Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1542142
cleanly. Even the external appear- ance improved dramatically—the cleaning removed a layer of grime from the receivers. Restoring the Finish For heavily worn rifles, a deep clean improves function, but not looks. You can leave the "battle scars"—many shooters prefer the character. If not, consider a Cerakote finish, perhaps in Sniper Grey, like the XM177E1 clone pic- tured here. For the broken plastic, you can try surplus markets, find airsoft replicas for parts, or order modern reproduc- tions from sources like Brownells (stock and handguards cost about $200). You can also get a vin- tage-style duckbill flash hider (A1 vs. A2) and swap out the one on the rifle for a $20 replacement. Twenty-round magazines used to be rare and expensive (up to $100 for a used one). Now, used ones are $43, and a four-pack of new-old-stock 1967-packaged mags is $150. For accessories, a 4x20 carry-han- dle scope is a neat addition. Original Colts are rare and costly ($1,000 new). A modern Brownells repro- duction (allegedly from the original factory) runs about $550. Cheap Chi- nese knockoffs work but cost only $50 – $55. The latter often visually deviates from the original, so if accu- racy matters, Brownells is the better option. Add a sling (about $20), and you are ready for the range. We'll cover how to zero the M16A1 and what it can do in the next story. The rifles, regardless of condition, cost around $1000, and the set includes the original bayonet... FIREARMS