Just bought a wooden M16 model from Vietnam

[jho]

I'm cooped up in Ho Chi Minh City with a sprained ankle so I figured why not share my recent purchase.

Some of the iconic souvenirs you can buy from Vietnam are statues made of wood, car/bike parts, or marble.
Ran into a store in Hoi An that sold M-16, m-4, and I think its an MP-5 model. I always wanted some kind of old school rifle as decor but its costly and a real rifle would be against MA storage laws.

The m-16 I think is an A1 as there is a slickside and no ejection port cover. I am probably wrong. The downside is that the barrel looks slightly off center and crooked. I bought it anyway for the historic value of it (being in Vietnam)

It costed me 1,500,000 VND and then paid for shipping. All said and done it came out to about $150 USD after shipping.

Let me know what you guys think. I told the fiance its going on the livingroom wall but she insists it sits above the reloading bench. We will see about that.

I'd consider paying for a green membership again for if people wanted in on a group buy or let me know if you want me to help you broker a purchase from these people.

 

[RImike]

It looks post ban to me

 

[atilla]

It looks post ban to me

*snicker*

on the wall or GTFO!

those are pretty cool.

 

[Broc]

Do you have more detailed pics?
Are they real size?
What other guns do they have?

They look awesome, I would buy one.

 

[Avastan]

Nice, count me in for the group buy! Green is the way to be! Thanks for sharing and look fwd to the buy.

 

[jho]

Do you have more detailed pics?
Are they real size?
What other guns do they have?

They look awesome, I would buy one.

Sorry It was in Hoi An near danang and I didn't take any more pictures. I am currently in Saigon (HCMC) They are damn accurate and from what I felt in my hand they were actual size. Did not have a tape measure. I opted for the M-16 since the m4 was too tacticool for me and being a shorter length made it less decorative.

Nice, count me in for the group buy! Green is the way to be! Thanks for sharing and look fwd to the buy.

Awesome. Let me receive mine first to make sure it makes it past customs and isn't smashed to bits and I'l share more photos. Should arrive in about a week.

Edit: It was send the 23rd and as of the 26th it left vietnam by air for the US.

*snicker*

on the wall or GTFO!

those are pretty cool.

Exactly what I told the woman. 90% of the apartment is decorated by Home Goods and Target. I'm due for a win.

 

[mclina]

They are cool. Better get them before the Boston Police Commissioner enacts his ban on replica guns.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/lo...ce_commish_replica_gun_ban_will_avert_tragedy

 

[jho]

They are cool. Better get them before the Boston Police Commissioner enacts his ban on replica guns.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/lo...ce_commish_replica_gun_ban_will_avert_tragedy

Come and take it!

 

[jho]

http://tmwooddesigns.com/

They have a webpage. The guy told me to contact him for wholesale pricing!

 

[OnTheRoad]

http://tmwooddesigns.com/

They have a webpage. The guy told me to contact him for wholesale pricing!

http://tmwooddesigns.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25&product_id=143

Now what's wrong with this picture?

 

[mclina]

http://tmwooddesigns.com/

They have a webpage. The guy told me to contact him for wholesale pricing!

A lot of very nice stuff there. I love the tanks.

All of the descriptions say that they take 20-24 hours to build these. I have to think it is a lot longer than that. It would take me a year.

- - - Updated - - -

http://tmwooddesigns.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25&product_id=143

Now what's wrong with this picture?

The magazine is backwards

 

[jho]

http://tmwooddesigns.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=25&product_id=143

Now what's wrong with this picture?

sight needs adjustment. The one in my pic isnt like that. i think the barrels screw in.

 

[jho]

A lot of very nice stuff there. I love the tanks.

All of the descriptions say that they take 20-24 hours to build these. I have to think it is a lot longer than that. It would take me a year.

- - - Updated - - -



The magazine is backwards

I'm sure they have some kind of factory. On the same street as this store, I had a suite made (Hoi An) is known for their tailors. I came under the impression that I was getting a one woman show, but instead the owner measured me up and a family member picked up the fabric from the shop and ran off. Within an hour they had the first jacket ready for a re-fitting. She said that because of my shape and size they had to go back and forth. We counted 4 different scooters working on my order alone going back and forth. I'm sure the wood shop isn't too different! You're getting the sweatshop but with a smaller middle man instead of a corporate giant.

