"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" (Bill of Rights: archives.gov).
I fell in love with weapons while serving in the U.S. Army. I was a gunner for my platoon so I got to play with all of the weapons the Army had to offer. I even was one of the first four soldiers in Iraq to be assigned the CROWS (Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station) for my truck. One of the best inventions of modern war time I think. Being able to use the weapon while not exposing you upper body was a major leap forward. Soon we will have HMMWV's with CROWS that will be unmanned. Over the years I started messing around with every platform I could get my hands on. Now all my friends, friends and family bring me their firearms when they have issues.
Tell me your thoughts on your favorites and least favorites. What sets them apart from the rest? What and when was your first weapons encounter?
One of the many reasons why the AR-15 is one of, if not, the best weapons system on the market is the ability to personalize your firearm. The possibilities are endless if you got the money to spend, even if you don't, you can find some really good deals out there to upgrade and personalize your firearm. One way that people are personalizing their firearms are by adding texts and pictures to pieces of hardware such as the Dust Cover, Trigger Guard, Charging Handle, Buttstock, and even the Bolt Assembly itself. You can purchase them already engraved or you can take your parts in to gun shops or you can find online shops that you can mail your hardware to. If you have $750.00 to $10,000.00 just lying around you can even go as far as to buy your own engraving machine.
This particular model is the Co2 Laser Engraving Cutting Machine 3020 Laser Engraver. It has a USB cable that you plug into your laptop or desktop. With the included software you are able to seal engraving, advertisement, art gifts, leather, toys, computerized embroidery, shoemaking, furniture, nameplates decorations, woodcut and plenty of other items. You can buy this model on Amazon for $750.00, which is not bad if you plan on using it, a lot.
We are talking charging handles. I know you are all sick of taking your eyes from down range to have to look down to see your charging handle. Another problem is if your not wearing gloves it can tear your knuckles up. A good solution to this is an extender. There are many different styles of this version, you can get them solid, with grooves or even custom made with pictures or texts. The options are endless. These can range from $12.00 to $50.00, depending on how extravagant you want it to be. You can find all different sorts of charging handles on cheaperthandirt.com, amazon.com, and ebay.com.
Another version is the Raptor Ambidextrous Charging Handle made by AXTS. This particular handle costs $89.95 on Tacticallink.com. This version is truly a work of art, it allows the user to charge with the palm of the hand or the finger thumb method with either hand. These handles allow the shooter to keep their eyes down range the entire time. Allows for rapid clearance of malfunctions.
I like the idea of not having to remove my hand from the pistol grip, but at a price of $150.00, I'll go a different route. I found another great way to achieve the same goal for a fraction of the cost. The Enhanced Battery Assist Lever, this has the same function as the GFG model. It only costs $26.95 and comes in a variation of colors. I can also see the GFG handle getting snagged on stuff.
The Enhanced Battery Assist Lever significantly improves the speed and efficiency of reloads and clearing stoppages without switching hands, allowing you to maintain constant fire control. "This devise easily installs onto your existing standard mil-spec forged AR bolt release/catch (paddle) with no weapon disassembly or parts replacement, and allows you to lock the bolt back and release the bolt with just a slight movement of your trigger finger" (Tactical Link).
I dig some more digging and found this little beauty. It is the Phase 5 Tactical EBVR2. This actually replaces your bolt catch and makes for a stronger more reliable piece of hardware. The EBVR2 costs around $50.00 depending on what platform your going to put it on. It is really quite simple to attach. The one downfall I could see is that it does not fit precisely with your weapon system, as compared to the Enhanced Battery Assist which uses your factory Bolt Catch.
Using your 1/16 pin punch, remove the pin from the Bolt Catch.
Remove the factory Bolt Catch. Be careful to not lose the pin.
Fit the EBVR2 into position. Then slide the pin back to secure the EBVR2 attachment.