XM177E2 clone build of a MAC-V-SOG CAR-15

[Cap'n Mike]

I bought a cheap external mix airbrush, also from Harbor freight, and after shaking the bejesus out of the 2 8 oz bottles of Norrells, I sprayed both lowers. The A1 lower got coated with Colt Gray Black, and the A2 lower got coated with SOCOM Black. I was surprised how well the Colt Gray-Black matched the Original Colt 6420 grey anodizing. A test fit of the upper.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

To ensure domestic tranquility, and not stink up the lovely Mrs Capn Mikes oven, I sourced this countertop model and used a laser thermometer to monitor the temperature of the lower to ensure it was at 300 degrees for an hour Per Norrells Instructions. I was surprised how different the oven thermometer differed from the oven setting and differed from the actual surface temperature of the lower. Norrells has to reach temperature to activate.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

The buffer tube Im using was black, so I threaded it on a few turns and hit that with the Colt Gray-Black at the same time as the lower. The Norrells was designed to be sprayed over anodizing, so I didn’t have to blast it first like the bare aluminum.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

I highly recommend this product if you have a raw receiver that needs finishing. I tried to scratch it off with my fingernail and it wouldn’t budge. They have a $25 dollar reward if someone can find a chemical that will harm it after it’s oven cured, and noone has claimed it yet.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

I took a 320 grit sanding sponge to the high spots on the lower to match the 37 years of wear and tear on the original Colt upper. I’m very pleased with the results. Even in the daylight it’s a pretty good match.
Next up is assembly and Efiling for my SBR stamp.

 

[PATRON]

I love the way that's coming out,I am setting one up like this.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

I love the way that's coming out,I am setting one up like this.View attachment 570826

Colts Original Carbine, The 607. Very cool.

 

[Whiskeywon]

I love the way that's coming out,I am setting one up like this.View attachment 570826

If you don't have the stock already. Get on the reproduction waitlist ASAP. They are dropping another set soon'ish. I have one already, but I have a buddy waiting on one too.

 

[PATRON]

I got one from 607stock@gmail.com 2 years ago he does a nice job.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

3 Months later, I finally got my tax stamp back from the ATF And was able to put this thing together.
Im very happy with how this clone came out.
Appearance wise, it’s dimensionally Identical to an XM177E2, with the exception of the C H (Colt Harvey) forge marks on the upper. An Original gun would have not have had any forge marks.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

Here is the complete build list.
Took me over a year to get it all together
Waited 70 days for the stamp alone.

XM177E2

Build List



Complete Original Colt 1985 Vintage RO6420 Sporter 2 Upper Receiver

-Had the Correct pencil profile barrel

-Had the Correct skinny shiny hand-guards

-Had the Correct A1 port door

-Had the Correct teardrop forward assist

-Had the Correct A1 sight upper

-Had the Correct grey anodized delta ring



Retro Arms Works Did the following work on the upper receiver

-Chopped and Threaded the 16 inch pencil barrel to 11.5 inches

-Removed the casting flash and bayonet lug from the front sight base -Re-parkerized front sight base

-Enlarged the gas port

-Provided the 4.3 inch replica moderator and grenade ring



Correct Vintage Colt M16A1 parts were installed in the upper including:

-Square front sight

-1974 vintage C Marked Bolt and Carrier group

-1974 Vintage Colt charging handle



Nodak Spud M16A1 80% Lower was electro etched with the correct rollmarks Using Dogfightink stencils, then machined out and coated with Norrells Moly Resin Grey-Black Flat and lightly Weathered to Mach the finish of the vintage upper.



These parts were installed in the lower

-1974 Vintage Colt Grip

-Assorted Used M16A1 lower parts kit components.

-Used M16A1 grey anodized trigger guard

-Used Colt SP1 “no tick” selector

-Ace/Essential Retro Aluminum buttstock, weathered to match upper

-Ace buffer tube moly resined grey-black

-Ace Spanner type lock ring



Original Vintage Colt 20 Round Aluminum Magazine



Original Vintage Seatbelt Sling combined with an Alice strap to make an adjustable 2 point sling.

 

[TheArizonan]

Cool thread. Thanks OP!

 

[Cap'n Mike]

This is the inaccurate stuff I decided to live with:

-No auto sear

-Moderator is not a baffled suppressor

-1/7 twist barrel instead of 1/12

-Buffer and spring are a modern carbine version

-Some of the internal springs and detents are out of a modern parts kit

-An adapter bushing was used to fit the Upper to the Lower

-C H (Colt Harvey) forge code is incorrect

-Buffer tube is a Colt 4 hole (because I actually want to shoot this thing and the stock all the way in or all the way out only makes me nuts)

 

[Cap'n Mike]

Some pics of the details

 

[Cap'n Mike]

Literally the first round I shot out of this build.
Gun ran like top with a PMAG.
This 53 Year old magazine spring obviously needs to be replaced.

