  With an internet price of about $13-15, PMags are fairly cheap to stock up on and a definite buy.

UPDATE: I have been to the range a few times and have tested these magazines.  Out of the 5 I received, all have worked flawlessly.  Due to the prices of .223, I haven’t put a ton of rounds through each magazine, but there’s still a good 300 rounds that have been fed by each magazine.

I received my CMMG AR-15 14.5″ midlength upper receiver this past Saturday from Evil-Black-Rifles.com. Don’t worry, the website looks a little shady/primitive, but the service is good. I received the upper in a little over a week after I had placed my order. They also seemed to be the only one to have the particular model I wanted in stock. This upper is a complete upper receiver, which means it has all the parts already installed and all you need to do is pin it to your lower receiver.

The main reason I chose the CMMG upper was because of its features and price. The complete upper ran $550, not a bad deal and right at the price point of other close mid-level competitors such as Bushmaster, Stag, DPMS, etc. What sets CMMG apart is its mid-level price with high-end features. Here is the one single thread that helped me the most in deciding exactly which brand to get:

“So you want to buy an AR-15, huh” @ Officer.com forums

Some of the more notable features include:

Chrome lined barrel, 4150 steel
1:7 twist
M4 Feedramps
5.56 Chamber

The chrome lined barrel helps in preventing rust and prolonging the life of your barrel, with the disadvantage of reducing accuracy very subtly vs a stainless steel barrel. On the flip side, chrome lined barrels are very easy to clean and don’t need to be cleaned as often. 4150 steel is higher grade, mil spec steel used in combat rifles given to our troops in Iraq. Some mid-level brands use 4140 steel, a slightly lower quality.

The 1:7 twist allows the rifle to shoot heavier rounds. The original M16 had a 1:12 twist which would only stabilize rounds up to about 55gr. A 1:9 twist barrel (like most mid-level companies offer) could allow you to shoot heavier 75 and 77gr rounds, but the stability is iffy from brand to brand. However, the 1:7 twist will stabilize the heavier rounds just fine which makes it perfect for anti-personnel/home defense rounds.

M4 feedramps are debatable as seen in the forum post I linked to. I’m right on target with the author of the post, “if they will prevent one stoppage in 1k rounds, and cost ME nothing extra, I want them.” However, if you end up finding a good deal on an upper without M4 feedramps, don’t let it be a deal breaker. Many people have reported no problems without M4 feedramps, but if you’re getting a new rifle, why not get the latest tech?

A 5.56 chamber will let the AR-15 shoot .223 as well as hotter 5.56 rounds. On the contrary, you should not be shooting 5.56 out of a .223 rifle. This is because 5.56 rounds are loaded to higher pressures than standard .223. If you were to shoot 5.56 out of a .223 rifle, you could potentially damage the weapon. The advantage of 5.56 vs .223? For the most part, accuracy is slightly better with the 5.56 and the velocity is slightly higher. Bottom line: I want to be able to shoot hotter loads should I need the stopping power in case of emergencies like a home invasion, WWIII, 2012, zombies, etc Better to be safe than sorry and better to have it and not need it rather than to need it and not have it.

The linked forum thread at Officer.com should help you a whole lot in deciding which upper to get. I’d advise you to look through the different brands, weigh the pro’s and con’s, price and performance, then make your decision. However, if you’ve got tons of cash and want the best, just get a Colt.

Here is my completed AR-15 rifle

DPMS lower receiver with DPMS lower parts and DPMS 6 position stock
CMMG 14.5″ midlength upper receiver with permanent phantom flash hider
YHM A2 flip up rear sight (known as a BUIS - backup iron sight)

Lately, I had taken up a growing interest in firearms and decided to purchase an AR-15. I’m kind of a cheap-o, so I went with the DIY route. Basically, the AR-15 is divided up into two parts - the lower and upper receivers.

The lower receiver is made up of 3 main items:

1) Stripped lower receiver - basically a hunk of metal with holes and openings, no moving parts
2) Lower Parts Kit (LPK) - contains all the parts you’ll need to complete the lower and assemble the trigger, trigger guard, hammer, magazine catch, and bolt catch
3) Stock - these all vary in styles, from fixed A2 style to 6 position collapsible stocks

I found my DPMS stripped lower receiver at a local gunshow. I would strongly recommend that you check out a gun show before ordering online/locally. Usually, there are some decent deals around and you won’t have to pay the FFL transfer fee as you would if you bought it online. By the way, the only part that is regulated by the government is the stripped lower receiver. This means that background checks and laws apply to lower receivers the same way they apply to fully completed rifles, pistols, etc. On the plus side, once you have the stripped lower receiver, you can order/buy all the other parts without any hassle and have them shipped directly to your door.

For the lower parts kit and stock, I went with DPMS. This was because I got a good deal at SportsmansGuide.com on the parts and I was trying to keep things as cheap as possible. I ended up paying $50 shipped for the LPK and $50 shipped on the 6 position stock.

Putting the lower receiver together is not very difficult, but it can get frustrating at times. I used this guide from the AR15.com forums from start to finish. I recommend that you print out the guide first, lay your parts out as shown in the diagram, then begin assembling the lower. No special tools are needed, however, you will want to have some punches to punch in the roll pins. You can just get the standard pin punches, no need for specialized roll pin punches if you want to save some cash.

I started putting together the lower without any punches, but when it came time to punch down the trigger guard roll pin, I was wishing I had one. Trying to improvise, I used my Swiss Army multifunction tool to hammer in the pin. After at least 15 minutes, I had finally gotten the pin in, but left the trigger guard all scratched up from my barbaric hammering. Not only that, but when you have to drive the bolt catch roll pin in, you will wish you had a punch. There is not enough clearance between the pin and the rifle to McGuyver something to drive the pin; you must use a punch!

Other than that, the rest of the process went fine. Only thing is, I’ll need a CAR wrench to tighten down the stock, but it should be too big of an issue. Here are some pics of the completed lower: