Are you in the market for a new AR-15? One 20-round-capacity magazine was included, but Rock River offers three-, five- and 10-round magazines in steel, as well as its new polymer 20-round magazine. Rock River has been around for a long time and they maintain a devoted following because they continue to use quality components while giving attention to the details. In the time since it reacquired the rights to the BAR-10/LAR-8, Rock River replaced the original charging handle with a more common design and refined the extractor for better performance. We chose this lefty model to balance the group, assuming left-handed shooters would prefer a gun set up for them. Our testers said the Bushmaster was handsome and svelte at 8.84 pounds, due to its lighter-weight barrel, and a vented, free-floated forend that included a sling/bipod stud mounted. Once the barrels get to Colona, Illinois, Rock River finishes the chambering job and then cryogenically stress-relieves the barrel before mating it to an upper receiver. Mossberg 500 vs 590: Which Shotgun Is Right for You? Here's what it's like to shoot this classic scattergun. Once we began firing, we took the time to swab each barrel after each ammo change to ensure carbon build-up did not influence the guns accuracy with the new ammo. Fluted Stainless Steel Bead Blasted Fluted Stainless: +$35.00. A few other features that lend the LAR-15M to hunting include the winter trigger guard, making the trigger more accessible when wearing cold-weather gloves; the Operator CAR stock, with its generous cheek weld and length-of-pull adjustability to accommodate clothing layers; and the overmolded A2 grip. I was impressed, its as simple as that. With this in mind, we went to LaRue Tactical (www.laruetactical.com) for the exceptional LT104 30mm QD Lever Mount, $195. Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer became famous for being intensively involved, along with many of Haarlem's women, with fighting the spanish, who laid siege to the city. To fix this issue, Rock River has given its Star selector a nipple that sits at the end of the lever, and it protrudes away from the receiver. We got a quartet of guns that matched these specifications from Bushmaster, Fulton Armory, Rock River Arms, and Stag Arms, along with some options they felt the varmint/predator hunter would like. Feb 2018 Solo. But that was the point: Im a proficient pistol shooter and, as a professional firearms photographer, I know guns as well as anyone. We encourage you to also support these organizations as we continue to fight for our fundamental rights. This rifle also has an RRA TRO-XL extended free float rail handguard and an accuracy of 3/4 MOA at 100 Yards. You can go on an excellent boat tour all around the system, or you can walk and admire the boats, the bridges (some of which lift or . Well, not any more of an idiot than I usually feel like, I suppose I should say. One tester felt the handle should be black to reduce glare, because his ADD caused him to focus on the neat little handle running back and forth. Our lone exception to this mounting protocol was the Bushmaster, which came with two riser blocks already installed on the gun. Their gun arrived in a plain cardboard box, with no gun case, just the gun sandwiched between two sheets of foam, along with a set of tools and directions for the Geissele trigger, and a modified version of their The AR-15 Complete Owners Guide.The FAR-15 inside was a striking gun, complete with a Magpul, PRS Precision adjustable sniper stock, $245, which provides exact cheek-weld and LOP adjustments. The new-for-2023 lineup includes ultralight hunting stocks and a VGA 2-pound adjustable vertical-grip stock. Their AR-15s are made with forged aluminum receivers, chrome lined barrels, and MIL-SPEC parts. This eliminates all stress risers in the barrel that can cause a barrel to shift point of impact as it heats when shot. My ultimate conclusion is that the Rock River Arms BT-3 is a winner for both novice and experienced precision shooters, though I would change a couple of the accessories. The top rail runs the full-length of the fore-end and mates with the flat-top upper receiver. resulting in 1.5-MOA accuracy at 100 yards. . The FALs feed lips are built into the receiver rather than the magazine itselfa feature that, in theory, should offer more reliable feeding. Bushmasters Varmint Special Model PCWVMS 24-9SS featured a 24-inch-long 1:9 twist heavy