TM 2018 AR Issue

SIG Sauer m400 tread 4 SIG raises the bar in a big way for sub-$1,000 AR-15s. Guy Coursey 4 Secureit mo. 52 ultralight gun cabinet 14 Convenient, secure and adaptable gun-storage. 18 Bill Battles Wilson combat ss .224 valkyrie 18 A premium launchpad for the .224 Valkyrie cartridge Dave Bahde New-for-2018 Hunting Gear 30 Our top picks for new AR optics, sights, ammo & more. OT Staff Hornady Frontier AR ammunition 40 36 Economical ammunition without the inconsistencies. Bill Battles Rock River RRAGE LAR-15 Carbine 44 How much AR can you get for around 700 bucks? Bill Battles Revolution long Range target 52 38 The best portable long-range-target solution ? Ben Battles Springfield 5.56mm saint pistol 54 The close-quarters option in the Saint line. Dave Bahde Velocity Triggers MPC Trigger 64 A performance modular drop-in trigger. Dave Bahde Gun & Gear Giveaway contest 68 Win a POF rifle, Nightforce scope, Aguila ammo, 54 Elite Pack & Velocity trigger worth over $3,500. OT Staff enter to win at... LWRCI M6IC-A5 CA Compliant 70 ontargetmagazine.com A smart workaround for communist gun laws. Christian Hazel

On Our Cover: SIG’s new 5.56mm M400 TREAD wearing a SIG SRD556-QD suppressor, ROMEO5 optic and a SureFire M600IB Scout Light. Photo by Ben Battles.

over $3,500 in prizes! 68 3 EDITOR Ben Battles Tel.: (603) 356-9762 [email protected]

ART DIRECTOR Mackenzie Battles [email protected]

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CONTRIBUTING Editors Massad Ayoob, David Bahde, Guy Coursey, Frank Melloni, Tatiana Whitlock, Wayne Van Zwoll, Mike Dickerson, Bill Battles 2xtreme

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On Target is a trademark of Phoenix Publishing, Inc. Entire contents copyright ©2018 by Phoenix Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 5 SIG raises the bar for sub-$1,000 AR-15s It’s tough to be an American firearms very early copies, with the experience noted here. manufacturer these days. The results of the last While I have no hard proof, I strongly suspect presidential election, along with market saturation, the Sig M400 TREAD has been inspired, at least has slowed demand significantly. So, Sig Sauer had in part, by one of Sig’s competitors, the Springfield their work cut out for them when they decided to Saint. The Saint came on the scene a few years ago, create another AR-15 that could compete with the and managed to become very popular by creating hundreds of others out there now. It needed to be what in effect is a near-custom gun for a modest quality, it had to be eye-catching, and most of all it price. It uses a tried and tested upper and lower had to be affordable. A tall order, but they managed receiver, high-quality parts, a 1:8” twist barrel, and a to do it with the brand-new M400 TREAD. I was unique handguard to help it stand out in a crowded one of the fortunate few to have received one of the field. I can tell you from personal experience that the

6 guy coursey ben battles 7 6 7 sig sauer m400 tread

Saint works as advertised, and all for the front, the handguard is teardrop under $800. The Sig M400 TREAD shaped, with six M-Lok cuts at the 3, 6 (the inspiration for the name remains and 9 o’clock positions, and five wider a mystery), appears to use the same parallelogram shaped cuts at 11 and 1 recipe for success. The TREAD starts o’clock forward. There is no Picatin- with the proven Sig M400 7075 ny rail along the handguard top, and aluminum lower and upper receivers, toward the rear half of the handguard used successfully on their M400 and there are no cuts at all, just flat metal. 516 AR-15 systems. The lower has More on this to come. The remain- a flared mag well, ambidextrous ing TREAD furniture consists of a controls, Magpul MOE trigger guard Sig pistol grip styled on the Magpul 1 and dual QD swivel points built in on M2 model, and a genuine Magpul both sides just below the castle nut. SL-K stock on a 6-position receiver Utilizing a direct gas impingement op- extension. The buffer itself is standard erating system, the TREAD’s 16-inch weight, while the trigger is a polished, barrel is machined from stainless steel hard-coated Mil-Spec, single-stage de- with a 1:8” twist, and a mid-length gas sign. While the TREAD comes “optics system. The barrel is topped with Sig’s ready”, i.e., with no sights, mine was proprietary three-pronged flash hider, supplied with a Sig ROMEO5 red-dot drawn from the Sig MCX/Virtus line. (although an added cost) and was The bolt carrier group and charging also tested with Magpul MBUS Pro handle are Mil-Spec. The TREAD’s back-up iron sights, the front mounted most distinctive feature is the very thin, on an added M-LOK Picatinny rail sleek, free-floating handguard. From forward. I never had cause to use these excellent BUIS because the 2-MOA ROMEO5 worked great throughout testing. At under $150, including an absolute co-witness mount, 50,000 hours of battery life, and motion sensing on/off, this optic can give any Aimpoint a run for its money. The SIG Sauer M400 Tread 2 TREAD weighs in at seven pounds empty, though it seems lighter with its MSRP: starting at $951 svelte handguard. It comes in a sturdy Caliber/Gauge: 5.56x45mm NATO cardboard box, with one 30-round GI Barrel: 16-inch stainless-steel, 1:8 Twist mag, lock and user manual. OA Length: 30.8 inches I went to the range firmly expecting Weight: 7-pounds Sights: flat top rail the TREAD would be a good shooter, Stocks/Grips: magpul SL-K 6-position, SIG grip but I would have to work for it, and I Action: Rotating bolt, direct gas impingement was right. A quality 1:8” twist barrel Finish: hard anodized mated to a sturdy chassis usually spells Capacity: AR-15 .223/5.56 compatible good things downrange. However, one also needs a decent trigger to accomplish this. The trigger on the 1-Ambidexterous magazine release, safety selector and integral QD sling mounts in the rear of the receiver TREAD broke for me at around seven are additions not found on a sub-$1,000 AR before the TREAD was brought to market. A dual-paddle bolt- pounds, depending on where I placed catch—which makes deliberately locking the bolt to the rear significantly easier—and polished trigger the gauge. It felt like, well, a crisp but group round out the fire-controls. 2-Possibly the most distinctive and well-liked component by anyone who handled the TREAD is its ultra-slim, 15-inch M-LOCK compatible free-floating handguard (other heavy single-stage trigger. After my handguard options and accessories are also being made available.) Almost completely hidden under- initial foray, I decided to replace the neath is a 16-inch stainless-steel barrel with a 1:8” twist rate. The barrel is topped with a three-prong flash TREAD’s stock trigger springs with hider and is fitted with a mid-length gas system, tapped off via a low-profile SIG Microlight gas block. a set of JP 4.0 pound springs that go 8 9 sig sauer m400 tread 1

for about $10. This dropped the pull weight to nearer 6.5 especially a direct-impingement operated rifle, when shot pounds, and made it a bit crisper. Better, but still not great. enough in a short time will get its handguard pretty hot. The For comparison, a similar ALS QMS or BCM trigger/spring TREAD handguard just gets hot a lot faster. Now, before combo will break at around 5 to 5.5 pounds. Meanwhile, the you abandon reading right here let me note that Sig offers TREAD’s unique handguard proved the old adage that there additional handguard options for the TREAD that have is no free lunch. You can’t have thin, slick, minimal diameter more M-LOK cuts, as well as vertical grip kits. For my part, and fewer cuts without giving up something. That some- I used an M-LOK compatible handstop from VZ. You can thing is heat dissapation and air cooling. Of course, any AR, also add some M-LOK rail scales forward, and very probably

1-Quality operating components throughout the TREAD add up to durability and reliability; no com- promises here either. One 30-round aluminum GI type magazine is supplied with the rifle. Need ammu- nition? In our testing experience, SIG makes some of the best-qual- ity, most-precise defensive- and range-ammo money can buy. 2-“Budget” rifles usually come up short in the furniture department, but SIG was able to avoid these com- promises with the TREAD. A six-po- sition Magpul SL-K buttstock, with a streamlined profile and slopped cheek-weld surface, takes up the rear, and a textured SIG polymer handgrip with built-in storage rep- 2 resents an ergonomically-excel- lent home for your firing hand. 10 11 1

sig sauer m400 tread

1-Like all other SIG rifles, the TREAD’s barrel features SIG’s Taper Lock con- 2 tour behind the muzzle threads for a rock-solid interface with SIG’s own line of direct-thread and quick-de- tach sound suppressors. Shown is SIG’s SRD556-QD version, made from abuse- proof Inconel 718 stainless steel and featuring slim, tubeless design and a fast-attach mechanism and two- piece compensator attachment point. 2-SIG not only has you covered with a high-quality, affordable rifle, the company’s optics division produces a red-dot sight with the exact same attributes—the ROMEO5. Its MOTAC feature automatically shuts down the optic when the rifle remains idle, yet as soon as even the slightest vibration is sensed, it turns on instantly, with no other input by the shooter needed.

wear a glove on your non-dominant hand to mitigate the Recoil was light thanks to the mid-length gas system, with conductive heat during serious use. the sights falling straight back on target after each shot. At my Trigger and handguard anomalies aside, the Sig M400 first range session I zeroed at 50 yards from a rucksack rest TREAD shot well throughout testing, in some cases very and eventually centered the group at about an inch with some well. Reliability was 100% with five different types of ammo cheap zinc-coated MFS 55-gr. ball. Given the optic, ammo from 55 to 77 grains, and five different types of metal and and trigger, this was acceptable, and I figured I had about a 2 synthetic magazines. Functionally, everything worked without MOA gun to take to more serious testing. Such groups proved a hiccup, with the ambidextrous controls being a huge boon. to be the norm, though in this case the norm was somewhat 12 13 sig sauer m400 tread TREAD likes mid-weight bullets, in this case the Hornady TAP 60-gr. Urban round with a synthetic tip, turning my abnormal. Why? On the day of dedicated accuracy testing best group at 0.75”. This probably should not be surprising I forgot my usual Trijicon 4-16x AccuPower scope on its considering the Goldilocks twist rate, but at 75 yards with a Larue LT104 mount. After emitting some bad words, and red-dot optic and my near-50-year-old eyes, it’s still respect- faced with no future opportunities to conduct testing before able. With a magnifying optic and a lighter trigger, it would the deadline, I decided to split the difference and just use the almost certainly be even better. Whatever you feed or mount ROMEO5 at 75 instead of the traditional 100 yards to get on it, the TREAD is definitely up for the task of any carbine some idea of the TREAD’s intrinsic accuracy. Groups here work. What’s the price? $951. That’s extremely reasonable hovered around 1.5-2 inches for all ammo tested, usually with and competitive for an AR with these features, no matter the best four shots tighter, despite concentrating through the which side of the market you are on. Contact Sig Sauer, Tel.: trigger every blessed inch of the way. It turns out that the (603) 610-3000; Web: www.sigsauer.com

1-With impending dead- 1 lines and a forgotten magnifying optic when it came time to bench test the TREAD at the range, the author dialed the range back to 75-yards and rolled through testing with the non-magnifying ROMEO5. Even with the handicap, the TREAD turned in some very re- spectable performance.

