Tag Archives: ar15

Optimizing AR-15 Accuracy for Long-Range Varmint Hunting

March 20, 2026blogaccuracy, ar-15, ar15, long-range, varmint huntingcoldboremiracle

Written by Guest

Intro

Stretching an AR-15 past 300 yards on prairie dogs this spring sounds ambitious. True — but not crazy. The platform has come so far that varmint hunting at real long range is practical now, not just some YouTube fantasy.
Still, you can’t bolt a Vortex onto a stock Ruger AR-556 and expect half-MOA groups at 400 yards. Doesn’t work like that. Every component matters — barrel, trigger, optic, ammo. Let’s see what actually moves the needle when you’re building an AR for precision small game work at distance.

US Optics, SXR, 1-6, lpvo, USO, low power variable optic, ar15, ar

What You Need to Know About the AR-15 Rifle

The AR-15 is not a single rifle. It’s a system — and that distinction matters way more for precision shooting than people realize. So, you need to know how the AR-15 rifle works to make the most of it for varmint shooting.
Here’s where most guys go wrong first. Factory AR-15s ship with mil-spec triggers breaking at 6-8 pounds. Heavy. Gritty. Completely wrong for careful shot placement at range. Drop in a Geissele SSA-E or a LaRue MBT-2S, and you’ll wonder why you waited. Cheapest meaningful upgrade you can make.

Next up — the handguard. Free-floated rail, non-negotiable. When your barrel touches the handguard anywhere, harmonics go sideways, and groups open up. Aero Precision and Midwest Industries both sell solid free-float setups. Now, something people overlook: the AR-15’s direct impingement gas system actually helps accuracy. Sure, gas pistons — like on an HK MR556 — cut fouling. Yet DI vents gas straight through the bolt carrier, meaning less mechanical movement while the round fires. For varmint hunting specifically, where you shoot from stable positions at tiny targets, that consistency edge compounds over an afternoon. Finally, modularity. No other platform lets you swap uppers in thirty seconds — .223 coyote rig to a 6.5 Grendel setup. That flexibility is why the AR owns this space.

Caliber Selection for Long-Range Varmint Work

Caliber choice will make or break you out past 300. Period. Under 300 yards, .223 Remington handles prairie dogs and groundhogs just fine. Cheap, low-recoil, available at every Walmart in America. Beyond that, though… The round bleeds velocity fast, and wind drift gets ugly with lightweight 55-grain pills.

223, 223 remington, hornady, bullets, handloading, reloading,

So what do you actually run? The .224 Valkyrie deserves a serious look. Federal built it for long-range AR work, and the 90-grain Sierra MatchKing load stays supersonic past 1,000 yards.
Overkill for ground squirrels at 500? Maybe. But that flat trajectory makes first-round connections on small targets way easier. Meanwhile, 6.5 Grendel gives you heavier bullets with strong ballistic coefficients — plus enough thump to drop coyotes cleanly.
Also worth knowing — barrel life varies across these calibers. The .224 Valkyrie eats barrels faster than Grendel, noticeably quicker than .223. Naturally, if you’re doing high-volume prairie dog shoots — 200 rounds in one sitting — factor that in before committing to a caliber.

Barrel Upgrades That Actually Matter

Not every barrel upgrade is worth your money. Some are. Knowing the difference saves you hundreds of dollars and a lot of frustration. Start with barrel length. For most varmint calibers, 18 to 20 inches hits the sweet spot between velocity and portability. Go shorter, and you leave real fps on the table. Conversely, past 20 inches with .223, diminishing returns kick in, and you’re hauling dead weight.

Twist rate matters too — more than most shooters realize. A 1:8 twist covers the widest range of bullet weights in .223. However, heavy-for-caliber stuff in .224 Valkyrie needs 1:6.5 or 1:7 to keep those long 90-grain bullets stable. Criterion and Bartlein both make outstanding aftermarket options.
On material — stainless steel beats chrome-moly for pure accuracy. The tradeoff is durability; chrome-moly holds up longer under sustained fire. For varmint hunting, where precision matters more than barrel life in tens of thousands of rounds, go stainless.

Optics and Scope Setup

Glass matters more than the rifle itself. Yeah — hot take. Still true. For work past 300 yards, grab a variable-power scope in the 4-16x or 6-24x range. The Vortex Viper PST Gen II and Athlon Ares BTR both deliver without requiring a second mortgage. At those distances, though, magnification alone does not cut it — you need turrets that track and repeat.

ar15, ar 15, 6.5 Grendel, us optics, FDN17X, — this 6.5 Grendel rifle was unstoppable with the **US Optics FDN17X** on it

First focal plane holds the edge because your reticle scales with magnification, keeping holdover marks accurate at every power setting. The second focal plane works too — but only if you dial a set magnification before using subtensions. Otherwise? Your holds are off. MOA or MRAD — pick one, learn it properly. In practice, MRAD pairs better with metric-based ballistic calculators, and most competitive long-range guys have gone that direction already. Yet
plenty of accurate shooters run MOA without a single issue.

Besides parallax adjustment — don’t sleep on it. Past 400 yards, even a slight parallax error shifts your impact enough to miss a prairie dog entirely. Accordingly, check that your scope’s parallax knob dials low enough. Some budget glass bottoms out at 50 yards, which is useless for this kind of work.

Fine-Tuning Ammunition and Loads

Everything upstream — barrel, trigger, optic — only hits its potential when the right ammo feeds through it. Before you touch a reloading press, try factory match loads. Hornady V-MAX and Federal Premium’s Nosler Ballistic Tip offerings are proven. Test at least three loads in your specific rifle. Seriously — two guns off the same line can prefer completely different ammo. That’s barrels being barrels. Essentially, no two are identical. Handloading takes things further, though. Consistent charges weighed on a digital scale (not thrown volumetrically), proper brass prep, and careful seating depth work can shrink a 1-MOA rifle to half-MOA. Specifically, the Redding Type-S bushing die set earns every penny if you’re chasing sub-MOA consistency.
Brass lot consistency gets overlooked constantly. Mixing cases from different production runs introduces volume variations that change pressure and velocity shot to shot. Consequently, even a 15 fps spread shows on paper at 400 yards. Therefore, keep your brass sorted by lot number — no exceptions, no shortcuts.

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The Bottom Line

Building a precision AR isn’t about buying the most expensive parts. Your job here is to make the right parts work together. Get the right trigger, barrel, optic, and ammo, and 400-yard prairie dogs become routine. And you won’t need a $4,000 custom build, either. Smart upgrades for varmint hunting in the right order are what you should focus on — not throwing money at cool stuff from r/longrange.

