Project Vera

On May 14, 2012July 26, 2012 By Tom LindsayIn AR, Gunsmithing, Vera2 Comments

Last summer, I posted a wish list of guns I planned to buy next. A lot of interesting things have transpired in the meantime, and I use the word “interesting” in the full sense of the old Arab curse, “May you live in interesting times.”

The first gun on my list was an AR-15, and I’m happy to report the kickoff of what I am calling Project Vera.

The first step, and really the one that kicked it all off, was getting a great deal on a stripped aluminum lower made by Northern Frontier Armory, from Mike at Dog Leg Arms. Once I had this, I read a bunch, and tweeted some, and came up with a plan to build a home defense gun with the following general specs:

Flat top upper, maybe a Sporting version without forward assist.
16 inch barrel, 1:7 twist. Chrome lined.
Red dot optic with co-witnessed iron backups – either 1x or 1-4x.
Multi position stock.
Single stage military trigger.
Weapon light, possibly with a laser.

Later, as finances allow, I plan to get a shorter barrel and a suppressor, since this will likely be used indoors in a defense situation.

I did some research on trigger groups, and looked at some on the interwebz. On Saturday I happened to be at Lakeside Guns in Acworth, Georgia, and saw a DPMS lower parts kit, for just a little more than what I’ve seen. I had no problem spending it, since I not only saved shipping cost, but I got it right now, and I supported a great local business.

Of course, the best part of all is that the lower receiver, the part with the serial number, is the only part of the gun that I have to buy through an FFL. The rest I can buy from Lakeside Guns, or over the Interwebz, or gun shows, or wherever I want. And, not coincidentally, it’s the only part that’s subject to the Ad Valorum tax. This means, if nothing else, I’ll save a little over buying a complete gun then making the mods I want.

Up next: assembly of the lower. Pray for me.

Taking the Plunge

On April 24, 2012July 26, 2012 By Tom LindsayIn AR3 Comments

Okay, yall. I’m jumping in.

This bad boy is officially on order through my local gun dealer, Michael of Dogleg Arms. That was Mike in the blog header, before Stan Weber posted the current one on Twitter.

Obviously, I’m going to attempt to build one. My plan is to build a home defense gun, and my first specs include a 16 inch barrel, red dot sight co-witnessed with flip up iron sights. And . . . drum roll . . . a suppressor. I plan on setting up a NFA trust for the suppressor as soon as I can, since that will be the long lead item.

As for the rest of it, I’m in no particular hurry, except that, for some reason, I get the feeling I need to be done before the first Tuesday in November

Hold on, everybody. Here we go.