sporter stainless barrel, not a bull barrel like those found on the other guns in the test. For everyone else, then: Rock River Arms got into making AR-15 rifles back in the late 1990s after years of doing custom work on 1911s. We selected this scope for several reasons. Our friends at Bass Pro Shops in Grapevine, Texas, graciously granted us permission to use the stores 100-yard shooting tunnel. Some reviewers have had negative experiences, but this is rare. The RRA LAR-15 is a quality gun, in just about any configuration you can come up with. At each temperature step, Rock River will let the barrels soak at that temp for a specific period of time. Classic Browning Light Twelve Auto-5 Review: Busting Clays With the Old Humpback Shotgun. The chamber is 5.56mm NATO, so it will work fine with .223 Remington ammo, too. He pointed out how good the Rock River trigger was, so Ive had it in that rifle ever since. K-Mart Classics: Remingtons Nylon Rimfires Engineered To Last. I decided I wanted calm and shade: Spring in Arizona is often unpredictable and weather varies from wet and soggy 60s to hot and steamy upper 90s. I shot five-round groups at 100 yards with Remington 168-grain BTHP, Lapua 167-grain BTHP, Hornady 168-grain A-Max, Hornady 155-grain TAP A-Max, Hornady 110-grain TAP Urban, and Federal American Eagle 150-grain BTFMJ ammunition. The Coyote is available in a 16-inch barrel "carbine" model or 20-inch "rifle" model, but I chose the Coyote Carbine because it's easier to wield in the woods. Shot it for the first time today. Rock River Arms is a popular option, but is it the right one for you? Even with only 16 inches of launch, the .223's velocity averages 2900-3000 fps. And not only are their guns excellent, theyre actually very reasonably priced. Epic 22 Pocket Pistol: The Beretta 71 Jaguar. Accuracy is the average of five, five-shot groups from a rest at 100 yards. Its like tapping the barrel with a hammer between shots, but the folks at Rock River obviously found a consistent way to avoid this from happening in the V2 during its assembly process. Stay in the know. As a rifle-shooting newbie of sorts, I wanted a scope that would mitigate my lack of rifle shooting experience. In parts of the South, varmint hunters are calling in foxes, coyotes, bobcats and other predators. Minuteman. While the Colt Model 601 was the first AR-15 to be mass-produced, there were several design variations that came before during the platform's development. The majority of Rock River Arms parts are mil-spec, including the receivers, barrels, handguards, and more. All that inertia transfers to the back of the bolt carrier when the hammer slams home. models. Testing. accuracy in the Standard Operator, and our testing, at least with match ammunition, was consistent with that claim. My teammate, SFC Tung Nguyen, was a hardcore competitive shooter and offered to build me exactly what I wanted. Joe Kurtenbach and Caleb Giddings also look at the first-ever optics-ready carry revolvers with the new Taurus 605 and 856 T.O.R.O. Their rifles are built to military specifications, which means they are tough enough to withstand the rigors of combat. It's outfitted with a 20-inch fluted and cryogenically treated stainless-steel barrel. Rock River Arms has been around since 1996 when brothers Mark and Chuck Larson founded the company in Cleveland, Illinois. However, if youre willing to spend a little extra money on your rifle, Rock River Arms is definitely worth considering. Now for 2022, the company ups the game for hunters with the introduction of the All-Terrain Hunter (ATH), a mid-length rifle that stands tall in the field of AR-platform hunting rifles. It broke cleanly at 4 pounds, 4 ounces and exhibited no creep or stacking. I shot this rifle within my skill level, and I think I shot it well. It also included an optional scout rail to raise the scope height, but we found it unnecessary with the LaRue mounts. Another feature I really liked was the sealed battery storage area . I wanted to do this as by the book as possible, so waiting for calm winds was my only option. Although it eliminated the brass deflector, we had no problems with the ejection pattern. No other stainless barrel options are offered, although Bushmaster does have a 4150 chrome-moly vanadium steel version of this gun called the Bushmaster Varminter. This one was the same. The RRA's have had a very good reputation for high quality products at a good price. Rock River, like Fulton, also offers many options to customize your gun, and even offers four different models if the A4 isnt your cup of tea. The general idea was that high-velocity ammunition was deemed incompatible, for safety reasons, in areas of flat terrain and denser populations. But Im lucky. More load testing is definitely on the menu. Overall, the reviews are positive. RRAGE LAR-15 Type: Direct-impingement, semiautomatic Cartridge: 5.56 NATO Barrel: 16 in., 1:9-in. