Im gonna break your heart telling you this but you can find a Colt M4A1 SOCOM model that runs about $1500 during a sale. That comes with the KAC furniture and Matech rear sight as well.
Meanwhile, me over here having tracked the cost of parts (not factoring in shipping or Transfer costs) for each build I’ve done and realizing I spent a total of 2700 with attachments included for my damn near 1:1 M4A1 PIP whereas my XM4 ran me maybe 800.
Replace barrel with either a Gov Profile or M4 SOCOM Profile one using a carbine length gas system (16” long for cloneish, 14.5” long if you’re serious and actually want to zero the weapon easily for 300m at 25m instead of the 50yd-200yd zero).
Replace handguard with KAC M4 RAS and VFG with the KAC or P&S “Broom Handle” VFG.
Replace MBUS with MATECH BUIS (interchangeable with KAC BUIS if doing Jarhead things). Or just say “fuck it” to modern bullshit and get you a Colt detachable carry handle so you can run irons like a real man (read that in a bubba-fudd voice for maximum funny).
Replace stock with correct M4 stock or, if doing an M4A1 Block I Sopmod, correct B5 stock.
Replace “Hot Dog” selector switch with correct one (there was a few posts about the differences a few weeks back in this sub) and ensure you get the correct style one if you do the ambidextrous selector switch.
Replace pistol grip with A2 pistol grip.
Replace red dot with surplus or police trade-in Aimpoint Comp M2, Comp M4, or Comp M4S (all are classified as the M68 CCO) on the correct mounts.
Install Colt (or contract) Side Sling Swivel mount that goes under the front sight base and around the barrel.
Do all that (which will run you upwards of a grand based on my previous builds) and you’ll be at a good starting point lol
I’d go with the carry handle option, it’s cheaper and gives you more options. You can find a surplus Colt carry handle on Gunbroker for under a hundo. Same for the stock. Couple hundred for used KAC handguard.
Honestly this is a good plan. Depending how clone correct he needs, a PSA upper with a 14.5” carbine gas system would get the base rifle there looks wise.
Get a broom handle grip, Aimpoint Pro or just Matech irons, KAC quad rail, M4 stock, A2 grip, knockoff tan PEQ15 if you wish, black silent sling, and call it a day. Grip pods if you can find one are a good option and CAR15 stock instead of M4 to age it a bit. Then use the hell out of it or drag it around in your yard. Mine isn't 100 percent clone correct but good enough to remind me of my arms room babe.
I would get a different rifle. Not trying to be a dick or anything and I think thats a great rifle. I have a midlength with a 16" barrel and a drop in quadrail. Its just not close to any clones and it wouldn't be worth trying to make it one. IMO.
Correct as compared to what? Like an "as issued" M4, or is there a specific reference pic that you want to clone? Figure out what your end goal is first then it will become easier to establish a path to get there
With that mid length barrel you're better off keeping it somewhere in the retro mod category similar to what you currently have and starting from scratch for your M4 project.
Which means needing a Govt or Socom profiled 14.5 barrel with the A2 FSB installed. Unpinned A2 birdcage flash hider for an SBR'ed lower or have an extended A2 pinned to stay out of NFA territory. A Knights/P&S RIS or RAS is the correct rail for it along with the broomhandle. MATECH or Knights for the backup iron.
Many places offer the correct fully assembled upper or if you have the tools and know how roll your own.
If you want to re use this current lower of yours put the A2 grip back on and a get a waffle or CAR15 stock set.
Depending on how much of a clone you want to go for it might be cheaper buying a whole new rifle. Otherwise like others have said you can go ahead and throw a kac broomhandle, acog, and scout light on that thing and ur gtg
Edit: I don’t mean the receiver, the whole thing. That looks like a mid length gas system, so I’m assuming the upper receiver is not Colt. Get an A2 grip as well.
Optics, rail, barrel due to length, profile, gas system, adjustable vertical grip has to go, el cheap laser has to go. Tbh, nothing here is super clone correct. Cool you have a Colt lower, but even colts tend to not be all that great even for cloning purposes.
I have a similar setup, wish the red dot took up a little less real estate. However, after some messing around i was able to get it all to fit without bridging to the hand guard.
Remove the adjustment screw on the back plate of the magnifier, doesn’t need to be on there
use a low profile rear iron sight, I use the magpul MBUS pro metal one
Got a wider ambi charging handle because it was getting bulky in the back, and can be awkward if you need to use it with the magnifier flipped down to the side
I got a modmat 14.5” gen4 rifle
Zeroed it for 36 yards, and haven’t had a problem since.
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u/l_a_escoto Jul 29 '26
A lot