I am a Member of the Canadian airforce. I was in the Army and still shoot competitively. I started this project 2 1/2 years ago and was finished last fall. Thanks for your advice and great parts. It shoots great! about 5/8" @ 100M, just a bit heavy...
I’m a recently retired Mesa PD sergeant. A few weeks ago, a member of our range staff gave me a SEI AR 151M 16 muzzle break and suggested that I install it using a crush washer. Last week, in my effort to find a crush washer, I went to your Web site, and discovered that the SEI muzzle breaks are initially supplied with jam nuts, instead of crush washers. Realizing that the tmit would have originally been supplied with a crush washer if that was the appropriate way to install it, I called your shop and arranged to come by and pick the appropriate jam nut.
When I arrived at your shop, I was absolutely amazed at the friendliness and courtesy shown to me by you and the members of your staff. When you saw that the unit I had was an older model that you haven’t manufactured in quite a few years, you arranged to trade it for a current model, and you refused to accept payment for it.
Over the past few years, the term “customer service” has largely become meaningless in our society. Because ofthat, I was absolutely awestruck by this entire experience. I had initially expected to drive to Tempe, buy ajam nut in an impersonal transaction, at an exorbitant price. Instead, I encountered a group of truly nice people and came away from the experience totally energized ...... and so awestruck that I don’t think I appropriately thanked you for the courtesy and consideration I received from you and the SEI personnel. I am truly grateful, not only for the muzzle brake, but for the experience of meeting a group of really nice people.
Thank you,
Don Duhigg
June 21, 2010
Kevin Young demos the AK Vortex (p/n 6026V) with the M14DC 0.30 Caliber Sound Suppressor (p/n 2080).
10 rounds of Engle Ballistic Research 7.62 x 39 Jackhammer Subsonic ammunition fired from a pre-ban Norinco Type 56s. The target is a metal 50 gallon drum positioned on it’s side lengthwise. The strange sound during the video and after firing had ceased are empty shell casings striking a metal farm fence that is about 3 feet off camera. Accuracy? Some of the exit holes are touching others...
June, 2010
M14s built by SEI, and personalized by their owner, Kevin Young. From top to bottom: M21A5 RRM, Crazy Horse M21A5 EBR, Crazy Horse MK14 SEI USN Mod 0, MK14 SEI CL.
Ron Smith with Cindy the drug dog, a member of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Canine Unit in North Dakota, serving the Three Aflliated Tribes, also known as the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. Donated to the Bureau by Smith Enterprise, Cindy has been used for many successful drug arrests and is partnered with Lt. Jeff White (aka Rushing Bear).
We are going to be sending Vortexes to these guys, but we are also asking for people like yourselves to send or e-mail them, to see if they might need anything else to make life a little easier.
Thanks, Ron and Sonja
Rec’d December 29, 2009
Subject: Paratroopers in Afghanistan
Hello and greetings from Afghanistan. My name is SGT Jordan Downs. I am in the 82nd Airborne Division. My Assault Platoon of Airborne Infantrymen and I are at a very (VERY) remote outpost in the Southern Afghanistan. At our small base, we do not have running water or plumbing, and electricity is very limited. We do, however, fly our US Flag with pride.
We survive off of MREs, water, and whenever we can (and their supplies allow), the food prepared by the Afghan National Army or local villagers. The district center here is extremely poor, even without the means to produce the lifeblood of the traditional Afghan meal – "foot" bread.
Morale here is good. I give my guys a lot of credit given the lack of supplies – emergency resupply of diesel fuel is continuously denied - and the rigorous patrol schedule required keeping the bad guys out of the area as much as possible. You can imagine that if we have such a hard time getting fuel what the response from "higher" is like when we request food items or anything to improve our humble "base".
We currently have two Smith Vortexes here; one M14 and a M4, and it makes all the difference between the typical A2 bird cage flash suppressors. The other squad leaders and I are currently working to outfit the whole platoon with the Vortex for our M4s, M249s, M14s, and the M240Bs that we have. We are hoping that you will be able to donate two Vortex Flash Eliminators for our M2s here. Our ultimate goal is to have every weapon here outfitted with the Vortex, minus our MK-19. Having the Vortex on every weapon system increases the safety and lethality of our platoon in our engagements with the enemy in the area.
Thanks again for your time and your support!
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Jordan Downs, SGT, Airborne Infantry
Jordan Downs
C Co 1-508 PIR
FOB Atghar
APO AE 09355
Email:
P.S. I have included a picture of a majority of my platoon for you. Also our mail has a habit of being stolen before it gets to us if it has cool identifying marks on it. Simple flat rate box works the best.
On a side note SGT Burrell and I are very interested in your M14 bar stock receiver. We are planning to build an M14 upon our return to the States. Could you also send us some info on your receiver? Thanks again for your support.