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2-Both suppressed and un-suppressed, the TREAD ingested, extracted and ejected everything we fed it during testing, providing 100-percent reliabil- ity throughout testing. If you’ve been keeping an eye out for a sub-$1,000 AR, with features normally only seen above that threshold, we suggest you get to your dealer and handle one for yourself.

14 14 15 SecureIt 1. Agile Model 52 Ultralight Gun Cabinet Convenient, secure and adaptable, this could be the storage solution you’ve been looking for

Some shooters don’t need or want $6,000, 2,000-pound, fireproof gun safes to store their firearms, or to comply with safe gun storage laws in their states. If you fall into that category, take a hard look at the new Agile Model 52 Ultralight Gun Cabinet from SecureIt Tactical. Priced at an affordable $599, and weighing only 105 pounds empty, the Agile Model 52 can be placed anywhere in your house without having to hire a crane or a crew of Neanderthals to hump it in. A couple of middle-age guys can handle it no sweat. The Agile Model 52 is a premium, heavy-duty firearm storage system that can do everything a traditional gun safe can do without being overly heavy and difficult to move. With Secu- reIt’s patent-pending KnockDown Technology, the Model 52 is delivered disassembled for easy transportation and can be as- sembled in minutes. All assembly is internal, and because of this, inaccessible when locked. It comes unassembled in the box, so 1) Once fully assembled, here’s what your safe you can open it outside and carry the individual panels to their will look like. The programmable keypad allows destination for assembly. Done that way, one upper middle-age quick and easy access, but just in case, there’s a guy (read “old guy”) can handle the process all on his own. key back-up hidden in a pretty smart spot. You’ll have to buy one to find out though…we’re not spilling the beans. If you have the height to work bill battles ben battles with, these cabinets are also stackable. 16 17 16 2) The CradleGrid louvers covering the entire back- 3. side of the cabinet’s interior allow custom place- ment of not only the six included barrel cradles, but also a slew of optional accessories to custom- ize your storage layout. Shown here are the plas- tic storage bins, a full-width metal storage tray and single-pistol pegs. 3) Shown part way assem- bled, the Agile Model 52 cabinet comes completely disassembled for ease of shipping. Thanks to the company’s KnockDown technology making the hard connection between the four sides, top and bottom, assembly is an easy 15-20 minutes affair. 2.

4. One of our favorite aspects of the Agile Model 52 is its standard CradleGrid Technology for organized and adapt- able storage. The cabinet measures 52” H x 20” W x 15” deep, and will hold six scoped long guns up to 50-inches in length, plus 24 handguns in optional bins sold separately (medium bin with divider $7.99 each). Metal accessory storage trays are also available optionally at $24.99 each. Other features include a keypad control panel (battery not included) with key override, KnockDown design for fast assembly with all assembly fixtures on the inside for securi- ty, a recessed, full piano-hinge, left-hand swing door with 3-point locking system, louvered back panel grid, six upper cradles with removable bungees and three stock bases. Straight-line access permits you to remove any firearm with- out moving the others. A CradleGrid system allows on the fly adjustment to store any firearm without tools. Currently made in China, SecureIt is planning to move production of all their products to the U.S.A. soon. See it at your firearms retailer, or for more information contact SecureIt; Tel.: (800) 651-8835; email: sales@secureittactical. com; Web: www.secureitgunstorage.com

4) Eminently configurable to suit the most particular of storage needs, we had our model 52 set up exactly how we wanted it in a matter of minutes. And, if we ever need to reconfigure the placement of anything attached to the CradleGrid, it’s a simple matter of lifting up on the accessory and pushing it down into the louver that works. The high level of user-friend- liness and the vast array of configuration options make this gun cabinet a winner in our book. 18 19 A premium launch pad for the new flat-shooting .224 Valkyrie cartridge

One of the new calibers introduced last year that seems to be gaining some traction is the .224 Valkyrie. The idea of a fast .224 (.223 or 5.56mm) is not new by any stretch, they’ve been around for decades. Many are .308 cartridge-based, the .22-250 being the most main stream, but wildcats are still around. Most are bolt-rifle based for varmint hunting using 55-grain or smaller bullets, with an occasional try at designing one for an AR-15, the 22 Nosler being the most recent. Most focus on super-fast 55-grain bullets for long range varmint hunting, few use the heavier (60- to 90-grain) projectiles. Popular amongst a few, none are mainstream. What’s different this time is that ammunition companies are providing support for the .224 Valkyrie. Federal got the party started, but Hornady is making an 88-grain ELDM load, Doubletap just made a zippy 90-grain SMK and others are lining up. Rifle companies have done the same with several AR manufacturers supporting it from entry level to high-dollar customs. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, the Precision Rifle Se- ries (PRS) has provided a venue that is very well suited to this caliber. Precision Rifle with a Gas Gun Precision rifle matches are incredibly popular and remain on the rise. Local matches allow for long-range positional shooting in some challenging environments at moderate cost in time, equipment and ammunition. While mostly bolt rifle focused the gas gun is gaining traction. Along with an entire division within the PRS a few take them to the bolt gun events. Matches geared toward the AR may limit range to 800 yards, making .224 Valkyrie a decent fit. Properly built, you lose a pound or more from an AR10 based 6mm or 6.5mm rifle. Recoil is all

dave bahde ben battles & dave bahde

20 21 agencies looking for a truly precise .223 AR, they are built to contour, if that makes sense. Threaded 1/2 x 28, it will ac- wilson combat super sniper be accurate without adding a ton of weight. cept muzzle devices and suppressors. The gas block is an SLR Wilson uses their billet aluminum upper and lower receivers. Rifleworks adjustable, the hand guard is Wilson’s T.R.I.M. The barrel is a 20-stainless steel match-grade affair using their rail extending 13.8 inches using M-Lok attachment points. Super Sniper contour, 1:6.5” twist and rifle length gas system. The stock is a Rogers Super Stock, the pistol grip is a Wilson Fluted, it’s sort of a heavier medium Combat Starburst and the trigger is a single-stage TTU (Tactical Trigger Unit). The bolt carrier is a premium Mil-Spec part using a magnetic particle inspected 6.8 SPC bolt. Everything is ROBAR NP3 coated. Receivers

1—With clean lines 1 and a distinctively high-end appearance, the foundation of the Super Sniper is a pairing of billet but non-existent making follow-up shots quick upper and lower and precise. Conversion consists of a barrel along receivers. The rifle’s single-stage TTU with a 6.8SPC bolt and magazine. Throw on a wilson Combat Super Sniper .224 Valkyrie suppressor and it is about the perfect game gun for (Tactical Trigger precision gas matches with at least three viable factory ammuni- MSRP: starting at $2,225 Unit) is factory set tion options. It was time to put it to the test out to its “advertised Caliber/Gauge: .224 Valkyrie at a crisp, creep-free 4-pound pull weight. range” of 1,300 yards with the latest precision ammunition. Barrel/ Twist: 20-inch stainless fluted, 1:6.5 OA Length: 39 inches extended An enlarged bolt Wilson Combat Super Sniper AR-15 .224 Valkyrie Weight: 7 pounds catch, Mil-Spec safety Sights: flat top rail selector and BCM Wilson Combat’s Super Sniper has been a sort of hidden Stocks/Grips: Rogers stock, Wilson Combat grip Gunfighter charging secret for years. Having tested numerous Wilson Combat handle with an en- Action: Rotating bolt, direct gas impingement rifles, their Super Sniper has always been as accurate as the larged latch round Finish: Hard anodized platform can be. Originally built at the request of police out the fire controls. Capacity: AR-15 6.8 SPC compatible

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1—The slim, lightweight and sturdy, 13.8-inch free-float- 1 ing Wilson Combat T.R.I.M. forend features a full-length Picatinny-rail top strip and is paired with M-LOK attach- ment slots around the remaining circumference.

2—Wilson Com- bat’s .224 Valky- rie chambered Super Sniper model gets a 20-inch stain- less-steel-fluted, match-grade bar- rel with a 1:6.5” twist rate. Its low-profile gas block taps off a rifle-length gas system, and threaded to the muzzle is a Wilson Combat 2 Q-Comp brake/ compensator.

and T.R.I.M. rail are hard anodized in black. One PRI (Precision H59 may not be new, but getting one that’s illuminated in this Reflex Industries) 10-round 6.8 SPC magazine was provided, and power range for two grand is. These reticles come at a premium, at all was shipped in a Wilson Combat marked soft case. times adding several hundred dollars without illumination. Tube diameter is 34mm and it comes with a quick adjust lever. Mount- Testing ing it in a Nightforce single-piece mount keeps it light weight. Given my idea of this rifle’s mission, the EOTech Vudu 5-25 Having tested this rifle quite a bit, this caliber readily lends itself power scope was about perfect. Built to be compact, it’s only 11.2 to suppressed use. About the shortest barrel you want to garner inches long—very compact for this power range. It allows you to any value is 18 inches, 20 inches is really the minimum for a comp mount it on an AR-15 without extending out to the hand guard. rifle, but you can order with 22- or 24-inch barrels. That means Eye relief is generous, facilitating shooting from odd positions. suppressors don’t gum up the works as much and they run well. Si- Glass is clear, knobs are easy to read and slip, and it can be ordered lent Legion’s Multi-Caliber suppressor was used throughout. Built with their MD3 (lined) reticle or a Horus H59. Using the Horus from Titanium as a .30 caliber suppressor you can use it with a QD 24 25 wilson combat super sniper trel with a density altitude of 7,802 feet. Each was confirmed at 1,000 and 1,308 yards. Federal’s 90-grain Gold Medal trued at flash hider, brake or direct thread. It comes with flash hiders and 2,715 f.p.s. Elevation at 1,000 yards was 9.0 mils using the di- direct thread adapters in both 1/2 x 28 and 5/8 x 24. Even with als. Holding that same 9.0 mils with the H59 at the top yielded the increased velocity and .224 bullets it remained very quiet. At consistent hits on the top portion of a 22” x 16” silhouette 16-ounces it balanced well and impacted POA at zero very little. target. Wind holds were between 1.5 and 2.0 mils with gusts in Recoil was all but eliminated, along with any barrel movement. the 20 MPH range. Reaching out to 1,308 yards, the elevation correction was 14.2 mils. Doubletap’s load using the same bul- Range Time let was impressively flatter. Hold at 1,000 yards was 8.2 mils, Velocities were trued at 855 yards (the most likely range almost a full mil less, with wind holds about the same, maybe limit for matches) using an Applied Ballistics equipped Kes- a couple tenths less. Trued out of the 20-inch barrel at close to

1—A common theme among Wilson Combat ARs are the excellent telescoping Rog- ers Super-Stock and Wilson Combat/BCM Starburst Gun- fighter Grip. The Super-Stoc is one of the more-versatile and rugged AR buttstocks currently available, with multiple sling-mount op- tions and its unique cam- lock system. Once engaged, the cam-lock removes any and all slop in the stock- to-buffer tube interface, and also locks your pre- ferred length-of-pull positon into place. Pulling up on the quick-release adjustment lever quickly 1 unlocks the cam-lock.

