My 1962 Vietnam 601 (almost) PIC heavy!

[campperrykid]

Thanks , I had almost forgotten what the early ( much less the super early ) a1's looked like.

Is NDS the only reciever to use?

[imarangemaster]

I think Nodak Spud is the only one making slab side, partial fence, and full fence A1 style lowers. There was another small outfit I think a few years back, but i don't recall the name. Mike at NDS is a prince of a guy. Great uppers. He even does tru A1 603 and 604 uppers with no case deflector.

[GUTS]

Nodak Spud lowers are the finest there is. The attention to detail and the craftsmanship is outstanding. I've used their lowers on all three of my Retro builds, the 601 in the pictures in this thread, a 607 and an XM16E1(with an original H&R upper).
Here is the 607:

And the XM16E1:

[campperrykid]

Thanks for the tip.
Mike and his products have earned a great reputation in the AK community . A couple of companies made some nice recievers , but you don't hear much about them anymore . Nodak Spud took the US AK reciever to a completely new level.

[A square 10]

one fine looking rifle sir , congrats and thanks for posting it

[imarangemaster]

FLASH! Update. Thanks to Retrohead (and all around great guy) 'snipertewg", I traded my early 603 Chrome BCG for a mint 601 BCG with narrow band bolt and full round gas key. He also helped me out with a triangular NDS charging handle, and NDS waffle mag! She looks even more like a 601 with the 601 carrier, the waffle mag, and triangle charging handle! Eventually I will get a set of heatnbeat pins and safety, but that will be down the road. I am on the road headed back to Mississippi (no work in Cali) so it will be a bit until I post updated pics. I used a spring and aluminum follower from a Colt .223 marked on the waffle mag.
Here's a pic of bolt carrier, charging handle and 20 round waffle magazine in the 601.

[imarangemaster]

Here are the latest upgrades to make it a more "correct" Model 601: Heatnbeat dimpled selector and takedown pin, and a correct type horizontal line 601 mag button cut with Heatnbeat's cutter. Now the triangle charging handle and 601 full round carrier are more at home! This is probably as far as I am going. Maybe an Edgewater if I can find one for $75 (hahahahaha!)

[RCS]

Nice looking 601, on the NDS waffle magazines, they are just the magazine body ? without any markings ? are they steel or aluminum. Another question, the full round gas key is considered early ot the first type ?

[imarangemaster]

Nice looking 601, on the NDS waffle magazines, they are just the magazine body ? without any markings ? are they steel or aluminum. Another question, the full round gas key is considered early ot the first type ?

The NDS magazines have a small "N" on the body (back edge) and light markings on the mag base so no one will sell them as originals. They are steel, like the originals. Full round gas keys are the earliest and found only on 601 chrome BCG. It has the early, narrow band bolt, also.

[RCS]

These early Colt SP1 semi auto bolt carriers have the round gas key ?