Seekins Precision NX15

July 22, 2025Product review, Shooting hardware, Uncategorized223, 5.56, ar15, nx15, plxc, primary arms, seekins, seekins precisioncoldboremiracle

Introduction

Seekins Precision is a very well known firearm manufacturer in the precision rifle world. Aside from their very nice precision rifles, they also make some fine autoloading rifles. Today we are taking a look at one of them, the Seekins Precision NX15.

seekins, seekins precision, nx15, ar15, primary arms, plxc, banish speed k, — the M-Lok handguard is ready for all your accessories

Seekins sets their products apart by manufacturing their own custom receiver sets and parts that accompany them. The results are high quality firearms that stand out with a unique look and performance.

The Seekins NX15

Based on a foundation of 7075 T6 aluminum billets, the NX15 is machined and skeletonized for a perfect match. The sixteen-inch 416R stainless barrel sits inside an M-Lok compatible handguard so you can add all your favorite accessories.

seekins, seekins precision, nx15, ar15, primary arms, plxc, — top notch parts with an excellent fit

In addition to high quality components, the NX15 also incorporates some great control features. The Seekins DNA charging handle comes with an enhanced charging handle, with relief cuts to help keep friction low. The safety is a forty-five degree ambidextrous type, which I like.

As the AR platform has matured, Seekins was one of the early manufacturers to add enhanced additional controls. There is a push-button bolt-release you can easily actuate with your trigger finger. This is a very welcome feature and only surpassed by the release/lock-back type of control I enjoy on my other similar rifles.

Superb quality parts and fit come standard with this rifle. The controls feel very smooth and responsive, and the fit and finish are also top notch. The test rifle we are shooting today has a custom paint job, something that feels like it fell out of a comic book. But I would let that interfere with what matters.

Seekins NX15 Specifications

Seekins Precision NX15
Caliber	.223/5.56 (tested) 22ARC, 6ARC, 338ARC
Barrel	Stainless 16-inch
Barrel Twist	1 in 8 inches
Weight	7 pounds
Gas Block	Adjustable low-profile
Muzzle	Seekins Nest enclosed flash-hider
Finish	Black Oxide coating
Muzzle thread	½-28
Stock	Adjustable six-position MFT (tested)

NX15 Testing Setup

Before shooting the NX15, I wanted to add a couple accessories. First up of course it would need some kind of sighting system. For that I chose the Primary Arms PLx Compact, a 1-8 LPVO with exceptional clarity and definition. Using the PLx cantilever mount I attached it to the upper receiver.

For ammunition to feed the NX15, I grabbed several boxes of PMC X-Tac 55 grain as well as some PMC Match 77 grain ammo. Both of these have performed well for me in other firearms. Lastly because I hate noise, I also grabbed a suppressor for the rifle. The Banish Speed K suppressor from Silencer Central, this is a bulletproof little suppressor and it has really become one of my favorites. With everything in place, I headed to the range.

On the Range with the Seekins NX15

Once on the firing line, I loaded the Amend 2 magazine with some of the 55-grain ammo to get the rifle zeroed. I did a quick boresighting job, that got me on paper before making a few adjustments. One of the reasons I love the PLx scope is because it is so clear I can see bullet holes in paper much better than other 8X scopes. After zeroing the scope to the rifle supported on a bench, I fired a few shots to see how accurate the rifle shot with inexpensive ammo. Then I switched to the 77-grain match ammo to see how it shot as well.

After seeing how the rifle performed accurately, I decided to switch it up a bit by shooting the rifle from a standing position. The smooth action of the rifle felt very polished, reloading the rifle and going through magazines helped appreciate the precise controls and their feel. The trigger feels excellent in this rifle, very crisp and clean.

I noticed while handling and shooting the rifle that the NX15 has nice balance. Little things like the oversized trigger-guard and textured surfaces where you need them made it feel above average performance.

Even though I wasn’t a big fan of the paint job, it was hard to dislike the feel of this rifle. The minimized handguard was easy to hold onto. And it wasn’t just thin where you wanted it thin, it was also thick where it should be. A flared magwell skirt made stabbing magazines easy, and thick trigger pin-bosses would make for long-term durability.

The Results

Handling

The shootability of this rifle is fantastic. I love the big purchase of the charging handle that even a blind shooter with one finger couldn’t miss. The Magpul and Mission First Tactical furniture were nice and made easy manipulation of the rifle.

With nothing on the handguard it was easy to grip the rifle in any style you choose, and the magwell has some texture if you’re one of those guys. Adding M-Lok accessories like a downgrip could also be easily added to enhance the handling.

Reliability

As expected with the Seekins name, the NX15 ran flawlessly during all my shooting. Both suppressed and in loud configuration the rifle ate everything and never complained. I could feel a slight increase in operating pressure when shooting suppressed, but it wasn’t enough I felt like adjusting the gas block. Though that would have been easy to do using a couple Allen wrenches through the handguard.

Accuracy

Once again with a name like Seekins, I was expecting this rifle to shoot sharply. I don’t typically like using an 8X scope for shooting groups at 100 yards. I’d much rather use something like a 12X or more. Even so, I was surprised at how easily I was able to shoot MOA five-shot groups with cheap ammo.

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Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 Bolt Action

April 15, 2025Product review, Shooting hardware6.5 Grendel, AR, ar-15, ar15, bc-15, bca, bear creek, bear creek arsenal, bolt-actioncoldboremiracle

Preface

We live in an interesting time, never before has there been so many options for firearms enthusiasts. And at the very same time there is a breathtaking assault against the right to obtain and bear all these arms. Todays subject might appear up front to be a step backwards in firearm design, but it for sure is a step towards countering the assault against second amendment rights for some. Today I present to you the Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 Bolt-Action rifle. Your eyes aren’t fooling you, this is indeed a bolt-action AR-15 essentially.

That is why I said it might seem like a step backwards in firearm development, but you will soon see what makes this product a good idea.

The Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 bolt-action rifle

Its appearance as an AR-15 rifle is by design, lets look at the rifle’s features to get started. The lower receiver is in fact a completely normal BCA complete lower, just like every other BCA lower it uses all the same parts interchangeably. (That will come in handy later) Where it differs is the upper receiver, though it also uses a great deal of the same parts there as well.

Edited to add: I enjoyed this rifle so much, that I ordered a second upper. This time an eighteen-inch heavy-barreled 6.5 Grendel. I wanted to have options, as well as another capable rifle for larger purposes. The Grendel upper shares much of the same features, but obviously runs on different magazines.