 

[paul73]

This 53 Year old magazine spring obviously needs to be replaced.

there are magpul kits with new spring and follower - old mags work just fine after the swap.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

there are magpul kits with new spring and follower - old mags work just fine after the swap.

Its a neat magazine.
Probably issued with an original A1 in 1969-1971.
I have had it since I found it in the bottom of a box in the Arms room in the early 90s, so Im definitely going to give that a shot.

 

[PatMcD]

Just so you know, Colt never made a magazine. The original 20's were all made by Okay/Universal or Adventureline (or so I'm told). Why some foreplates are marked Colt, I have no idea.

 

[Cap'n Mike]

Just so you know, Colt never made a magazine. The original 20's were all made by Okay/Universal or Adventureline (or so I'm told). Why some foreplates are marked Colt, I have no idea.

Yes, this one has the UI stamped on the front that I believe stands for Universal Industries.
I would hypothesize that the Colt floor plate magazines came with actual rifles the .gov purchased.
The Colt civilian rifle I bought brand new in 1991 came with 2 Mags with Colt floor plates.

 

[Andy in NH]

So what are your plans for shooting that?

React to contact like a MACV SOG recon team in a near ambush?

 

[Cap'n Mike]

So what are your plans for shooting that?

React to contact like a MACV SOG recon team in a near ambush?

Absolutely
I’ve got two round eye “strap hangers”, I’m now just looking for a 1/2 dozen “Yards” or maybe some Nungs to round out the team

I did shoot a qual with it.
Ran like a top with Pmags in it.

 

[Andy in NH]

Absolutely
I’ve got two round eye “strap hangers”

Are you the 1-0?

 

[BarnBuilder]

Absolutely
I’ve got two round eye “strap hangers”, I’m now just looking for a 1/2 dozen “Yards” or maybe some Nungs to round out the team

I did shoot a qual with it.
Ran like a top with Pmags in it.View attachment 616320

What target is that ?

 

[Cap'n Mike]

Are you the 1-0?

I’m the straphanger 1-2, I get to carry the radio.

What target is that ?

I don’t know the official name.
We call them “milk bottles”

 

[NHCraigT]

That was definitely a different time.
I remember riding my bike to the bookstore and buying SOF each month with my newspaper money.
The MACV SOG article really caught my interest and that interest continues until today.
Fascinating.

Haha = pretty much the exact same funding source that I had, and I was doing the same thing, around that same time period ....

 

[CJMAC]

Is there a data base you can look up names of members of Macv/sog. My daughters best friends father died like three years ago when they were 15. He was like 73. At the funeral there was a small picture that said he was a member of macv. Kind of like an after thought. I didn’t even know he was a Vietnam vet.

 

[Andy in NH]

Is there a data base you can look up names of members of Macv/sog. My daughters best friends father died like three years ago when they were 15. He was like 73. At the funeral there was a small picture that said he was a member of macv. Kind of like an after thought. I didn’t even know he was a Vietnam vet.

@CJMAC

(Edited for reading comprehension fail on my part.)

Together We Served has a MACV SOG page.

The history of MACV-SOG webpage has a MACV-SOG Personnel Locator.

 

[Picton]

Is there a data base you can look up names of members of Macv/sog. My daughters best friends father died like three years ago when they were 15. He was like 73. At the funeral there was a small picture that said he was a member of macv. Kind of like an after thought. I didn’t even know he was a Vietnam vet.

It would be on his DD-214.

 

[Andy in NH]

John Stryker Meyer (Tilt) wrote an article using a pseudonym (Jim Graves) about MACV SOG in the June 1981 issue of Soldier of Fortune magazine (p. 39-50).

Tour of Duty's third (and last) season began September 1989 and the platoon was transferred to SOG.

CORRECTION: Tilt's pseudonym while writing for SOF was: Isaac Staats.

 

[JRT]

I’m a military history buff, and I have been reading and listening to podcasts lately about MACVSOG Spike Teams running recon on ”The Trail” in Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam war. Many of these guys carried XM177E2 CAR-15s, and I have been motivated to combine my love of guns with my love of history and build as close a clone to the guns these men carried as I can.
i have spent the last year or so gathering parts and I think I have everything I need, now I just need to do the work or send it out to others to get done.View attachment 510728

Love it! Slick side and a metal adjustable stock! I have a project going too. Did the CAR have a forward assist? I don’t think the upper I bought has one.