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AmbGun ACOG Page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/acog The Trijicon ACOG, the Advanced Combat Optical Gun sight, is my favorite rifle scope. But I despise those big snaggy mounting nuts and I hate using electrical tape to snuff out the fiber optic generated reticle flare. During our review of the Desert Tech MDR we removed those nuts, cut back the stud, and used 5mn flange nuts to reduce the fingernail breaking obstruction. An 80% solution. The elegant 100% solution is the Shaffer Machining ACOG mount. Easy to swap. 30 grams lighter. And it completely eliminates the snag hazard… especially important for bullpups like the MDR or RDB. Shaffer also eliminates sticky electrical tape residue with their fiber optic cover. I generally prefer a near black ACOG Chevron, so I keep the shutter closed, but it is nice to have the ability to quickly brighten the reticle. Use the indexed slider to dial in just the right amount of illumination. Shaffer Machining, single handedly and uniquely making the ACOG less flashy, less snaggy, less sticky….And More ambi.

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 Part 1 Canvas GI Sling - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/Zrg3MfUOlnM?feature=share Part 2 Length of Pull - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/EsI5tzRQQCs Part 3 Magazine Catch and Release - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/aiEuS_OJjag Part 4 Safety - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/7gyxZbWqV18 Part 5 Trigger - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/bo3FmZZAyjw Part 6 Piston Driven Action - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/6DaKLgpF_WE Part 7 Sights - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/7xJgxL-O4Do?feature=share Part 8 Social Credit Score - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/ZBlfMy61Cxs Part 9 Field Accuracy - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/kLAambINp68 Mini 14 Zeroed…Proceeded to do an AQT, squeaked in a Rifleman score of 211. Solid performance in the crucial slow fire prone stage was undermined by a slightly weak showing in stage 2, sitting. I usually do this squatting, but decided for some stupid nostalgic reason to do cross legged sitting. Nice groups, but a bit to the right. Sloppy NPOA. Clean up that stage for another 4-6 points, and I'm scoring the same as my iron sighted AR and only 10-12 points less than my ACOG equipped BCM. Scored a 48 out of 50 offhand…right up there with my best performances with the AR, irons or optic. While the Mini’s in the field accuracy was better than the Internet experts led me to believe, the hand guard got uncomfortably hot. If the AR shits where it eats, the Mini burns where it shits. Not suitable for attending a Project Appleseed Rifle Marksmanship Clinic, unless you were a glove on your support hand…or place a computer fan in the handguard. Still it has been a satisfying project..not the easy snap together of AR15 legos but a soulful hand crafting every step of the way. If you had told me that I’d be altering sling attachments, cutting down the stock, reshaping a thin butt plate, and filing down the front sight, I’d have steered clear. But now that it’s done, well it feels special in a way that AR “builds” do not.

AmbGun 10/22 Takedown Build Series in Shorts https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr Thanks Keltec for the SU16d pic rail peep sight KelTec Peep diameter is .14. I wanted .070 max…so Drilled out peep with #11 bit Tapped with 12-40 Threaded up Skinner .070 aperture Probably should have gone with extended aperture for a bit more threads and to shift aperture rearward a bit… Zeroing for elevation was quick with the Tech Sights front sight tower. It took a bit more trial and error to nail the windage…loosening the phillips head screw on one side and tightening on the other to shift the peep. About 20 rounds and I had it dialed. Proceeded to do an AQT Offhand I scored a 47 out of 50 with all hits in the black although one was close. Squatting (not an official Project Appleseed position, but more tactically useful than sitting on ass) scored a 43. Stage 3 rapid fire prone, a 45…really good scores so now I’m nervous for the slow fire prone worth double points. Shot an 88. Total score of 223 is my best ever shooting without a sling. I’d say building a pic rail aperture peep sight proved worthwhile. Check out the Ambgun 10/22 Takedown Build in Shorts series and parts list. Link in the description.