2 2—At a ridiculously-short 11.2-inches, EO- Tech’s (eotechinc.com) brand new 5-25x50mm Vudu is the shortest first-focal plane rifle- scope currently available, and is an abso- lutely awesome piece of optical equipment… especially at its ultra-competitive MSRP. Look for more on this in an upcoming issue. Our Vudu is shown mounted in a 34mm Weaver MSR one-piece mount (weaveroptics.com), de- signed specifically for the AR platform.

26 26 27 wilson combat super sniper 2 2—The .224 Valkyrie (middle) is a 6.8 SPC cartridge (right) necked down to a .22 caliber, and boasts supersonic veloc- ity past 1,300 yards, as well as approximately 50-percent less felt-recoil than a .308 Win. Of- fering multiple loads for mul- tiple purposes, Federal and Hornady have both stepped up to the plate in a big way with .224 Valkyrie. This includes Fed- 1—One of the require- eral’s low-cost-option, 75-gr. ments of a .224 Valkyrie American Eagle load (shown), chambered AR-15 is the use which, with a cursory online of 6.8 SPC compatible mag- search, will set you back any- azines as well as a 6.8 SPC where between 45 to e57 cents bolt. Our test rifle shipped per round. Those are typical with one PRI 10-round .223 Rem (left) range-ammo magazine. Both bolt and prices, folks. bolt carrier are coated in ROBAR’s slick, indestruc- 2,800 f.p.s., the difference was noticeable. It was also the Beyond 800 yards the Doubletap rules. tible and thoroughly most accurate, producing a .50-inch group at 100 yards, Out to 800 yards the holds were within a couple tenths proven NP3 coating .80 inches at 300 yards. Hornady’s 88-grain ELDM was of my typical 6.5 CM using the Federal 130-grain Berg- about as accurate but quite a bit slower. While amaz- ers—pretty impressive. Using the Doubletap 90-grain SMK ingly soft to shoot, it trued at only 2,600 f.p.s. from they were the same as my 20-inch .260 using 130-grain this 20-inch barrel. Elevation at 855 yards was 7.2 mils, ELDM. Same gains at 1,308 yards with a confirmed hold about the same as the Federal (6.9) and a mil higher of 13.2 mils using Doubletap (12.5 for the .260). While than the Doubletap (6.2). It was very consistent though it certainly will not supplant my 6.5 CM using 105-grain 1 and wind holds were the same, maybe even a bit less. ELDX for ranges from 800-1300 yards, it holds its own out

28 29 wilson combat super sniper 500 yards compared to a .223. The only issue will be magazine capacity for some, as 25 rounds is the norm. to 800 yards compared to most .308-based 6.5mms, and out to 1,000 yards with the Doubletap. All with less weight, length and Bottom Line recoil given the same suppressed configuration. If you are already a 6.8 SPC fan this is an easy swap—just a barrel. Otherwise it’s a pretty easy build and several companies are Considerations making rifles. Time will tell if momentum continues, but it clear- Whether your targets are paper or steel, the .223 Valkyrie ly performs well. Wilson Combat rifles have become solid buys— using a 20” barrel is just as capable as the 6.5 Creedmoor at 800 great buys in some cases—with retail prices starting in the $2,200 yards with less recoil, less barrel movement, less weight and a range, depending on what you request. Wilson Combat rifles shorter overall package. For gas-gun matches in moderate wind have always been accurate, reliable and well built. Each is hand with 800 yard limits (like most of them) it will be my first choice built to custom standards using the best components and should replacing my .260 Remington. The weight savings and lack of be at the top of anyone’s list in this caliber or any other. Contact barrel movement alone are worth it. In a bolt gun match, where Wilson Combat, Tel.: (800) 955-4856; Web: wilsoncombat.com ranges reach out to 1,500+ yards, my 6mm Creedmoor is still the ticket. Bullet weight is similar (105-108 grains) but almost 500 1 f.p.s. faster with a higher BC, so it’s just no contest. Several top-level competitors tell me they are looking at the Super Sniper .224 Valkyrie for 3-gun matches. Not sure you would need the longer barrel, but it could prove an advantage at those matches that reach out. Set this up with an 18-inch barrel and blast away using the Federal 75-grain TMJ up close; drop in the 90-grain SMK and you are still much flatter at 300 to Performance: Load Velocity (f.p.s.) Accuracy Federal 90-grain SMK 2,715 .60 inches Hornady 88-grain ELDM 2,600 .56 inches Doubletap 90-grain SMK 2,800 .50 inches 1—Of the three loads the author bench-tested, the Double Tap 90-grain SMK load snuck out a best- Velocity in feet per second (f.p.s.) measured using a Magneto Speed V3 chrono- group target at 100-yards, measuring exactly half- graph. Accuracy in inches for three 5-round groups fired from 100 yards using a bipod as a rest from behind a bench. MOA (half inch.) Hornady and Federal loads gave amazingly similar performance.

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2—With less recoil and comparable performance to 6.5 Creedmoor out to 800-yards, and major ammunition-manufacturer support, we believe the .224 Valkyrie load to have real-world application and staying power. On Target’s test rifle ran with 100-percent reliability, both suppressed and un-suppressed.

30 30 31 Luth-AR PALM Handguards • Blackhawk! Hybrid Folding Sights • Sig Sauer Elite Performance Ammunition

NEW FOR 2018AR gear, accessories & ammo

by on target staff Blackhawk! Hybrid Folding Sights The new Hybrid Folding Sights from Sig Sauer Elite Performance .223 & .308 FMJ Ammunition Blackhawk! feature a solid metal alloy core Sig Sauer continues to grow its Elite Performance line of rifle am- with an advanced co-polymer jacket that munition with the addition of .223 Rem. and .308 Win. full metal jacket eliminates excess bulk and weight without rounds for training. Elite Performance full metal jacket practice ammuni- compromising strength and durability. The tion is ideal for those seeking cost-efficient, high-quality rounds for target magnetic twin aperture Hybrid rear sight practice and tactical training. The 55-grain .223 Rem. load generates a ($69.95) flips up with a gloved hand, holds muzzle velocity of 3,240 f.p.s., with muzzle energy of 1,282 ft. lbs., while tight under 7.62 NATO recoil, features the 150-grain .308 Win. load produces a muzzle velocity of 2,900 f.p.s. dual tool-less windage adjustment dials and with muzzle energy of 2,802 ft. lbs. includes an integral Picatinny rail mount. “We’ve been inundated with requests for ball ammunition in these popular The Hybrid front sight ($59.95) includes rifle calibers,” said Brad Criner, the Director of Brand Management and Busi- all the same construction features, but ness Development for Sig Sauer Ammunition. “This new Sig full metal jacket offers extended protective ears and a single rifle ammunition fills a need for those who want to tool-less elevation adjustment dial for its practice their shooting without paying match-grade steel front post. Both Hybrid sights are prices for competition-level performance.” available in matte black or flat dark earth All Sig Sauer Elite Performance ammu- colors, and you can save ten bucks by pur- nition is manufactured by Sig Sauer at its chasing a front and rear set for $119.95. new ammunition manufacturing During testing we found the Hybrid Fold- facility in Jacksonville, Arkansas ing Sights to be as durable and accurate as to the same exacting standards as any back-up iron sights we’ve used, and the the company’s premium pistols windage and elevation dials (especially the and rifles. Contact Sig Sauer; latter) to be a real convenience. Contact Tel.: (603) 610-3000; Web: Blackhawk!; Tel.: (406) 284-3840; Web: www.sigsauer.com www.blackhawk.com

Luth-AR PALM Handguards The new Palm Handguards from Luth AR are free float tubes featuring a triangular profile that conforms to the palm of your hand, giving you a secure and comfortable grip. The vented version pro- vides a Picatinny top rail and KeyMod or MLOK slots along both upper sides, as well as a row of KeyMod or MLOK slots along the bottom to accommodate all manner of accessories, including bipods. The lower sides are adorned with the Luth-AR “Double L”, and Car- tridge lightening/cooling cuts to further reduce weight and provide heat dissipation with a distinctive good look. The Palm Handguard is a 6061-T6 Aluminum extrusion that is hard anodized in black. It comes with a barrel nut made from heat treated alloy steel with a manganese phosphate finish. Weights vary by length and the extent of slots and ventilation cuts. They are available in seven different lengths and styles, priced from $53.95 to $89.95. Contact Luth-AR; Tel.: (763)-263-0166; Web: www.luth-ar.com 32 33 Silent Legion Suppressor • Aero Precision M5 Atlas AR10 Handguards • Black Hills 9mm HoneyBadger Ammo

Silent Legion .450 Bushmaster/.458 SOCOM Suppressor Silent Legion is a veteran-owned business with a no-com- promise attitude in both product and personal integrity. When they give you their word, it’s a guarantee. New for 2018 they are offering a new suppressor that was designed to be used on both .450 Bushmaster and .458 SOCOM chambered ARs and bolt-guns. Made from Titanium with a black Cerakote finish, the .450/.458 suppressor is designed to harness the energy of Aero Precision M5 Atlas S-ONE these LOUD, heavy-hitting rounds, and tame the noise as well and R-ONE AR10 Handguards as the recoil. It measures 8.75” L x 1.50” in diameter and weighs New from Aero Precision are the M5 ATLAS 18.0 oz. Sound reduction is a full 30 decibels. Priced at $1,048, S-ONE and M5 Atlas R-ONE Handguards. it can be mounted to muzzles threaded at either 5/8” x 24 TPI or Both are made for the AR10/.308 platform 11/16” x 24 TPI with the included Suppressor Retention System with DPMS High-Profile patterned Picatinny (SRS). Silent legion also offers dozens of other top-quality and rails, are machined in the USA from 6061-T6 top-performing handgun and rifle suppressors for weapons cham- Aluminum alloy and are available in 15-inch bered in everything from .22LR to .338 Lapua Magnum. Silent and 12-inch variations. The slim-profile S-ONE Legion products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility handguard features Picatinny rail sections at the that’s ISO 9001 certified, meaning there is a guaranteed level of front and rear to minimize bulk and weight. It manufacturing consistency that is rare among suppressor makers. features a 1.48” inside diameter, 1.7” outside Contact Silent Legion, Tel.: (336) 202-9013; E-mail: info@silentle- diameter, quick detach sling swivel recepticles gion.com; Web: www.silentlegion.com at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions, an included barrel nut and all mounting hardware. 12- and 15-inch variations weigh in at 7.47 oz. and 8.71 oz. respectively. The M5 ATLAS R-ONE shares all the same specs as the S-ONE, with the exception of having a full-length Picatinny top rail and weights ranging from 8.61 oz. to 10.16 oz. Both are available with either KeyMod or M-LOK accessory mounting cuts. See them at your dealer, or for more information, check out the Aero Precision website at aeroprecisionusa.com

