I still can’t decide on what configurations to build with these two lovelies. I think one should be a pistol at least. They were both transfered as “pistols”, so maybe both into pistols. Light weight builds, but they don’t have to be airweights. Maybe one pistol and one light carbine? I want them to be unique.
Post links to images of suggested builds and the Parts I should buy for the builds. Help me out here.
I can’t remember when I had last seen it… Not for at least 15 years. So long, I didn’t even think it an issue. Like Small Pox, I thought it had been cured.
We had an AR-15 at the range that was having problems. We looked at everything and we finally found the cause.
A loose gas key.
This was a S&W M&P15. And the Gas Key was not staked. It had worked loose and was causing every issue you can think of. It was the last thing we looked at. The bloody Gas Key. Huh.
I have already put a box of rounds through it, and I’m quiet happy with it. Functionally it was flawless, which was a huge step up from the last Lever Action I bought, the Marlin 1895, which immediately had to go back to the factory for 6 weeks.
The accuracy was very good. I have to say that I really like the way this thing shoots. It was shooting very accurately off hand. But I need to get to a range that actually has a Bench so I can really see what this thing will do.
As you can see, I didn’t get the version with the flash-hider. Because I thought about it and admitted to myself that I will never be doing anything with that threaded end anyway because if I want to go quiet, well, I’ll be using a very different weapon for that sort of work. This is going to strictly be for hunting. So I saved 50 bucks on got the shorter option. I like the shortness of it. It feels extremely short. And light. WOW, this rifle is light. Seriously… it’s like 1/2 the weight of a Marlin 336. I threw a tac-light on it just because, well, I can. Other than a sling, that’s going to be the extent of add-ons. I’m not decking this thing out. In fact, I may remove the rails all together. I’ve not decided yet. The stock has GOT to GO! I really can’t tell you how much I hate this ATI stock. It detracts from the entire rifle. I thought I had a Magpul CTR stock here at the house, but I think I remember that I had given it away back in Jacksonville to a guy in my church. So I will be needing a replacement stock as soon as possible. I don’t care if it’s a standard M4 stock or even a TAPCO… anything is a step up from this ATI. Stocks should not rattle and wobble. Ever.
Along with the rifle, I grabbed a box of Remington HOG HAMMER ammo, as well as my favorite Federal Blue Box stuff for further plinking work. I was going to get some Hornady LEVERevolutions for it… but I’m well familiar with how they perform, and wanted to try something new.
This gun will be used to harvest some delicious Venison this fall. And with the Carolinas not having a limit on White Tail… I think I’m going to be harvesting a lot. At least that’s the goal. The hope. One buys a rifle like this not for the collector value, but for the hope of adventures that one can have with it.
I think I’m going to paint it. Just need to decide on how I’m going to go about it.
Question came in:
“Mad Ogre, can you make a list of the best AR 15 rifles according to your expertise? I’ve read you articles and it seems to me you’ve done your homework! Would really like to know which AR 15 manufacturer rifle would catch your eye!”
That’s a good question, but also technically complicated. Saying “AR-15” is like saying “Pickup Truck”. Asking for the best Pickup Truck would require me to respond with “What are you going to do with it?” It’s far easier if I know the specific applications you are going to use it for, because of all the options and configurations out there. And with AR-15’s there are far more nuances that go with them. So instead of specific models, I’m going to simplify this. I’m going to list in order specific manufactures. Companies that are making production gun sold through dealers… not custom guns.
My TOP 5, Starting at the top and working down:
1. DANIEL DEFENSE
2. NOVESKE
3. LMT
4. LARUE TACTICAL
EDIT:
I’ve been dealing a lot more with LWRC since I wrote this list. And I have to give credit where credit is due. LWRC is now a solid #5. I really like what they are doing with their new M6IC carbines, and others… So I’m bumping Bravo to Runner Up Status and making LWRC number five:
5. LWRC
Runners Up:
BRAVO COMPANY
SIG
These are the only production AR-15 Rifle Makers that I would personally spend my own money on. Reason I picked these are due to the overall quality and consistency that I have seen. These guys are consistently putting out the best products. Each one of these Brands are worth exploring. Which specific rifle – depends on your application or the configuration that you are looking for. These are also companies that I have personally talked with and know there commitment to putting out top quality rifles. There are a couple other companies out there that could have made this list as a Runner Up – but I just don’t like their finished products… I’ll give you one example. Black Rain. They are making some good products. BUT. Their finishes are ghastly and they insist on using a muzzle device that you could seriously use to drill through layers of sedimentary rock and discover oil with. They have to ship them with a rubber cap over it because the muzzle device will chew through the packaging during shipping. They WILL tear the crap out of any case you put them in as well. For what purpose do you need that for? It’s just tacky. If they would tone it down – I could take them more seriously.