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 Part 1 Canvas GI Sling - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/Zrg3MfUOlnM?feature=share Part 2 Length of Pull - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/EsI5tzRQQCs Part 3 Magazine Catch and Release - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/aiEuS_OJjag Part 4 Safety - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/7gyxZbWqV18 Part 5 Trigger - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/bo3FmZZAyjw Part 6 Piston Driven Action - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/6DaKLgpF_WE Part 7 Sights - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/7xJgxL-O4Do?feature=share Part 8 Social Credit Score - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/ZBlfMy61Cxs Part 9 Field Accuracy - Mini 14 Coming soon Replaced the somewhat adequate Ruger rear sight with Tech Sights’ MINI200 . Better adjustments. Smaller aperture. About ½” more sight radius. (wish it added another inch and 1/) Shooting 10 MOA low with the peep at max elevation, contacted Ruger support. Spoke with an interesting technician who recommended that if it's grouping well to just\ file down the front sight…he offered to do it for me and check out everything else for a refresh if I wanted to send it in. I didn’t. So I did some BubbaSmithing. Measured where my sight was, where I wanted it to be, and knowing minute of angle change per ½ turn, I made a crude calculation as to how much I needed to remove from the front sight I hand Filed the front sight down by 50 thousandth of an inch ReSet the peep in the middle of its elevation adjustment. Went to zero…spot on. No changes needed. Three shots cleanly in a 1” square at 25 meters. Iron sights, in the field prone, 4MOA gets it done. The clueless keyboard warriors will cry “muh 1 moa”. Yeah, whatever. Next field accuracy…offhand, sitting/squatting, and prone.

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 Part 1 Canvas GI Sling - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/Zrg3MfUOlnM?feature=share Part 2 Length of Pull - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/EsI5tzRQQCs Part 3 Magazine Catch and Release - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/aiEuS_OJjag Part 4 Safety - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/7gyxZbWqV18 Part 5 Trigger - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/bo3FmZZAyjw Part 6 Piston Driven Action - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/6DaKLgpF_WE Part 7 Field Accuracy - Mini 14 Coming soon Part 8 Social Credit Score - Mini 14 https://youtube.com/shorts/ZBlfMy61Cxs Is the Mini 14 as accurate as an AR? Probably not. Is it as reliable? Maybe. But it is way more gray man. No pistol grip, so it's not a deadly, high powered assault rifle in the som-nam-bulant public’s NPC brain. Bare muzzle version…No flash hider or supressor so it's not a “weapon of war”. Flush 5 round mag isn't dangling menacingly beneath grandpa’s wood stock and if you run 20 rounders in an INVRT bandoleer the round count will most likely fly under their radar. Sometimes American forces deployed overseas like to run their M4’s with innocent looking 20 round mags and a shortened pistol grip for a less provocative posture. The Mini is the civilian civilized posture carbine. Preserve the grey man advantage of the Mini…steer clear of folding pistol grip stocks, run a bare muzzle, stick with peep sights, and deploy with a 5 round mag inserted. Don't try to make the Mini14 into an AR. If you want a pistol grip, muzzle device, and lots of 30 round mags, get an AR. If you want a folding backpack carbine, KelTec’s SU16c. The Ruger Mini 14, the subdued profile, low drag, gray man, carbine…the sleeper with AR-15 capabilities concealed in a civilized wood veneer. Elegantly hanging over your fireplace. And if that veneer is peeled back, I prefer the 18.5” barrel over the flash suppressed 16.5

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 1 Canvas GI Sling https://youtube.com/shorts/Zrg3MfUOlnM?feature=share Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 2 Length of Pull https://youtube.com/shorts/EsI5tzRQQCs Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 3 Magazine Catch and Release https://youtube.com/shorts/aiEuS_OJjag Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 4 Safety https://youtube.com/shorts/7gyxZbWqV18 Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 5 Trigger https://youtube.com/shorts/bo3FmZZAyjw Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 6 Piston Driven Action https://youtube.com/shorts/6DaKLgpF_WE The original Mini-14 featured a 12 ½” length of pull, the current millennium production is 13 ½”. While I’m ok with trigger manipulation at the new longer length, I think it makes for an excessive eye to peep sight distance. To get the clarifying benefits of a peep, the eye should be about 2” or max 3” from it. Buttstock pad to peep is 14 1/2”..on the AR, with the same trigger LOP, it’s 11 ½”. Cut ⅝” off the wood stock. Replace the recoil pad for a thin butt plate to shave another ¼”. for a 12 5/8” LOP. Install Tech Sights to shift the peep back half inch. I wish it set all the way back to the end of the receiver. Aperture is nearly half that of the stock peep making for a crisper front sight. I need 10 MOA more elevation. Thought maybe the loop sling was throwing things off, but shooting without being slung up POI was the same. Groups are pretty good. File down the front sight? Need a good selection of shop tools to dial in the Mini. Coming Next in the AmbGun Mini 14 series…the magazine release.