Black Hills 9mm HoneyBadger Ammo If you want your 9mm AR to perform like (or even better than) a 10mm H&K MP10, then load it up with Black Hills new 9mm HoneyBadger ammo. HoneyBadger refers to the bullet. Co-developed with Lehigh Defense, these solid copper, non-deforming, non-fragmenting bullets have wide, sharp flutes that cut through barriers that defeat standard hollow-point designs. Upon penetrating the target, these bullets reliably penetrate to uniform depths while also outperforming hollow points in depth and width of wound cavity. The design works by accelerating and redirecting the focused fluid stream radially from the flutes into the surround- ing tissue. There’s no chance of bullet failure through over-penetration, fragmentation or plugging of a hollow-point cavity. The 100-grain 9mm HoneyBadger 9mm load utilizes a newly developed projectile that exits the muzzle at 1,300 f.p.s., de- veloping 375 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy. In ballistic gelatin it creates a wound cavity over three inches in diameter and over 15 inches in length. This is one kick-butt 9mm load! For more information contact Black Hills Ammunition; Tel.: (605) 348-5150; Web: www.black-hills.com

3434 35 Hornady .300 BLK Subsonic • AR500 Armor Testudo Plate Carrier • Nightforce ATACR 1-8x24mm F1 Riflescope

Hornady .300 BLK Subsonic Hornady’s 300 Blackout Subsonic ammo provides accuracy and performance below the speed of sound. The new 190-gr Sub-X bullet features a lead core. Long grooves in its gild- ing metal jacket combine with the bullet’s flat profile and Hornady’s patented Flex Tip insert to help it expand reliably at low velocities. Performance meets or exceeds FBI Protocol test requirements. The Sub-X features a cannelure for positive case crimp for use in semi-auto- matics. Impact velocity of 1,020 f.p.s. provides 16- to 18-inches penetration and 90%+ weight retention in ballistic gelatin. Hornady Subson- ic doesn’t have the loud report of supersonic rounds, and with a suppressor it’s even quieter. Unique powders optimized for subsonic use AR500 Armor Testudo Plate Carrier result in low flash signature, ideal for either Unique to the Testudo Plate Carrier ($159) is its capability of suppressed or unsuppressed performance. The carrying either 10” x 12” or 11” X 14” body armor of any type. 190-gr. Sub-X bullet has a ballistic coefficient With a fully adjustable cummerbund and shoulder straps, the of 0.437, muzzle velocity of 1,050 f.p.s. and Testudo is versatile and viable for large or medium body types. muzzle energy of 465 ft. lbs. At 100 yards it’s Rugged side retention buckles and straps are included. Each side still doing 999 f.p.s. with kinetic energy of 420. is removable for user adjustable level of retention and comfort, f.p.s. This a close-range man-stopper. Contact compatible with or without cummerbund installed. It retains a Hornady Manufacturing, Tel.: (800-338-3220); light weight and durable profile by using 500D Cordura nylon Web: www.hornady.com construction. Strategic lower-offset rear shoulder mounts position the rear plate pocket higher, alleviating the traditional “low hanging” rear plate pocket as seen on carriers that lost sight of proper armor placement. Inner plate retention straps on both pockets further ensure ideal body armor ride height for optimal vital coverage. For mor information contact AR500 Armor; Tel.: (602) 501-9607; Web: www.ar500armor.com

Nightforce ATACR 1-8x24mm F1 Riflescope The new ATACR 1-8x24 F1 riflescope from Nightforce is the ultimate low-power variable riflescope. It includes ED glass, bright daylight illumination, low-profile adjustments, with a 1X field of view equivalent to open sights. It measures just over 10 inches long and weighs 21 ounces. The center red dot allows for rapid engagements, and provides up to 8x zoom to locate and engage targets at maximum range. The intelligent FC-DM reticle is set in the first focal plane, so it increases in size as magnification is increased. At low power, the illuminated center dot and segmented circle are visible under the brightest conditions. At longer ranges, the reticle provide fasts and easy elevation and windage holds. Built on a 34mm machined aluminum tube, the ATACR 1-8x24mm F1 features a 100 yard field of view of 96.1 ft. at 1X magnification, and 13.1 feet at 8X. Eye relief is 3.74 inches, and other features include an adjustable diopter ring with separate locking ring and inter- nal adjustment range of 30 Mils in both windage and elevation. Pricing was not available at press time. See it at your local dealer or for more infor- mation contact Night- force Optics, Tel.: (208) 476.9814; Web: www. nightforceoptics.com 36 37 TruGlo TRU•TEC Micro Red-Dot Sight • Real Avid AR-15 Master Bench Block • Blue Book of AR-15s and Variations

Blue Book of AR-15s and Variations Blue Book Publications has just introduced the 1st Edition of their Blue Book of AR-15s and Variations. Authored by S.P. Fjestad, and edited by John B. Allen and Thomas A. Toupin, this new publication is the most up-to-date and complete reference book ever published on AR-10/AR-15 carbines, pistols, rifles and shot- guns. This 384 page book features almost 300 AR-15 current and discontinued manufacturers/trademarks, up-to-date values that take into consideration the most recent AR-15 marketplace activity, detailed model descriptions on all variations, proprietary AR-15 nomenclature/terminology, including such famous trademarks as Cerakote, Ergo, Hogue, Geissele, KeyMod, M-LOK, Melonite, Novak, SOP- MOD, VLTOR, etc., and informative, full color sections that include AR-15 anatomies/illustrations, terminology, parts diagrams, glossary, abbreviations and other information, making it a virtual encyclopedia on AR-15s. Additionally, a thorough, up-to-date AR-15 article by S.P. Fjestad chronicles the complete AR-15 history and informs the reader of the current state of today’s marketplace. Contact Blue Book Publications; Tel.: (800) 877-4867; Web: www.bluebookofgunvalues.com

Real Avid AR-15 Master Bench Block Priced at $29.95, the new AR-15 Master Bench Block from Real Avid holds all key AR-15 parts to quickly and easily tap out thirteen different pins from five different components. The block is wrapped in an over-molding that grips to your bench to prevent slippage. Plus, engraved on the ultra-tough engineering grade surface are clear component labels marked with pin punch sizes to make determining what component to place where and what pins to use. Simple. On the backside of the block, to capture pins and keep them from rolling away, are four embedded magnets and, to keep your pins from getting lost, a pin storage section is included. The work surface is made from ultra-tough engineering resin with rubberized non-slip outer surface. It measure 7.5 inches long by 5.25 inches wide, and is must-have tool for any AR-15 owner. For more information contact Real Avid, Tel.: (800) 286-0567; Web: www.realavid.com

TruGlo TRU•TEC Micro Sub-Compact Red-Dot Sight Whether riding the slide of an optic–ready handgun, or mounted on a rifle or shotgun with ultra–lightweight accessories, the new TRU•TEC Micro ($246) incorporates the favorite features of the TRU•TEC line in an ultra–lightweight and versatile profile, including digital push–button brightness control and an idle auto–off system to save battery life. Its 3– MOA red-dot reticle provides fast target acquisition with unlimited eye relief. The 23mm x 17mm multi–coated objective lens provides a clear, bright, non-magnified sight picture edge to edge. Other features include digital push–button brightness controls with 10 brightness settings, an auto– off feature to preserve battery life (one 3V–CR2032 battery is included), locking windage and elevation adjustments and shock and fog–resistance. It is compatible with optic–ready pistol mounts (Eotech, Docter, Insight, Meopta, etc.) and weighs only 1.0 oz. CNC–machined from aircraft–grade aluminum, it has a water–resistant, sealed o–ring design, and includes a Picatinny rail mount and ABS hardshell cover. Contact TruGlo; Tel.: (888) 8-TRUGLO; Web: www.truglo.com 38 39 DoubleStar Strongarm Pistol Brace • Tetra ValuPro III Cleaning Kit • Bushnell Tac Optics Red Dot Sights

Bushnell Tac Optics Red Dot Sights Bushnell has just introduced their new Tac Optics line of red-dot sights, a series of three models priced from $358.45 to $359.95. The Mini Cannon gives you four reticle options at the push of a button, and delivers a bat- tery life of over 30,000 hours. The Lil P(rism) is one of the industry’s smallest prism sights, and its BDC reticle is ideal for tactical applications. The Big D(ot) is anything but small, with a massive 37mm objective lens and unlimited field of view. All three of the new optics provide some of the brightest dots available, with six to twelve inten- sity settings (depending on model) for use in all lighting conditions, and feature integral Picatinny rail mounts. They are parallax free to 50 yards, and dot size varies by model. Tetra ValuPro III Modern All three sights are fully water- Sporting Rifle Cleaning Kit proof, are finished in black New from Tetra is the ultra-convenient all-in-one- hard-coat anodization solution Tetra ValuPro kit cleaning kit for modern and come with Bush- sporting rifles (MSRs) chambered in .223 Rem./5.56 nell’s Ironclad Warranty. NATO. Priced at $24.99, contained in the plastic Contact Bushnell Outdoor box is a 2 oz. bottle of Tetra Gun Triple Action sol- Products; Tel.: 800-423- vent, a 10 oz. tube of Tetra Gun Grease, a 19-inch 3537; Web: www.bushnell.com sectional cleaning rod blued for rust protection, an 8-inch fixed-handle chamber rod, double-ended nylon brush, a .22 caliber bronze bore brush that is imper- vious to copper dissolving solvents, a .22 caliber/5.56 NATO bronze chamber brush, a .22 caliber/ 5.56 NATO cotton chamber mop, a .22 caliber brass jag, a .22 caliber cotton bore mop, .22 caliber-sized cotton patches, a bore guide, a patch holder and a plastic case with see-through, snap-shut cover. In short, everything you need to keep your AR running reliably. The whole package weighs 64 oz. See it at your dealer, or for more information contact Tetra Gun Care; Tel.: (973) 443- 0004; Web: www.tetraguncare.com