The Curious Bolt Design

The semi-auto bolt-carrier has been replaced by a different carrier, similar to the semi except missing the rear-most part. This results in the carrier having a fork-like back end. The bolt itself appears to be a standard AR bolt, with no gas rings installed. It rides in the bolt carrier secured by a regular cam-pin, but there is no cam-path cut into the carrier. The resulting motion looks like this; as the bolt handle is pushed forward, the bolt engages the barrel extension the same way it would in a semi-auto, but it rotates and goes into battery when the bolt-handle is pushed down.

Bolt Operation

The operation feels weird for several reasons, first off; the buffer in the stock applies spring tension on the bolt when pulled fully to the rear. This spring pressure is only felt about halfway forward from the extreme rear of the bolt stroke. Secondly; there is another spring behind the bolt inside the carrier. It keeps the bolt all the way forward when pushing into battery, but it also causes some back pressure when chambering a round. And a springs the bolt handle back when it is lifted out of battery.

one down side to the design is that you can’t field-strip the rifle without tools

At first it is quite awkward, and not what you are expecting. However, once you get the hang of it, it is actually quite fast. The opposing forces from the bolt-spring and the buffer spring actually seem to help you run the bolt faster. Once you get over it, its no bother at all.

The Barrel

From the barrel extension forward, as best as I can tell it is 100% the same barrel used in other comparable rifles. Which makes sense from a manufacturers perspective. Since no gas-block is needed, they simply installed a ring over the gas-block perch to prevent gas from blowing out the gas hole. The barrel is truly free-floated in that nothing touches it forward of the barrel nut.

The muzzle is threaded 1/2-28 like most 5.56 barrels, and it came with BCA’s typical muzzle device. I would be changing it out for my Yankee Hill Machine Turbo T3 suppressor almost immediately.

When shooting the 6.5 Grendel upper, I used my Banish Meateater suppressor. It was very pleasant shooting the Grendel with this suppressor.

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The Rest

Everything else seemed pretty typical Bear Creek parts, the handguard used on all their AR’s, the lower parts and buttstock all look and function just like you’d expect them to. I’ll give them points on their pistol grip, I do like it much better than most typical grips. They also put one of those accuracy wedge pieces of polymer in it to keep the upper and lower from wobbling.

Other Models and Calibers

Bear Creek also makes these options in other calibers, and you guessed it they also make it in a large frame configuration as well. The options are actually pretty impressive, you can get either Parkerized barrels or 416 Stainless. There are also a great variety of barrel lengths you can choose from, as short as 7-inches and up to 22-inches. And perhaps too many chamberings to mention but I’ll try:

BC-15 Bolt-Action Calibers	BC-10 Bolt-Action Calibers
5.56 Nato	.243 Winchester
.223 Wylde	6.5 Creedmoor
.224 Valkyrie	.308 Winchester
.300 Blackout	8.6 Blackout
6mm ARC
6.5 Grendel
7.62×39 Soviet
350 legend
450 Bushmaster
458 SOCOM
12.7×42 (50 Beowulf)

Shooting the BCA BC-15 Bolt Action

To properly give this rifle a test, I took it across the state to ensure it got to see some country. Initial testing was done in the desert south west, coyote and jack rabbit country. Unfortunately neither of them showed up for the test, but the rifle worked great.

Ergonomics

I will say for sure that it took a little bit to get used to the bolt-throw on this rifle. It is unlike any other bolt-action I’ve ever operated, the lift is very short and the stroke has various degrees of resistance. It took me a minute to figure out what I was doing wrong, but once I got a feel for the operation it became second nature and particularly fast. The buffer spring pressure almost helps you transition from rearward motion to forward by adding spring pressure.

I did notice with the second upper in 6.5 Grendel the bolt was a little more finicky. I am not sure that this had anything to do with the cartridge difference or bolt-face change. Or if it was simply a side effect of mass-produced parts and tolerances.

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The rest of this rifle is 100% pure AR, so you already know what that feels like. The trigger that came in the rifle was nothing to write home about but it did not keep the rifle from shooting well. I like the rubberized BCA pistol grip, it gives great purchase and is quite comfortable. The butt stock on the other hand could have come from a CAR-15 airsoft clone, or perhaps even a Nerf gun, but it worked just fine.

the BC-15 Bolt-Action would serve well as a hunting rifle

Reliability

As is typical with bolt-action rifles this one was 100% reliable. The only issues I had were part of the learning process with operation the bolt properly, as well as some ammunition that was a touch long for the chamber.

The rifle cycled cartridges flawlessly, and tossed them out in a neat pile. Feeding from P-Mags is one of the appealing features of this rifle, and it worked great. I was a bit irritated with the AR bolt catch that would lock the bolt up when the last round was fired, but I should have anticipated it.

the rifle feeds flawlessly from **P-Mags**

Accuracy

None of the previous aspects really surprised me, but I was a bit impressed when I put the rifle on paper at 100 yards. With cheap ball ammo the rifle would shoot groups averaging slightly over 1 MOA, and when using PMC Match 77 grain it would print five-shot groups around .6 MOA quite reliably. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that modern manufacturing processes can produce 1/2 MOA guns that shoot that well for less than $450. I look forward to trying some additional handload options to see if I can get it to shoot even better.

The Grendel, while still shooting sub-MOA deserves a little more attention. I intend to keep tuning handloads to find one that shoots even better. I expect I should be able to shoot 1/2 MOA groups with it as well.

6.5 Grendel, target, accuracy, bear creek arsenal, bca, bolt-action, — Another example, this time of the Grendel grouping

Value

I did a quick and simple glance over the 223 bolt-action rifles for sale at Sportsmans Warehouse. And of the fifty plus options available there, only half a dozen of them were in the same price range as this rifle. I’ve shot some of those rifles and they didn’t print groups like this as easily.

The great shooting performance of the BC-15 Bolt-Action rifle means it could serve well as a varmint rifle, target shooting or any other similar activity. And because it is essentially an AR-15 there is no shortage of ways to improve it, which takes me to the next subject.

the push of a couple pins allows you to swap from one upper to another

My working theory is two-fold; this rifle being a bolt-action type, there are far less likely to be laws infringing on the right to keep and bear it. So for folks who live behind enemy lines in shit-hole states like California or Maryland, they can finally join the ranks of AR-15 owners, even if they have to cycle the action by hand. And I suppose they can pick fights with the pump-action Ak guys.

