Customized Midwest Industries MI-15F
:: Low-light/no-light capable
:: SureFire suppressed
:: Chambered in 5.56 NATO
James Harbour is no stranger to AR-15s, it being his hands-down favorite firearm platform. He has quite a few in his stable, each configured for a different segment of shooting. He’s built precision rifles for medium- to long-range shooting and pistol-caliber variants for weekend plinking sessions. He even has some military clones just to fondle and display. His favorites, however, are the ones he calls his “all-purpose” carbines. With barrels that range from 14.5 to 16 inches in length and equipped with low-magnification optics, these models are good for most of the shooting he’d want to do, he feels, including hitting steel plates at 300 yards and closer as well as close-up, run-and-gun drills.
Like many of us, he loves getting creative and assembling rifles that scratch his need to create. “I hate to admit it, but I don’t really need all the rifles that I’ve built,” he says. “But it’s so very satisfying to build, own, and shoot them. I find that any inspiration can set me off on a mission to create a new rifle. Once I see a new accessory or a concept that inspires me, I’m off to the races.”
The carbine featured here happens to be one of his more recent accessory-inspired builds. It was only a few years ago that the night-vision bug bit Harbour hard. He was a regular at the local range and took carbine classes whenever the time and budget allowed it. It was one of these classes that opened his eyes to low-light and no-light shooting and training.
“A carbine class I was at ran longer than expected, and on top of that it got darker a lot quicker than we thought it would,” Harbour explains. “Thinking that the class was going to end short, I started packing up my gear and calling it a day. It was then that the instructor brought out his NODs for a bit of show and tell.”
He goes on: “I previously only saw night vision online, in the news, in documentaries on TV, so it was my first time to get a peek into an actual set of PVS-14s. Viewing the night through a green glow was life-changing. While our class was indeed curtailed, the chance to handle and get a look though an NVD sent me down the path that I’m still walking today.
“So a hot new infrared laser unit came out a few years ago called the MAWL. Made by B.E. Meyers, the MAWL provides IR and green visible laser capability and has been a genre-redefining device for its simplicity of use, greater range, improved beam pattern, and much-improved ergonomics over other IR devices. It’s a really great improvement over the older boxy models, in my opinion. I got to handle one early on and knew instantly that I had to have one. It took some time, as they’re not cheap. A civilian ‘C1+’ version currently sells for about $3,600.
“At the tail end of last year B.E. Meyers announced that the price of the MAWL-C1+ was going up. It was this price increase that I used as a justification to grab it before it got even pricier. I picked up a special-run OD green version since OD green is my jam.”
He adds: “I’m glad I snapped one up then; they’re even harder to get now and the price went up by $600.”
MAWL in hand, he thought he’d install it on a carbine he used for night vision shooting, then the thought crept into his head about building a second night vision rifle to fit the MAWL onto. (We told you it doesn’t take much for him to get a new build going.)
Harbour originally set out to piece together this new AR out of individual components, but he changed his mind when he saw Midwest Industries’ (MI) line of MI-15F carbines. He’s always been a Midwest fan, since back when they only made accessories.
“Midwest is solid,” he says. “I’ve always used their handguards, iron sights, and other accessories. I know they do great work so I was excited to jump into one of their complete rifles.”
MI’s rifles come in many configurations; the MI-15F model that he chose comes with a 16-inch barrel and a 14-inch-long MI Combat series m-lok compatible free-float handguard. The barrel features a .625 diameter lightweight profile, is rifled with a 1:8 twist, and is Melonite coated for wear resistance. It does have a .223 Wylde chamber, which means it is capable of reliably feeding on both .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO cartridges. A mid-length gas system keeps the rifle shooting smoothly. MI-15F’s forged upper receiver is made of 7075-T6 aluminum and is Type III hardcoat anodized for a tough finish. The upper comes from MI with a black nitride M16-style bolt carrier, a standard charging handle, and an A2 flash hider.
Looking below the beltline, MI’s lower receiver is also machined from 7075-T6 aluminum that’s Type III hardcoat anodized. It’s a pretty standard Mil-Spec style forged lower and Harbour wouldn’t have it any other way. He mentioned that he’s not into billet lowers because they are usually made of softer material, and he’s not a fan of the fancier looks often associated with billet receivers.