DoubleStar Strongarm Pistol Brace DoubleStar’s new Strongarm Pistol Brace ($99.99) is machined from 6061 T6 billet aluminum with a hard-an- odized black finish, providing a rock-solid brace that fits securely on AR-style pistol buffer tubes with 1.11”to 1.20” diameter buffer tubes. Made in the U.S.A., the Strongarm Pistol Brace weighs 4.8 oz. and occupies the rearmost 1.9 inches of the buffer tube. It also comes with a Velcro strap to secure the pistol to your forearm for easy, one-handed shooting. It includes quick-detach sling swivel receptacles on both sides, and comes with one QD sling swivel. The rear surface is perfectly vertical, but does not include a butt pad. DoubleStar offers its own 1.9-inch OD pis- tol tube assembly ($69.99) which weighs 4.5 oz. with an overall length of 7.5-inches, and is also machined from 6061 T6 billet alu- minum. It offers an ambidextrous sling plate for single point slings, standard Mil-Spec CAR buffer and Mil-Spec CAR buffer spring. One of the better designs we’ve seen, it should prove quite effective. Contact DoubleStar Corp., Tel.: (859) 745- 1757; Web: www.star15.com 4040 41 Hornady Hornady has recently introduced (actually reintroduced the name at least) line of affordable center-fire rifle ammunition under the Frontier brand. It’s manufactured from top-quality brass cases with annealed necks and shoulders and loaded with military grade boxer Frontier primers and propellants, making it fully reload- Ammunition able. For now, at least, it’s only available in two chamberings: 5.56 NATO and .223 Rem. Economical AR ammo without the inconsistencies As of press time, in .223 Rem. available bul- lets include 55-grain full metal jacket, 55-grain soft point, 55-grain hollow point match and 68-grain boat-tail hollow point match to cover varmint, target and competi- tion applications. Depending on

Frontier bullets styles run the gamut from full-metal jacket, to spire- point, hollow-point match and boat-tail hollow-point match, so no matter what the purpose, Hornady has an economical solution to get you out shooting. Brass cases feature annealed necks and shoulders and are loaded with military grade boxer primers and propellants, making them fully reloadable.

42 bill battles ben battles & hornady 43 hornady frontier ammo

Depending on the load, Hornady’s Fron- ammunition used in an tier line of .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm AR—for just over NATO loads are available in quantities of 20, 30-cents per round. 50, 150, 200, 500 and 1,000-rounds. Bulk quan- That’s a lot of qual- tities will be the best value, but we’ve seen the ity for a plink- 55-grain .223—arguably the most common range ing-ammo price.

the bullet type, Frontier .223 Rem. bullet type, Frontier 5.56 NATO both .223 Rem. and 5.56 NATO cartridges are available in boxes of cartridges are also available in rounds interchangeably. 5.56 20, 150, 500 or 1,000 rounds. boxes of 20, 150, 500 or 1,000 NATO ammunition should never Hornady Frontier offeras a rounds. Pricing was not available be fired in a rifle chambered only wide variety of choices in 5.56 at press time. for .223 Rem. NATO as well. Again, it’s load- As an aside, 5.56 NATO and Finding inexpensive range ed in precision brass cases with .223 Rem. cartridges are very sim- ammunition boasting this level of annealed necks and shoulders and ilar, but far from identical. The consistent performance is compa- stoked with military grade boxer 5.56 NATO case has thicker walls rable to finding a high-end AR-15 primers and propellants, and is to withstand higher pressures, for the price of an entry level rifle. also fully reloadable. Available which results in a reduced case Hornady has effectively brought bullets include 55-grain full metal capacity, and the leade is roughly economical, quality ammunition jacket (very close to the U.S. twice as long as that of the .223 to the masses with the Frontier military’s M193 load), 55-grain Rem. The leade of a barrel is the line by leveraging their Lake City hollow point match, 62-grain full area in front of the chamber be- Army Ammunition Plant assets, metal jacket, 62-grain boat-tail fore where the rifling begins. .223 and we think they have some- hollow point match, 62-grain soft Rem. ammunition can be safely thing really great here. Pick up point, 62-grain full metal jacket, fired in a 5.56 NATO chamber, some of Hornady’s new Frontier 68-grain boat-tail hollow point but not conversely. Some ARs are ammunition at your gun shop, match and 75-grain boat-tail built with Wylde chambers—like or for more information, contact hollow point match. As with the those of Rock River arms and Hornady Manufacturing; Tel.: (800) .223 Rem., and depending on the others—which can safely fire 338-3220; Web: www.hornady.com

44 45 How much AR-15 can you get for around $700? bill battles ben battles Rock River Arms says, “a lot” 47 4646 47 ic-style upper receiver/slim-profile handguard (they are not, in fact, mono- Rock River Arms RRAGE 1-Paired with a forged-aluminum lithic, but appear so at first glance). The RRAGE is based on Rock River lower, the RRAGE is based on the com- Arms’ new extruded flat-top upper receiver, with a forged and machined pany’s new extruded, 6061T lower receiver. This 6061T aluminum upper receiver exhibits the crisp lines aluminum upper receiver. and defined angles commonly associated with more expensive machined With clean, chis- billet uppers, while delivering comparable strength and precision dimensions. Matched to the receiver is a 7-inch, similarly constructed, 6061T aluminum free-floated handguard that blends almost seamlessly

eled lines and a monolithic appear- 1 ance, it mimics a billet receiver in look and strength, yet at a much-re- duced cost—a savings that gets passed directly to the buyer.

Rock River Arms RRAGE LAR-15 Carbine MSRP: Starting at $759.95 I don’t know whether you’ve noticed or not, Caliber/Gauge: 5.56x45mm NATO but budget-priced rifles and carbines are Barrel: 16-inch chrome moly, 1:9 Twist proliferating in the AR-15 segment. Not OA Length: 36 inches extended carries the pedigree of to be left out of the stampede for cost-effective ARs, Rock Weight: 5.7-pounds quality and reliability River Arms has just introduced what we believe to be their Sights: Flat top rail that Rock River Arms has lowest-priced-ever 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem. AR-15—the new Stocks/Grips: RRA 6-position, A2 grip so justifiably earned. LAR-15 RRAGE Carbine. Action: Rotating bolt, direct gas impingement With a suggested retail price of The RRAGE is designed to appeal to the AR-15 buyer who Finish: Hard anodized only $759.95 (street prices are bound to be even lower) the is looking for a no-frills carbine for self and home defense that Capacity: AR-15 .223/5.56 compatible is short, light and easy to maneuver in confined spaces, and that RRAGE breaks new ground with its clean and trim monolith-

48 49 1-Controls are standard Mil-Spec, in- RRAGE with EOTech’s brand cluding the single-stage trigger. One of new EXPS2 Green holograph- our first upgrades to this rifle would ic weapon sight, which pro- undoubtedly be an aftermarket one- or vides a noticeably-brighter/ two-stage trigger, but for this rifle’s faster reticle as compared MSRP, we could certainly deal with this to the standard red offer- perceived shortcoming. We tested the ings.

with 30-round polymer magazine is 5.7 pounds, and overall length with the stock fully extended is 36 inches (32 inches collapsed). No iron sights are included, but that’s a fair tradeoff for this rifle’s MSRP. You’ve heard me say before that no gun writer worth his salt can rest until he finds some aspect of the gun—how- ever insignificant—to be wanting. And I guess I’m no exception. Having fired Rock River Arms ARs for the last 16 years, all of which were equipped with their excellent factory 2-stage triggers, my first dry-fire trigger pull with the RRAGE was a real surprise—and not 1 a pleasant one. In its quest to produce a quality, budget-priced AR-15, Rock Rock River Arms RRAGE River slipped in a Mil-Spec single-stage trigger in place of its standard 2-stage model. Like any Mil-Spec single-stage trigger, this one makes the gun go bang with the upper to provide a unitized profile and balanced every time, but to get there the shooter strength and rigidity across the optics platform. The CAR- needs to deal with a long, creepy, stacky length handguard features a full-length 1913 Picatinny top trigger pull at an average pull weight of rail and three sets of M-LOK rail slots, one set of three each 7 lbs. 12 oz., which is not conducive in the 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 o’clock positions for easy acces- to precision bullet placement. Again, sory mounting. The M-LOK system gives the shooter the however, it’s a fair tradeoff, and some- choice of running a clean handguard, or the option of adding thing the owner can easily add down the whatever rail accessories needed. road if desired. At only $120, and with Other features of the direct-gas-impingement carbine are a proven track record, a great replace- a 5.56 NATO chamber that will safely fire both 5.56 NATO ment would be Rock River’s own RRA and .223 Rem. ammunition interchangeably, a deleted 2-stage match trigger. forward assist mechanism, a 16-inch medium-profile chrome For testing we mounted an EOTech 2 moly barrel rifled at a twist rate of 1:9 inches, A2 flash ESPX2 holographic sight with the hider threaded at 1/2” x 28 TPI, carbine length gas system brand new green illuminated dot-in- with low-profile gas block sitting directly ahead of the short circle reticle onto the rifle’s top rail. The 3 handguard, an abbreviated shell deflector, Rock River Arms green reticle is about six times easier to 6-position CAR buttstock, an A2 hand grip and 100% Mil- see in daylight than a red illuminated Spec controls, including a single-stage trigger. Empty weight reticle, and at only 3-5/8” in overall

2-The upper receiver of the RRAGE flows cleanly six-position buttstock. They into its carbine length free-floating forend, certainly get the job done, and giving them an integral look. Providing acces- help keep the RRAGE at an ex- sory mounting locations, a full-length 1913 tremely-reasonable $759 MSRP. Picatinny top rail and three sets of M-LOK rail Since these are two of the most slots, one set of three each in the 3:00, 6:00 and common components we swap 9:00 o’clock positions, give ample real estate. Al- out in favor of our own per- though no iron sights are included, we mounted sonal favorites, however—as a set of Samson (samson-mfg.com) Quick Flip I’m sure many reading this also folding during for testing. 3-Out back are a do—their relatively-inexpen- standard Mil-Spec A2 handgrip and telescoping sive presence is welcome.