The second part of my theory is that buying this “bolt-action” rifle in restricted states, is a perfectly legitimate reason to have a completely functional and uninhibited AR-15 lower receiver. And with the push of a couple pins you can enjoy the same liberties as free men everywhere.

shooting groups for accuracy analysis at 100 yards

Pros and Cons

The popularity of the AR-15 family of rifles has brought the prices down, and since this rifle borrows so much from the AR family, it too has benefitted. Having a great many parts and accessories interchangeable is a great asset, and allows you to set this rifle up however you see fit.

While it may take a minute to get used to, the rifle works quite well. And its performance on the range was refreshingly positive. Reliable function paired with the incredible compatibility makes it both fun and versatile. Because the rifle shoots better than I had anticipated, I’m actually considering putting a better trigger in the rifle. The mil-spec trigger it came with isn’t terrible but could be better, and I’d like to see how much accuracy I can squeeze out of it.

the Kahles 318i was an excellent scope to test this rifle’s potential

Based on price alone, I think this rifle is pretty damn reasonable. But there are few things I’d change if I could; First off is the super cheap butt stock. I understand why they use cheap ones, as lots of folks change them out anyways. I for sure will be changing it something different. There is also a little pet peeve of mine about putting company logos all over the place, like, you could just put it on the receiver and call it a day. But that is of course just a subjective complaint. Honestly I don’t know what else I’d change on this rifle after what I’ve mentioned.

Final Thoughts

Some folks might chuckle at the idea of a bolt-action AR, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I did the same. But the more I thought about it, and especially after shooting this little rifle quite a bit, I can say my mind has been swayed. Not saying I would give up my traditional bolt-guns in favor of this one, just that I can absolutely see the reasoning behind this design, and a value in having it.

The Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 Bolt-Action rifle gives a pretty impressive performance considering the sum of its parts. Aside from that, it offers gun owners in tyrannical states an option to play in the AR-15 world. And it does all this for a pretty reasonable price attainable by average Americans. I look forward to putting this rifle to good use on some varmints this spring.

-CBM

2026 Update:

Last season my son used the BCA bolt-action upper in 6.5 Grendel to shoot this handsome little buck from almost 300 yards. And I continue to use the .223 bolt-action upper for fun plinking and varmint hunting. Still love these things.

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Putting Together an AR 15: My latest AR project

May 24, 2024blog, Product review, Shooting hardwareaero precision, ar15, eotech, fab defense, quattro-15coldboremiracle

Introduction

The AR 15 rifle has become the most popular rifle in America at this point. Countless configurations and options are available, but the reason the rifle is so popular is because of the massive aftermarket allowing customization. This has driven American gun owners wild as they can tinker and alter every aspect of their rifle. Today I am putting together an AR 15 of my own, and for fun I’ll bring you along for the ride.

Desert Tech Quattro 15 Eotech Vudu fab defense — Modern AR rifles have countless options

Often referred to as adult Legos, the AR 15 market has nearly too many options to discuss. Every aspect of the rifle has its own little niche market allowing you to change to your liking. The very basics consist of lower and upper receivers, a barrel, handguard, bolt carrier and gas system, trigger, grip, and buttstock.

But before I get into the particulars, it would be silly to start without a purpose in mind. If you plan to shoot 3-gun for example, you might build a different gun than someone looking for a fighting rifle. The rifle I’m putting together today is for general purposes, some sporting and always for fun.

desert tech Quattro-15, eotech Vudu, Aero Precision — the Aero Precision upper looks and functions very well

Parts Selection

I’ll start out with my parts list, because that is what makes a rifle. I took the easy way and got an Aero Precision complete upper, they are pre assembled and well known so it was an easy choice.

Aero Precision M4E1 upper receiver 16-inch 223 Wylde SS Hanson barrel
Desert Tech Quattro-15 ambi lower receiver
Trigger Tech AR trigger
FAB Gradus pistol grip
FAB Defense GL Core Impact buttstock
CMMG buffer tube assembly
Area 419 One -Piece scope mount
Eotech Vudu 1-8 LPVO rifle scope
Eotech EFLX Red Dot

Lower Receiver

With all my parts in one place, I started with putting all the lower receiver parts together. Adding takedown pins and detents can be a challenging process if you’ve never done it. My advice would be to get a couple extra springs and detents before you start.

Using the Quattro-15 lower would allow me to use either the standard 53-round magazines, or traditional twenty and thirty-round magazines. The Mil-spec receiver went together easily with my parts selection, and I really like the ambidextrous bolt-catch. The ambi mag release is nice too, though obviously I don’t need it.

Desert Tech Quattro-15 — the dual Eotech optics work great, read more about them here

Adding trigger, safety, and safety detent and pistol grip typically has to be done in sequence depending on your components. Often these parts interfere with each other, requiring them to be done in tandem. My Trigger Tech Trigger came with anti-walk pins that have screws on the end. Which made install a little more tedious, but allegedly they’ll be less problematic over time.

Buttstock

After trigger and safety, I tightened down the pistol grip carefully to get the safety detent right. Then moved to the buffer tube and then the stock. The FAB Defense stock came with several interesting options. It has an adjustable cheek piece that can be raised or lowered to fit you, but for this rifle I didn’t need it, so I was happy to see that it was also easily removed. Two sets of buffer tube guides came with the stock, one of them fit tighter than the other. I hate wobbly stocks so I was very pleased to see the option.

The GL Core Impact buttstock incorporates a shock absorbing feature using what appears to be an RC Car coil over shock. But in reality is simply a spring, it allows the stock to slip slightly back under recoil. And has three different adjustment settings.

Upper Receiver

Aero Precision’s M4E1 upper receiver was an easy choice to make, the 16-inch barrel and lightweight handguard fit in nicely to my plans for the rifle. The handguard is pretty large in diameter, but when paired with the high-capacity Quattro lower and magazines it fits very nicely. I’ll probably add an additional foregrip as well.

The 16-inch stainless Hanson barrel has a mid-length gas tube, and is threaded 1/2-28. I’ll remove the birdcage to run a suppressor because that’s how I shoot. The M-Lok handguard gives countless accessory mounting opportunities, having M-Lok slots on every angle and surface also reduces weight. Adding QD sling cups in several places also allows various sling configurations.

Shooting the rifle

With everything put together, all that was left was a test fire. Shooting some PMC Bronze 55 grain ammunition, I ran a few mags worth of ammo through the gun. As I had hoped, it ran flawlessly.

I added one of my suppressors to the rifle, a short one to reduce the size of the overall package. Using a traditional baffle-stack, the suppressor increased the backpressure of the rifle. While I didn’t find it to be a big deal, it was certainly noticeable.

