ThawMyTongue
Ultimate Member
This weekend I didn't go to Ohio as planned to see the fam so I found myself with some free time and a pile of parts screaming to be an AR: 
Spikes Lower
Spikes Upper
CMMG Lower Parts Kit
PSA Upper Parts Kit
Midwest Industries Lightweight M-Lok Handguard 12"
BCM Gunfighter Grip Mod 3
BCM Gunfighter Charging Handle Mod 3
SSS Brake Shield for YHM QD Flash Hider
LWRCI UCIW Ultra Compact stock
Magpul RVG
Magpul MS3 Sling Gen 1
YHM Carbine Sling Adapter
WMD NiB BCG
and thanks to Clandestine's input:
Rainier Arms Match .223 Wylde Barrel 13.7"
YHM Phantom .30 Cal Q.D. Flash Hider 1/2x28 threads
Magpul MBUS Pro
SLR Rifleworks Adjustable Gas Block
optics and upgraded trigger are still pending...
Assembling the upper and lower with the parts kits was routine as normal, so I won't bore anyone with the details. Taper pinning the gas block and pinning and welding the flash hider were new steps for me. But I'm a DIYer and just handy enough to give it a whirl or screw everything up. So I made a set of barrel blocks and got to work.
The SLR gas block had a handy milled flat on the right side for drilling the pin. Using the dimple in the barrel and the set screw on the gas block, aligning it to the barrel was easy. And I only had to take it off once to put on the barrel nut I forgot.
Taking it slow and cleaning/lubricating with WD40 as I went, a nice clean hole only took a few minutes
I used the taper reamer by hand, going slow and checking the fit every few turns.
I stopped reaming when the pin would slide in by hand to a point a quarter inch from where I wanted it and drove it in the rest of the way. Easy peasy and rock solid.
Once again going slow and easy I drilled a hole in the flash hider (not installed). Then I installed and tightened it and took it very slow using the hole as a guide to drill into the threads of the barrel.
Using an angle grinder to cut a drill bit into a pin was quick and easy.
After practicing on an old deep socket until I was confident I welded over the pin and slipped while doing it.
For the first time I actually used a dremel on a firearm and smoothed over the weld. After touching it up with cold blue and assembling the Q.D. portion of the flash hider I was pleased with the results
My goal with this build was to end up with a compact, buy once cry once, SHTF carbine without straying into NFA territory. Barrel and welded muzzle device are 16.25" by my measurement from the bolt face to the end of the flash hider. I am very happy with the results!
Side by side with my 16" mock dissy:
The SLR gas block snug under the rails:
This end toward enemy:
Spikes Lower
Spikes Upper
CMMG Lower Parts Kit
PSA Upper Parts Kit
Midwest Industries Lightweight M-Lok Handguard 12"
BCM Gunfighter Grip Mod 3
BCM Gunfighter Charging Handle Mod 3
SSS Brake Shield for YHM QD Flash Hider
LWRCI UCIW Ultra Compact stock
Magpul RVG
Magpul MS3 Sling Gen 1
YHM Carbine Sling Adapter
WMD NiB BCG
and thanks to Clandestine's input:
Rainier Arms Match .223 Wylde Barrel 13.7"
YHM Phantom .30 Cal Q.D. Flash Hider 1/2x28 threads
Magpul MBUS Pro
SLR Rifleworks Adjustable Gas Block
optics and upgraded trigger are still pending...
Assembling the upper and lower with the parts kits was routine as normal, so I won't bore anyone with the details. Taper pinning the gas block and pinning and welding the flash hider were new steps for me. But I'm a DIYer and just handy enough to give it a whirl or screw everything up.
So I made a set of barrel blocks and got to work.The SLR gas block had a handy milled flat on the right side for drilling the pin. Using the dimple in the barrel and the set screw on the gas block, aligning it to the barrel was easy. And I only had to take it off once to put on the barrel nut I forgot.
Taking it slow and cleaning/lubricating with WD40 as I went, a nice clean hole only took a few minutes
I used the taper reamer by hand, going slow and checking the fit every few turns.
I stopped reaming when the pin would slide in by hand to a point a quarter inch from where I wanted it and drove it in the rest of the way. Easy peasy and rock solid.
Once again going slow and easy I drilled a hole in the flash hider (not installed). Then I installed and tightened it and took it very slow using the hole as a guide to drill into the threads of the barrel.
Using an angle grinder to cut a drill bit into a pin was quick and easy.
After practicing on an old deep socket until I was confident I welded over the pin and slipped while doing it.
For the first time I actually used a dremel on a firearm and smoothed over the weld. After touching it up with cold blue and assembling the Q.D. portion of the flash hider I was pleased with the results
My goal with this build was to end up with a compact, buy once cry once, SHTF carbine without straying into NFA territory. Barrel and welded muzzle device are 16.25" by my measurement from the bolt face to the end of the flash hider. I am very happy with the results!
Side by side with my 16" mock dissy:
The SLR gas block snug under the rails:
This end toward enemy:
Gun went bang, bolt locked back, put a hole in the paper, and I had the same number of fingers I started with. Once that was out of the way, I began messing with the gas block to find my sweet spot. The positive clicks of the SLR GB make adjusting easy and settings repeatable. Through about 120 rounds the gun ran like a top except for gas setting testing short strokes. The flash hider shield does increase felt recoil and gives a nice flash, but also seems to direct the blast forward as advertised. All in all the setup is a soft shooting, pointable, compact, comfortable setup. Can't wait to shoot her again. 
Lots of manufacturers these days are designing their barrels for low-profile gas blocks from the outset. My Lothar-Walther and BHW barrels are both dead-nuts centered with the block up against the shoulder. I called and asked. 