The MI-15F isn’t without its own custom perks, however. It comes with a rear takedown pin detent hole that’s threaded for a 4-40 setscrew, which is always a nice modification. The setscrew can be added in said detent hole in order to help keep the detent in place when the end plate is removed. Without this modification, it’s common that both detent and spring go flying when the end plate is taken off.
The lower also comes fitted with an MI heavy duty quick-detach end plate for sling attachment, as well as a Magpul CTR buttstock and Magpul MOE grip. Rounding out the factory version of this rifle are a Mil-Spec trigger group and Mil-Spec-diameter buffer tube. This MI-15F weighs just under 6 pounds, which Harbour thought was the perfect lightweight platform to start his build on.
Harbour fills us in on the modifications he’s made. “Since I got the MAWL in OD green, I figured that I’d go ahead and get my rifle coated in shades of green as well. My initial thought was to get it Cerakoted in Woodland M81 camo, but of course one link leads to another and I was soon looking at tons of pics online of camo jobs. I finally decided to send the upper parts to get hydro-dipped in MultiCam Tropic and had the lower parts Cerakoted in a custom mixed green. Yes, I went two-tone; I love the look.”
Hydro dip, or water transfer printing, is a process that applies a layer of pre-printed film onto an item’s surface. After being dipped, the item is sprayed with a clear coat to help protect it from wear. Harbour tells us he went with hydro dip instead of a full Cerakote job for a couple of reasons. “One of the reasons is that I like that the water transfer film is true MultiCam,” he says.
“Many people don’t realize that MultiCam is a company, not just the name of a camouflage. When the pattern is Cerakoted, you’re getting an artist’s rendition of MultiCam. When you get it dipped in officially licensed film, you’re getting the real thing. You’ll notice tiny ‘MultiCam’ logos on parts that are dipped. I sent the upper parts along with a Kriss DS150 stock to Joint Force Enterprise in Jacksonville, Florida, to get the film applied.”
For the lower, he decided he wanted to go with a solid color. “I find that both coating methods are durable, but Cerakote is more so. It can really take a beating and still look brand-new. I picked up a few green anodized aluminum parts from Fortis and wanted the lower to match. For those reasons, there’s no match for Cerakote.
I sent the lower, grip, and trigger guard over to Rifle Supply in Huntington Beach, California, to get sprayed. I also sent in one of the green Fortis parts for them to color match and they did a great job. They’ve worked on several projects for me so far and have been on the ball with each one. Impeccable workmanship with a quick turnaround, that’s why I keep going back to them.”
After all the parts came back from coating, Harbour quickly assembled the MI-15F but added quite a few aftermarket parts while he was at it. The tip of the barrel now sports a SureFire SFMB-556 muzzle brake, which is the perfect attachment point for his SureFire SOCOM556-RC2 sound suppressor. The suppressor effectively reduces sound, flash, and dust signature, and provides a more pleasant shooting experience overall.
Mounted on the MI Combat rail is Harbour’s prized MAWL, along with SureFire’s latest weaponlight, the Turbo Scout Light Pro. The new Turbo model light is capable of 71,000 candela and impressive runtime when powered by its included SF18650 rechargeable battery. The light is attached to an optional SureFire DS00 tail cap and a SR07 remote switch. Keeping the remote switch’s wire nice and tidy are a couple of Emissary Development Cable Clips. These clips are m-lok mounted and keep wires securely out of the way.
Also up front, you’ll notice an MI Combat Rifle front flip-sight mounted on the top and a MI QD sling adapter mounted to the m-lok interface on the left side. A TangoDown Stubby vertical grip is on the underside. He found a few OD green parts from Strike Industries to complement the green-toned MultiCam. The OD forward assist came from ar15discounts.com, while the T-Bone charging handle and optional latches came directly from Strike Industries.
The upper receiver’s original dust cover was replaced with a Fortis billet model that comes anodized in metallic green. This shade of green is the color that Harbour had Rifle Supply Cerakote the lower. Installed into the color-matched lower is a green-toned Fortis lower enhancement kit that consists of the company’s LE lightweight enhanced end plate and castle nut, Super Sport Fifty safety selector, and billet magazine release button. He also installed Fortis’s enhanced takedown and pivot pins. These 17-4 stainless steel pins feature a drill-through design to keep weight low without sacrificing rigidity.
