At long last I've finally joined the ranks of the AR guys!

[Phaedrus]

Well, I finally got my new CORE 15 M4 Scout Keymod picked up! To be honest, although I grew up a rifleman I must admit that for the last 25 years I've had almost nothing but sidearms. While I do have a couple of PCCs (an HK USC in .45 ACP and a Beretta Storm Carbine in 9mm) I've only had one real rifle in the last decade and that was my Browning A-Bolt Synthetic Stalker in .308 that I sold a few years back. I've been itching to try an M4-gery and I finally found a deal that seemed too good to pass on. This bad boy cost me $700 shipped with a nice keymod rail. I added some BCM stuff to it including: Gunfighter MOD3 Grip, Modular Light Mount, Gunfighter MOD 0 stock and a MOD 3 vertical grip. The sights are offset irons that I got from Amazon; they were inexpensive but they're pretty solid feeling. I also bought an Inforce WML, the Haley version. Lastly I made sure to have a half dozen Gen2 PMags on hand and 300 rounds of ammo.

I haven't really decided for sure what to get for an optic. I'm leaning towards biting the bullet and getting an Aimpoint PRO but we'll see. And I'll need some kind of sling.

I'm also playing with the light options right now. In the pictures I have my Surefire X300 Ultra mounted on the top rail and nothing on the offset Modular Light Mount. The mount works well and it positions the light in the exact same spot that I run on my other long guns (PCCs) which is a plus. But I actually feel like right on top is optimal. I'm also having trouble deciding between the Surefire and the Inforce. The X300 U is much brighter but the WML has a better switch.

It will probably be a couple weeks til I can get it to the local rifle range. Til then though I can drool and at least share some pictures!


I know the rules...pics or it didn't happen, right?

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[LowKey]

So I gotta ask. What are you going to use the light for?

I don't have an AR, but love shooting the custom-built one of the guys brings to the range. It has open sites, and the trigger is as smooth as butter. Being able to hit the 10 ring consistently on a target at 100 yds benchrested is my idea of fun with one of those.

[Rick]

I have never used offset irons. Seems counter intuitive to me but the again I'm old. Nice looking weapon.

[kyratshooter]

I use a scope with offset red dot. You have to get used to tilting the rifle, but I find myself tilting the AR at odd angles anyway due to the inline design, sights and magazine sticking out the bottom.

No light for me thanks. Lights only work if your opposition is unarmed, if they are armed you are one well lit dead man.

They do work well if you operating with another person. When the bad guy shoots you, your partner can spot his muzzle flash and take him out.

[Seniorman]

Phaedrus, until you've added all these proper and necessary accessories, you just have an ol' plain Jane rifle, barely usable.

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S.M.

[Phaedrus]

I have lights on all my long guns and some of my sidearms. I think they're very useful, and to me it's in the why not category. The weight is minimal and it doesn't take too much space. Half of the day is night time and indoors dark is the default. Plus, once I had to use my BHP to shoot a racoon that was attacking a dog; it was about midnight and a moonless night. I had night sights but it was tricky to hold a hand held flashlight while shooting. That got me thinking (I know- dangerous!).

[kyratshooter]

Was the raccoon armed?

I have a light on my raccoon rifle also, but that is a special purpose pest control weapon and not a folk weapon.

Of course it is your gun, and your choice so go right ahead. Not up to me to make your decisions.

Congrats on a really nice looking example of an AR.

[Phaedrus]

Was the raccoon armed?

I have a light on my raccoon rifle also, but that is a special purpose pest control weapon and not a folk weapon.

Of course it is your gun, and your choice so go right ahead. Not up to me to make your decisions.

Congrats on a really nice looking example of an AR.

The racoon had a taser...at least that's my story! This is my only rifle so it is an all-around do - everything gun for me. I wish I could set up several each for a specific purpose but I can't right now.

[Batch]

Was the raccoon armed?

I have a light on my raccoon rifle also, but that is a special purpose pest control weapon and not a folk weapon.

Of course it is your gun, and your choice so go right ahead. Not up to me to make your decisions.

Congrats on a really nice looking example of an AR.

Every, raccoon I ever saw had two arms and had it coming.

[Catfish]

Phaedrus, until you've added all these proper and necessary accessories, you just have an ol' plain Jane rifle, barely usable.



S.M.

I've looked but I don't see a corkscrew OR a bottle opener on that thing. Not sure what value it would have in a true survival situation.

[hunter63]

Nice looking addition....Congrats.

Got an old Colt target model, and inherited a Bushmaster, both are plain jane's w/ open sights.......guess I just have been working with the single shots and flintlocks lately....not really in to these much.

Was considering a different upper for the Colt....then some on said it had different sized pins....so kinda put it on the back burner.

[Phaedrus]

I realize that some folks- especially vets that served in the 60s and 70s- have a different view of "light discipline" than many of the current crop of trainers. That's cool IMO. In the jungles of 'Nam I suppose you didn't want to give away your position. But I don't think that applies to the applications I have for this rifle. I'm not going to be slogging through rice paddies. Mostly this will be a plinker that maybe will do double duty as an HD/zombie gun. There are lights in my house but I can see the usefulness of a high powered light in the eyes of an invader to blind or disorient him. It can also be very handy for pest control and varmints (and I wish I'd have had some kind of WML during my encounter with the racoon). Worst case it doesn't get used and it's three ounces of dead weight.

The gun itself seems pretty solid. I probably won't get to take it to the range for another two weeks. But it's nicely appointed for the money. I'm already wanting to get an AR in 9mm to go along with it.

[kyratshooter]

Just a word of caution for when you go to sight in.

Those sights being as far as they are over the bore change the normal formula for sighting in.

My normal sight in is at 25 yards, which puts me close at 100, where I dial in 2" high so I will be dead on at 200.

I have found while sighting in three scopes on two platforms that if one sights in at 25 yards you will be 8" high at 100!

It is due to the distance of the sight plane above the bore.

Dialing in from there is not a problem but it is something to be aware of and expect.

[Phaedrus]

Thanks! Although I will probably pick up some more conventional sights for it.

[kyratshooter]

I have flip up sights that are similar to your offset sights.

One of the things I am finding is that almost everything made for the AR platform is "indexed" to that platform.

When you fit your normal AR peep sights you will find that most of the red dot optics will automatically co-witness to the irons, meaning that when you look through the iron sights the red dot will sit right on top of the front post once everything is sighted in.

It really is like working with a lego system where everything snaps together, then works perfectly. I am really enjoying a system where one can remove the sights and they return to zero perfectly after hanging out in the ammo pouch for a week. Or where you could change out a red dot and sight it in by indexing to the peep sights instead of heading directly to the range.

It sure does encourage one to "over accessorize".

[Phaedrus]

With a RDS on my Beretta Storm carbine I get just a bit of front sight. With the RDS on my HK USC carbine I get absolute cowitness. If you're working with a non-AR it's kind of "luck of the draw" but as you say, it's an AR-centric market right now.

[Desert Rat!]

Welcome to the AR club, and may I say nice choice on your first AR, and you do know that it probably won't be the last one , have fun!!

[Phaedrus]

Hahaha! I know! I'm already wanting a 9mm AR. And a .300 AAC upper...And...

[kyratshooter]

Remember,

It's not an addiction until you are sneaking off to shoot alone and hiding your ammo stash from the family.

And it does not matter what ammo AIM surplus has on sale, you still need to buy groceries!

[Rick]

Hey! I can stop buyin' and shootin' any time I want. I ain't got no stinkin' problem.