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AR Vietnam build

8K views 80 replies 15 participants last post by  j427x 
#1 ·
I'm I to late for the AR Vietnam build using a parts kit and receiver from Nordic spud? I was looking at some parts kits online months ago and now I can't find any.
 
#34 ·
WOW! that looks nice. I have an A1 built on a standard lower and that makes me want to swap it out with one like yours......When the panic buying has died down. So Nodak handled the engraving and just set it to your ffl?
 
#38 ·
So Nodak handled the engraving and just set it to your ffl?
Not quite, Identa Mark is one of the companies that Nodak uses, so I called them and told them to be expecting it. They work with Nodak all the time.
I emailed Nodak with the instructions to send the lower to Indenta Mark. They already have their FFL on file so it is just them sending it to another FFL. Once Indenta Mark got done with it, they just sent it to my FFL.

It is as close as I will ever get to "a true" Vietnam era weapon.
 
#35 ·
Thanks for the pics! I want just like that!
But now I don't even know if I'm getting the kit or not. The website says sold out. Maybe Sprat got the last one? Heh..Heh
My CC balance has been doing funny things last couple days...so maybe I'm still in the loop. Have to wait & see.
 
#37 ·
numrich had a few of the old Uppers Im still waiting to hear if they are going to get any more uppers in, however the price of the upper went from 85.00 to 185.00 in a few days,which dosnt make me to happy nione bur what are ya gonna do. wore comes to worse Ill get a few csatings upper and lower just to have.
 
#39 ·
DucatiSS

That is nice DucatiSS. Looks good.. I did not realize their was such a demand for those old "Matty Matels."
My God their are tons of them still in the Orient, left over from the war years.
To bad they wont let importers De-mill them and ship them here..
Our Govt. pretty much left everything behind when our Troops pulled out.
I never fired one on semi. Always flipped too that full auto switch and prayed.
 
#40 ·
Well I got my " Like new" kit from Sportsmans guide today.
What a dissapointment! This POS looks like it was dragged down the dirt road & put away wet. It's one of the most expensive kits I've ever bought.Especially without a barrel. First AR & I was hoping to go WOW this is cool. NOT.
Can the black plastic parts be re-juvenated somehow? Thet look like my FAL Rhody kits only without the paint. Scratched, dirty , white painted numbers on the stock.
Like new???? WTF???

$500.00+ ???

So... That's my review.........
Hopefully I'll feel better the second time I look at it. Even the part I think is the upper is scratched all to hell. I don't mind worn finish but scratches suck.
I'll have to have Nodak scratch the hell out of the lower to match??? Heh...Heh
 
#43 ·
Also no cleaning kit or sling included. I just got off phone with them & after going around & around for a half an hour, found out it was a MISTAKE in the description. They never were supposed to be included! WTF??
They are in the picture & the description , but tough luck. Either return for refund or keep what you get.
Like new never issued.....Yeah right. GRRRRR.!

I hope you get the nice one they used for the picture Sprat.....
 
#44 ·
Bradrock, you can sand out heavy scratches then put the plastic pieces in the sand blaster and blast them at around 60# to give them an even finish.... but it won't be the original finish. Thats too bad they were misrepresented. It seems like scruples are in short supply as of late from many places.
 
#45 ·
I guess I'm going to have to learn how to do anodizing now too. But that's something I have an interest in. But again, not original & that was the whole reason for me to buy this kit in the first place. I wanted a Like new original Vietnam era build.
 
#46 ·
I guess we can tell everyone they were found in some rat hole tunnel in vietman, like battlefield pick ups

real surprised, I really only need the internals, bolt & carrier and plastic hopefully i will nopt be terribly disappointed
 
#48 ·
I got one of those emails asking for feedback on the kit last night. So for the first time I did!
They have not put it up so far, But they just now added a note about the parts in the description which are not included.
I'm sure I'm not the only one to bitch.
 
