If you’ve seen any of my posts over the past couple of years you’ll know I’m a fan of retro M16 clones. It’s always nice to see more parts options on the market, and I just saw that B. King Firearms (BKF) in Ohio just announced a series of complete assembled lowers with assorted M16 markings.

M16A2 Lowers

B. King is offering three different M16A2 marked lowers, as well as an M4A1 marked model. The lowers are machined from U.S.A. sourced 7075-T6 Aluminum and have a black anodized finish. They use all a BKF mil spec lower parts kit that’s fully assembled with an A2 grip.

The M16A2 CQB model is based on the early XM4 carbines and is fitted with an a BKF M4 mil spec carbine buffer tube assembly, a BKF CQB sliding carbine stock and A2 grip and wears “Property of US Govt.” markings as well as “Safe, Semi, Burst” safety selector markings. “B. King Firearms. Lima, OH” is also engraved above the selector markings. MSRP is $150.

The standard M16A2 carbine has pretty much the same features but uses a BKF M4 sliding carbine stock instead. MSRP is also $150.

The M16A2 Rifle uses the same lower and A2 grip but features a BKF rifle buffer tube assembly and mil spec BKF A2 rifle stock. MSRP for the rifle lower is $196.

The M4A1 lower is the newest in the line of retro lowers. It shares most of the features as the M16A2 carbine lower, but differs in the markings. Rather than M16A2 it’s marked “M4A1 Carbine” and has safety selector markings that read “Safe, Semi, Auto”. MSRP on the M4A1 lowers is $199.

M16A1 Lowers

BKF also lists two M16A1 marked lowers, although they aren’t showing in stock as of this writing. They consist of a M16A1 CQB carbine and an M16A1 rifle. The features are similar to their M16A2 counterparts but they’re marked M16A1 and have the “Safe, Semi, Auto” safety selector markings. The carbine comes with a CQB stock and M4 buffer tube, and the rifle has a rifle buffer tube and fixed A1 length stock. The CQB carbine lower is $200 and the M16A1 rifle lower is priced at $240.

Now, for purists I have to point out that while these are M16A1 marked, they are A2 forgings. They also are wearing B5 Systems LS 2 grips. The LS2 is an upgrade over a standard A1 grip, although not accurate to a stock GI rifle from the A1 period. The buttstock also appears to be a Cav Arms, or Cav Arms style, model and the rear sling swivel cut out is different from a GI buttstock. Pretty sure they use an A2 buttplate as well, although I can’t tell for sure from these pics. They are A1 length however.

So, it depends how clone correct you’re shooting for. Some of my builds do use A2 lowers with markings that would actually be correct for an A1 or rifle that would have an A1-profile lower. And I happen to like the B5 LS2 grip a lot, and have added them to some of my retro builds. I’m okay with that depending on the project. If you’re looking for a build with retro flair, and aren’t worried about the minutia, then these will still be a great base for your rifle or carbine.

Retro Lowers at Affordable Prices

B. King Firearms is a veteran-owned company, and their retro lowers offer a good value for your mil spec build, especially considering they use U.S.-sourced parts and U.S. assembly. I’ve used a good bit of BKF small parts like lower parts kits and buffer assemblies in my builds, and they’ve worked well. BKF also does complete retro rifles and other retro components like upper parts and complete upper assemblies. I’ve been meaning to check out their XM4 clones when they come back in stock, or maybe I’ll end up grabbing one of these assembled lowers and put together one myself.

For more information on B. King’s retro lowers or other retro AR rifles and components, check out their website at bkingsfirearms.com.

42 COMMENTS

  1. Hmmm… personally, I would not build an AR platform gun with a lower marked ‘Property U.S. Govt’ even though this is not such property of the U.S. Govt.

    that’s just asking for hassle and issues if you happen to run into an anti-gun ‘government official’ (i.e. law enforcement officer) who takes it ’cause (they gonna say) ‘probable cause to believe in possession of stolen govt property’ reasoning then need to prove its not actually ‘Property U.S. Govt’.

    • Agree! Wish I’d gotten an ar lower before the ILL annoy gat apocylypse. Still have lots of firepower🙄. Anyway the rat in Woodstock,Il predicted an early spring😀

      • Are you sure? I always heard that if he sees his shadow, there’ll be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, there’ll be another month and a half of winter. We don’t pay much attention to Phil up in Minnesota, where there’ll be another three months of winter, and four more until the smart groundhogs come back out.

        • 75 degrees for the high today. Low was 50. Last week I had 5″ of snow in my yard. Don’t like the weather in Florida? Wait a minute.

              • Remote work isn’t just a trend, it’s the future of work. qs Work Remotely from your own house. We just want your typing skills, You can make more than 120USD/Hr. No matter where you are. Let’s Grow together and do great things, even if we’re far apart…
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          • “Don’t like the weather in Florida? Wait a minute.”