Now, let’s talk configurations. For a Jack of all Trades configuration, I like a carbine length barrel, with full rifle length handguards, and I like a free floating barrel. I don’t like quad-rails, but I do like the option of putting on an accessory where I want it. My favorite new rifle on the market that meets this criteria:
The Daniel Defense DDM4V11.
So if I had to pick just one rifle, that would be it.
Lucid had sent me one of their new L5 rifle scopes to test out some time ago and I’ve not been able to really get to it. Now is the time. The L5 was never meant to be a Combat Optic. It wasn’t designed for use on an AR-15. You can see, it’s a bit large for this task. The L5 is more suited for a long range hunting or target rifle. It would look natural on a Remington Sendero or the like. I could see this on an AR-10 as well. But it’s a lot of scope for the light weight AR-15 here. But that’s fine. This AR-15 brings a lot of consistency and accuracy that will let me test the Scope, and not the Gun. That’s important here. But you can see, this isn’t making for a real workable configuration for me… It needs something else. You see, this L5 is a 6-24 power optic. Sometimes 6X is too much.
The 45 Degree offset is built into the Daniel Defense tube. All it takes is moving the add-on rail sections, and presto. Right over the bore as you want them. The MBUIS lay flat enough that they do not get in the way, and pop up when needed. Simple enough.
I tell you what though – I’d never have considered putting this sort of set up on my rifle… But I gotta face it… with my eyes now… I really do need a magnified optic. I need something a bit more suited to an AR-15 with magnification… I prefer a 4 power I think. Lucid is said to be working on just that. But this is to test the L5 Scope.
In the mean time, the L5 will be getting a full evaluation. Here’s my initial impression:
Let me start off by saying that I can be an optics snob. I’m not easily impressed and normally any scope under $1200 doesn’t impress me. There are some exceptions to that… and the L5 is one of them.
What you are looking for in Glass is Clarity. Optical Clarity is primary. Second to that Brightness. And Third is Color. Some may argue that, but this is my considered opinion. I sold high dollar optics along with guns for many years and I learned to see the differences. The L5 has the clarity. It has the brightness. While it transfers color very well, it’s not a Swarovski. But you are not paying Swarovski dollars either. It does however, have better “CBC” than other scopes of this type, and ones that cost a whole lot more. Between this L5 and one that costs almost double – I’d take the L5 in a heartbeat. That’s the thing about Lucid… if you want something better, you gotta pay double. Tangibly better – you gotta pay a lot more. I’ll go ahead and say it – I like this scope a lot better than a Nikon Monarch or a Burris or anything from Bushnell. Millett or the like, need not apply.
The side parallax focus goes all the way down to 15 yards. You could put this on a heavy barrel rimfire rifle. Huh… Maybe I should try it out on my .17 HMR Savage. (The most accurate rifle I’ve ever had)
Lets talk about that for a second – Parallax in a rifle scope is where your target and your reticle are in two different focal planes. This comes across as one of the two being out of focus. The result is that the reticle can swim or move around on the target… making for a less precise shot. To get the most precision out of your scope, and put that round right where you want it, the Parallax must be focused. The reticle and target need to be focused sharp together. Parallax comes into play typically in high power scopes, 12 power or above… which is why most 4-12 or 3-9 scopes don’t have a manually adjustable Parallax. They are factory focused at about 150 yards. Rimfire scopes between 35 to 50 yards. We’re used to seeing the Parallax focus out on the Objective bell. The L5 has it on a third turret, which has become the standard place for Parallax adjustment. This makes any adjustment precise and easy to make… without having to come out of your shooting position to do it. Rule of thumb, set the focus to the range you are shooting. If you are shooting at 100 yards, set it to 100 yards, and then fine tune it.