20% Discount code: I9DKJYDN AmbGun Keystone Overlander Page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/overlander AmbGun KelTec RDB Page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/keltec-rdb I typically don't care much for bipods They introduce the variable of the terrain, sand, gravel, dirt, concrete, wood, into the “steady hold factors” equation Versus a shooter's sling that insulates a bit and can provide support for not just prone, but sitting, squatting, and offhand, too. But our 4 year old ‘lil gunfighter wanted to try a bipod for support. And parents wanted help keeping the muzzle out of the dirt and directed down range. I Paired a CVLife QD pic rail Tactical bipod with the Keystone Overlander. A terrific combination for kids shooting prone….and adults alike. One surprising benefit of the bipod for the Overlander is that it prevents the stock from collapsing during live fire recoil…even if forward tensioned. Raising bipod awareness… The Tactical bipod is Great for bullpups, too, where the sling, as a shooter's aid, is less effective. Compared to the Magpul bipod… Size and Weight basically the same Tilt is smooth on Magpul, indexed on CVlife CVlife features numeric markings on legs CVlife can fold both to the front and to the rear…great for bullpups or backpack carbine versatility With legs folded, the CVlife can keep a rifle balanced upright on its adjustment knob, whereas the Magpul knob is pretty tippy…although it has really nice knurling. I do wish the bipod could splay its legs at a sideways angle to create a wider platform for kids. Our little test shooter figured it out, so maybe not worth the added complexity and weight. CVlife Tactical bipod…about half the price of Magpul offering. And with similar features.

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 1 Canvas GI Sling https://youtube.com/shorts/Zrg3MfUOlnM?feature=share Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 2 Length of Pull coming soon Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 3 Magazine Catch and Release https://youtube.com/shorts/aiEuS_OJjag Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 4 Safety https://youtube.com/shorts/7gyxZbWqV18 Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 5 Trigger https://youtube.com/shorts/bo3FmZZAyjw Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 6 Piston Driven Action https://youtube.com/shorts/6DaKLgpF_WE The Mini 14 features a “self-cleaning”, fixed-piston gas system vs the AR’s “shits where it eats” direct impingement system. As for the AR being “dirty” or dumping heat onto its bolt carrier group, given my AR’s reliability I’m like “so what?” However when a cartridge fails to fully seat in a dirty chamber, I do prefer the Mini 14’s reciprocating charging handle over the AR’s forward assist. The AR’s forward assist obstructs and nullifies the AR’s otherwise very ambi charging handle. The REAL advantage of the Mini 14 action is the lack of a buffer tube inside the buttstock. This allows the Mini 14 to adopt a folding stock with ease (but don’t, see the full length review), the buttstock can be used like a club with minimal risk of wrecking it, and it allows the line of sight to be less than an inch above the bore…whereas the AR’s line of sight is about 2.5” high. So overall, I do prefer the Mini 14…if it can match the AR’s accuracy. Next in the AmbGun Mini 14 series…in the field accuracy

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 1 Canvas GI Sling https://youtube.com/shorts/Zrg3MfUOlnM?feature=share Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 2 Length of Pull coming soon Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 3 Magazine Catch and Release https://youtube.com/shorts/aiEuS_OJjag Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 4 Safety https://youtube.com/shorts/7gyxZbWqV18 Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 5 Trigger https://youtube.com/shorts/bo3FmZZAyjw The Mini-14 stock is sandwiched between the receiver and the trigger group. I actually like THIS part of the field stripping process. Unlatch the trigger guard, pull straight out, and remove buttstock from the gas block flange. Great design. Easy to clean and maintain. The two stage trigger is very good…better than a mil-spec AR trigger but not as good as a Giselle. Good enough that I won’t fuck with it. At the most maybe a MCARBO spring kit to drop the pull weight down a bit. Otherwise, I’ll let it polish itself with live fire and just keep it clean and lubed with Sentry Tuf-Glide. As for manipulating the trigger with the standard straight stock, I recommend thumb to the side to create the exaggerated c-shaped trigger finger to prevent dragging wood…maybe to the point of fingertips to stock. I added some skateboard tape to keep my firing hand from slipping down the angled face of the grip. The mini’s trigger is definitely one of the components that boosts its practical, in the field, accuracy. Next in the AmbGun Mini 14 series…piston vs direct impingement. #mini14 #trigger