5050 51 Rock River Arms RRAGE

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1-Up front, a 5.56 NATO chambered, 1:9 twist, lightweight 16- inch chrome-moly barrel gets an A2 flash hider, and its car- bine-length gas system a low-profile gas block. 2-Despite the heavy Mil-Spec trigger—each having their own dis- tinctly-different pull characteristics to master during bench testing—our test rifle proved you’re not giving up anything in the precision department with this 0.74-inch, 100-yard five-shot group. Top honors went to Federal Premium 69-gr. Matchking BTHP, but most other top-shelf ammo also went 1-MOA or better. 3- The RRAGE ate everything we fed it during reliability- and bench-testing without hiccup, and holds up the level of perfor- mance we’ve come to expect from Rock River Arms after testing these rifles for the past 16-years. If you’re budget falls within the $700 range this is an AR you can’t go wrong with. The RRAGE ships with one 30-round Rock River Arms polymer magazine. 2 3

length, it maximizes rail space and leaves and .223 Rem. ammunition at steel-plate 69-grain Matchking BTHP ammo. That’s plenty of room for a tip-off magnifier. The targets, all without any fanfare or failures great performance from any AR-carbine, EXPS2 comes with an integrated, locking, of any type. The trigger, however, did let alone a “budget priced” one. Similar quick-detach lever mount that will fit any present a challenge at 100 yards. one-MOA or better performance was seen Picatinny or Weaver-style rail or base, Once we learned the peculiarities of with top-shelf loads from other manufac- and this optic is so new that the MSRP this specific Mil-Spec trigger, however turers. Like most every-other Rock River was not available at press time. Its non- (every one seems to have a different pull- Arms rifle we’ve tested over the years, this mount-equipped cousin—the XPS2 retails weight and stacking sequence to master one’s a shooter. for $665. Its adjustable for windage and when precision shot placement is the If you’re in the market for a top-pick elevation in 1/2 MOA click adjustments, task at hand), the RRAGE gave us great AR in the $700 price range, you don’t and features up/down brightness buttons performance at 100-yards from the bench. need to look a whole lot further than the to adjust reticle intensity (press both at the With our trusted Nightforce (nightforce. RRAGE. See this new carbine at your same time to turn it on or off). com) 4-15x56 SHV riflescope mount- firearms retailer, or for more information For reliability testing at 25 and 100 ed, our best group of the day measured contact Rock River Arms; Tel.: (866) 980- yards we fired a variety of 5.56 NATO 0.74-inches using Federal Premium Rock; Web: www.rockriverarms.com 52 53 Revolution Targets Portable Long-Range Torso Frame Target The best reactive, no-guessing long-range-target solution out there?

There are few things in the shooting long-range Indicator spins with the target’s sports that are more fun than blasting away at hit zone and comes into view whenever the reactive steel-plate targets. We use our stock hit zone is struck. The Portable Long-Range pile of them all the time during reliability Torso Target, frame and all components are testing because of their ability to give us instant made from your choice of 3/8” thick AR500 feedback. And, depending on how small the armor plate we tested ($680), or 1/2” thick target is or how far away we place ourselves AR500 armor plate ($820). A replaceable 2x4 from it, they can also be a good gauge as to the wood section serves as the upright, and one gun’s mechanical accuracy. Plus, it’s just plain pre-cut section is included with each target. fun to shoot at auto-resetting, reactive targets This upright not only serves to lighten the compared to just blasting away at paper, and whole system, but also allows you to cut a one company that’s building some of the smart- section to the desired length in order to make est, most fun and well-built designs today is vertical height adjustments of the plate. Revolution Targets. Revolution Targets makes a wide range of Revolution Targets, a subsidiary of Pendle- falling plate and torso targets that are fully re- ton Safes, has just introduced a new Portable volving and auto-resetting and are built to mil- Long-Range Torso Frame Target designed itary standards to handle constant punishment. for precision rifle shooting at extended ranges We’ve been testing ours for about a month of 1,000 yards or more. This lightweight now, with an estimated 1,000-plus-rounds of (compared to Revolution’s not-so-portable .308 Winchester sent downrange at it, and Heavy Duty line anyway meant, more or other than a fresh coat of paint before each less, to stay put), portable, counterpart of range session, it’s no worse for the wear. The the company’s Long-Range Torso Frame Heavy Duty line is ideal for commercial ranges Target features a revolving, 10-inch-diameter or for shooters with a dedicated shooting range reactive hit zone that automatically resets, for permanent set-up, but both lines share some with a bright red, long-range hit indicator very smart engineering. For more information that guarantees positive identification of contact Revolution Targets; Tel.: (770) 466- your shots at extended distances. This red 6181; Web: www.revolutiontargets.com

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1 AND 2) When the target’s 10-inch strike plate is struck, a bright-red 10-inch indicator plate swings down into more often in the reactive-target world. Great welds, quality materials and smart engineering should keep this view, giving instant and undeniable notification of a good hit at extended distances. A fun test of your timing target in service for a very long time. 4) For ease of transportation to and from your preferred shooting spot, the a54nd shot placement is to keep the target spinning until you run out of ammo. 3) To make sure your target is lubed Portable Long-Range Torso Frame Target breaks down into three pieces; the target, the stand and the replace55able up and spinning freely, the axle housing is drilled and tapped for a grease fitting; we’d love to see this done 2x4 wood upright. Need to change the height of your target? Simple, just break the saw out cut a new upright. Short barreled ARs aren’t new. grenade launcher and also reduced blast for a short AR, today more than ever. ing the threat of becoming a felon for Springfield Armory Saint Using a 1:7 twist it is capped with a a bit. The moderator was replaced with While the SBR has a consistent follow- shouldering them has proven to be a game blast diverter that sends blast and flash They have existed since the late 1960s AR-15 Pistol 5.56mm shortly after the CAR-15 was intro- a flash hider. Mostly abandoned after ing, the AR pistol has taken that market changer. Increased demand has produced forward. Its direct impingement gas duced. Most familiar with the history Vietnam, the need remained, and today’s by storm. Initially a bit of a novelty, better made, more reliable and shorter ver- Springfield Armory starts with forged system uses a pistol-length gas tube and will recall the XM177, a 10.5-inch MK18 is a perfect example. Early models adding a stabilizing brace made them sions, 7 to 8 inches being the norm. Pretty 7075-T6 aluminum receivers using their pinned low profile gas block. The bolt version with a 3.5-inch moderator that had their issues, not the least of which moderately useful. Improved brace designs much everyone is getting into this market, Accutite tensioning system. A patented carrier group is an enhanced M16 design mitigated sound, flash and blast. In was that civilians had to register them have helped, each year they get better and including Springfield Armory. Their Saint M-LOK hand guard using locking tabs with an magnetic particle tested bolt and 1967 the barrel was lengthened to 11 with the ATF as SBRs (short-barreled more user friendly, almost practical. Given AR-15 is available chambered in 5.56mm and a hand stop covers a 7.5 inch, 419R coated in Melonite. The lower receiver inches, mostly to facilitate the XM148 rifles), but there has always been a desire the ATF’s latest “open letter” remov- or 300 BLK, and it is a great pistol. stainless steel barrel coated in Melonite. houses a Springfield Armory Nickel

T56he close-quarters option in the ever-growing Saint lineup dave bahde 2xtreme & dave bahde 57 57 springfield armory saint pistol

with one magazine. Aimpoint’s RDS Carbine Optic was used. It remains one of the best top-tier red dot sights for the money. Designed specifically for use Springfield Armory Saint Pistol 5.56mm on modern sporting rifles, it Caliber: 5.56mm NATO Boron coated Mil-Spec trigger includes a simple mount and Receiver: forged 7075-T6 with a single sided safety. a 2 MOA dot. Ten brightness Barrel: 7.5 inches Bravo Company’s Mod 3 settings allow for use in most OA Length: 26.5 inches pistol grip is used along with any lighting conditions, and Weight: 5.5 pounds their extended trigger guard. it includes a bright setting for Sights: top Rail An SB Tactical SBX-K stabi- daylight. Battery life extends Brace/Grip: sb Tactical Brace / Bravo Company Grip lizing brace is installed along to over a year using one 1- Available in 5.56x45mm or .300 BLK—with 7.5 and 9-inch barrel lengths respectively—our 5.56mm test Action: semi-Automatic, direct gas impingement with a QD equipped buffer DL1/3N or 2L76 battery. gun measured a handy 26.5 inches in overall length and 5.5 lbs. in weight. Springfield ships the Saint Pis- Finish: black tube ring. All is shipped in a Water, shock and vibration tol with a very nice and size-appropriate padded cordura soft case. Capacity: Accepts AR-15 based magazines Springfield Armory embroi- resistant, it is designed for Price: $989 dered Soft AR-15 pistol case use in most any conditions.

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springfield armory saint pistol

1- The Saint’s aluminum, free-floating M-LOK-equipped handguard measures 8-inches in length and ships with a pre-installed hand stop. Back-up iron sights are not included. Underneath the handguard is a 7.5-inch, Melonite-coated 416R stainless-steel barrel, and attached to its muzzle, a blast diffuser to help direct noise and concussion forward and away from the shooter.

Springfield Armory’s flip-up BUIS (back-up iron sights) tive, but it remains a close-quarters tool. Its sweet spot is vehicle co-witness in the bottom third of the Aimpoint. defense, or defense in other confined spaces. Its compact size makes it easier to store at the ready and access when needed. Range Time Working your way in and out of vehicles is much easier while Improvements in ammunition construction and bullet providing solid ballistics at close range. It is quite effective for design make the 7.5-inch barreled Saint 5.56mm more effec- home defense, especially in urban environments, or any area where 100 yards is the longest probable 2 shooting distance. You can certainly reach out farther with a 5.56mm using an 8-inch barrel, but it’s less than opti- mal. Most testing consisted of operation in and out of some cars at the range along with barricades and other obstacles. Shooting from inside a vehicle is an adventure—many decry it altogether, but if that’s where you live most of your life it’s a good thing to try if you can. Having done so with pistols, rifles, even shotguns it highlights the advantages of a suppres- sor and dispels any myth it’s not possible.

2- Saint Pistols are fitted with SB Tactical’s SBK-K forearm brace, allowing this short-barreled AR to be classified as a pistol. Riding within the buffer tube is a carbi- ne H heavy tungsten buffer.

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1- A standard Mil-Spec bolt catch and safety selector can be found in their normal locations. Bravo inspected bolt made from Carpenter 158 steel. Charging handle is standard Mil-Spec. 3- An Accutite ten- Company Gunfighter pistol grip and trigger guard and Nickel Boron coated trigger group are facto- sion system eliminates the play between the Saint’s forged, Type III hard-coat-anodized upper and lower ry equipment. Aimpoint’s Carbine Optic—specifically designed with the AR platform in mind—was used receivers. Fire/safe icons on the right side of the lower offer a quick visual of the rifle’s condition. The throughout testing. 2- The Saint’s M16 bolt carrier group includes a shot-peened, magnetic-particle pistol ships with one Magpul 30-round magazine.

