DK Firearms

My 80% lower "Mattel M16A1" build

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  • kanaka

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    Nice job on the lower! I watched the You Tube video using that jig and finally understood how they were getting rid of the piece in the middle if you milled in a circle.

    And great find on the FSP, funny how that worked out. Maybe the A2 upper came from the same person that had the SP1 upper.
     

    Daezee

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    The A2 upper came from Model One Sales about 10 years ago, replacing the upper I lost in a house fire in 2007. I had given that upper away, as I couldn't get all the carbon from the smoke/fire off of it. The hand guards (A2) were not melted, but stained. A friend used it with a .22 conversion kit. When I started the Mattel, he offered it back to me as it had an A1 upper (I didn't remember that; I thought it was A2) with tear drop fwd assist and PM forge code. He offered it back to me. Meanwhile other solvents have come out. Using some carbon remover, I'm getting dark brown patches so something not natural to the upper is coming off it. Every few days I spend a little time on it and will see what happens. I may just give it back, as a nice A1 upper receiver is due to arrive Tuesday.

    Back then I used it on a M16 lower. It had a heavy stainless steel bbl. Now that I can measure bbl wear, I gaged its throat wear at 0.4". 0.1"-0.15" would be new; 1.0" would be worn out, it has a bit of life left for 5.56 ammo.
     

    Daezee

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    Filled in the engraved markings on the receiver with aluminum black. It looks great; looks more like roll marks now instead of engraving. It took 4 applications, as some spots were stubborn to blacken. I gave up trying to get the inside fully black, and I felt I had cleaned the metal thoroughly, repeatedly. Maybe my cleaning failed to get rid of the cutting oil remains. I ended up putting a coat of rust preventative oil to help seal off the aluminum to prevent oxidation...won't see the inside anyway.

    Bonanza of packages arrived today.

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    Here's the GI M16A1 upper that arrived. Guy said it was pretty dark. Close match to my lower in shade. It came with sight, ejection port door, and tear drop fwd assist. Ejection port door is the last version...could use an earlier style, but oh well. A repro early style with shipping seems too much $ to spend on this detail.

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    Duck bill flash hider from a guy I know in Michigan. I'll be loaning him my jig so he can mill his 80%.

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    A beautiful D stock from the same guy in Michigan.

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    Found a place with A1 grips for $10 each, advertised as good condition. Some places want more $. Ordered 2, asking for a nice one for my Mattel and an "average" condition one, hoping 1 would be pretty nice for the Mattel. I'd say the one on the right is pretty nice considering the minimal cost. It has a C inside, which I believe indicates Colt. Cleaned with a little soap and a brush to get dirt out from the checkering. Been rubbing a gun cleaning rag on them, and they are starting to get some shine. The left one is definitely used as it has a label inside it saying L2-U3. Set the M16 sights to mechanical zero, go left 2 clicks and up 3 clicks and it is sighted in for the service member it was issued to.

    Not shown, but from the same company that the grips came from is a new in the wrap right triangular hand guard for $5. Too cheap to pass up. Haven't taken it out of the wrap as the set of triangular guards that came with my barrel are very nice. I got my rifle buffer tube from the same little company.

    After a bit of pondering, I've decided that I'd like a Mattel Marauder sticker on the stock rather than deface that beautiful D stock with a Mattel engraving. The Mattel toy M16 had a round Marauder Division sticker on the right side of the stock with a lightning bolt in the middle. A picture of the sticker has been sent to my daughter to see what she can make. Failing that, a maker was found who makes Marauder stickers for people wanting to restore Mattel toy M16's. I want something that will last; nothing flimsy.

    Now to put it all together.
     

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    Daezee

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    Other than the Mattel Marauder sticker that my daughter is working on, it's DONE!

    Just came in from firing 3 test shots, testing feeding and the bolt hold open; it ran perfect. Used an older GI mag and a new made mag. I like that soft slow recoil. Next will be sighting it in later this week or the weekend. I thank everyone for their help.

    Will post one more pic when I get a Mattel sticker on the stock.