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 1 Canvas GI Sling https://youtube.com/shorts/Zrg3MfUOlnM?feature=share Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 2 Length of Pull coming soon Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 3 Magazine Catch and Release https://youtube.com/shorts/aiEuS_OJjag Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 4 Safety https://youtube.com/shorts/7gyxZbWqV18 The Ruger Mini 14’s inside the trigger guard, M1 Garand-like safety is simple and very ambidextrous friendly. One advantage over the AR thumb safety is that if you reach the Act part of the OODA loop and move your finger off index into the trigger guard to fire, you will get instant feedback if you forgot to take the rifle off safe. No such tactile feedback on the AR. Some bedwetters think this inside the trigger guard safety is dangerous. I think it is fine for bare handed shooting, but I might dampen the sheets a bit if wearing diaper thick winter gloves…like 8 months of the year here in Wyoming. I definitely could see a risk of an accidental discharge if wearing thick gloves. More room inside the trigger guard would be useful, but just be glove aware. I very much like that the Mini safety actually captures the hammer and locks up the sear. Too many safeties simply prevent trigger movement. But what if the sear fails…and there are plenty of ways that can happen…metallurgy failure, pins walking out, cracks in receiver or FCU. Kudos Ruger. One reason I do ergonomically prefer my AR’s thumb safety is that it is a very similar motion, muscle memory to running the manual thumb safety on my KelTec P17 handgun. But for the straight stocked Mini 14 Ranch rifle, the ambi trigger guard safety is excellent. Definitely safer than a cross bolt safety for the ambidextral gunfighter. See our video on the MC2c crossbolt safety as to why. #mini14 #safety

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 1 Canvas GI Sling https://youtube.com/shorts/Zrg3MfUOlnM?feature=share Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 2 Length of Pull coming soon Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 3 Magazine Catch and Release https://youtube.com/shorts/aiEuS_OJjag Ruger Mini 14 Marksman - Part 4 Safety https://youtube.com/shorts/7gyxZbWqV18 The Mini 14 features an AK like rock in magazine catch. Plenty fast once you're accustomed to it and I think it eliminates the need for a tap tug check that most of us perform on straight insert STANAG mags. Spending so much time on a 10/22, I like to operate the Mini14 mag release the same way as Ruger’s 22 rifle…pushing forward with the back of my trigger finger. Allowing you to simultaneously eject the empty mag while reaching for a fresh one. Mini 14 mags, even 20 rounders, can drop free if the rifle is horizontal otherwise the grip and strip method is going to be the most reliable way. And it will certainly be the least painful method since the mag release lever can bite the backside of your finger…or chew on your glove. Seems like this pinch hazard would have been eradicated after 6 decades. Nonetheless, the Mini 14 mag release is perfectly mirrored ambi for the ambidextral gunfighter. It also reduces the risk of an accidental mag disengagement compared to the AR…as long as you avoid those third party, extended mag release “upgrades”.

AmbGun Mini 14 page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/mini-14 My 583 series Ruger Mini-14 Ranch features 1” sling loops Not good enough for a 1 1/4” Canvas GI Sling Plus it is not easily detached for when the sling is looped up as a shooter’s aid So Peel the 1” front sling loop off the gas block But the hole in the front mount does not fit any production sling swivels…not even the one’s sold by Ruger So Drill out hole…not that big of a deal Now you learn that the mount is too wide Grind down width…this is kind of ridiculous for a rifle that’s been in production for 6 decades Install a new 1 ¼” sling swivel Unscrew rear sling loop Epoxy Install an Uncle Mikes wood screw sling stud Install a new 1 ¼” sling swivel Weave Canvas GI Sling into the sling loops. Almost ready for the range.. Coming Next for the Mini 14…Heel to Peep and LOP drama.