            Preach it, that blew my mind when I first moved here in 1981.

            One fine summer day, it was sunshine on my side of the street, and a downpour 40 feet away on the other side.

            If you’re outside in summer and it gets dark and you get a sudden blast of *cold* air, you’re moments from getting wet or maybe hailed on…

        • After a brutally cold January, the beginning of February looks really nice here because, as it turns out, weather is a thing that happens.

          • Gasp! You Heritic! You … you…you called it ‘weather’ !

            How dare you spread such misinformation violence! Its ‘Climate Change’ or ‘Global Warming’.

            The Biden-Harris ‘White House Office Of Mis/Dis Information Violence’ is gonna hear about this. So get ready for prison buddy.

            Gheesh! The nerve of some people.

            I mean its an outra…..oh wait, they lost the election…thank God, now the cows can fart again.

            😄

            • Can they though?

              h-t-t-p-s-://www.dsm-firmenich.com/anh/news/downloads/infographics-checklists-and-guides/bovaer-brochure-how-cows-can-help-us-fight-climate-change.html

              • Yeah, that’s gonna be funny as hell watching farmers ram gas-collection tubes up bovine assholes constantly being filled with voluminous quantities of cow shit…

    • You beat me to it. That was my only takeaway from the article. As soon as I read that from the author, I went into immediate “hard pass” mode and skipped much of the rest.

  2. Brownells covered that market several years ago. And .40 is correct. Carry around a rifle market Property of US Gov is moronic. Just mark it “seize me” (and arrest the bearer).

    • neiowa, I own a few martially marked firearms. A friend just bought a 1911. Circa 1917-18. Those are cool. Who would want a martially marked weapon that isn’t?

      • Someone who wants a Dissipator clone not sold by that company in Kentucky that has a history of selling out of spec parts and bent drill bits?

    • I feel the same way because I don’t need another ar, but I figure the more places cranking them out the better. Especially lower cost models. Another 150 million or so in circulation should about do it.

      • I just cannot get excited about the Honda Civic of the gun world. It is like going to a car show, seeing Shelby Cobras, classic Mustangs, Barracudas, and then ohhing and aahhing at a beige base model Honda Civic in the parking lot.

        • The flip side of that argument is that…the more Civics there are, the more mechanics exist that know how to service them and keep them running, the more parts are readily available, and the more aftermarket goodies for customizing your ride.

          • Also more incentive in finding ways to make them legal in states that do everything they can get away with to ban them.

  3. Sort of an oddity to have it stamped that way IMHO but whatever.

    More of an oddity: Yesterday, David Hogg got elected to be the DNC Vice Chair.

  4. RE “Pretty sure they use an A2 buttplate as well, although I can’t tell for sure from these pics. They are A1 length however.”

    The A2 buttplate has squared corners, the A1 buttplate in the pic has rounded corners which tend to slide, if your arms are not extra long best to use the A2 trapdoor buttplate on the A1 stock. Such stocks from Fulton come with USGI screws; buttplates and trapdoors require tweaking to fit and function properly. I purchased most all 7.25″ carbine float handguards from BK, I see they are no longer listed.

  5. A fine example of how to market stupid shut to Stupid people

    You would have to be a moron of the highest order to want a rifle that has “Properly of U.S. Govt.” stamped on it…especially one with a foe “auto” setting on the thumb lever.

  6. did thet ever make a 2 hole m16A2? this is pretty easy to show it is not an m16 if the person isn’t an idiot or if you didn’t convert it.

  7. Those are good prices for complete lowers with stocks. Those building repros won’t worry about them being super tight and accurate, because, duh, mil-spec.

    Proving that it’s not actually government property is as easy as proving that it’s not actually automatic. It doesn’t matter what markings are on it.

    Also, there are millions of CMP guns out there marked U.S. Property. There’s no hassle involved. Especially not with a company that’s only a few years old and has never produced firearms for the military.

    • I wouldn’t worry too much it. Most of the cartel’s guns south of the border are maeked ” Propiedad del Gobierno Mexicano ” and they don’t get hassled about it.

      • “marked”
        (mumbles something like “*:!? #@ing spell-correct never works when you want it”….shakes fist at sky)
        Carry on

    • “Proving that it’s not actually government property is as easy as proving that it’s not actually automatic.”
      Yes, the cop who arrests you will say, “Tell it to the judge at your trial.” it’s as easy as getting thrown in jail, then spending $100,000 for a criminal defense lawyer so he can try to explain it to an anti-gun jury and an anti-gun judge. You can prove it in court at your trial, but it will cost you $100,000 in legal bills for a good lawyer, because if you settle for a cheap lawyer or public defender, an anti-gun jury might convict you because they hate guns.

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