    Note: In retrospec, maybe this could have been put in the AR subform, but I thought making a receiver could also go in gunsmithing.
     

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    Red

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    Love this thread!!! Awesome job!! Great build!!
     

    Daezee

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    Thanks Red.

    A bit a irony...my wife helped with installing the barrel by holding the upper receiver and action rod as the TV was broadcasting anti AR talk. My wife, bless her heart, is not pro-gun, but she's OK with my shooting, carrying, and teaching our adult children, son in law and daughter in law and the grand kids to safely handle and shoot firearms.
     

    SAWMAN

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    Great build Bruce. Something to be proud of.
    I looked into building,however the gun that I had in mind would have cost too much and the parts availability was dismal. Also finding the parts that somewhat matched was looking kinda bleak. --- SAWMAN
     

    jabuchko

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    Bruce Marauder Division Decal.png Created this on Photoshop this morning from the images that I found online. I am giving it to Leia and she will work on designing the decal in her program next. Also, a quick phone call and I could have come and helped assemble the gun.
     

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    SAWMAN

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    I see that the above symbol is trade marked. Wondering by who. --- SAWMAN
     

    kanaka

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    The build came out beautiful! Glad the front half of the rifle went to a proper home.

    Gotta call you out on the picture, that's a mag foul. Try again with a 20 rd'er in it. :smile:
     

    Daezee

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    It's the sticker that was on the right side of the Mattel Marauder toy M16. There's also a company/individual making replacements of the sticker for people restoring their Marauders so they can sell at a higher price.

    In general, original parts (especially original Mattel M16 parts) are getting harder to find, so new made are coming available to fill the gap. In a way, I may have lucked out with finding parts from several states. 2 different guys in Michigan really helped out.
     

    Daezee

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    The build came out beautiful! Glad the front half of the rifle went to a proper home.

    Gotta call you out on the picture, that's a mag foul. Try again with a 20 rd'er in it. :smile:

    Sawman has some Mattel Vietnam era 20 rd mags, but he wants too much for them.
     

    kanaka

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    They are great for bench rest shooting. They'll pop up in some of the gun stores on the internet. Just gotta pounce when you see them.
    There was some jackleg up in Alaska that bought all 200 or so from a shop, just so he could sell them to "the brothers in communist states". Bet he sells them for a bunch more than the $10 ea they were asking.
     

    Daezee

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    The build came out beautiful! Glad the front half of the rifle went to a proper home.

    Gotta call you out on the picture, that's a mag foul. Try again with a 20 rd'er in it. :smile:

    OK. Went through all my mags. Found a 20rd made by Universal Ind Simmons Prec Prod. I believe it may be Vietnam era. I'll put it with the Mattel.
     

    SAWMAN

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    I got a hundred or so retro mags. And some look super retro. Most Colt marked with the aluminum followers. Some are marked "Mattel Marauder" and have the "BERRAP,BERRRRAP,BERRRRRRRRRRAP" follower.
    Gonna take them over to get jj to autograph them and list them on Gunbroker for $50.+ shipping.
    Got Colt 30's also with the black plastic follower. ---- SAWMAN
     

    Daezee

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    Do any of the Mattel mags have a serial number? Some had to be hand fitted to the experimental Mattel's and thus may have been serial numbered to the rifle. That's what the guy on the street corner holding the Vietnam Vet sign said. If I gave him more $ he said he could fill me in with more Mattel details, but I ran out of cash to get more info. He claimed to know you and said "John says Hi", but it may have been "John says HIGH".
     

    SAWMAN

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    This is one of my mags that could possibly go good with that build.
    Really retro looking. Unique base plate. Scratched up aluminum follower. Works great. --- SAWMAN
     

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    Daezee

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    That's marked like the one mag I found in all my AR mags that I thought is Vietnam era issued. Heck, those GI 20rd mags used to be all over the place.

    Been pondering finding a GI 20rd mag pouch and filling it up with mags to go with the Mattel...not as easy as it used to be. At least bayonets are available.
     
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