Ambidextral Shotgun Fighter page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-shotgun WARNING: This video features the simulation of shooting down a quadcopter/drone. This is a new role for shotguns in modern warfare. In the USA, shooting down a drone...even one flying over your own property, can get you in serious trouble with the FAA. For now, drones are treated much like manned aircraft. I presume that if a drone is threatening your life you could, like Ukrainian fighters, defend yourself. The Thunder Ranch Mossberg 590 features a handsome brown cerakote finish to offset the black furniture. The 590 is very ambidextrous…loading left or right handed, top safety, running the pump, and the action lock lever is close enough to mirrored to allow bilateral transfer of skill. So the Mossberg shotgun is good for the ambidextral gunfighter making optimal use of cover. My only concern is the narrow top of the buttstock. At least for my face when I establish a firm cheek weld, my eye overshoots the centerline of the Mossberg…consistently the same amount left and right handed. I think the slightly thicker MagPul SGA buttstock would give ME better eye alignment with the barrel. And while the Thunder Ranch 590 has a relatively short length of pull, I think I’d like to reduce it by about ½” or more…doable with the Magpul stock. I’m accustomed to running my thumb on the side of rifles, so I favor this for shotguns, too. Eliminates tapping your nose under recoil. But check with a professional shotgunner as to the advisability of this practice. With the RMSc cutout you can easily mount a red dot…here a Viridian RFX44 closed emitter green dot. Probably more useful for slugs than shot. Runs mini shells fine with the OpSol Mini-Clip I do admire the beautiful simplicity and rugged reliability of the 590 pump. Very satisfying to load, a testosterone dump running the pump, a gratifying boom, and a reassuring bit of recoil. Mossberg Thunder Ranch 590, it’s just brutally cool to shoot…even for the shotgun novice, rifleman like me.

Keystone Overlander Page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/overlander Mission First Tactical Achro “without color” or gray man 22L Backpack Features an ambi access CCW pocket and the velcro MFT Multi-Mount Platform My P17 fits with room to spare I’m not a fan of off-body firearm carry, so I secured a Pioneer Woman paring knife. Perhaps I should include a spoon and fork, too. The subdued company logo is discreetly positioned above the exterior storage pocket where I organize my family ParaQuito insect repellent…you’re more likely to be killed by a mosquito than a Grizzly. Only opens diagonally, I wish it folded out full like the 30L model. I use the soft eyeglass pocket to carry two “camera” phones. The carry handle is sturdy and the sweat chimney helps keep you cool Sturdy padded shoulder harness with adjustable sternum strap. The 2.4 pound pack is a good match for mountain bikers and day hikers. Ambi water bottle pouches can hold up to 32 ounce containers Padded compartment accommodates my inadequate, but long lived, 13” Lenovo Thinkpad. But I wish the compartment kept the notebook off the bottom. I made use of the laser cut molle to install a holster and secure a barrel condom to carry the Keystone Overlander. Rugged enough to handle bumpy mountain bike trails with grace. Not quite tall enough to comfortably accommodate our 19 ½” 10/22 takedown build, but I believe the 30L version would be tall enough.

AmbGun 10/22 Takedown Build in Shorts playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVlCoEE1rzM4Zv_rpWhIf1uAwa9jL64x8 AmbGun 10/22 Takedown page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr Irons: 10/22 Std vs Takedown LOP 11.5 vs 13 Barrel 18.5 vs 16.5 Sight Radius. 22.75 vs 19 ⅞ (almost 3” longer) Rear Sight Tech Sights vs Keltec Trigger. BX vs Volquartsen HP+ Sling. Canvas GI vs None Aperture. .062 vs .140 Weight. 5.1 (4.74 without sling) vs 4.24 lbs (backpacker is 8 ounces lighter) Max width. 2.1” vs 2.5” (3/10 wider due to bolt handle) Buttstock to peep 12.75 vs 13.5” (¾” closer to peep) AQT 220 vs 205 OAL. 35.75 vs 34/19.5 (16 ¼” shorter)