#49 ·
there is a running thread on these over at ar-15.com seem SG and Mckays had these parts and both advertised them as like new with slings and cleaning kits, well the concensus is that the mcKay kits are only slightly better, but not by much. one guy bought a kit from each they look the same, some posters got good bolts & carriers, some got junk all the kits are missing trigger guards and small pins and springs, if the kit i get is that bad I may send it back or sell it here first
 
#50 ·
Oh great!! I have no idea how to tell if bolt or carrier is any good. Or what small parts to look for??
I thought the trigger guard was part of the lower. I have no clue. DAMMIT. GRRR.
 
#53 ·
these kits are probably some of those millions of MAP m16a1's that bill clinton gave away to various central american countries. or more likely paid them to take them.

the first of these looked to be in nearly mint condition.

just like the AK stuff as supply dropped- prices went up and they became more of a grab bag in wear and overall condition.


even the most worn ones i have seen look to be carried more than they were fired.

as long as the bolt carrier has not worn thin in the cut-outs on the under side and the cavity where the bolt goes is well chromed and not pitted it should run.

you might want some gas rings --their like $3 a set---- if you got good tension in the bcg with the bolt installed you can even skip the $3 ring job.

those colt made bolts are VERY hard --less it has been shot to death it should still be good and head-space with a new barrel.
 
#54 · (Edited)
well my kit arrived today

first let me say its as described on AR-15.com and not in Sportsmans guide, no cleaning kit or sling, well to a tee the butt stock is cracked on top not bad but noticable, the buttplate needs to be replaced, otherwise the finish is in nice shape, the a-1 upper is not as bad as expected but could be much better, the bolt looks real good almost new to not heavily used, the spring and buffer and tube look good, the front sight base is good to go, the handguards are in nice shape except the one is cracked
all the internals are there except one detent pin and one hammer pin and trigger guard

the mag has lost its finish, i will give it some thought about keeping it its not a total abortion , maybe just a ounch in the stomach for $500 plus

look like parade guns the way the top of the butt stock is cracked
I may be right looks like it came from southeast asia, i opened the butttrap to see if there we any "we love Hanoi Jane leaflets"
 
#57 ·
Sprat..

Might be from South East Asia..? But kind of slim chance..
My Bro was there during the shut down years. They were turning the bases over too the ARVNs troops.. Who could not wait to get everything they could grab and sell it too the highest bidder.
Legally once America gives, lend leases, donates, whatever.. The weapons or equipment is not allowed to come back too the U.S..
Like a tax payer Christmas present. Here yah go, have fun. :newyear:
His job was to ride from base too base and watch the people, who were supposed to be using the stuff to defend themselves, yeah right.. Steal everything not nailed down. Hell I think they even stole the nails.
Another Nam Bro on a recent "tour" visit said "Tim their is nothing left from the war years, nothing nothing nothing." After the war, citizens grabbed every damn thing for scrap metal.. Hell think they even dug up mines and scrapped them.
Some trinkets can be found in tourists shops, but not a real lot.
Now Thailand is loaded with the old M-16s.. I saw their Military carrying them a few years back.. Still working and going strong.
Now they were some pretty damn tough well made weapons.. Guys beat the hell out of them and they held up, for the most part.
My guess??? is these were in storage here in the States.. Troops told to move them, probably just whipped them from bin too metal bin, or heaved them in warehouses. Hence the cracks, scratches and dings.
Put some picts. up guys.. Hell so many years ago, I don't even remember what the hell they looked like.
 
#58 ·
no these were not sitting some warehouse in the US, these suckers have been heavily used, may not be from nam , maybe south america, also vietnam gave the so. american insurgants left over arvn equipment or these could come from southeast asia,
these are not knocked around rifles thrown into a bin, the buttstock cracks are in locations to indicate, parade use formal or instruction and for the handguards to be cracked up front in the same place by almost all the kits, these must have been used for bayonet practice. maybe some day we will hear where they came from
my kit was heavily oiled not cosmoline but oil, finish may come up better if and when i clean it up
I have decied to keep the kit as they are not likely to sell more
 
#59 ·
i know the IDF got a couple MILLION a1's through MAP for $25 each on special terms.

their still fielding at least some of theirs. their a1s came from disbanded NG/Reserve forces and were very fresh.

we had a link up somewhere on these guys who study the m16s historically speaking --

i don't know if i can find it--but it has all the little details of who got what and what happened to it.
 
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