Get the most bang for your Microsoft Dynamics GP buck

Warning, this post mentions guns, in a mechanical sense, not in a political sense. Still some people can be sensitive. You've been warned. 

"This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine." This classic line from Stanley Kubrik's Full Metal Jacket was delivered perfectly by former Marine Corp Staff Sergeant R. Lee Ermey.

This actually is my rifle. It's a Norinco Type 56 Carbine, a Chinese-made copy of a Russian SKS. The SKS was designed in 1945 and served as both the Soviet and Chinese main battle rifle until it was ultimately replaced by the AK-47. There are many like it. Wikipedia estimates as many as 15 million were made, and millions of military surplus, and export only, versions were shipped to the U.S.

Basically, it's big, heavy, and reliable. Big and heavy helps to reduce recoil, so it's not bad to shoot, but it's still big and very front heavy, plus it looks like an antique.  My father bought it and never shot it. When it passed to me it was still covered in packing grease. I thought about selling it and buying something more modern, but with two kids in college, I couldn't make the math work. So I looked into modernizing it. 

Could I add a removable magazine? Yes, and it looked easy. Could I add a pistol grip and lighter stock? Yes, everything was available in a kit. One kit led to the next kit and I realized that I could convert it to a bullpup design. For those who don't know, a bullpup design moves rifle components back ...