Registered Lightning Link?

[willbdavis]

Anyone at NES ever own a registered Lightning Link? What are your thoughts and experiences?

Once in a while I see RLLs for sale. Obviously the price is much less than a RR or DIAS. I have heard they can wear out or break, at which point you're done. On the up side they can be used with pretty much any AR-15. I've also heard you need an adjustable gas system to tweak the rate of fire.

Just pondering the value proposition and whether it makes sense to buy one of these.

 

[alpha1]

I never owned one but have known thoes who have. Yes, they can wear out but can be fixed (as long as the area broken does not obstruct the ser#) They will most likely require some mods to your lower. They typicaly use a SP1 BC for function and will run with 9mm BC with mods. They will rearly work with 22 kits within the AR family. Lighting links were also made for full auto function only, however ther are again mods that will allow you to shoot select fire. IMHOP, I would save up for a RR and feel relaxed when shooting FA.

 

[jim/boston]

Greg pretty much summed up the high points; I had a LL for years but sold it about 2 years ago. The whole system was designed around the AR 15 SP-1 and if you have one it is pretty much 'drop-in'...otherwise you need an SP-1 style BCG and many aftermarket lowers will need a bit of material removed to allow free movement of the LL. No adjustable gas system is needed; if it runs on semi it will run full auto with the LL. The price has remained high (7-8K) because of the aftermarket lowers that allow AK mags giving you a broad range of caliber/packages (ie 9mm, 45 acp, 7,62x39 and others) so there is still a niche market as opposed to the RR (registered receiver) route. Personally, I sold my LL and bought another RR M16 because I needed the platform for my shrike. But, the LL was my first M-16 because it was affordable (in 1994 I paid 750.00) which may or may not be as much of a factor now (RR can be had for 9K if you look). BTW I had mine set up for select fire using innovator Scott Bell's modified 3 round burst trigger group ( I can make you one if you buy a LL) I never ran into a .22 kit that worked with a LL; I have heard stories that it can be done...I just never saw one.
The webpage hotlink below can give you more info (and the pic of the select fire kit with the LL is my LL in my Bushmaster lower; it is a stolen photo from a post I put on the subguns website around 1995 when I made the select fire modification...note the 'ghetto timing mod'...I used a brass shim on the LL to adjust the timing LOL) HTH and feel free to ask any more questions
http://www.quarterbore.com/nfa/lightninglink.html