How 'bout American Style

Howdy -

I bought a Registered Lightning Link a few months ago - been on the road (paying for it and other toys) hadn't had a chance to get it installed until a couple days ago.

Took some minor dremmelling so it would clear the channel block in my $89 Stag rcvr, then I modified the FCG for select-fire. It beat having to shell out for an SP1. Here's the result:

http://media.putfile.com/RLL-with-home-made-select-fire-mod
http://media.putfile.com/RLL-One-Mag

http://aycu11.webshots.com/image/7210/2001980598515533899_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001980598515533899)

DPMS Kittykat 7" A3 upper, with removable everything, TAPCO stock, $20 front grip. It was my AR pistol before receiving the RLL. You guys already know I like flash & boom, from the pistol threads posted

http://aycu07.webshots.com/image/10486/2001999030082040107_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2001999030082040107)

As far as I know, no one's fitted one into a Stag before. So it was ground-breaking on this end http://www.quarterbore.net/forums/showthread.php?t=959
Go here for some enlightenment: http://www.quarterbore.com/ar15m16/index.html

The RLL cost me $6,400 + $200 NFA tax (real Colt M16 would have cost twice as much) but then we all know it's for the 'paperwork' / 'privilage' and not the link itself. Was worth every penny - appreciation is running about 10 - 15%+ annually. Better than $$$ in the bank. Could be cloned from a piece of hacksaw blade in 20 minutes (jail term may be involved - DON'T TRY IT!) Now they're going for 7-8K. Long as you have that piece of paper with a stamp on it ....... you're a 'Good Citizen'. I'm sure the CNN crowd would approve ..........Keith Olberman's viewers sure did :eek:

Steve in El Paso

Oh and by the way :skull_cro Nancy rules :skull_cro as of today

That looks great. I noticed that it is select fire. I thought you could only do full with a LL? Can you fill me in on this?
chris

guess if you want to go with a full auto gun, LL is the "cheap" way to go........only problem I see with a LL is if that thing ever breaks, where it is non-repairable, you end up with a expensive little piece of steel that isn't good for anything. you can't make a new one to replace it.....at least with a register lower if a trigger part break you just replace that and move on.

Steve, you have Awsome toys! Ive never seen someone use a LL nor have I ever seen a registered one, didnt know that was an option. Cool you built it on a Stag too cause that was the only way I could afford my AR and it says something good about the product for you to put a 6+K part in it. Great vid!

OK You Three -

I didn't think anyone ever read this part of the board

I learned alot on this. Chris, I also thought a RLL was an all-or-none deal. Well, I read Quarterbore's webpage, and learned John Norrell and Scott Bell got together one afternoon, and brainstormed the select-fire mod. Scott Bell offered the mod for about $150 - $200, until just recently. Quarterbore posted how it's done (now there are two known methods / I'm working on the 2nd now) and posted it. If I didn't share the link before, here it is: http://www.quarterbore.com/nfa/lightninglink.html scroll to the bottom for SELECTIVE LINKS <pun>

I read that section for hours - even days, when on the road.
Read the WHOLE THING and see what some innovative minds came up with. Then trade your car PAYMENTS for a jalopy, go to http://sturmgewehr.com/webBBS/nfa4sale.cgi and get crackin' Check it several times a day and be ready to jump on the right deal. They were averaging $7K when I got mine for $6.4K. Make your offer ----- IT IS $$$ IN THE BANK

16r40 - You're right about breakage, but there are master TIG welders out there who can restore it if only half remained. After all, it IS the same link, technically. M60 Joe is probably the best http://www.m60joe.com/ in RLL restoration. He's who you call, when you have $7K on the line. I spoke with many folks all over, who've been running them, and none were disappointed. It's the only way I could afford one. The homemade select-fire mod did it. DIAS's are costing around $12K right now - since they slip in and out of the host, it's the most desirable. They sell QUICK. The LM7 beltfed upper runs with a DIAS, but not a RLL.
16r40, your mindset is always 'worst case scenario' - in the end, that IS the only mindset that matters. I'm a pilot by profession (24 yrs) and I know. Same holds true in Spiritual matters. I believe that's called being a realist. It reduces unwanted surprises

Lex - I bought the cheapest lower I could find (short of a Vulcan) when the ban sunset, and papered it as a PISTOL. Spin-off from AK pistol-building. You know I like that fire-flash & boom stuff. Impractical, but I own practical stuff for practical applications. Never been disappointed with this Stag lower. Some people can't handle the deer logo but I couldn't care less. 7" Kittykat required some juggling of buffers & recoil spring lengths, to work; all part of an educational process. It was my first AR. No clue it would ever host this RLL

Hope to soon video a BETA dump at dusk :wink_smal these vids were hasty first-attempts and didn't show flash. I have a FLASH ENHANCER too :cool_smal

I wish you three a healthy & fulfilling '07 - how time flies

Steve in EL Paso

And congratulations nancy for starting the downhill snowball

Flash and Boom is what its all about in my opinion. Really what is the practical use for a machine gun outside of a battle feild, making noise and having fun. Ive never seen a LL other than your pics, how thick is the metal its made out of?

