Another Freedom Rifle complete:

I stuck this on the Pale Horse lower for the picture, because it adds one more naughty over the lower it's actually on. Let's count the New York no-no's:
- adjustable stock
- detachable magazine
- full-capacity magazine
- bayonet lug (with Ontario M7 sticker)
- A2 flash hider
- pistol grip

All of these things are E- and D-felonies.

Crimes with lower classifications include (penal code section):
- luring a child (120.70)
- possessing an obscene performance by a child (263.11)
- aggravated sexual abuse (130.65-a)
- promoting a sexual performance by a child (263.15)
- rape in the second degree (130.30)

There are several more, sourced here.

Because guns are worse than child porn and rape.

Quick thought

This popped in to my head today as yet another headline about Michael Brown scrolled by...

"He may not be the perfect case, but he's the case we need."

Let me expound a bit.

I don't think anyone will ever know exactly what happened in that street. Pathology reports will tell some, medical reports on the officer might tell more, but in the end, only two people know what happened - and one of them can't tell us anymore.

Michael may not have been an angel. It doesn't matter.

His death has opened up the conversation about policing, accountability, and drawn attention to something that's needed it for a long time.

Something we should keep in mind. Maybe it's time we, as gun owners, stop looking for the perfect case and find the cases we need. Kachalsky was turned down. Fine. There will be more. Open the conversation.

A few build notes

Regarding the AR pistol build from my last post, a few things that are worth mentioning:

- The PSA Pistol Lower Build Kit had an oversized bolt-catch roll pin that necessitated ordering a new pin after I mangled the first one. The trigger, however, is surprisingly good for a budget parts kit. It's no Geissele, but it's a tolerable single-stage.
- The AR small parts kit from Amazon is worth every penny and also included extractor O-rings (which are not pictured).
- The AIM Surplus NiB v2 bolt group is on par with the WMD bolt I have in another rifle, and $50 cheaper. The non-v2 version isn't quite as nicely finished but quite functional and another $30 less.
- The Brownell's upper receiver block is a great fit and will do both A2 and flat-top uppers. (Bought secondhand.)
- The Diamondhead VRS-T handguard is the cat's ass, but requires a low-profile gas block. Also, the barrel nut, while nice because it doesn't need timing to the gas tube, needs a 1-1/4" wrench to install. If you're going to torque to spec, get a crowfoot wrench. I didn't, I just got a big honkin' box wrench from Home Depot and cranked it down to "that's snug".
- The Kaw Valley Precision Linear Comp is a beautiful little piece of equipment and very fairly priced. Sure beats three times the price for a Noveske KX-3/-5.
- AR barrel nuts require a moly grease for installation. There are reasons not to use plain old bearing grease, something about graphite and dissimilar metals. You can buy an entire tube of AeroShell 33MS grease (meets the military spec) for $15-20 and have enough grease for a lifetime, or a 2oz tub of KG-11 Moly Grease for $18 and still have enough for lifetime. Note: this shit gets everywhere. Wear old clothes, put down newspaper, paper plates, whatever, and still expect to get some where you don't want it.
- CLP in a needle applicator is fantastic for small-parts assembly. And for $5, get a tube on your next Amazon order. Tip of the hat to Carteach for the original recommendation on that.
- A Primary Arms MicroDot/Fortis Mount combo is on the way to me. It's light, battery-efficient, and not terribly expensive. Also a plus, the mount is compatible with Aimpoint Micros if/when I decide to upgrade.


(All links are to where I sourced the parts for this build. It seems that several of them have gone out of stock since I ordered, which means either I got the last one or it's just that popular.)

Another notch for freedom

New York prevented me from owning an AR-pattern pistol even before the unSAFE insanity - magazine well outside the pistol grip and unloaded weight over 50oz - so I finally ticked that off the list.

It is (as usual) a York Arms lower, completed with a PSA pistol parts kit, ERGO grip, Diamondhead VRS-T rail, 10.5" 300BLK barrel, and KVP Linear Comp.

It'll be wearing a red dot soon, and a final picture should show up then.

When I have a bit of extra cash, I'll stamp-and-stock it.

Minor amusement: there are at least three or four firearms-industry companies close enough that their "cheap" shipping is still overnight or two-day.

Midway and Grafs are both within a hundred miles.
JoeBob's is perhaps 300 miles.
Brownell's is 200 miles as the crow flies, and 300 by road.

I can actually do same-day pickups from Midway or Grafs if I really want to - if I was ordering powder from both it might be worth it, but it is a four-hour round trip and gas ain't cheap.

Still ... it's nice to know that I can.