Ideal, of course not, but the only ideal Maneuvering around the inside of the pretty handy, not something you can say buildings and a shoot house proved easy. threshold for proper expansion of 2,300 nady 53-grain V-Max Superformance. fight is the one in your head, or in a video vehicle was pretty easy, which may be using a full-sized carbine, even one with It reminded me of my old days running f.p.s. Move to their 55-grain TSX and It makes about the same velocity as the game. The real world is less accommodat- the best part of these pistols. One hand- an 11-inch barrel. an 8-inch barreled HK 53 on the SWAT that threshold goes down to 1,900 f.p.s., TSX bullets with impressive expansion ing. It can be done quite effectively, just ed across the car through the passenger’s These pistols are well suited for home team, my favorite entry rifle at the time. making it a great all-purpose defense and fragmentation. prepare to lose your hearing for a bit if it’s side window was more than doable. It defense in almost any available caliber. Move outside and you still have a usable round for most any barrel length. Inside practical distances the SAINT a rifle, the shorter the barrel the louder would suck to be a passenger, but at least You can add a light easily enough, and weapon across the yard or even farther if Accuracy was best using the Black pistol was accurate with everything. It it is. Blast Diverters are great if they are the blast and flash is diverted forward. the RDS makes for fast and accurate shots needed. I regularly get hits on silhouette Hills 55-grain TSX at about 1.25 did pretty well on my running/stress outside the window. If you need to use it Working out of a pretty small car it was up close. They fit in cabinets, drawers steel with these pistols at 300 yards. Not inches. Their 55-grain TSX shoots course engaging 6- to 8-inch steel tar- as you exit you can, and pointed out an possible to shoot quite accurately out of and even closets more easily and can be perfect, but in a pinch it would work and noticeably softer than the 50-grain, gets out to 150 yards. Most targets were open window there is no blast pressure, the windshield, driver’s side window and used by anyone in the family. Recoil I certainly would not want to personally making groups shooting a bit easier. from 25 to 50 yards with a few that but it’s loud for sure. Shooting through even the passenger side. I could reach al- with the 5.56mm is minimal. Blast can test the “ballistics” at that range. Black While the 50-grain is quite a bit faster, stretched out, but hits on steel with the the window is impressive and a bit most 270 degrees using my strong hand be distracting for some, but it’s still Hills 50-grain TSX is designed specifically it is harsher, so groups were closer to RDS were pretty regular and easy. It distracting the first time, but after a few alone, braced or not. Bringing it to bear usable by even younger adults and older for short-barreled ARs. It makes 2,700 2 inches at 100 yards. Another really was kind of nice to run the course with times you just get ready and go. from a couple of different positions was children. Maneuvering the Saint through f.p.s. from this barrel at the muzzle with a good round for this pistol is the Hor- such a light weapon, and moving be- 62 63 springfield armory saint pistol tween ranges you almost forget you are carrying a weapon. Using a Magpul MS3 sling worked pretty well, although you could add a sling attachment to the hand guard and make it better with a two-point sling. Either way it was 1 pretty fun to run the course without humping a 15-pound sniper rifle! Bottom Line This is the first SAINT AR-15 I have tested and its pretty impressive. Fit and finish are excellent with high quality and well thought out design features. The trigger is similar to GI versions that have been coated. Reliability was excellent, running everything thrown at it. Every magazine inserted easily and functioned perfectly. Accuracy is what you expect from such a short barrel. Retail price is $989, making it quite reasonable. The last three similar pistols I tested were priced from $1,500 to $1,800 with little to offer over the SAINT. Once a full-blown skeptic of AR or similar pistols, they are really starting to grow on me. They suffer all the same issues with blast, flash, and the like as an SBR, just without the $200 tax stamp and six- to nine-month wait. Switch to SB Tactical’s latest SBA3 stabilizing brace that is adjustable for LOP and it just gets better. Springfield Armory also offers this pistol in 300 BLK, a great caliber for short barrels. Either way it’s a great choice in an AR pistol and should be added to your list if one is in the works. Contact Springfield Armory, Tel.: (800) 680-6866; Web: www.springfield-armory.com

1- Light, nimble and accurate, the Pr eformance Saint Pistol proved fun and effec- Load Velocity (f.p.s.) Group Size tive while running through various courses of fire, between 25- and Black Hills 55-grain tsx 2,740 1.55” 150-yards. Our test gun digested Barnes 55-grain tsx 2,730 1.40” everything we fed it, earning it the Remington 69-grain Match 2,370 1.80” “100-percent-reliability” stamp when Black Hills 60-grain V-Max 2,725 1.85” testing was said and done. Hornady 55-grain V-Max 2,750 1.55” Black Hills 50-grain tsx 2,760 1.75”

Groups tested using a bag for a rest on the bumper of my FJ Cruiser. Best 5-shot group from 100 yards 2 shown. Velocity measured using a Magneto Speed V3 chronograph.

2- Downrange precision was best using the Black Hills 55-grain TSX, which print- ed a 5-shot group measuring in at about 1.25 inches. Mind you, this was with a non-magnifying red-dot optic, and magnification would surely mean tighter 6464 group sizes. Regardless, this is outstanding performance from a 7.5-inch barrel. 65 1

1—Available in either three or four-pound pull weights, Velocity Trig- gers’ MPC (Marksman’s Performance Choice) trigger combines the con- venience of a drop-in trigger group with the modularity of replace- able, extra big 3/8-inch-wide trigger shoes. Aluminum trigger shoes are available in a wide variety of colors (Cerakoted or anodized depending on color), shapes and with either smooth or serrated faces.

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2—To compliment the MPC trigger, Velocity also offers their drop down, 6061 T6 aluminum Sentinel Trigger Guard, in either smooth or cut with a slot or three-hole pattern, and in all of the same Velocity Triggers colors as the trigger shoes. MPC Trigger and Sentinel Trigger Guard 3—Even for the first-time AR gunsmith, replacing a trigger of modularity/customizability via different size, shape and assembly and trigger guard is Modular, highly-customizable and excellent-performing, this color replaceable trigger shoes. Hammer, trigger, and discon- not a difficult or time-consuming could be the best bang for the buck in precision AR-15 triggers. nector—all conveniently packaged into their own drop-in process. In order to remove the aluminum housing—are precision machined from tool steel. old trigger, the hand grip has to Tom Vehr, the owner of Velocity Triggers, has over Its Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating insures longevity be removed to free the safety-se- 30 years in the trigger business. In 2008 he established Vehr and consistency. The hammer and disconnector are coated lector detent and spring (which is Manufacturing and started making triggers of his own design using Robar’s NP3, insuring smooth operation, and can be under tension, so remove the grip for the AR platform under Velocity Triggers. They’re made ordered with either a three or four-pound fixed pull weight. slowly!) from under the grip’s from the highest quality components using the latest coatings Interchangeable, solid-aluminum trigger shoes include curved, seat. Then, pull the safety sector for corrosion resistance and lubricity. His latest trigger, the straight and straight with a finger stop (small hook at the out of the left side of the lower MPC, along with its accompanying trigger guard, are designed bottom), with smooth or serrated face, in any one of the seven receiver, push the two trigger to fulfill the needs of any AR shooter, for whatever purpose available colors—all of which can also be ordered separately. pins out with a punch, and lift they’re using it for. The finger-stop shoe requires a curved trigger guard, and if the trigger components from the Each MPC (Marksman’s Performance Choice) trigger is you have a standard AR lower with a detachable trigger guard, receiver. Done. Trigger guards 100% made in America, and unlike others, has a high degree Velocity offers their Sentinel lines of guards. Manufactured typically have a roll pin that from 6061-T6 aluminum, they come in solid, slotted or with needs to be punched out at the three holes—the latter two allowing you to easily get an Allen rear and a ball detent that needs dave bahde ben battles wrench up through to change out MPC trigger shoes. 3 to be depressed to free the front. 67 6666 67 1 1—Drop-in trigger modules are not only conve- nient from an installation standpoint, but they also do not rely on lower-receiver pin spacing being spot-on perfect for optimal trigger func- tion. The MPC features an anodized-green aluminum housing and components coated in either DLC or ROBAR NP3 for lubricity and durability. 2—To in- stall the MPC, simply drop it into place in the lower receiver, push the old trigger pins back into posi- tion, tighten down on the threaded “tension plugs” to lock the pins and trigger module into place, and then thread the “stop plugs” on top of the tension plugs to to ensure everything stays locked into velocity triggers position without worry of coming loose.

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3—Once the trigger module is locked into place you can affix the trigger shoe of your choice using the provided Allen wrench. The Sentinel Trigger Guard is attached via two Allen screws at the rear and one up front. 4—The last step? Enjoy your newfound trigger performance.

supplied Allen wrench, tighten the two threaded trig- ger pin stops located inside the trigger housing. Don’t go overboard—just enough so they don’t fall out or rotate. Next, thread the two retention plugs on top of the pin stops you just tightened, included as a measure of insurance that the stops don’t back out. Polymer AR lowers require a stainless-steel shim you can get from Velocity. Lastly, secure the trigger shoe to the trigger via the single Allen screw and you’re are done. Testing In over ten tests, my 3-pound trigger measured between 3.15 and 3.27 pounds. Now that’s pretty consistent. The trigger shoe of the MPC is placed more forward than typical, allowing the trigger finger to stay low on the trigger. Break is clean and consis- 4 tent with no creep, stacking, take-up or overtravel. And, three pounds is just about right—light enough for precision work without being too light for per- Installation sonal protection. While not quite as fast as my super-light trig- Installing the guard is easy. Match up your lower and make gers, it’s close and much more usable outside of a competition sure the threaded holes line up. Every “mil-spec” lower is mar- environment. Installation is nearly foolproof and the ergonom- ginally different. If it won’t line up, simply file the guard on the ics are excellent. Priced at $189, retail it is less than many other bottom until it does. Once it fits, place it in the lower, install non-modular drop-in trigger systems, with absolutely no penalty the three screws (don’t cross thread) and you are done. Use paid in quality, performance consistency or reliability. If you are thread locker if you feel the need. in the market for a new AR trigger, this definitely needs to be on The trigger is equally simple. With the shoe removed, drop it in the list. See your nearest dealer, or contact Velocity Triggers; the lower, lining up the trigger and hammer pin holes. Using the Tel.: (602) 595-5931; Web: www.velocitytriggers.com 68 69 The prizes in this issue’s Gun Give- GUN & Gear GIVEAWAY conteaway Contest are as POF USA Renet- gade Plus SPR AR-15, a Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 riflescope, 500 rounds of Aguila .223 Rem. Ammo, a Velocity MPC Trigger and an Elite Survival Co- vert Operations Rifle Backpack, with a combined retail value of $3,539.89