The rifle shot very well, I was very pleased with the feel of the Trigger Tech. Making rapid follow up shots was incredibly fast because of the short reset. Even with 53 round magazines you can empty the gun quickly, though you will for sure have a tired finger when you’re done.

Accuracy from the Hanson stainless steel barrel was more than adequate for my purposes. I surely noticed that much of the rifles weight did come from the barrel. Anything from sport shooting on a steel target safari, to hunting the lightning quick jackrabbits in western deserts would be handily done with this rifle. I am quite sure I could get tighter groups out of the rifle with a different scope. But for my current purposes this works fine.

The dual Eotech optics on the rifle made for quick target acquisition and engagements, while also allowing much further shots with the 8x setting. Using heavier ammunition like Hornady 73 grain match would provide minute of groundhog accuracy even at distances like three and four-hundred yards.

Afterthoughts

One of the beauties of putting your own rifle together, is you can do it to your design. Changing parts out for something you like slightly better is what makes these rifles so appealing.

I’ve really liked the result of this combination of parts and sub-assemblies. The Aero Precision upper has worked out great, giving good accuracy and modularity. The finish and craftsmanship are great and match up perfectly to the Desert Tech Quattro lower. With the ability to run whichever magazine I need for any given purpose as well.

quattro 15 vudu banish suppressor — the rifle fitted with a **Silencer Central Banish Speed K suppressor**

Soaking up recoil is not a huge task on a 5.56 rifle, especially a larger one like this. The Fab Defense GL Core buttstock would shine even more on a 7.62 rifle, which could definitely use additional recoil mitigation.

It wouldn’t hurt my feelings to redo this rifle with a little less weight, but that’s the beauty of these guns. I can easily split it up and reassemble with lighter parts if needed.

So there you have it, go ahead and critique the way I did this rifle. Or if you like it, tell me why. I suppose in the meantime I’ll start rounding up the next batch of parts to try it again.

-CBM

Springfield Armory Saint AR15

July 20, 2023Product review, Shooting hardwarear15, saint, springfield armorycoldboremiracle

The firearms market is littered with countless AR-15 revisions and designs, so when a company like Springfield Armory joined the vast AR market they must have had something to offer. Today we will be looking at one of the Springfield Saint AR-15 models, to see what Springfield has to offer in this flooded market of rifles.

Gun Specs

CALIBER: 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 REM)
COLOR: Black
BARREL: 16″ CMV, Melonite®, 1:8
UPPER RECEIVER: Forged 7075 T6 Aluminum, Type III Hardcoat Anodized, Forward Assist, M4 Feed Ramps
LOWER RECEIVER: Forged 7075 T6 Aluminum, Type III Hardcoat Anodized, Accu-Tite™ Tension System
BOLT CARRIER GROUP: M16 w/ Carpenter 158 Steel Bolt, HPT/MPI, Melonite®
GAS SYSTEM: Direct Impingement Mid-Length, Picatinny Pinned Gas Block
HANDGUARD: Victor M-Lok Handguard
STOCK: BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Mod 0
TRIGGER: Nickel Boron Coated GI
MUZZLE DEVICE: A2 Flash Hider
BUFFER ASSEMBLY: Carbine “H” Heavy Tungsten Buffer
CHARGING HANDLE: GI Style
SAFETY SWITCH: Single Side
TRIGGER GUARD: BCMGUNFIGHTER™
GRIP: BCMGUNFIGHTER™ Mod 3
MAGAZINES: (1) 30-Round Magpul PMAG Gen M3
WEIGHT: 6 lbs 11 oz
LENGTH: 32.25″ – 35.5″
MSRP: $1,023

Gun Background

Springfield Armory has been well known for decades for making great firearms. The Saint series of rifles is Springfield’s venture into the AR-15 or Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR) market. The Saint rifles claim all the best features that come with an MSR, the question I plan to answer today is whether the Saint is an exceptional rifle as far as MSR’s go or if it is just another AR.
Springfield has put extensive work into broadening the Saint rifle lineup, with a model of the rifle in near any desirable configuration, including dedicated marksman type rifles, compliant models, and SBR and pistol variants.

Features

BCM Gunfighter furniture- Buttstock and pistol grip come from the popular BCM Manufacturing
M-Lok compatible handguard- Allows for easy addition of accessories
Nickel Boron coated internals- Trigger parts and BCG parts treated for better wear and durability
Forged upper and lower receivers- for strength and hard anodized for durability

Models

The **YHM Turbo suppressor** was a great companion

The Saint comes in a black anodized color, with other color options in Cerakote like OD Green and FDE. The variants of the rifles can get quite extensive, there are both 5.56 and .308 caliber versions of the rifle. Most of the general options can be had in a low capacity or compliant configuration. There are both sixteen and twenty inch barrel options, and even an SBR 11.5 inch version of the rifle.

On the Range

My first impression of the Saint came as I lifted it from the box, it seemed light enough for its size. And most everything about it seemed exactly as I expected. The M-Lok handguard looked bare with nothing on it, I would change that soon enough. The BCM buttstock was easy to collapse and extend to alter the rifle’s length, there are a couple sling-mounting cups in the back of it to attach a carry sling. The matching BCM pistol grip was a comfortable fit, and textured to give better purchase.
I ran the charging handle a couple times to check the rifle for safety, the smooth melonited bolt carrier slapped back and forth with the familiar boing of the buffer spring. That familiar smell of freshly anodized aluminum sliding against itself reminded me of every other new AR that’s graced my shoulder. Springfield also nitrides their trigger assembly, I expected it would make it smoother than a standard mil-spec trigger. After giving the trigger a few presses, I’d say its a bit better than average, but nothing spectacular. It does have a nice firm and audible reset though.

the Saint with a **Yankee Hill Machine muzzle brake**

Rifles like this are typically setup for short to medium range, with that in mind I decided to go with a simple Vortex red dot sight. With that taken care of, I added a couple other things to the rifle. A Magpul MS4 sling, and a small down-grip up front. I like using these as a place to grip and pull with my support hand. The Saint comes with a pretty standard bird-cage flash hider, but I was surely going to swap that out for one of my own. I intended on running my Yankee Hill Machine Turbo on the rifle, so I mounted up a compatible muzzle brake as well.

