mikefraz,
I received your PM, but it looks like I can't send a PM (even in reply) until I hit the 50 post mark.
Here is a little more detail on my experience:
I struggled to get any reasonable accuracy out of my ARAK. With the original heavy barrel, I would get about 1.5", 5-shot groups at...
I'm surprised that anyone remembered this thread.
After a series of unfortunate events, I no longer own the ARAK-21 upper.
I think that the Faxon team has made something really unique in the ARAK-21 design. The gas system, the charging handle, the ease of field stripping, the ability to use a...
After some more internet research, it appears that my upper (around S/N 600) has all of the most recent updates.
1) The recoil spring guide is solid (no hole).
2) The firing pin retaining lever has two springs (rather than one).
One of the major complaints about the ARAK-21 documented in this...
Faxon seemed to address just about everything I didn't like about the AR platform, so I was willing to take the risk. I'll just have to make sure that I order the critical spare parts sooner rather than later... just in case.
I will definitely be putting more rounds through it once the weather...
According to Faxon, the difference between a heavy profile 16" 5.56 and a medium profile 16" 5.56 is 3 ounces. I'm not sure how much I believe that now, but since nobody else posted about theirs, I had to trust the information I had available.
To me, the taper of the medium profile barrel up...
As promised, here are some of my initial thoughts and results. Your mileage may vary, but this is the sort of post that I looked for (and was unable to find) while I was researching the ARAK-21 -- someone who owns and has shot the upper and is in no way affiliated with Faxon Firearms. (This...
Mine should arrive tomorrow.
If there's interest on the forum, I'll write up and post my experiences with it. (It may have to wait until after Christmas, though.)
I've had trouble getting the connector arm to sit right with commercial receivers without dramatically cutting into the stock. I ended up giving up and just using the "button" part to fill the hole in the stock. (Essentially, I bought a "standard" kit and only ended up using an "eco" kit's...
The Polytech receivers are forged, not cast like the Springfields. I'm not sure how much practical difference it makes, though.
My understanding is that some Polytech bolts were bad, not the receivers. It probably wouldn't hurt to get a USGI bolt (while you can still find them!) to keep as...
The 5" full size Les Baers are great, but I would not recommend getting the 4.25" Commander-length Baer.
It took a lot of work before my Concept VII would run right, and my experience with Baer's customer service was less than ideal.
I've had good luck with the Vltor CASV-M free-floated handguard. The rail clamps on to the receiver flat top and extends the length of the handguard. (The second point of attachment is at the delta ring.)
For what it's worth, it allowed me to put a forward-mounted optic on an AR, and I...
Depending on individual needs, a scout scope can be pretty handy on a lever gun.
Of course, a good ghost ring will probably do just as well (if not better) for a "home defense" rifle.
CCF is right on.
While it's possible that a "Commander" top end will work on a Government frame, there are dimensional differences that could come back to bite you. I had to find this out the hard way with a Les Baer a few years ago. (Baer used Government-dimension frames on their Commanders...
I'm a big fan of the Squad Scout configuration. The 18.5" barrel is lighter and handier than the "Loaded", and it's still 1-2 MOA for me out to 300 yards (with a 2.5x scout scope and OTM ammo).
I haven't been able to achieve the same level of accuracy with my friends' SOCOMs. But that...
Unfortunately, I didn't try without the strut after cryo. This project took quite a bit of time, and I was ready to button everything up and call it "done".
Cryo won't change the fact that the thin barrel whips around forward of the gas block. My guess is that the strut is still doing a lot...