Rec’d January 02, 2010
Subject: Re: Paratroopers in Afghanistan
Mr. Smith,
That is awesome news, thank you. We did a little demo out here, Vortex vs Birdcage, everyone one was amazed. PFC Headley stated "There is no flash with the Vortex." Our response was "Thats the point."
As for the pictures, feel free to use them. I’ll send some more so you can pick and chose. The quality might not be great because I’m have to compress them for the email. Let me know how it looks. We’ll try and get some unit patches as when we can get to a big FOB. Sorry if this email is kinda bland, We just got got in from a 3 day outing. What can you do? Thanks again
V/R
Jordan Downs
December 18, 2009
This rifle was be presented to Colt Defense President and CEO Lt. Gen. William. M. Keys, USMC (ret.), by Ron Smith, John Bainer, and Jeff Cantrell.
Yes, I have had plenty of chances to shoot the weapon both in the field and on the range. I can tell you it is the best addition to my weapon. The back up shots on controled pairs or burst fire is excellent.
On the range at 25 yards, I can shoot a 30 round magazine on 3 round burst and put them all in the chest or head with no problem. Your muzzle brake (P/N 1002) provides excellent control. I prefer shooting with open sights and the sight picture never leaves my eye.
I have lots of pictures of my buddy (who also has a Smith brake) and myself in and about in Diyala Province. We even have some short video of us practicing on the range with the brakes on our weapons.
Thank you for your support to the military. Your efforts are very much appreciated by all of us.
SSG Jesse H. A. Jr.
Diyala Provintial Reconstruction Team
Infrastructure
FOB Warhorse
Baqubah, Iraq
PS: I really wish I had one of your M-14’s to use over here. Then you would really see a Gucci picture!
Once again thank you for the 50 cal flash hider (P/N 6021V) that you sent Aco 2-5 CAV, 1CD. Attached are a few pics of the flash hider on the weapon system mounted on a MRAP. I have a few more but these two were the best. Thank you agin.
A recruiting banner for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. On the far right stands Officer White, aka Rushing Bear, with his canine partner Cindy, who has made many drug busts. She was donated to the Bureau by Smith Enterprise.
From: Nicholas B
Sent: Wed, Dec. 03, 2008 11:36 AM
Subject: RE: M21A5/Crazy Horse - Ft. Irwin, California
Mr Smith.
I loved the pictures from FT Irwin, I wish I could have been there for that... I attached a few pictures of our M14 with your Vortex mounted on it...
Ron Smith and a nest of Army snipers conducting some 500 and 700 meter tests of the SEI M21A5/Crazy Horse, the Vortex® Flash Eliminator, and the SEI suppressors with and against the M110, M240, and M4. Ft. Irwin CA, November 2008.
To see all the images and Ron’s notes, click here.
To: smithent@qwestoffice.net
Sunday, July 27, 2008 7:53 AM
Subject: Pic for SEI Showcase
Ron and Sonja,
Here is a pic of the MK14 MOD 0 you built for me.
The results are outstanding and I just wanted to thank you for everything.
An M21A5 that was tested at Ft. Benning in March of 2008, that fired groups under 1 MOA at 1000 yards with M118LR ammo.
A variation of the M21A5 C-IED Long Range Precision Rifle (LRPR) completed for a civilian customer, with Leupold Dark Earth scope – can also be had with a Pride–Fowler 10x42 or 3-9x42 Rapid Reticle, all with a 30mm main tube.
New products, coming soon.
Over a 15 year period, SEI has manufactured approximately 500,000 M16 bolts and bolt carriers.
Iraq, 2007: An M2HB .50 cal. with a Quick-Disconnect Vortex® Flash Eliminator, 4th IBCT, 1st Infantry Division.
Iraq, 2006: US Army 3rd Armored Cavalry Scout-Observer and Bradley crewman SPC James Olbrisch, with an M14 system made functional with a little help from his friends and family. .
Richard Smith machining SEI M14 receivers from bar stock.
These two SEI M-14s were the first two we made, assembled with USGI parts. They were test fired in an unheated condition, in the white, to see how much they could stand. We couldn’t believe what we saw – the receiver did not cave in after 50 shots each. The worst thing found was that the head space set back only .003 to .004, far less than we expected. The material used, a high grade 8620, was part of the reason it held so well. We cut them up after that test.
5 inch shell presented to SEI by the Capt. of the USS Mahan for building some of our Crazy Horse M-14/M21A5 rifles in 3 days, delivered the following day, just in time before they had to shove off.
Israel, 1986: Smith Enterprise’s Ron Smith, on left, with a sniper rifle built by him in Mesa. Az, visits with an IDF Major. At right is Mike Gruber.
Sonja Sommers, vice president of Smith Enterprise, test fires one of our M14K guns that she barreled and head spaced.
Before and after pictures of a build for the the US Army’s Second Infantry Division (2ID), currently employed in both Iraq and in Korea.
Some of the M14SE’s that were built for the Navy, to be used on surface combatants.