AmbGun Keystone Overlander updates https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/overlander Keystone Overlander Very light and compact… It’d be nice if the stock could slide forward just a bit more to sit flush against the back of the receiver. But that might breach the 26” legal limit. The light, carbon fiber wrapped barrel, free floated “handguard”, pistol grip, and collapsible buttstock lend the Overlander an exotic look. I replaced the excessively long pistol grip with a BCM KD 3.0 Gunfighter shorty grip. Saves over 30 grams. With the design of the receiver’ I had to lop off the beaver tail and some of the trigger guard ledge. I’ve always looked at the Keystone Crickett single shot bolt action rifles for kids with interest. I think the Overlander can serve as a kid’s training platform AND yet continue to serve as a very light and compact backpack carbine for adults. The buttstock storage compartment provides a good cheek weld for kids, but adults will need to do a good turkey neck cheek weld onto the extended twin rails to get low enough to see through the peep sight. The Overlander, like the SU16c, can fire while the stock is folded or collapsed. Something that the Ruger takedown rifles can’t match. I did experience some frustration with the collapsible stock…the stock collapses about an inch on almost every shot. Occurs when pulling the buttstock firmly into the shoulder pocket…preloaded such, the light recoil of the 22LR cartridge is just enough to collapse the stock. I suppose you could call it a recoil reducing feature, but it’s annoying. This leads to the four step firing routine: Eject spent case Insert fresh cartridge Close Bolt Extend stock Cock hammer Trying to resolve the issue, I used a small triangle file to cut the wire stock notches deeper and square it up toward the rear of the buttstock…allowing the forward side to retain a ramp. I also added a ⅛” preload spacer to the spring. The problem persists. It is an annoying issue that hopefully Keystone can resolve with future iterations. The spring loaded catches do have a steel roll pin insert for lockup with the wire stock. They do offer a version of the Overlander with an AR like adjustable buttstock/buffer tube setup. This is a poor solution…ruining the weight advantage of the Overlander, hinders the rifle’s length of pull as a platform for children, and eliminates the really compact collapsed form factor….probably 5 to 6 inches longer when collapsed than the wire stock. Wire stock is far superior for a backpack carbine and worth overcoming or adapting to the lock up issues. Monitor the Ambgun Overlander page for updates.

AmbGun “10/22 Takedown Build Series in Shorts” https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr Testing the 10/22 takedown rifle using the Project Appleseed AQT. Started off with the irons, the KelTec rear peep and the Tech-Sights front sight tower. I twice failed to shoot a Rifleman score on the AQT. Discouraging. Mounted a Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4 scope and tried again. Couldn’t get the scope far enough forward for a good repeatable turkey neck cheek weld, but managed to squeak out a 214 Rifleman score. Experimented with a Crimson Trace red dot, scored better than with irons, but not a Rifleman score. So I concluded I needed a magnified optic, but one with either limited eye relief or able to be mounted far enough forward…pulled the gen 2 Vortex Spitfire 5x off my RDB and with the prism’s close eye relief, mounted using the low mount and all the way to the rear, it was perfect. Being a compact scope it also did not extend past the stock when broken down…unlike the Leupold scope…a bonus for fitting it into a backpack. And, with the Spitfire, my scores ranged from a low of 218 to a high of 244 during four ambi-AQT’s. Excellent scores for shooting the AQT without a sling.

AmbGun “10/22 Takedown Build Series in Shorts” https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr I was going to use the sights mounted on the Ruger barrel, but I discovered that the receiver’s pic rail blocked them. Tried mounting a Leupold VX Freedom scope, but there were not enough pic rail slots to get it far enough forward for a proper Turkey Neck cheek weld. I experimented with a red dot, it works well enough. Ultimately I went back to my desire for irons with a Tech Sights front sight tower with its standard AR post it sits about ½” higher than Ruger’s stock front sight. I had some hope that a Tech Sights SU16 rear peep would fit on the pic rail, but the overhang would not clear the receiver…so I dug out the original plastic rail mounted peep sights that came with my SU16c…not exactly the elegant option for the rifle, but they line up with the Tech Sights front tower. On a takedown rifle, barrel mounted sights make sense for preserving a precise zero…but within the noise of my marksmanship, I do not think I'll be able to discern a zero shift. I will test that with a magnified optic. My guess is that most claims of a shift in point of impact is often just a matter of being fooled by randomness…something that I think is rampant in the shooting world. The rear peep has the advantage that it adds 7” to the sight radius over the barrel mounted sights. I suspect the added sight radius carries more benefit than “zero preserving” barrel mounted sights. For a backpack carbine, I prefer the less bulky and sturdy simplicity of irons…which I will use for the Appleseed Qualification Test…next.