The L5 scope is constructed very well. Very solid, so much so that it reminds me of some very premium optics. A rifle scope is a precision optical instrument… the internals are always delicate no matter who makes them… so they need to be protected. A solid built scope like this goes a long way to help that. The tube body is 30mm, which is ideal and the objective lens is a fat 50mm. If you want a 50mm Obj, you really need to go 30mm in the tube. Too many scopes are out there with a 1″ tube, and that’s just too skinny and you don’t get the light. 30/50 is ideal. I can’t stress that enough. Some companies are putting out larger, which is a fine, but then you are forced to get very expensive specialized rings and your mounting options become limited. Pretty much everyone making Rings these days makes a 30mm option. It’s a common size. Commonality has it’s advantages. Going to a 32mm or something like that… you start to loose advantage over cost and flexibility. The Turrets are tight, but the clicks are distinct and counting 5 up or 4 right – not a problem. I’m not going to name any other brands, but one brand that has a scope similar to this… the clicks were indistinct and made such adjustments vague.
Now here’s what I like about the L5 scope. The L5 Reticle:
I like a fine crosshair. This allows for actual precision shooting. The reticle through the scope is clear and distinct. It’s not an illuminated reticle… but most are not. And for most people, illumination is not needed. I am no Operator anymore and I will not act like one. I am old and busted and enjoy large breakfasts and comforts that go with that… so I don’t want an illuminated reticle in a precision scope. Again, this is a precision scope, not a combat scope. This scope is designed to get me out to long range, and make a good kill-zone shot quickly. Take a look at that reticle. It’s quite simple. To make it even more simple, this reticle is programed into the STRELOK calculator… an App for you Smart Phone. I’ve been a fan of the STRELOK calculator for some time. I used it to zero a .50 BMG and it got me on target with 1 shot. Second shot confirmed it. Done.
I can’t wait to get this out and start putting a whole lotta rounds down range with this.
Again – Anyone wanting a Lucid optic, use the coupon code MyLucidDeal at checkout.
SIDE NOTE: The Lucid HD7 that I had on this rifle is now on my Son’s AR-15. He is quite happy about that. I am afraid that I may not be able to get my HD7 back once this testing is all complete.
Edited: Edited to correct my comment about Color.
Adjustable stocks. It started there. Length of pull. Comb height. That’s all fine and well. But now user adjustable is going everywhere. Is this a good thing for the average shooter?
It’s bad enough watching someone who should be more squared away, constantly playing with his stock length and his sling… I’ve watched guys play with their adjustments more than actually pulling the trigger. More than drilling the Fundamentals. More than their effort in making an accurate shot.
Now there is this thing: The Effin-A. A user adjustable muzzle brake. Now, the more I think about this… the more I can see the appeal. Think of all the excuses you can use for poor shots. What I’m seeing is a whole lot of ammo used testing and tweaking – and that’s good. That’s a lot of practice going on and I like that. It certainly has it’s place. Maybe. For guns no one else is making a brake for. (Is there such a thing now days?) Being able to tune the brake to what you want. If you are a competitive shooter and know your gun better than you know your spouse’s erogenous zones… Maybe this is for you. Then again, maybe not.
For me… I’ll buy a Battle Comp and have it installed properly and call it good and not have to worry about futzing with the muzzle brake and I can concentrate on my shooting. Of course, I’m the same guy that set his adjustable stock to how he wanted it a long time ago and has never moved it since. I don’t like playing around with my weapon like that. In fact, it annoys me. My Battle Comp was engineered very well to start with. In fact, it was engineered pretty much perfectly. Why would I want to mess with that?
What do you guys think of this?
Since I was 17 years old, I’ve consistently said that “They need to build an M1 Carbine that fires 9mm and feeds from a regular pistol magazine.” I think I’ve said this on just about any gun forum I’ve talked about the M1 Carbine on.