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Gun Review: Dead Accurate Rock River Arms BT-3, AR Basics: Initial Diagnosis Of AR Gas System Issues, New AR: Springfields SAINT Pistol Goes .300 Blackout, Shadow Systems DR920 P And L Review: Full-Size Fun From The Factory, Smith & Wesson EQUALIZER Review: Crafted For Carry, Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical Review: Stretching Your Dollar Long, 8 On-Target Concealed Carry Insurance Options (2022), 10 Affordable Double-Barrel Shotgun Options (2022), Best AR-15 Options For Any Budget And Buyers Guide (2022), Best Concealed Carry Handguns For Women (2022). New Shooters Guide: What Is a Pistol Caliber Carbine? On the other hand, they add a pair of critical dimensions to the receiver in an already crowded area just below the barrel extension. LaRue has a huge following in the sniper community, and our experience reinforced why this is the case. Elsewhere, we also found the two-stage trigger to be quite good in our test firing, much better than their standard trigger in our tactical carbine test in October 2007. This often requires carrying guns through thickets of brush, and a rest, if available, is a handy tree branch. The Rock River Star selector makes that process more intuitive and does it without the expense of purchasing an ambidextrous switch. Lots of groups under an inch. Get the 76th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book. At one . My buddy had a significant amount of experience on several of them, so I value his opinion of the platform. The A4 had a winter trigger guard, which allowed gloves to be used with the gun. Tight. The rifle weighs in at approximately 12 pounds and is fairly easy to carry but heavy enough to absorb recoil from the .308 Win. The rifle I tested was chambered in .223 Wylde, meaning that it can shoot both .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm (NATO) ammunition. This was a tough test to judge: Four varmint/predator rifles from Bushmaster, Fulton Armory, Rock River, and Stag Arms went head to head, and only minor differences separated them. He asked what I was shooting, and then said, Well, thats funny. This month we chose one of the most popular requests, the AR-15 varmint/predator rifle. It made all the difference in my performance. Users can access the storage compartment by depressing a button recessed into the ribbed rubber buttpad that slides it down and out of the way. Second is the bolt stop lever located between the magazine well and the trigger guard. The rifled features billet aluminum upper and lower receivers. The LAR-8 Standard Operator, reviewed here, also incorporates a number of ergonomic improvements, including an ambidextrous bolt stop and magazine release. Features Upper Receiver: Forged with Fixed Carry Handle It may not display this or other websites correctly. Joe Kurtenbach, Executive Editor of Gun & Ammo, and John Myles from Smith & Wesson discuss features of the Equalizer 9mm micro-compact pistol and new-for-2023 M&P 5.7. When we took the gun to the range, it was the first gun the testers reached for when the guns were laid out on a desk. The "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903," better-known as the M1903 Springfield, has become one of the most popular U.S. military small arms to collect. Recoil with any AR-style gun is pretty minimal, at least in the .223/5.56 configuration. 