AmbGun “10/22 Takedown Build Series in Shorts” https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr Rifle stock for the AmbGun 10/22 takedown project. Since I wanted the takedown package to be able to easily slip in and out of a scabbard, I bypassed the rubber over molded Hogue stock. Given my mountain bike emphasis on bulk and weight, I chose the MagPul X22 Backpacker which is 12 ounces lighter than the Hogue and a whopping 21 ounces lighter than MagPul’s X22 Hunter. The Backpacker features storage for 3 ten round mags. And some o-ring sealed storage in the grip that’ll hold a really small tourniquet, water purification tablets, or some Skittles. The stock has holes ready for QD sling inserts and while I'm a huge advocate for shooter’s aid sling, I'll leave them unfilled…saving weight and saving $70 for the MagPul Type 1 and Type 2 inserts…four fucking QD inserts that cost almost as much as the stock. Wow. No stock mounting screws included in the Magpul kit or with the Ruger barrel…another week waiting for a stupid screw. The Brownells receiver thoughtfully included the stock screw for its side of things. So if You're following along with your own build, get some receiver cross pins and an extra stock screw. The X22 Backpacker DOES include an elevated cheek riser/storage cover for those who go with optics. The way that the receiver stock and barrel stock link up is beautiful and keeps receiver and barrel from banging together in a backpack. The rubber buttstock pad and angled toe remind me of the MFT Battlelink stock that I like so much. A terrific takedown stock design, just keep in mind that MSRP will be almost $200 if you want ambi QD inserts.

AmbGun “10/22 Takedown Build Series in Shorts” https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr Barrel choices for the AmbGun 10/22 takedown project. The AmbGun online survey results found the three options very closely matched. I went with the Ruger cold hammer forged threaded barrel. The price is ⅓ that of the exotic fiberglass wrapped aftermarket barrels. While it included barrel mounted sights, that turned out to not be an advantage…except for the front sight dovetail. It would have been nice to combine the Volquartsen bolt and trigger kit with a Volquartsen barrel. I really like how they reverse “cantilever” a pic rail to allow for a barrel mounted optic that is shifted rearward over the receiver…this does require a non-railed receiver so I could not go this route. The Tactical Solutions Takedown Barrel is a great option and shaves several ounces compared to the Ruger barrel. If I didn't think that Ruger makes very good barrels, I would have gone the TacSol route. Plus I think the TacSol barrel mounted sights would be visually blocked by the Brownell’s Receiver integral pic rail. Ultimately, the Ruger offers 90% at ⅓ the price.

