Franken-Carbine?

CW Mock · 02-04-2010, 16:07

I posted these in a CopTalk thread. Basically ...

There is this Franken-15 design here I replicated from my carbine upper and rifle lower. A buddy is curious about trying this out, as he keeps his 6 position stock all the way out on his duty carbine(he is bigger than Lurch) anyways , and likes the solid A2 better. AR15 expert types, will he need to use the rifle buffer, or the carbine buffer and springs, etc? I thought it was as simple as swapping the upper to the rifle lower, but I told him I'd find out.

Gotta admit, the look kind of grows on you.

Thanks for the help, I told him I would try to find out. I messed with the franken carbine in the pictures a little around the house, and it wasn't too bad feeling.

**NeverMore1701** · 02-04-2010, 16:29

Rifle tube, spring, and buffer.

CW Mock · 02-04-2010, 16:33

Thanks, I thought so. That's actually what's in there now - its just the lower of my RRA A4 rifle, and the upper from an M&P15 carbine. I might go shoot the combo for the heck of it, and see what its like.

***faawrenchbndr*** · 02-04-2010, 16:51

An old shooting buddy always perferred the A1 stock.
He hated the collapsable stocks.

Looks good!

**NeverMore1701** · 02-04-2010, 19:28

Good point, the A1 is much better than the A2.

***RWBlue*** · 02-04-2010, 20:20

I am not sure your question was answered correctly, so let me add a little information.

Any functioning upper, should function with any functioning lower.
My A2-HBAR will work with my Resse lower.
My Resse upper will work with my A2 lower.
Swap them around to make yourself happy.

Of my PRS, A2, I prefer the PRS. It has a better balance. It is adjustable. I will not buy another A1, A2 stock. Odds are I will buy another PRS.

lawman800 · 02-05-2010, 00:31

The carbine buffer tube will not be long enough to secure the A2 stock, as a matter of fact, the carbine buffer has a rectangular extension on the bottom of it for the 6 position stock with 6 holes so the A2 stock won't even fit on it. The rifle tube is a round cylinder. The A2 stock also has a threaded end for you to secure the end plate with the trapdoor via screw.

***RMTactical*** · 02-05-2010, 01:36

I think it looks just fine and it works well so long as you don't need to adjust the stock. I've considered doing a carbine build similar to that.

vafish · 02-05-2010, 06:12

Here is how my first AR15 looked when I obtained it.

It worked just fine, but I'm 5'8" and pretty stocky so the A2 stock is a little long for me. I put a 4 position carbine stock on it. If it had a A1 stock when I got it it probably still would have it on.

And the answer to your question, it had the rifle buffer and spring in it.

KalashniKEV · 02-05-2010, 06:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawman800

The carbine buffer tube will not be long enough to secure the A2 stock

Whaaa?

I don't even get the OP's question... is he talking about running a rifle buffer in a collapsable reciever extension?

The tube doesn't get longer b/c the stock is extended, but I'm sure we all know that.

Running the appropriate buffer for the appropriate rec ext is a given, but what length gas system does he have? (I assume the rifle in the pic is yours and not the one we're talking about?)

He might want to go up to H or H2.

And what's this "Franken" anyway? Sen. Al Franken hates guns!

If I put a Colt bolt in a Daniel Defense Carrier, and a BCM upper rec, does it make it "Franken?"

What if I do it while standing in the BCM facility? The bolt stuff is still Continental Machine and Tool and the reciever is still Cerro Forge...

I don't consider any of my guns to be "Franken" b/c they were all lovingly constructed in the KalashniKEV facility.

ottomatic · 02-05-2010, 08:39

And what's this "Franken" anyway? Sen. Al Franken hates guns!
QUOTE]

Assuming that you really don't know, that would be short for "Frankenstein"

CW Mock · 02-05-2010, 08:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by KalashniKEV

Whaaa?

I don't even get the OP's question... is he talking about running a rifle buffer in a collapsable reciever extension?

The tube doesn't get longer b/c the stock is extended, but I'm sure we all know that.

Running the appropriate buffer for the appropriate rec ext is a given, but what length gas system does he have? (I assume the rifle in the pic is yours and not the one we're talking about?)

He might want to go up to H or H2.

And what's this "Franken" anyway? Sen. Al Franken hates guns!

If I put a Colt bolt in a Daniel Defense Carrier, and a BCM upper rec, does it make it "Franken?"

What if I do it while standing in the BCM facility? The bolt stuff is still Continental Machine and Tool and the reciever is still Cerro Forge...

I don't consider any of my guns to be "Franken" b/c they were all lovingly constructed in the KalashniKEV facility.

Sorry if it wasn't very clear, but I think a few figured it out ... Anyhow, this is what happened:

I was taking pictures of my guns for a Cop Talk thread the other day, when I was reminded of a buddy at work, and a question he had for me. Being as I was online, I figured I'd ask before I answered him with what I thought was the right answer.

He is a tall guy, and has ape arms. He has an M4-gery with a collapsing stock that he keeps all the way out, all the time. It's an M&P 15 like mine, and a carbine lower. He doesn't like the wobble of the carbine stock, and loves his A2 rifle and its solid, fixed stock.

SO!

I figured, why not just take your rifle lower, with rifle extension, buffer, etc and swap the carbine upper to it? I thought it should work, but he asked me if the carbine gas system would require a different buffer, even on a rifle lower. I wasn't 100% sure, and I don't have the cash to fix a broken rifle, nor the time to go down to the range and test it.

Now ... when I was taking pictures for GT, I said - "hey, I got an A2 and an M4-gery, I can swap the uppers and take a picture, so when I ask the question on GT, people can see almost the exact same setup he wants." So there are the pics - an almost 100 percent recreation of the wanted gun, save for the extra accessories like the Aimpoint, rails, etc.

Thanks to everyone for answering my question. I thought that was the case, but now I am sure. I'll let him know he can go make the swap, and run it without worry. Now that I made the "clone" I kind of like it too. It feels a lot lighter than the CTR stocked carbine lower I use. I might go and shoot it that way and see what its like. The RRA lower in the picture has a much nicer trigger than the S&W one.

And lastly ... "Franken" refers to Frankenstein, which is what came to mind when I saw my M4-gery upper on an A2 lower. It did not fit my mental mold for what the two types of AR looked like. Anytime guns/people etc are made from a bunch of different parts from different places, it seems Frankenstein-ish. It's not an insult, but rather a descriptor and loving one at that.

Onmilo · 02-05-2010, 10:37

Fixed stock carbines were all the rage during the infamous assault rifle ban.
Is that a bayonet lug on there!? Oops, my bad!