0608-Fulton-Armory-FAR-15-Predator-Varmint.pdf. However, its unclear if the FBI currently uses Rock River Arms rifles or not. The construction and fit of the rifle are among the best Ive seen in years. AR-10-style rifles, the Rock River Arms LAR-8 stands alone. All three exceed the Rock River .75" factory accuracy guarantee. But the chances are if youre in that group, this will be a refresher. Here are the features to watch out for. Its Rock River Arms business model and today Guns.com reviews the Rock River Arms LAR-15. For a couple hundred more, you can get a gun fitted with extra features, maybe a nicer trigger or barrel or sighting system. At 100 yards, my groups were a bit to the right, but I was just looking for groups so I didnt touch the scope. Depending on exactly what kind of gun you want, with all those myriad options I mentioned, you can spend as little as $900. Sights: folding front post attached to the gas block, Picatinny rail for attaching opticsTrigger: two-stage; 4-lb., 4-oz. The BCG also has a properly staked gas key to ensure reliability. The design was licensed to Bushmaster, and during the course of about three years, the company built and sold several thousand rifles. For testing, we fitted the rifle with a Leupold 1.1-8X 24 mm CQBSS using steel 34 mm rings. One Magazine, RRA Case, Manual and Warranty Information. Leupold's new Freedom RDS Black, i.e., "red-dot sight," is shown on Rock River's LAR-15LH pistol. Their AR-15s are made with forged aluminum receivers, chrome lined barrels, and MIL-SPEC parts. Also included were an owners manual, two-stage trigger assembly and adjustment procedures, lock, maintenance instructions, 25-meter zeroing target, and break-in instructions for the stainless barrel. I didnt know I was capable of shooting like that, and especially not after a mere dozen rounds. There is also a fundamental difference in the definition of the varmint hunter. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. Wilson makes the barrel, contours it and starts the chambering process. The Freedom RDS is a fixed, 1X sight that includes a dual-ring, 34mm cantilever mount; $300. A pair of horizontally opposed internal tunnels for holding spare batteries creates a full contour buttstock that is compatible with a solid cheek weld. The average velocity of the load from the Rock River was 2,728 fps. The hammer in Rock Rivers trigger moves most of the mass to a location much closer to the trigger pin. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The ATH V2 comes with an 18-inch, stainless steel, heavy match barrel. To some, a varmint hunter is someone who blazes away at prairie dogs and other such small targets from a rest. When I dress Western, nothing beats the classic good looks of my Smith & Wesson (S&W) 586 .357 revolver. Need Help?service@guns.comCall (866)582-4867, PO Box 1131 13800 Nicollet Blvd Burnsville, MN 55337 2023Guns.com. Their AR-15s are made with forged aluminum receivers, chrome lined barrels, and MIL-SPEC parts. While they may be on the higher end price-wise, many feel that they are worth the investment. Best precision/Varmint/3-Gun Bravo Company (BCM) 18 Upper Decent quality, accurate, soft shooting $780 at Rainier Arms Jump to Details Best Budget Short Barrel Option Palmetto State Armory 10.5 Wallet friendly, decently reliable $329 at Palmetto State Armory Jump to Details Best Lightweight Upper Faxon ION Upper | This gives the hammer considerable inertia. The shorter stainless barrel gave us better balance in the heavy barrel category, allowing us to shoot off-hand with reasonable accuracy. Think about that for a moment: As a new rifle shooter, I shot a sub-MOA group after pulling the trigger less than a dozen times. The stock also has flush cups compatible with quick-release sling swivels, including one at the wrist and one at the toe. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. As I write this, a quick Internet search reveals .350 Legend is among the few cartridges still available from online retailers. Our gun sported an Ergo grip, comfortable but woefully undersized for hoisting the gun around. Generally, Rock River makes good rifles and pistols. I acquired Federal and Hornady cartridges for the range test. . When it comes to comparing Rock River Arms to other manufacturers, there is no clear winner. The 1:10-inch twist rate will stabilize both the 168- and 175-grain bullets used in long-range loads. Using several surplus FN-FAL magazines as well as the one provided with the rifle, there were no failures to feed. Their rifles are built to last and their customer service is second to none. Interestingly, Bushmasters directions require barrel cleaning after every 20 rounds, for the first 60 rounds, to ensure proper break-in. All Rights Reserved. It really comes down to personal preference. The barrel's twist rate is one turn in nine inches. The Rock River Arms Advanced Half Quad fore-end leaves the barrel free-floating for improved accuracy. The bottom of the gas block has a short length of Picatinny