Aguila .223 Rem. Ammo Aguila Ammunition has become well known for it top-quality, highly accurate and reliable, value-priced ammo, and their 55- POF USA Renegade gr. FMJ .223 Rem. Is no exception (500 rounds $195). This popular Plus SPR AR-15 Rifle and proven varmint hunting and target-shooting round delivers exceptional accuracy at an affordable price. The bullet exits the The Renegade + SPR ($2,029.99) embodies many improvements a standard AR, muzzle at 3,250 f.p.s, with 1,263 ft. lbs. of kinetic energy. Retained such as POF USA’s roller cam pin and patented heat sink barrel nut—upgrades velocity and energy at 100 yards are 2,473 f.p.s. and 747 ft. lbs that go well beyond mere aesthetics. Its Dictator 9-position adjustable gas block respectively. Contact Aguila Ammunition; Tel.: (888) gives you ultimate control, whether tuning for ammo or suppressor use. The straight gas tube elim- 452-4019; E-mail: [email protected]; Web: inates heat build-up from the weak points of standard gas tubes, the roller cam pin ensures a smooth and more www.aguilaammo.com reliable relationship, and the rifle’s Wylde chamber permits firing both .223 Rem. And 5.56 NATO ammo. Built off the company’s Gen 4 billet lower receiver makes this rifle completely ambidextrous and includes a flat 3.5-pound match-grade trigger with KNS Precision anti-walk pins. The Ultimate Bolt Carrier Group, which is high phosphate nickel coated for maximum protection and reliability, and features an integrated gas key. It comes with Elite Survival Covert Operations Rifle Backpack an M-LOK compatible Renegade rail covering the 18.5” nitride heat-treated barrel, and is also available chambered With its inconspicuous sports-pack styling and robust construction, the Elite Surviv- in .224 Valkyrie with a 20-inch barrel. Contact Patriot Ordnance Factory; Tel.: (877) 561-9572; Web: www.pof-usa.com al Stealth Operations Rifle Backpack ($224.95) was designed for discreet storage and transport of a rifle and accessories. The pack is ideally sized to conceal a bro- ken-down or short-barreled rifle with plenty of room for mission-critical gear. Velocity Triggers MPC Drop-In AR Trigger A large accessory compartment offers attachment options for Velcro and/or MOLLE pouches and has ample room for magazines and accessories, while the While a premium rifle like the POF Renegade SPR already comes fitted with a low profile pistol compartment provides rapid access to a handgun. Other fea- premium (POF) drop-in trigger, if you also have an entry-level AR in the safe— tures include Lightweight nylon exterior paired with a 500 Denier nylon interior one that’s fitted with Mil-Spec trigger that is most likely atrocious—then this for maximum durability. Contact Elite Survival Systems; Tel.: (866) 340.2778; one’s a bonus. As of late, one of the best choices out there is the modular Velocity Web:www.elitesurvival.com Triggers MPC (“Marksman Performance Choice”) drop-in trigger assembly, which you can read about in detail elsewhere in this issue. The MPC will fit all AR platforms, and features removable trigger shoes positioned 1/2” farther forward. Each of the three trigger-shoe shapes is offered with either Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 riflescope a radiused or flat face, with or without serrations, and are available The Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 riflescope ($873.00) is offered in two models with your choice in a variety anodized or Cerakoted FDE colors. Pull weight is fixed at of IHR (International Hunting reticle) or intelligent MOAR reticles. The new SHV 3-10x42 riflescope is a perfect choice your choice of either 3 or 4 pounds. The hammers and disconnects are for those wanting value in a small package. The 3-10x magnification range and 42mm objective provide for a prac- treated with Robar’s NP3 electroless nickel finish for low friction and tical solution to a wide range of applications from target shooting to big game and varmint hunting. Other features high corrosion resistance. MPC triggers retail for $189.95. Contact include a 30mm bodytube, capped .25 MOA windage and elevation Velocity Triggers; Tel.: (602) 595-5931; Web: velocitytriggers.com adjustments, side parallax adjustment that covers from 25 yards Enter for free at... to infinity and European style fast-focus ocular lens adjust- ment.Contact Nightforce Optics, Tel.: (208) 476.9814; Web: nightforceoptics.com 7070ONTARGETMAGAZINE.COM 7171 christian hazel ben battles

7272 7373 a free-floating, cold-hammer-forged, ed into the upper receiver and features CI’s absurdly excellent, low-profile, lwrci m6ic-a5 14.7-inch spiral-fluted barrel featuring pre-drilled slots for short sections of folding skirmish sights. With adjustable the same 1:7 twist rate on the outside removable rails, allowing grips, lights, windage and elevation, a small or large as the rifling inside its bore for stability sling mounts, and other accessories to peep that’s easily switchable by rotating be mounted on the forend at the 3, 6, 9 the rear sight block, and a forward and 12 o’clock positions. The remov- blade that’s easy to pick up, these sights able upper handguard section runs offer quick target acquisition when in use and don’t impede optics when not. The hard edges have been “melted”, flat faces serrated to reduce glare, and overall, these have proven some of the most durable back-up iron and improved accuracy. An A2 flash from the receiver extension and stops sights money can buy. At the rear the hider is permanently affixed to the short at the two-position adjustable LWRCI compact buttstock allows 3.25 muzzle, bringing the overall barrel gas regulator (for normal or suppressed inches of adjustment through six detent length to a legal 16.1-inches. Outside fire.) The M6IC-A5 also features LWR- positions and a tacky-rubber Magpul the California Department of of a 10-round Magpul PMAG and the Justice as an assault weapon. magazine lock system, it’s the same "Nope you cant do that, sorry you can't And with similar nanny states short-stroke gas-piston individual LWRCI M6IC-A5 have that.” Issue such an edict and quick to follow California’s carbine those in free states can enjoy. Caliber/Gauge: 5.56x45mm NATO/ .223 Rem. the reply from any red-blooded liberal lead, any CA-legal solution to If you’ve never fondled a LWRCI rifle, Barrel: 16-inch (with flash hider, 1:7 Twist) American will always be, “chal- solution comes from LWR- California-created problems shines the the quality is something to behold. The OA Length: 35.25 inches extended lenge accepted.” So when California CI and is available across the light of hope elsewhere. How this is ac- company’s new Tungsten Gray Cera- Weight: 7 pounds imposed a bunch of silly laws involving company’s line of high-qual- complished? When assembled, the upper kote looks fantastic and, along with the Sights: LWRCI Skirmish flip-up sights semi-auto rifles with removable maga- ity offerings. By rendering receiver depresses a plunger which locks Nickel-Boron-coated bolt carrier, sheds Stocks/Grips: LWRCI Adjustable, Magpul MOE Plus Grip zines and pistol-grip stocks in an effort the magazine release inoperable when the magazine release. Only by pulling moisture, dirt and powder residue slick- Action: Short-stroke piston to restrict (and ultimately do away with) assembled, the rifle is technically the rear takedown pin and breaking the er than greased ice. The controls are Finish: Tungsten grey Cerakote the ubiquitous AR15 and AR10, man- considered a fixed-magazine platform rifle open (technically disassembling the fully ambidextrous, with identical bolt Capacity: 10 ufacturers immediately got to work on and is therefore allowed to retain all its weapon) is the magazine release unlocked release, safety selector, magazine catch, Price: $2,804. ways to legally keep these highly popular “evil” features (including a collapsible and able to function. Game on! and extended charging handle latch left rifles in the hands of Golden State gun buttstock, pistol grip and flash suppres- Our California-compliant LWRCI and right. The lower half of the hand- owners. One such California-compliant sor) without requiring registration with tester was the M6IC-A5 variant with guard’s modular rail system is integrat-

1—Thanks to the fact that this gun is considered a 2 receiver open during a reload, the 3 “fixed-magazine” rifle, the upper receiver is 100-percent, ability to hit the magazine release free-state, LWRCI goodness. The 14.7-inch spiral-fluted, with your trigger finger greatly cold-hammer-forged barrel is built in-house and is simplifies/speeds up the process. topped with a real and permanently affixed A2 flash The M6IC-A5 ships with a ful- hider to meet minimum barrel-length restrictions. The ly-functioning, adjustable LWRCI adjustable, short-stroke/self-cleaning piston system, Compact Stock and Magpul MOE Nickel-Boron-coated bolt carrier, modular hand- Plus handgrip. A high quality and guard and Skirmish back-up sights all represent the reasonably priced Nikon Black best components in the business. Force 1000 1-4x24 riflescope with an illuminated Speedforce reti- cle was used through- out testing.

3—Thanks to the extended/enlarged rear takedown pin to separate the upper and re- 2—Controls—in- lease the plunger to let the magazine release operate normally, cluding the bolt re- there are no super-fine motor skills needed (ie: a tiny button in lease, magazine release the center of the magazine release that needs to be depressed) and safety selector—are to complete a magazine change. This very smart solution to a all mirrored on either side very dumb problem is available across the LWRCI line-up—from of the lower receiver. Since your the 5.56 DI and piston guns, to the 6.8mm SIX8 platform and all 1 support hand is holding the upper the way up to the 7.62 R.E.P.R. models.

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1—Due to only having 4x magnification on tap, we limited 50-yard line at rest and immediately bench-testing to 50 yards, but even so, we got a great indication noted what a very balanced package of what this rifle is capable of at longer distances. Black Hills the M6IC-A5 is. Recoil, despite being brand ammunition shined here, producing the top-three tightest a piston design, is smooth and flat. 5-shot groups—the best of which printed one-ragged-hole mea- As for accuracy, with the Black Force suring a half-inch in spread. Matched with LWRCI function and 1000 dialed up to 4X magnification reliability, it doesn’t get much better in a defensive carbine. we found the tight 1:7 twist delivered best performance with heavier bullets. lwrci m6ic-a5 ing procedure goes like this: After your Although we ran ammo from many last round, the bolt locks open. Hit manufacturers, our three best 5-round MOE handgrip provides a slip-free grip the bolt release to send the bolt home, groups were with Black Hills ammo no matter what nature throws your way. pull the extended rear takedown pin (black-hills.com). Of these 77-gr. .223 We mounted a Nikon Black Force with your right hand and break the hollow points were the largest, with two 1000 1-4x24 riflescope with an illumi- upper slightly with your left as your adjoining holes and a group measur- nated Speedforce reticle (nikonspor- right releases the spent magazine via ing 1.25 inches center to center. Next toptics.com) to the upper rail with a the magazine release that now operates was the 68-gr. .223 Heavy Match HP, Nikon XR Mount for the range. The normally. Close the upper, install the which delivered a ragged 7/8-inch hole. Black Force 1000 features a 10-level pin, pop in a fresh magazine, charge However, the M6IC-A5 performed best illuminated reticle with “off” positions the weapon, and present to the target. with Black Hills 77-gr. 5.56mm Tipped between each setting so you can turn With practice you can develop fluidity Match King, which sent four rounds it on in a hurry. And with the optional that allows reloading as fast as or faster through virtually the same hole. When Switchview throw lever you can imme- than a conventional bullet button. you’re shooting .22-inch diameter diately zoom from 1X to 4X magnifi- And if you can’t stand the thought bullets and your target only has a half cation without fumbling. With a Blue of a featureless stock or a goofy grip inch group punched through the center Force Gear Vickers 221 sling clicked paddle on your weapon, it’s a nice of it, we’d say that’s more than accept- in (blueforcegear.com), we grabbed solution to keeping your AR an AR in able accuracy from a 14.7-inch barrel. a passel of .223 and 5.56 ammo, and restrictive states. Contact LWRCI, Tel.: (410) 901-1348; went to work. For starters, the reload- We did our range testing at the Web: www.lwrci.com 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92