Carbines - Me too!

This little beauty started life as a Bushmaster A2 shorty, with the AK-74-style muzzle brake. The lower on this carbine is still the same Bushmaster, but I've added the collapsible stock, and changed the pistol grip. I had always regretted getting the A2 configuration (carry handle sights, etc.), and had lusted for an A3 (flattop) style upper. As it happened, Catfish was having no end of problems with his (what is that, Fish? Colt upper?) upper that just happened to have all the evil features I wanted - flattop, bayonet lug, M4 barrel and fore-grip, and an honest-to-goodness Vortex flash hider (and buddy, does it work well). No - I don't have a bayonet - it's just the principle of the thing. Once the hated "Assault Weapon" ban expired, I conspired with Catfish on a trade of upper assemblies. I think it worked very nicely for both of us, because the upper runs great on my Bushmaster lower. If I'm not mistaken, my old upper pretty much financed Catfish's AK purchase. Smiles all around.

Let's talk about the current configuration, and detail what I want Santa to read about. I love the collapsible stock. There's so little recoil on the AR, that I'm not so worried about the cheek-weld, as long as I have my red dot on the target. I'd like to have a contoured pistol grip. I need a 1/4- or 1/2-inch riser on the flattop, though, because the red dot on the sight is square in the middle of the front sight post. I need a flip-up rear sight, and I think I might replace the front sight gas block assembly with a flip-up front sight. That configuration would make the whole red-dot/holo/whatever setup much easier to work with. I think the vertical foregrip is something I'd like to try, too. I also need some sort of light system. Finally, because of the new stock, my sling doesn't fit anymore, and I need a new one.

I like the AR a lot, and take very good care of it, in spite of not shooting it nearly enough. Incidentally, I'll be using it in a side match this weekend, so I'll try to get some action pics. I like the low recoil and excellent accuracy of the AR, and the VERY wide availability of parts and accessories, as well as milspec parts that interchange perfectly. Ammo prices have gone up since last year, and that sucks a little. I'm going to try some of the new Wolf .223 (no more icky lacquered cases) this weekend, and I'll report back on that, too.

Questions/comments?