With nothing left to do but get treat this Saint to heat of hell’s fire, I grabbed some American Eagle ammo and headed up to my shooting spot. With a stack of GI and Pmags loaded, I set to zero my red dot. The rifle was easy enough to get zeroed which allowed me to spend more time shooting instead of goofing around with the turrets. The light weight of this rifle makes it very easy to throw around, recoil is very modest particularly when suppressed.
Accuracy of the Saint was pretty standard, I had no problems hitting most things that I aimed at within a reasonable distance. Hitting milk jug sized targets at nearly three-hundred yards was pretty repeatable, and close stuff like fifty yards was obviously no challenge at all.
The rifle felt just like it should, easily integrated into my shooting style. The ergonomics of the AR 15 have been perfected over the decades, and the Saint is no different, it fit me well allowing me to shoot it like we were old friends. I hammered through a couple hundred rounds which went all too fast, I’ll happily report that during this short duration I experienced zero malfunctions.
The several hours of range time with the Springfield Saint were great, and I think that for the $1100 or so dollars it goes for on the street are probably worth it. I’m sure there are countless similar rifles that go for much more, and others that go for far less. I prefer to pay enough to know that I got something worth having around.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Compatible- The Saint meets the needs of most modifications or accessories most shooters want
Reliable- No malfunctions were experienced, and it appears Springfield Armory has taken the extra steps to ensure reliability
Accurate- Accuracy was more than adequate for a rifle of this type
Many Options- Plenty of colors and models to choose from

Cons

Plane Jane- There wasn’t anything about this gun that made it stand out from any other to me

Report Card

Shootability (A) the gun was a blast to shoot, easily manipulated and adapted to various shooting positions
Reliability (A) No malfunctions of any kind were experienced
Ergonomics (B+) The Saint was a great fit, I would have loved to see something like extra bolt-catch or ambi mag release
Accuracy (B+) Accuracy was pretty typical, shooting 55 fmj’s typically rendered 1.5 MOA
Value (B+) I think the Saint is a safe buy if you are looking for an AR rifle of this type

Ammo

I shot mostly American Eagle ammunition through the rifle, though I also shot some PMC bronze 55 grain as well. Both ran flawlessly through the rifle and performed well downrange.

Best Upgrades

I think a good recoil reducing brake makes this rifle even easier to shoot well, I used the YHM Phantom Micro brake. It worked great and had the added benefit of allowing me to quick mount my suppressor to the rifle.
A good sling is a must, the Magpul MS4 was a good choice, but anything comparable to it would likely serve you well.
I enjoyed using a red dot sight on the Saint, the Vortex Strikefire worked great for me. But I also would recommend the Sig Romeo as well, as it is a little more compact.
The Magpul downgrip was also convenient for better handling the rifle, anything comparable or that better fits your grip would be a good choice.

-CBM

More info about the Saint here

Aero Precision M4E1 6.5 Grendel

February 16, 2023Product review, Shooting hardware6.5 Grendel, aero precision, ar15coldboremiracle

The 6.5 Meme

You may have seen the popular meme about some of the more popular 6.5 cartridges, in this meme there are some satirical characterizations about the owners of these most popular 6.5mm cartridges. The 6.5 Grendel character is represented by a kooky and eccentric looking fellow you may not want to approach in the truck stop parking lot. I always laughed a bit a this meme, but today I find myself with that same wide eyed stare…

The 6.5 Grendel

Today we are looking at a 6.5 Grendel rifle made from an Aero Precision M4A1 lower and a 22″ Grendel Hunter upper receiver. Its Upper features a 22-inch 8 twist barrel with a threaded muzzle pitched 5/8-24 and of course chambered in 6.5 Grendel.

The Grendel is a bit of an oddity in that it uses a cartridge case that uses a bolt face between the very common 223 Remington, and the 308 Winchester. There are only a few common cartridges that use this sized case, such as the 224 Valkyrie and the 6mm ARC. The Grendel allows you to shoot 6.5 (.264) caliber bullets from a small frame AR-15 type rifle, which can vastly change the utility of your AR-15. I have heard of people using the Grendel for hunting animals as big as Rocky Mountain elk, and having used bullets of the same size and velocity I can see why.

Shop all ammo at Ammo to Go

The only difference I’ve noticed (apart from the 6.5 Grendel barrel) between this and other AR-15 rifles is the use of a different magazine. The Grendel magazines use a different follower, and I had a few laying around from my 6mm ARC project so they got put to good use.
The barrel is a fluted stainless one with a low profile gas block installed, and since it was threaded I fully intended on installing a suppressor to see how the rifle performed as a host.

The Aero Precision M4E1

After getting the rifle home, I set it on my bench and started looking for suitable accessories for the rifle. First and foremost it was going to need a good scope, for that I decided on installing my US Optics FDN17X, it seemed like a good match to the anticipated shooting for the Grendel. I also installed an MLok Harris bipod mount to the handguard so that I could install a bipod to shoot supported. I also grabbed my Yankee Hill Machine Nitro N20 suppressor to see how the rifle shot suppressed.

Ammunition

6.5 Grendel ammunition isn’t as common as most, so I knew going in I was going to have to improvise. I had a bunch of 6.5 Grendel brass already, yes I am unashamedly one of those range creeps that is always digging through brass piles. But I haven’t bought brass in years so I’ll happily take the troll title.
I have a broad selection of .264 bullets, but it seems that Grendel loads are frequently in the 100-120 grain category. So I decided I would load up some PRVI 120 grain BTHP bullets with some Hodgdon Benchmark in Hornady brass. While I claim no expertise in the dark art of handloading, I managed to get them together without any explosions or injury. So together with the outfitted rifle and my fresh loaded ammo, I headed into the hills to see how the rifle shot.
The upper features a 22-inch barrel with an 1:8 twist and a 5/8×24 TPI threaded muzzle, of course chambered in 6.5 Grendel

On the Range with the Aero Precision 6.5 Grendel

With a fresh target hung at one hundred yards, I laid behind the rifle to get it zeroed. I had already bore-sighted it before I left the house, so it was ready to put on paper. After the first few shots I made some adjustments to the scope, and fired a group to see how it patterned. My grouping wasn’t terrible, a five shot average of one MOA is at least somewhere to start from. It’s certainly possible the rifle didn’t care for my handloads, and had I been shooting some Hornady Match it might have shot under a half inch. I shot several boxes worth of ammunition through the rifle, and to be honest I can see why so many people like this little cartridge. The recoil is very mild for starters, and I can’t imagine it would be much worse even shooting 140 grain bullets.
It was even better when I added my suppressor to the rifle. I was able to stretch the rifle out to about five hundred yards where I found it still quite easy to hit targets the size of a deer’s vitals.

Pros and Cons

Everybody has their preferences, and I surely have mine so I’ll tell you what I would do with this rifle if I had a magic wand. First I think I’d cut the barrel down a bit, it seems cumbersomely long to me. The long length of the barrel also makes it very front heavy, which if your shooting from a bipod isn’t a big deal but it can be for an offhand shooter.
The Grendel is one of those cartridges where I wouldn’t expect to be blasting one shot rapidly after another, so the ten-round magazine is more than enough for my purposes but you may want more if you are a high volume kind of shooter.