And now, finally, many many years later… Someone has done just that. Using common and easy to find… and cheap to acquire, Beretta 92 Magazines. I’d have rather Glock, but barring Glock, Beretta 92 is the next best choice.
I love this idea. I’m completely jazzed about it. I’m looking forward to seeing many modifications to these… all manner of custom work. The thought of one of these in a Paratrooper configuration just makes me weak in the knees.
Some will ask about the Company. Citadel. These guys are in the Philippines… state of the art facility. And have put out some very decent 1911 pistols for very reasonable prices.
I’m unsure of the state of that facility now, giving the disaster that has befallen the Philippines with that Super Hurricane that almost wiped the whole country off the map. But here’s to hope.
This is my person AR-15. I’m not done tweaking it yet. I’m going to shoot some Olive Drab Green on it, a little brown on it, and some MagPull Flat Dark Earth… But I’m in no hurry to do so. I’ll select color and pattern after I move to NC. Get the local colors there. Going all FDE isn’t going to do me a bit of good out there. And I’m not going to do it in anything fancy like Ceramic empregnated polymer or epoxy based resins or teflon infused bone. None of that. Krylon. Spray on, rattle can, Krylon. Why? To remind me… that this rifle is a Tool and not a Precious Keepsake. The wear on the Krylon will be viewed as Training Badges. Scars gained in activities that develop and teach skills.
Also, I’m going to order a drop in trigger for it – because, to be honest, the trigger is Meh. I was going to order a popular now trigger that starts with a G and no one can pronounce the name the same way twice. But instead, I’m going to order one from “Black Rain”. They have a solid adjustable unit that lets you tune it. I like that.
Instead of taking the time to order put parts together, I just started out with an off the shelf rifle. I selected a Daniel Defense DDM4V7 Light Weight. Then Joe at Crusader Weaponry installed the BattleComp muzzle brake and hit the Bolt Carrier Group with a Permanent treatment of Crusader Weaponry’s SLIPSTREAM lubricant. Makes the gun run slick and snot, and it feels like a .22LR when shooting.
Here you can see the BCG better. The Slipstream gives it a satin grey finish… nothing flashy or “pimped out” about it. It’s just slick. If you hand cycle it slowly, you can actually feel the bolt lock and unlock within the action. On top of the rifle is the Lucid HD7 Gen 3 FDE optic. Backing it up is a set of MagPul flip up sights… which is kinda pointless as the Lucid is bullet proof and the batteries last forever.
I’ve thought about putting an upgraded optic on it… something “Better”. But looking at the so called better options… I’m really not seeing any Red Dots that qualify as tangibly better. I’d have to go all the way up to the Trijicon SRS… and those suckers retail for over 900 bucks, for only some sort of perceived “Betterness”. Yeah, I’d rather spend all that extra coin on ammo.
If I do switch off this optic… it would only be for something that was magnified Perhaps in a 1-4 variable. But to be honest, nothing as really sold me to justify the swap. Vortex has a PST 1-4 something or other that looks cool, but has huge unprotected turrets that can easily get spun unintentionally. Forget that. Yeah, I’m happy with the Lucid HD7’s. They define “Bang for the buck” value.
The hottest gun selling now is of course, the AR. We’ve sold hundreds of every kind, as many as we could get our hands on. People have been buying them like crazy. We are now completely sold out. And we sold over 620 magazines… after limiting people to 3 each. This is the craziest gun buying rush I’ve ever seen. And the demand is not easing off.
If these sales were because of a spike in popularity… because of Christmas as everyone wants an AR because they are fun to shoot, and awesome to have… This would be great. This would be a season to remember. I’d be loving this. But that’s not what’s been happening. People are buying rifles like this because they are afraid of a possible ban and they are afraid of the Government. That puts a sour taste in my mouth for all this.
This is not just here locally… this is Nation Wide. I even had reporters call me at work and home. Here’s one report.
As I said in the article, normally I’d be selling deer rifles, shotguns, and the like. Now it’s all Concealed Carry type guns and fighting rifles. All AR’s and AK’s are gone and all full capacity magazines. This isn’t what normally flies this time of year.