rail for attaching a bipod. We didnt have any problems with the gun operating at all, but I didnt expect any. For that purpose, it chose the 20-round box magazine used in the FN-FAL, which was readily available and priced as low as $5 each. In particular, they liked the Magpul stock, side-charging handle, and target handle. It also had an owners manual, assembly tool and lock. The Wylde chamber and tight freebore prevent that from occurring. Dependable. Top accuracy honors came from three flyweight varmint loads. Winchester touts the .350 Legend as, The Worlds fastest straight-wall hunting cartridge, with energy exceeding that of the .30-30 Win, .300 BLK, and .223 Rem and 20% more penetration than the .243 Win. Rock Rivers manufacturing experience, however, made that a non-issue. Either way, its clear that Rock River Arms is a reputable company with a history of providing quality products to law enforcement agencies. If youre willing to spend a little extra money, theyre definitely worth considering. Rock River Arms, Olympic Arms, MGI and Del-Ton (upper only). Select Grip. The barrel and trigger are certainly the two greatest contributors to the V2s accuracy, but Rock River gets the small things right that most others miss. For more information on the BT-3, please visit: https://www.rockriverarms.com/www.rockriverarms.com. See below for more information. You might wonder why we listed the prices of each option at the beginning of this review. This makes them some of the most accurate AR-15s on the market. Head to the range this week with American Rifleman staff as they discuss a trim little repeater from Savage Arms that comes chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge. At the time, both AR-10 and SR-25 magazines were scarce and expensive, so Rock River designed its own AR-10-style rifle around a more abundant and affordable magazine. Rock River started this trend long before it became mainstream. I use the term "good" loosely because it really is subjective. Rock River Arms has been making their two-stage match trigger for more than a decade. That said, if you dont have to lug it very far, it has a lot of unique features that make it enjoyable to shoot. And if youve ever waded into some of the online forums devoted to things-AR, you know just how bewildering it all can be. The result is a super-reliable, mid-level AR with clean lines and solid accuracy, to boot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLDPl0rguAE, Pelican Case Foam Cutting: How to Cut Perfectly Every Time. In lieu of the standard charging handle, the side-cocking module replaces the bolt cover and fits into the side of the gun by machining away the brass deflector. Give a Gift One of my Ballistics By The Inch buddies is very knowledgeable about ARs. We had planned on getting 10X scopes, but SWFA had shipped all they had to the Army for their Designated Marksman Program. The SCAR 15P is chambered for 5.56 NATO and, with its 7.5-inch barrel, is the most compact SCAR to date. Next, we researched scopes and settled on the Super Sniper 16X42 Model SS16X42, $300, a brand marketed and manufactured to the specifications of SWFA, a large distributor of most major brands of optics (www.riflescopes.com). Select Trigger. It was a fixed power, so we didnt have to worry with testers fiddling with the magnification, and inadvertently affecting accuracy scores. The .350 Legend offers a totally new cartridge case (not based on a parent case) that features the same rim diameter as the .223 Rem, allowing Winchester to employ existing equipment and some processes to control manufacturing costs. The TaurusTX 22 Compact delivers class-leading reliability, capacity, and shootability in a 22 LR platform, and it's cut for a slide-mounted mini red dot. Last year, I got to spend some time with a pre-production version of the LAR-15M and managed to shoot sub-MOA groups. This is a difficult question to answer. InterLock, Burris Veracity PH Rifle Scope: Drop Compensation for the Masses, Why You (Yes, You) Need Next-Level Firearm Training. The Judge has been promoted! Despite being assembled and disassembled numerous times, we never lost zero on the rigs. This handle received mostly positive reviews, although our female tester found it a little too large. This was often the first rifle stuck into the tender hands of my generation, being readily available, easy for a youth to carry, and familiar territory to operate since all of us had plenty of muscle memory built-in from our childhood adventures with Red Rider BB guns. