Tactical Intent TI-7 Buttstock

There are a lot of buttstock options out there, and while the M4 style Rock River on our recent Patrol Rifle build was adequate, we were looking for a little more. It seems like Magpul is quite the rage these days, and with light-weight and high quality parts, they've earned their popularity. But we decided to use this build to go a different way. We chose a few metrics to guide our decision: 1) Comfort and fit 2) Quality 3) Price 4) Good looking.

After testing a few buttstocks in our inventory and at the range, we chose a Tactical Intent TI-7. This buttstock has a lot going for it. For starters, it has cheek support similar to the sopmod stock, which provides superior cheek-weld and stability. Underneath the cheek support are two tubes that hold AA batteries or whatever you can stuff in them. The plugs do not come out by accident, and yet they can be easily removed with gloved hands. Perhaps the profile that most identifies this as a TI is the rounded toe-plate. Unlike the straight edges of all the other buttstocks on the market, the TI has a rounded toe which fits perfectly in the shoulder socket. Overall, the comfort of this stock was superior to the other seven buttstocks we tested. The commercial-spec version we purchased to fit our buffer tube fit perfectly. It is a very high-quality build, easily matching anything we've purchased from Magpul, and it is quite handsome. But what really sets the TI apart is the price - at $80 it undercuts most of the competition, while providing higher value. Highly recommend this buttstock!

The rounded toe fits the shoulder-socket nicely

A handsome buttstock that matches well with the Magpul Moe foregrip

This angle shows the tube compartments and sturdy adjustment lever

Ultimate Patrol Rifle

So back to the saga of the poly lower from New Frontier. This is a high-quality, low-cost lower receiver, but like all polymer products requires extensive fit and finish before assembly. I am used to gun-smithing metal, so I had to come up with an entirely new set of tools to fit this part. Believe it or not, the tool I finally settled on was a foam nail file designed for making women beautiful. My wife still doesn't know where it got off to, so please don't tell. I decided to use this lower to create a super light weight rifle suitable for patrol and all-day carry. I mated it to a Bravo Company upper with a light-weight profile barrel in 14.5 inches. In order to pass NFA requirements, Bravo Company permanently affixed the flash suppressor, bringing total barrel length to 16.1". I chose a mid-length profile to reduce felt recoil and improve cycling efficiency, and mated it with a Magpul MOE mid-length handguard. This handguard weighs in at only 11 oz, making it the perfect light-weight option. instead of a vertical grip I selected a FAB magwell grip. This allows a tighter pivot point and reduces weight at the end of the muzzle. Optics are handled by a 4x scope with illuminated reticle and built-in laser. Backup duty is handled by a Magpul MBUS. Total weight sans optic and magazine is five pounds flat. Mission accomplished!

Five pounds of patrol rifle in a compact package

Illuminated 4x scope with integral laser provides versatility and low weight

CQB build update

Ok, so I ended up building two rifles. I matched the FAB buttstock and grip to a Rock River aluminum lower with a stage 2 match trigger. Upper is a Palmetto State Armory upper with FN barrel, chrome-moly, 16" with 1:7 twist ratio. Inside is an M-16 BCG. Handguard is a very handsome Samson model (I prefer the smooth handguards to quad-rails), with a Meprolight M21 reflex sight. The Mepro is used by the IDF and uses Tritium for night lighting and fiber-optics for the day - no battery required. Backup iron sights are offset 45 degrees and only require a quick roll to acquire target. Flash suppressor is a wicked "door breacher" that is sharp enough to puncture a sternum. Magpul 30-rd mag completes the look. Very handsome build! In a future post I will explain the fate of the polymer lower...

A very handsome build!

A very balanced tactical rifle

A good view of the offset sights - no flipping, removing, or other action required

Backup mag - for your last ten chances

AR-15 CQB build

I am building a new Close Quarters Battle rifle. I began with a New Frontier stripped polymer lower and added a lower build kit/fire control group. I am using a FAB magwell grip, FAB ergo pistol grip with battery compartment, and a FAB buttstock with built in mag-well. You can see the ten-round Lancer magazine in the stock. This provides a counterweight to the barrel and a ten spare rounds for your last ten chances. M-16 bolt carrier group and Bravo Company VLTOR Mod-4 charging handle. For the record, the lower is very light, but required pretty extensive fitting. I mostly used a nail file to remove the flash and sprue, but keep it in mind if you plan to use polymer for your lower.

Scout Rifle Build - Final Assembly

First step was to strip the rifle. I used Citristrip because it isn't harsh but it works great.

Applying the Citristrip and letting it soak

You can see the varnish beginning to bubble

Scrubbing off the finish with a Scotchbrite pad

After stripping comes painting. I sanded the stock to give the paint good adherence and make sure all the stripper and varnish were gone (and that the wood was dry); however, some of the gouges were just too deep to bother with. It's a Mosin, after all, and not designed to impress your friends. I used a flat grey primer, then followed with an outdoor oil based spray in "sage". It is actually pretty damn close to OD Green, for about $3.99 a can.

Flat grey primer

First coat of sage green topcoat

Second coat of paint

Final coat has a flat grey-green color that is perfect for camouflage

I replaced the rear sight with a picatinny rail designed for the Mosin sight base, then mounted a Bushnell red-dot which I painted to match the stock.

As a final touch, I added a short picatiny rail to the underside of the fore-stock to mount accessories. I also added a rubber buttstock to help absorb some of that 7.62x54R ammo.

To complete the look I added a pistol grip, a stock bag with Mosin tool kit (and spare stripped clips), a shoulder strap, and a vertical foregrip with built-in bipod. Total cost was under $200, and now I have a high-power scout rifle that converts to a decent sniper weapon with the push of a button.

Folding bayonet detail

Sight down the barrel

Pistol grip designed for Mosin - $12 online

Vertical foregrip with built in bipod

Experimenting with Magpul AFG. Didn't like the feel on this one.

Final product - not bad for $200!

Budget Scout Rifle Build

This post is the first in a series of posts to build a budget scout rifle. This project has a few constraints - it has to be inexpensive, for starters. It also has to be useful in survival situations, etc. I would have loved to build a .22LR scout rifle, and may sometime in the future, but for now these weapons are selling for a pretty ridiculous premium. The basic weapon I will be using as my platform is the Chinese type 53.

This weapon is a version of the Mosin Nagant carbine, and includes a folding bayonet which is totally cool. It is chambered in 7.72x54R, which is a very powerful round. There aren't too many animals on the North American continent that would survive this round. It is probably too hot for go-to survival weapon, but makes an excellent scout rifle that has the power to penetrate ballistic vests and most automobiles. The gun cost $119, and came packed with about 4 lbs. of cosmoline.

Step one with these weapons is to remove the cosmoline. I accomplished this by breaking the weapon down, and heating the individual parts in the oven on a low temperature.

There are some good videos on YouTube explaining how to break this rifle down, so I won't post those details here. The cosmoline melted off, and after a quick wipe-down with an old cotton shirt, it was clean. Not too difficult, but very time consuming. The next step is to strip the varnish. I used Citristrip because it is not very harsh. Let it soak, then scrub it off with a scotch-brite pad.

That's all I've gotten done so far; I'll keep you posted.

AR-15 Lower Receiver Build