I do like the construction of the rifle, but the lightweight handguard doesn’t have anything more than what you want. The quality coatings look good, and everything fits together great. The bolt carrier appears to be nitrided for durability and smooth operation, while the raw steel surface of the barrel gives you that 2006 vibe. Continue Reading Here…

Aero Precision M4E1 Grendel Hunter rifle — I prefer to shoot my deer one at a time, but it’s still reassuring to know the Grendel Hunter has a magazine full of backup shots waiting

CONCLUSION

The Grendel Hunter part of this rifle makes a whole lot of sense to me. You get a handy little lightweight rifle, but at the same time you get a whole magazine full of 6.5mm bullets to pummel whatever it is you’re after. I prefer to shoot my deer one at a time, but it’s always reassuring to know you have a stack of backup shots waiting for you.

Furthermore, I think this would be an excellent hog gun, where you may need a whole bunch of hard-hitting shots close together. Loaded with 140-grain bullets, I could easily see using this rifle for big Western game like elk and bighorns. We’ve killed elk using the same bullets and velocities tested in this rifle.

There is obviously no shortage of good choices in today’s firearms markets, but this rifle is a great option for someone who needs this kind of firepower and weight. The kooky eyes and hairdo are entirely optional (I wouldn’t recommend the look).

-CBM

Sig Sauer MCX 5.56

January 9, 2023Product review, Shooting hardwarear15, mcx, sig sauercoldboremiracle

Introduction to the MCX

You may have been hiding under a rock if you’ve not heard of the new Sig Sauer MCX Spear, the MCX family of rifles has been a popular stalwart in the Sig Sauer lineup for some time. The industry giant has been bringing all kinds of developments over the decades they have been manufacturing firearms, and the MCX is one of them. At a glance, the Sig Sauer MCX appears to be just an AR-15, but a deeper look into the rifle will show something quite different.

The Dawn of Modern Sporting rifles

Since the first Stoner variant of the AR-15, a buffer tube protruding from the rear of the lower receiver has long been commonplace. The buffer tube serves two purposes; first it houses the buffer and spring which are vital parts of the function of the action, and second it serves as the base structure for the buttstock of the firearm. Buttstocks are typically attached around or to the buffer tube itself, which has dominated the design of all the various available buttstocks for AR patterned rifles.
The design of the MCX migrated the buffer spring and its associated hardware into the upper receiver, an in doing so has changed several aspects of the platform itself. Gone are the days of fitting your buttstock to the tube, in fact, you don’t even need a stock with the MCX. There are “pistol” configurations that don’t even utilize a buttstock.
This tubeless design makes the MCX stand out from the AR crowd, but there is more to this gun than just the buttstock.

The Sig Sauer MCX

The MCX shares a great deal of parts with most AR-15 style rifles. Magazines, triggers, and such are compatible, but there are also plenty of differences. The bolt carrier in the MCX is driven forward by a pair of springs that ride just above the carrier inside the receiver. The charging handle also sandwiches into the same area as the recoil springs and bolt carrier. The handguard is attached to the upper receiver and features a very skeletonized keymod attachment section, newer models also have MLok compatible handguards. There is a small window in the front of the handguard to access the two-position gas valve.

Bolt carrier and receivers detail

The lower receiver is very similar to traditional AR lowers except where the buttstock attaches, and additionally features an extra magazine release on the left side of the receiver. There is also a small spring plunger mounted behind the trigger, it appears to be an accurizing add-on to reduce the play between upper and lower receivers. The buttstock itself is a skeletonized design with a built in folding hinge allowing the stock to be stowed to the side of the rifle, this of course doesn’t effect the operation of the rifle. All the mechanics of the operating system are contained within the receivers, so the rifle can fire regardless of the stock position.

Rangetime

As soon as I could, I prepared the MCX for the range. I mounted up a fresh Tango MSR scope also from Sig Sauer, the 1-6 power scope would be an excellent compliment to the MCX. I also grabbed a suppressor because I wanted to see how the rifle functioned suppressed. I packed up some PMC Xtac 55 grain ball ammo to shoot in the rifle, as well as a Magpul MS4 sling to use on the rifle. I also brought a couple assorted P-mags and GI magazines to try in the rifle.

After boresighting the scope, I cracked off the first few rounds and they were quite close to my point of aim. It only took minor adjustments to get the scope zeroed and then it was go time. Shooting the rifle at a hundred yards I quickly gained familiarity with both the rifle and scope, hits came easily as the MCX churned away smoothly. The weight felt surprisingly light, I believe they were advertised at six pounds though I think that is a little under what this one weighed naked.
The three-pronged flash hider seemed very effective at reducing muzzle flash, and the recoil of the 5.56 cartridge is very easy to handle in a rifle this size. The rifle was very comfortable in maneuvering and made for a very enjoyable time spending my money. I stretched the rifle out to the three-hundred yard line where I found it to be still quite accurate, I imagined an errant coyote who might have wandered into range would have been easily dispatched.
Shooting from P-mags and GI metal mags both functioned flawlessly as I would expect from this rifle, I figured it was time to install my suppressor to see how the rifle performed suppressed. This required removing the factory flash hider, and installing my suppressor mount. Sig uses a taper on many of their muzzle devices to aid in alignment, since I wasn’t using a Sig suppressor the taper was unneeded. I mounted up my Yankee Hill Machine Turbo 556 suppressor and went right back to town on the targets.

Suppressed shooting made the MCX really shine. The increased weight seemed to calm down the recoil impulse even further making it easy enough to spot my own hits at 200 yards. The reduced noise is always welcome, and hearing steel targets ring without hearing protection is always better.

Accuracy

Accuracy shown here from the MCX wasn’t spectacular, but I can certainly explain that. The included picture shows five shots from 55 grain PMC Xtac ammunition, it shot much better with Hornady Black 75 gr match but I didn’t get it on paper. Shooting from bags at one-hundred yards with an eight-power scope shivering in below freezing temps may not have given the MCX a fair shake. Continue Reading Here…

Pros & Cons

It was easy to find things about the MCX that I liked. The controls were all comfortable and smooth. There is a little bit of noticeable refinement with many of the little things on this rifle. The reliability and flawless function are definitely at the top of my list, as is the lightweight of the rifle. I really prefer accurate rifles, and this one seemed to have a very acceptable level of accuracy. It seemed enhanced when used with a suppressor. It was perfectly familiar and uniquely exceptional.