While shopping around for more green-colored parts, Harbour came across a new trigger from CMC that fit his build perfectly. CMC’s CCT single-stage Tiger Stripe trigger comes with an OD green Cerakoted trigger shoe and tiger-striped housing. The 2.5-pound, single-stage trigger is a drop-in upgrade that allows him to shoot quickly and accurately. He reports it’s one of his favorite features on this rifle.
The Magpul grip and trigger guard that the MI-15F came with were re-installed, but he opted for a Kriss D150 buttstock instead of the Magpul CTR it came with. He likes how solid the stock feels and its heavier weight balances out the front-end attachments and suppressor.
Up top you’ll notice an EOTech EXPS3-0 holosight with an accompanying EOTech G33 magnifier. “I’ve always shot faster with EOTechs so they’re my go-to optic of choice,” Harbour says. “I added a 3x magnifier behind it for those times when I want to stretch the rifle’s legs.”
Both optics are mounted on Unity Tactical FAST mounts, which are based on raising optics so that they have a 2.26-inch optical centerline height. This higher position is said to provide faster and easier reticle acquisition while the shooter is wearing gear such as electronic hearing protection, communications headsets, and night vision goggles.
Harbour adds: “It affords me a heads-up shooting posture that helps me maintain a neutral spine position that is comfortable to shoot with. Hunched down with a helmet and NODs is not comfortable, and these help with neck fatigue.”
The EOTech sits on a Unity Tactical FAST optic riser and the G33 magnifier is mounted into a FAST FTC. Unity’s FAST FTC magnifier mount features an innovative Flip-To-Center (FTC) mechanism that provides stowage completely within the footprint of the weapon’s receiver while not hindering the optic’s sight picture at all. No need to flip to the side or twist it off; when you want the magnifier out of the way, simply push it down. If you need to employ it again, pull it up. It’s a great system that won’t snag and doesn’t require the magnifier’s removal.
If you do need to detach it, however, the mount comes with an American Defense Manufacturing QD Auto-Lock Lever for quick removal. For the times that Harbour isn’t using his magnifier, he mounts an MI Combat Rifle rear flip sight on the upper receiver’s tail end.
Harbour has already used his latest night-fighting carbine in a couple of classes and says that it’s been a fantastic setup. “No configuration ever completely stays the same, but it works for me as currently kitted out,” he says. “Using the Midwest Industries MI-15F as the foundation was a good choice. It has run reliably and the barrel is impressively accurate. I actually didn’t expect it to be as accurate as it is, and that MAWL… what can I say? I’m in love.”
We have to admit; if this is build looks as good as it performs, we’re tempted to build our own night-fighting Midwest Industries MI-15F, too.
Build Sheet – Midwest Industries Combat Rifle Series MI-15F
Specifications
Base Rifle: Midwest Industries MI-FN16CRM14
Caliber: 5.56x45mm
Capacity: 30+1
Min. Length: 33.5 in.
Max. Length (suppressed): 40.5 in.
Weight Unloaded (suppressed): 10 lbs., 5 oz.
Barrel Length: 16 in.
Coatings: Joint Force Enterprise (MultiCam Tropic Water transfer printing) / Rifle Supply (Custom metallic green Cerakote)
Featured Accessories
Optic: EOTech EXPS3-0
Optic Riser: Unity Tactical FAST
Magnifier: EOTech G33
Magnifier Mount: Unity Tactical FAST FTC Eotech G33
Weaponlight: SureFire Turbo Scout Light Pro
Laser: B.E. Meyers MAWL C1+
Suppressor: SureFire SOCOM556-RC2
Parts & Accessories: Midwest Industries 14” Combat Series rail, Midwest Industries Combat Rifle sight set, Midwest Industries QD sling adapter, Magpul MOE grip, Magpul MOE trigger guard, SureFire SFMB-556 muzzle brake, SureFire DS00 tail cap, SureFire SR07 remote switch, Emissary Development cable clips, TangoDown m-lok Stubby vertical grip, Strike Industries/ar15discounts.com OD forward assist, Strike Industries T-Bone charging handle, Strike Industries T-Bone Tenderloin charging handle latches, Fortis billet dust cover, Fortis LE lightweight enhanced end plate/castle nut, Fortis Super Sport Fifty safety selector, Fortis billet magazine release button, Fortis enhanced takedown & pivot pins, CMC CCT single-stage Tiger Stripe trigger, Kriss D150 buttstock
About the Owner
Name: James Harbour
Occupation: Operations Manager