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? The best grouping in testing at 100 yards was .935 inch with 155-grain Hornady TAP Precision. While I was pleased to see the new rifle perform well, I like to know all the reasons why. The testers preference for the Fulton gun was further enhanced when rounds started being sent downrange. This makes them some of the most durable and reliable AR-15s on the market. Anyway, I was lucky to have someone I could turn to for information. The barrels on all the RBGs are from Wilson Combat and are stainless steel and air-gauged for precision. Loves Federal Premium 69g Match. Aside from being a superb cartridge for deer, hogs, and bear, the .350 Legend and rifles so-chambered, such as the Rock River Arms LAR-15M, may be among the few firearm/ammo matchups in stock this seasonat least for the next month or so. This gun is also available with the same components in the right-hand Model 6, and we believe our comments about the left-hand configuration will apply to the Stag gun set up for right-hand shooters. Sadly, Nguyen was killed in action in Iraq later that year, so the rifle is particularly special to me and will always remain in my possession. The barrels Rock River use come from the Connecticut-based company, Wilson Arms (wilsonarms.com). It seems almost every manufacturer out there is turning out some version of this genre. I look forward to hitting the range again, and Im certain that I wont need to burn through too much more ammo before this rifle and I approach the -MOA mark together. Rock River Arms also offers a lifetime warranty on their products, which is another reason why they are considered to be high end. Ammunition for the .350 Legend was available, but he couldnt find anything for his .270. Its an aggressive little thing that, should you run out of ammo to fend off a charging beast, could be turned into a defensive tool in its own right. Ben Voss FN Product Manager talks about the new FN SCAR 15P ultra-compact rifle-caliber pistol at SHOT Show 2023. Scopes, guns, boots and other tactical stuff in-between. There are a lot of opinions out there, but when it comes to accuracy, the Rock River Arms AR-15 is often lauded as one of the best. The handguard is RRAs own design, and I like it for its smooth simplicity. Keep in mind that, although I dont shoot a lot of long guns, Im a professional firearms photographer and I recognize quality and attention to detail when I see it. 49865 Leupold QRW 30mm Quick Detach Mounts for a robust, portable mount. All of these options bring the gun to a wallet-emptying $1994 retail price. Rock River Arms has a reputation for making high quality AR-15s, but they also have a reputation for being expensive. The .223 Wylde chamber has a tight .224-inch freebore that keeps bullets especially long 69- and 77-grain types from yawing in the chamber prior to engaging the rifling. For my scope, I wanted something powerful and sharp. While the location and function of the trigger is identical to what Stoner and Sullivan originally specified, Rock River includes a two-stage trigger of their design, which is superior to the standard semiautomatic trigger found in most ARs. Get a fairly basic model as an introduction and rest assured that when you want to geek-out later, youll be starting with a quality platform. Once the rifle is fitted, the barrel is lapped and additional touches made to ensure superior workmanship, accuracy and quality set all Rock River apart from other AR-15 manufacturers. He was an agent with the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and a member of their tactical team. Accurate. The other guns were so strongly right-handed that having an available left-handed model is a big plus for southpaws, which we too-often forget in our evaluations. There will probably be a slew of hunters this year who end up walking out of their go-to sporting goods retailer with empty hands and long faces because their standard ammo is not to be had. Snipers Hide is a community of Snipers of all kinds, focusing on long range shooting, accuracy, and ballistics. When we took the Bushmaster to the range, some of positive feelings dissipated when bullets started flying downrange. Rock River Arms is considered to be one of the most reliable AR-15 manufacturers because of the materials they use and the quality of their products.