 

[invaliduser]

I checked out that guy's site. They're all listed at $0 what's up with that? Should I contact him through there or are you still around to ask?

I'm interested in a few things he has.

The big tank, the Ford Mustang, and the M16

 

[LoginName]

This place has a decent selection of mahogany scale models...

http://store.militarymahogany.com/

I have a P-51 Mustang from them that I scored at a yard sale for something like $5.00

 

[jho]

I checked out that guy's site. They're all listed at $0 what's up with that? Should I contact him through there or are you still around to ask?

I'm interested in a few things he has.

The big tank, the Ford Mustang, and the M16

I'm in the middle of a dialogue with him discussing wholesale. If we end up doing business I will tell him he needs to get concrete prices up there. Their facebook page has more concrete pricing look up TM handicraft from Hoi An, Vietnam

I know the guns were 1,500,000 VND. The full size galleons were about 3 million VND if I recall correctly. Smaller models were cheaper than the guns. They also do ships in bottles.

http://tmmetaldesigns.com/
Their other products.

Let's wait until I get the catalog from these guys this weekend so that we all get fair pricing. Nothing against the guy but price tags are rare in Vietnam and I want to solidify everything so there is no ambiguity and hurt feelings. The shop itself has price tags but there is no way of me checking them without physically going there.

If I don't hear from him this weekend, I will at least get prices on the stuff you are interested in.

Edit: He just said he can do custom work. I think I will be getting a patriots engraved football for a groomsman/bridesmaid couple this xmas. Cars are 450,000 vnd (less than $25 usd I believe.)

 

[GaryO]

I always wondered if the NVA buried stashes of AKs and SKSs around the country during the war.

 

[jho]

I always wondered if the NVA buried stashes of AKs and SKSs around the country during the war.

If they did, it was probably in support of the Viet Cong. Those guys had to arm themselves for the communist movement in the south side. I believe NVA probably had the ability to do things on a more official level as they were the official army of the north.

I am most likely completely incorrect about this as this was before my time and my knowledge comes from refugee parents and limited amounts of literature.

Not to sound paranoid but I am not saying anything disparaging about the Vietnamese government at this moment as there is no right of free speech here. God bless America!

 

[MisterHappy]

Make sure you get a wooded trigger lock for it.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Make sure you get a wooded trigger lock for it.

.

 

[Canndo]

Wood is good. I'm a fan.

 

[Broc]

Wood is good. I'm a fan.

If that's yours, you need to paint that lower.

You know, I have been thinking about a build with that lower. I think painted with the wood furniture would look great. Probably too good to shoot it.

 

[Canndo]

If that's yours, you need to paint that lower.

You know, I have been thinking about a build with that lower. I think painted with the wood furniture would look great. Probably too good to shoot it.

It's mine. I was originally going to do the p40 paint job then I decided against it. It's a little classier like this. But, who knows, I might get bored one day....

 

[anon2424]

can confirm by my parents who go back every year to visit, the guys who do the actual crafting on these are talented as hell, some of the best in the world probably and they work like slaves because only the richer guys have the machinery and tools.

 

[Evadd]

I'd be interested as well - probably a plane for my father.

 

[jho]

Hey guys I'm home now and I got the m-16 and it works perfectly with my furniture! It also goes well with the pinecones. The forward assist is a bit long and the trigger guard a bit small for cold weather shooting with gloves (it is made in hot ass vietnam though).

The picture on their website with an upside down barrel is installed wrong. This thing comes in 3 pieces. The handguard screws in the receiver and the barrel is pushed in by hand.

Here's their catalog for wood stuff
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-f0FnPliLVDOGpyYTNyS3dkUTdGOW13RnMybkROOHJuNVdZ

Metal
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-f0FnPliLVDRjdoSHh3aVBiUEgxQ2dTVWpvd1RNa2hJcFZv

Example of engraving they are capable of doing.

Ill send a PM to all the people who said they were interested. Maybe we can coordinate a purchase to lump shipping together.

 

[Evadd]

Prices are so cheap! I'm checking with my father to see if he worked on any of the planes listed, and if so, I'm in for one.

 

[Malodave]

Mount the wooden M16 to a gun rack ion the back window of your pickup!

Malodave

 

[invaliduser]

In for a bunch! Whats the plan?

 

[Tommy Gun]

I'm interested