Now for the things I didn’t like. These were few, and I’m sure I could probably live with them if needed. The skeletonized buttstock was perfect except for a good cheek rest. It seemed a touch low. In this winter weather, it was way too cold to be resting your face on. It seems like it would be really easy to fashion a simple polymer snap-on cheekpiece that would be unobtrusive and serve that purpose.

Also due to the cold temps, I considered some synthetic material to add to the handguard. Obviously, this could be overcome with gloves, as I imagine the same problem is to be had in the extreme heat.

Pros:

Comfortable and smooth controls
Low recoil
No buffer tube
Reliable
Lightweight
Accurate
Suppressor ready

Cons:

Could use a better cheek rest
Furniture can be cold/hot depending on temps

FINAL THOUGHTS

It came as no surprise that I really enjoyed the MCX from SIG Sauer. I have long been a SIG fan, and the MCX fits perfect into my collection of carbines.

The reliable piston-driven and bufferless system seems to have worked out perfectly for SIG, at least the next-generation MCX Spear would suggest so. This rifle would make a fine addition to your collection if your tastes are similar to mine. It has certainly driven my desire to get the next-generation MCX even more.

-CBM

Colt M4 Carbine

October 11, 2022Product review, Shooting hardwarear15, colt, m4coldboremiracle

AR-15 History

The AR-15 is perhaps one of the most well known rifles in America, enough to even be known as America’s rifle. And of all the many different AR-15 configurations perhaps one of the most popular is the M4, or one of its clones. Colt has been one of the longest standing manufacturers of this type of rifle, so it feels a bit daunting to try and revisit this as a review. After all, what could I possibly have to offer that hasn’t been said a thousand times over the past twenty years?

The Colt M4 Carbine

The M4 Carbine I received for review is as familiar as Mom’s bacon and eggs on a Sunday morning. The rifle uses all of the standard features we have come to know, a mil-spec two-stage trigger, detachable Stanag pattern magazines released with the push of a button. Charging handle at twelve o’clock above the buffer tube, with a collapsible CAR type buttstock. A single sided safety operated by the thumb, and a bolt-release on the left side of the receiver.
This model came with a sixteen-inch seven twist barrel, threaded 1/2-28 at the muzzle and you guessed it; a bird-cage flash hider on the muzzle. Also included were sling attachment rings front and rear, as well as a fold down rear sight assembly to use with the gas-block mounted front sight.
This is almost exactly the rifle we have all seen in the movies and magazines since childhood, with its flattop receiver designed to take whatever kind of sight you’d like to install there. Commonly you’d see an Aimpoint, Eotech, or ACOG in this position. The only thing left to investigate was to see if it lived up to the expectation.
I prepped the Colt for a range trip, which consisted of mounting up a Trijicon MRO and some ammo to feed it.

Shop all Colt firearms here

On the Range

The M4 is configured for a fighting scenario. Or for civilians like myself lots of shooting and maneuvering at relatively close range. Surely it can be used at further distances but for the most part two-hundred yards or less are a most likely where it will be used. A red dot sight like the MRO works great for that scenario.

After sending a few test rounds, I zeroed the sight at 75 yards. Shooting for accuracy is a little easier for me to do with a riflescope, but I was able to shoot some inch and a half groups at seventy five yards. I don’t imagine it would open up too much more at one hundred yards, but it was certainly accurate enough for hitting forty-five percent IPSC targets all over the range. The XM193 ammo flowed through the rifle like a Vegas slot machine payout, and it felt just as valuable to watch it disappear.

Shooting the Colt M4 was as pleasant as you might expect. The mild recoil of the 5.56 cartridge makes shooting the rifle soft and easy to control. Muzzle rise is minimal and easily reduced by adding a different muzzle device.

The collapsible stock is easily adjusted to fit smaller statured shooters or to accommodate body armor. I’ve never envied left-handed shooters that had to operate an AR. And yet my oldest who has been given by Uncle Sam the opportunity to shoot the M4 extensively using his left-handed stance seemed to not have any issues. He even likes it to my surprise.

Accuracy

Hitting targets for both of us was great fun while using the MRO. I am definitely a scope kind of guy so using iron sights always comes with its contrasting results. It would likely serve me very well to spend more time shooting through these sights if only to improve my capabilities. The Magpul rear sight that came with this rifle was easily used through the Trijicon. I just need to up my iron game.
The M4 comes with pretty much no embellishments, a standard trigger, Magpul Pmag, single-sided safety and so on. That came as no surprise for a service-grade weapon, but I found it didn’t significantly inhibit the performance. Making shots and reloads went as smooth as I could go. And were only slowed by my skills, or lack of them anyway.

Continue Reading Here…

PROS & CONS

Colt M4 Carbine Rifle — The adjustable stock is also a classic design now, and makes the gun easy to adjust for different users or uses

What’s not to like about this rifle? It is the result of distilled revisions based on hundreds of thousands of users and decades of use both here and abroad. Any demerits or praise for the rifle or its features will likely bring out a chorus of people more experienced with the gun than myself contradicting my perspective. But I’ll do it anyway because that’s what you read this far for.

First, let me give my personal perspective. I’m more of a precision rifle kind of shooter, spoiled by good triggers and sharp-shooting rifles. So, keep that in mind and take my opinions with a grain of powder.

I felt the M4 was a bit mediocre, which may well be its purpose. The trigger was a bit “scratchy,” though not a significant issue when it comes to hitting what I aimed at. The features are also quite middle of the road: single-sided safety, mil-spec trigger, the same charging handle since 1981 (maybe), and so on. But this may all be by design and exactly what this rifle was meant to be.

Truthfully

Let’s be candid, it is an AR-15. So there isn’t a single thing about it you couldn’t change or adjust to better fit your preferences. I have heard reports of declining quality from Colt over the last decade or so. While I experienced nothing that would indicate any issues with this rifle. It is good to hear that CZ has taken the reigns over Samuel Colt’s rampant pony. Perhaps the Czech’s can improve the brand.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this rifle. I experienced no malfunctions of any kind, and the gun plowed through everything I fed it. While not stunningly accurate, it was more than suitable for a practical fighting or sporting rifle. There are cheaper AR-15’s out there these days, so I think it may be a little overpriced when compared to its competition for some people. That may come with the name, I guess.

CONCLUSION

If you are in the market for a simple and lightweight AR, I don’t think this one would be a bad choice. The AR-15 market is incredibly broad. There is quite literally something for everyone out there. And if you are one of those die-hard Colt fanatics, then this classic AR should serve your needs well.

-CBM