BCM SOPMOD Bolt Upgrade/Rebuild Kit https://bravocompanyusa.com/bcm-sopmod-bolt-upgrade-rebuild-kit/ Went to the range to zero the Palmetto State Armory carry handle sight that sits atop my Bear Creek Arsenal 20” AR. Once zeroed, I decided to do an “Around the Squares” test…something I often do with optics, but never before with irons Always aiming at the center square, I use the .43 MOA windage clicks and .53 Elevation clicks to move the hits from square to square. I start with “checking my zero” firing at and hitting the center square. Then to hit the square to the left of center, I dial in 9 MOA left or 21 clicks on the windage and while still aiming at the center square, look for my hit in the middle left square. Then using the elevation wheel, I dial up 11 MOA…or 21 clicks. Aim at the center square and anticipate a hit on the upper left square. Then it’s 18 MOA right, 42 clicks…I ran out of windage clicks to the right so went as far as I could (8 clicks short), aimed at the center square and anticipated a hit near the upper right square. Then 11 MOA down or 21 clicks on the elevation wheel, aiming at the center square, looking for a hit just to the left of the middle right square. With the irons, I couldn’t dial down to the bottom row squares, so I did 21 clicks left for 9MOA. If I had been paying attention I could have subtracted 8 clicks to put me back to my zero…fired for the center square, and looking for a hit on the center square…or, in this case, 2 MOA to the left. I think the test demonstrates that the .43 MOA per click for windage and .53 MOA per click for elevation is correct and that the PSA carry handle sight can legitimately perform the “around the squares” test. BCM 16” RECCE $1560 BCM Ambi Charging Handle $90 BCM Ambi Safety $30 Geissele SSA-E Trigger $170 Arms Unlimited Ambi Mag Release $30 BCM KD 3.0 Grip $15 $1895 Vs BCA Forged Upper with 20” CHF barrel $252 BCA Forged Lower with Velocity Trigger $335 PSA Carry Handle Sight $80 BCM Bolt Upgrade Kit and Firing Pin $37 BCM Ambi Safety $30 Breek Arms Ambi Charging Handle $70 Tactical Advantage FTS Hybrid Brake $90 Arms Unlimited Ambi Mag Release $30 MagPul Trigger Plate $20 BCM KD 3.0 Grip $15 Stake Castle nut, check barrel nut, $959 Bear Creek Arsenal AR featured in the Irons vs ACOG experiment https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/ar15/ironsACOG

Palmetto State Armory Carry Handle on 20" Bear Creek Arsenal return to zero test...around the squares. Went to the range to zero the Palmetto State Armory carry handle sight that sits atop my Bear Creek Arsenal 20” AR. Once zeroed, I decided to do an “Around the Squares” test…something I often do with optics, but never before with irons Always aiming at the center square, I use the .43 MOA windage clicks and .53 Elevation clicks to move the hits from square to square. I start with “checking my zero” firing at and hitting the center square. Then to hit the square to the left of center, I dial in 9 MOA left or 21 clicks on the windage and while still aiming at the center square, look for my hit in the middle left square. Then using the elevation wheel, I dial up 11 MOA…or 21 clicks. Aim at the center square and anticipate a hit on the upper left square. Then it’s 18 MOA right, 42 clicks…I ran out of windage clicks to the right so went as far as I could (8 clicks short), aimed at the center square and anticipated a hit near the upper right square. Then 11 MOA down or 21 clicks on the elevation wheel, aiming at the center square, looking for a hit just to the left of the middle right square. With the irons, I couldn’t dial down to the bottom row squares, so I did 21 clicks left for 9MOA. If I had been paying attention I could have subtracted 8 clicks to put me back to my zero…fired for the center square, and looking for a hit on the center square…or, in this case, 2 MOA to the left. I think the test demonstrates that the .43 MOA per click for windage and .53 MOA per click for elevation is correct and that the PSA carry handle sight can legitimately perform the “around the squares” test. https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/ar15/ironsACOG

10/22 Takedown Project Page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr Part 1 - Brownells BRN-22TR Receiver - AmbGun 10/22 Takedown Project https://youtube.com/shorts/GPho4LljtkE Part 2 - Volquartsen Competition Bolt https://youtube.com/shorts/_R9rVttjk58 Part 3 - Volquartsen HP Action Trigger Kit Plus https://youtube.com/shorts/v8rvq59ZIFI Part 4 - Barrel coming soon Part 5 - Stock coming soon Part 6 - Sights coming soon Part 7 - AQT coming soon

10/22 Takedown Project Page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr Part 1 - Brownells BRN-22TR Receiver - AmbGun 10/22 Takedown Project https://youtube.com/shorts/GPho4LljtkE Part 2 - Volquartsen Competition Bolt https://youtube.com/shorts/_R9rVttjk58 Part 3 - Trigger coming soon Part 4 - Barrel coming soon Part 5 - Stock coming soon Part 6 - Sights coming soon Part 7 - AQT coming soon

10/22 Takedown Project Page https://www.ambgun.com/ambidextral-rifle/backpackrifle/takedown22lr Part 1 - Brownells BRN-22TR Receiver - AmbGun 10/22 Takedown Project Part 2 - Bolt and Charging Handle coming soon Part 3 - Trigger coming soon Part 4 - Barrel coming soon Part 5 - Stock coming soon Part 6 - Sights coming soon Part 7 - AQT coming soon