Great Midway USA sale, so I drank the 7.62x39 Ar15 Kool Aid!
I've been selling off much my collection for health/financial reasons, and I parted with my Mini-14 and Mini-30. The Mini-14 didn't bother me, as I have my light weight STAG-15 AR-15 featureless 5.56 6.25 lb. M4gery build with a 2x7 tactical scope I hated selling the Mini-30, though. I really like the 7.62x39 round, especially my 123 Nosler hand loads.
I opted on getting a 7.62x39 upper for my upper. At 66 and on retirement mode, I am not a brand snob. Midway USA had complete AR Stoner uppers in 7.62x39 for $399.00 with BCG and charging handle. I figured I would pick one up to use with the AR lower I kept. Well, by the time I finally got around to ordering, they had a mondo good sale going, and I got the entire 7.62x39 AR Stoner build kit for $359! That inspired me to trade some +p 9mm I had to my buddy at the gunshop for another lower (another STAG-15) for this build.
I built the 7.62x39 carbine, replacing the stock and handguard with Magpul MOE stuff I had. Since I am in Commiefornia, I used a Sparrow Dynamics featureless grip, replaced the flash hider with a compact Tridelta comp, and pinned the stock to make it "fixed." I topped it off with Bushnell TRS-32 red dot I had in the cabinet, and picked up a couple ASC stainless steel 10 rounders.
I took it to the range last Wednesday to sight her in. I fed it 100 rounds EACH of my Nosler 123 grain Varmagedon .310" brass cased handloads with 24.5 grains of 4198, and Tulammo Ulyanovsk 8M3 134 HPs steel case. All 200 rounds fired without a single failure.
First I did a battle sight with the TRS-32 at 25 yards where I confirmed both my handloads and the 8M3 had approximately the same POA/POI. I then put 10 rounds rapid fire into a 1.5" circle at 25 yards with the Tulammo. After that I began shooting clay pigeons at 100 yards, and finally assorted baseball and softball sized targets at 200 yards, still using the TRS-32. It was dead nuts on!
Even though mine performed 100% on steel cased ammo as received, I am installed a Wolff extra power hammer spring and ordered an enhanced 7.62x39 firing pin with a longer protrusion from Black Rifle Arms, just for a little insurance.
You all can spend the high dollar to drink the fancy weapon Kool-Aid, but my $450 7.62x39 AR Stoner/STAG15 build is good enough for me.I'd rather spend the money on the Grandkids and my wife! It will do as my ranch/home defense carbine and even whack the coyotes prowling our acreage out to 200 yards.
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