Lex -

It's about the same thickness as a heavy hacksaw blade. BET THAT WOKE SOME OF YOU UP :uhoh_smal actually it's a little bit thicker

This one is serial #08X, legally transferrable. I will mic the thickness next time I take it out, and post it

Visit Quarterbore.com - there's alot of pics, and shared knowledge - click on the links down the left side

Thinking about hanging a cheap laser on the quad-rail gas block. Well, you know, new toy & all. Bought a few cheap lasers on ebay

Steve

My other question Steve is on quaterbore they said timing could be adjusted by changing the thickness of the paddle ( i think thats hat they called it), does that mean to cut it off and weld a thicker/ thinner one on or are they saying to grind it a little if its too wide. Not gonna build one or anything but really curious about how well it works and such. I used to think they were an unsafe jimmy rig for FA, but if you bought one I gotta beleive its the real deal. Great reading on those sites too.

Well in the CIII world, they are the lowest form of legal AR15/M16 conversion. But yes they work.

Over @ quarterbore, the illustrations show that paddle thickness determines how soon or how late it 'see-saws' on the rear lug, and pulls the disconnector back, releasing the hammer. That's your timing. It requires the use of a F/A BC, which is cut out to ALMOST FLUSH with the rear lug (on the upper). Look closely at the BC pics; you'll soon be able to see it working, in your mind

Steve

Are these available for Ak's too? What are the different applications?

Im looking for something to have fun with, but an investment too.

I've got some money saved up for a down payment on a house that is sitting . . . . won't be buying a house for at least 3 or 4 years... so why not have some fun and let that money grow!!! :)

cntrailrider... shoot me a pm or email if you want... or type it out for all to see. -myers

Im pretty sure there is no Lightening Link for an AK, though there may be something similar. FalGrunt, buy one of Cntrailriders mgs, you can always rent. :small_gri

Unfortunately the AK version of the lightning link was shot out of the water by ATF. Seems the inventer made a few up and registered them before 86, but you had to modify the receiver to accept them. ATF sez if the receiver is modded the "conversion device" can't be the registered part, the receiver is. There was another design that came later that clamps onto the safety lever axle and requires no receiver mods, but none made before 86.

Registered receiver AKs are all that is commonly available.

Unfortunately the AK version of the lightning link was shot out of the water by ATF. Seems the inventer made a few up and registered them before 86, but you had to modify the receiver to accept them. ATF sez if the receiver is modded the "conversion device" can't be the registered part, the receiver is. There was another design that came later that clamps onto the safety lever axle and requires no receiver mods, but none made before 86.

Registered receiver AKs are all that is commonly available.


Those were registered auto sears.They are registered and are just factory auto sears with numbers and ID on them.The ATF let a few AK's after May 1986 to be married to the registered auto sears but when they found out the holes have to be made they stopped.They grandfathered the rifles already registered to the sears even though they were converted after May 1986.The approvals were given on a case by case basis with no rhyme or reason.Something about serial numbers on certain rifles.The rifles that were converted with the sears had to be imported before May 1986 even though they were imported as semi auto rifles.Some Yugo AK's that are transferable have these sears.

The one I'm thinking of was similar to the factory sear but no hole was required in the receiver for the axis pin. IIRC, there was a little bent metal holder for the sear that locked into place under the center support and the hammer pin fastened it in place at the rear. The mod to the receiver was just slotting the right rail. ATF said if you had to mod the receiver to get it to work, the receiver had to be the registered part.

The one I'm thinking of was similar to the factory sear but no hole was required in the receiver for the axis pin. IIRC, there was a little bent metal holder for the sear that locked into place under the center support and the hammer pin fastened it in place at the rear. The mod to the receiver was just slotting the right rail. ATF said if you had to mod the receiver to get it to work, the receiver had to be the registered part.


Okay now I know the one you're talking about.It was held in by a piece of bent sheetmetal to fit the inside of the receiver.Some semi auto AK's do have the slot.The earliest Maadi's had the slot in the rail.I've seen those.I've heard of others but I forget which ones they are.

Alot of flats and some of the "virgin" Yugo krink kits come with these slotted rails. I don't if I would trust the ATF to not put you into jail for having a slotted rail.

Interesting idea for the device though. Guess i'll just have to become a CII/VII and build "samples" :)

-myers

I remember now it's some of the Romanian AK's that are imported with slotted rails.Some of those and the very early Maadi's.

AR-15 LIGHTNING LINK RE-ENFORCER

http://www.knsprecisioninc.com/New%20Products.htm

Damn Cntrailrider, I watched all you putfile videos, man you know how to have fun!

Why is it cameras just won't stay upright? happens to me too if I don't stick it on a tripod.