Feat of the Week: The ‘Merica AR
Welcome to our weekly blog post! Each “Feat of the Week” features firearm(s) we have worked on recently. These are showcases of our repair work, custom machining, Cerakote, or a combination of services. We are excited to share our gunsmithing feats with you!
This week’s feat is an AR-15 Pistol with a ton of custom gunsmithing and machining as well as an America-themed custom Cerakote design. So let’s get started!
The ‘Merica AR
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: CMMG
Upper/Lower Set: Spikes Tactical
Trigger: Fostech Echo Trigger
Handguard: Aero Precision Atlas S1
Optic: Holosun
Finish: Custom ‘Merica Cerakote Design by McCluskey Arms
Custom Features:
Threaded Barrel by McCluskey Arms
Cry Havoc Takedown Upper
Law Tactical Folding Stock Adaptor
SBA4 Pistol Stabilizing Brace
KAK Industry Muzzle Device
ThE Gunsmithing Story
We put hours and hours of work into this AR Pistol. Between all the custom gunsmithing work, custom machining, and the custom Cerakote stenciling, this project has probably been our largest single gun project so far. It’s also the most liked photo on our Instagram account. Probably because the pictures of this gun are amazing! Shoutout to @541outdoors for the high-quality photos. While these images really highlight how incredibly well our Cerakote job turned out, it’s hard to see all the gunsmithing work we put into this AR pistol.
This gun is full of customized parts: the Cry Havoc Takedown Upper, the Law Tactical Folding Stock Adaptor, the SBA4 Pistol Stabilizing Brace, KAK Industry Muzzle Device, the Aero Precision Atlas S1 Hanguard, and the Fostec Echo Trigger. But in order to fit all these parts into a perfect pistol package, we had to do a lot of gunsmithing and machining work.
First, we machined the handguard to fit with the Cry Havoc Takedown Upper. Then, we cut down the barrel so it stuck out just past the Aero Precision Atlas S1 Handguard. After shortening the barrel, we rethreaded it on our lathe. Finally, we did a lot of work on the bolt and trigger—machining the bolt carrier group so it works with the Fostec Echo Trigger. Finally, we modified the bolt to cooperate with the Law Tactical Folding Stock Adaptor.
ThE Cerakote Story
But we know what you’re really here for…the custom Cerakote design. This dynamic and detailed Cerakote job was so much work! Each piece of the gun necessitated its own custom stenciling. The centerpiece of the gun is obviously the tattered American flag on the receiver set. It was imperative for us to encompass the entirety of both the upper and lower. We didn’t just want a small flag on the mag well. We wanted something striking and pervasive. For us, this meant to have our flag stencil span the entire receiver set.
If the flag didn’t make it clear, the ‘Merica stencil on the handguard lets you know that this gun is patriotic. This gun is America. A customized AR-15 Pistol. How much more ‘Mercia can you get? And if you didn’t put that together, this Cerakote job throws it in your face. But we couldn’t just write “America” on it. That would be too formal. Maybe for an AR-15 Rifle, but not for this gun. ‘Merica is this pistol’s informal expression of love for its ideals. The embodiment of its freedoms.
Drum Mag with Custom Dont Tread on Me Cerakote Stencil
The drum mag. Here, we give a little nod to the Gadsen Flag and its American Revolution history. We represent the coiled rattle snake with the words “Dont Tread On Me” below it with thirteen stars around the outside—representing the original colonies.
While this flag has been associated with the libertarian resistance of government infringement on individual rights and has more recently been associated with the Tea Party movement, the image of the snake has a much deeper meaning and transcendent history. We shouldn’t think of the Gadsden flag as belonging only to certain groups but as a flag that represents our history of rebellion against British imperialism. Used by revolutionary figures to signify united and resistance to tyranny, the rattlesnake is just about as American as a Bald Eagle.
Ben Franklin: Join, or Die
The image of the rattlesnake goes all way back to Benjamin Franklin before the revolutionary war. Known for satire, Franklin wrote an article in the Pennsylvania Gazette suggesting that colonists send rattlesnakes to England thanking them for sending their convicted criminals to America.
Benjamin Franklin’s Political Cartoon
Only a few years later in 1754, Franklin used the rattlesnake again along with the phrase “Join, or Die.” In fact, this is considered to be the first political cartoon in American papers. Some might even call it the first ever meme. It depicts a snake sectioned into eight parts representing the colonies. New England represented the head, South Carolina represented the tail, and the remaining sections represented the colonies in between. Here, Franklin used the snake as a symbol of unity. According to some historians, this image alluded to the superstition that a snake could be brought back from death if the sections were joined before the sun set.
Later on, Franklin (at least scholars assume he was the anonymous author) wrote about what the rattlesnake meant to him and to America. He said that it represented vigilance, defense, and courage because the rattlesnake coils in order to “give notice” to the enemy. The snake doesn’t attack first, but once it’s attacked, it does not surrender.
Gadsden Flag
The Snake on the Drum
The rattlesnake continued to take a prominent role in representing American united and as a symbol of revolutionary struggle. It spread throughout colonies—in newspapers, on buttons, and even money. And in 1775, the Gadsden Flag, as we know it today, was designed by Christopher Gadseden during the Revolutionary War. Along with the coiled snake, the flag espoused the words, “Dont Tread on Me.” The story goes that Congress caught wind the British were shipping arms to their troops in America. With four Navy ships, Marines were dispatched to intercept the British boat. Those Marines sported yellow drums with the Gadsden Flag—drawing on the imagery of the coiled rattlesnake ready to defend against the tyranny of British imperialism.
While it might be just a coincidence we represented the Gadsden Flag on the drum mag of this AR pistol, it sure has some historical poetry to it. And when you look at the entire pistol along with the stencil on the optic—cartridges aligned to mimic a middle finger—it oozes the sentiment of resistance. The gun itself and its Cerakote design are a symbol of rebellion against all those who would oppose not only ‘Merica but her ideals.
AR-15 Pistol with Custom Dont Tread On Me Cerakote Stencil
Next Up
We hope you enjoyed this week’s gunsmithing feat. Thank you for following along! Our next feature will be posted Monday, August 24th at 9am. Comment for any content you want to see. And don’t forget to follow us on social media!
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