Remington R-15, the new AR
Remington have just announced their new AR-15 rifle, the R-15
The basic idea of the R-15 VTR is to bring a sporting focus to the black gun market. As such, the new rifle will be offered in three configurations–the Predator, Predator Carbine and Predator Carbine CS (collapsible stock) in two calibers-the .223 and Ruger .204-and will retail for $1,145. The three platforms (all in Advantage Max-1 HD camo) will feature button-rifled, fluted barrels with recessed hunting crowns. The uppers and lowers are machined from aluminum forgings and all will carry the Remington name. The free-floating fore-end tube is drilled and tapped for accessory rails and all rifles come with a five-round magazine box and a lockable hard case.
More info about the new AR here @ The Gun Shots
Everyone knew Remington was going to produce an AR-15 after they were purchased by the parent company of Bushmaster. It makes sense. There is a lot of money in black rifles.
UPDATE: Here are some photos (from The Gun Nut):
Dave had this to say
The trigger, which is Remington’s own design, is quite good, and only the very fussy will want to opt for an optional two-stage trigger.
UPDATE:
From Remington
Model R-15 VTRâ„¢ Features:
New semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle developed in conjunction with industry leader in AR platform
Free-floating button-rifled 0.680″ Muzzle OD ChroMoly barrels with recessed hunting crown for superior accuracy
Fluted barrel design reduces weight
Clean-breaking single-stage trigger
Receiver-length picatinny rail for adding optics
Ergonomic pistol grip
Fore-end tube drilled and tapped for accessory rails
Full Advantage Max-1 HD coverage
Includes 5-round magazine
Legal for hunting in most states
Compatible with aftermarket AR-15/M-16 magazines
The industry leader in AR-platform rifles met the world leader in hunting firearms, and Remington Country will never be the same. Working in close conjunction, we created an unrivaled combination of precision accuracy, blazing-fast follow-ups and hunt-specific features. The new R-15 VTR modular repeating rifle was born of the most advanced design aspects of AR-15-style rifles available today with a strong emphasis on optimizing form and functionality for the modern predator aficionado. The results are astounding – with very, very fatal implications for every coyote, fox or bobcat that crosses your path.
For peak accuracy, the R-15’s 0.680″ OD barrel sis precision-crafted from ChroMoly steel. It’s free-floated within the machined-aluminum fore-end tube and given a recessed hunting crown to ensure gasses escape evenly around the bullet for the ultimate in shot-to-shot consistency. Six longitudinal flutes forward of the gas block promote rapid barrel cooling and increase rigidity while reducing weight, further contributing to this rifle’s ability to print tiny clusters at an incredible pace.
And our exclusive single-stage trigger design is as clean-breaking as they come. The semi-automatic gas action all but eliminates muzzle jump and recoil so your target remains in the crosshairs. And when it’s time to add optics, the receiver-length picatinny rail makes it a rock-solid cinch.
Control comes natural with the ergonomic pistol grip and lightweight overall design of the R-15. Its uppers and lowers are machined from aluminum forgings for featherweight durability, and the fore-end tube is drilled and tapped for accessory rails.
This new family of firearms consists of three models. Each designed with input from leading predator authorities and decked in the ultra-effective Advantage MAX-1 HD camouflage to blend with sage, open country and a multitude of hunting terrains. All come with five-round magazines and are compatible with all aftermarket AR-15/M-16 style magazines and other accessories.
(click to enlarge)
does anyone know what the twist rate will be
I would guess a 1 in 9. The rifle is very similar to the Bushmaster Varminter. Remington and Bushmaster have the same parent company.
“Rifling: 1 turn in 9†[22.8 cm] R.H. Twist / 6 grooves & lands”.
From : http://bushmaster.com/catalog_xm15_PCWVMS24FVAR9.asp
Hi, Does anyone know if the R-15 will be comming out with a Thumbhole stock?
I do not think they will offer a thumbhole stock unless they plan on offering a California legal version.
I have seen different pictures of the r 15 carbine (18″ bbl ) some of them have the long handgaurd which covers the gas block and on the remington web site it shows a short handgaurd, which will be produced and if you order one how will you know which one you will get?
Hi doug, give them a call to find out.
Does anyone know if the rifle will chamber military 5.56mm?
Probably will be fine being an AR. Its not a question of chambering but of pressure.
From wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.56×45mm_NATO)
While the 5.56 mm and .223 cartridges are very similar, they are not identical. Military cases are made from thicker brass than commercial cases, which reduces the powder capacity (an important consideration for handloaders), and the NATO specification allows a higher chamber pressure. Test barrels made for 5.56 mm NATO measure chamber pressure at a the case mouth, as opposed to the SAAMI location. This difference accounts for upwards of 20,000 psi (140 MPa) difference in pressure measurements. That means that advertised pressure of 58,000 psi (400 MPa) for 5.56 mm NATO, is around 78,000 psi (540 MPa) tested in .223 Rem test barrels. The 5.56 mm chambering, known as a NATO or mil-spec chambers, have a longer lead, which is the distance between the mouth of the cartridge and the point at which the rifling engages the bullet. The .223 chambering, known as SAAMI chamber, is allowed to have a shorter leade, and is only required to be proof tested to the lower SAAMI chamber pressure. To address these issues, various proprietary chambers exist, such as the Wylde chamber (Rock River Arms)[1] or the Armalite chamber, which are designed to handle both 5.56 mm and .223 equally well.
Using commercial .223 cartridges in a 5.56-chambered rifle should work reliably, but generally will not be as accurate as when fired from a .223-chambered gun due to the excessive lead.[2] Using 5.56 mil-spec cartridges (such as the M855) in a .223-chambered rifle can lead to excessive wear and stress on the rifle and even be unsafe, and the SAAMI recommends against the practice.[3] Some commercial rifles marked as “.223 Remington” are in fact suited for 5.56 mm, such as many commercial AR-15 variants and the Ruger Mini-14, but the manufacturer should always be consulted to verify that this is acceptable before attempting it, and signs of excessive pressure (such as flattening or gas staining of the primers) should be looked for in the initial testing with 5.56 mm ammunition.[4]
Two Questions:
1. Does anyone know what the MOA spec are for this rifle…I am specifically interested in the Collapsable stock version.
2. If the MOA is better for the 20″ barrel….probably, but not sure – can the collapsable stock fit the 20″ barrel version?
Well since i own 2 of them, both versions will shoot sub MOA at 100 yards providing you find the right ammo. And yes the collapsable stock will fit either.
Does anyone know if you can get a high-cap mag for the 204? All I have seen is the 5 rounder and that’s not much for my heavy finger.
i got this gun and put a trijicon acog on it and its the coolest gun ever i use it for deer and the scope is great for moving targets such as coytes i shot 4 coyotes eating a dead deer and i got one while they were eating and the rest as they were running away
great gun
feel free to ask questions
text me 8179966625
Can anybody else confirm that 5.56 is OK to shoot in the R-15?
yes you can shoot 5.56 nato in your r-15
I sighted my 22″ VTR – R 15 in today for final adjustments. It will function just great with most 5.56 or 223 marked ammo and other hi cap mags if desired. My best group at 100 today was with Federal Premium V Shok 55 grain BTHP. I shot several three and four round groups in the half inch range just where I wanted. The surprising part of this rifle has been the trigger. It feels really great and is really smooth for factory. I put a Nikon 3X9X40 on it and am satisfied it will become a real Coyote buster here in Kentucky.
Just wondering where gunnut444 got his info that the r15 can shoot 5.56? I have one of the r15 and was wanting to know the same thing so I emailed remington and they said no 223 only. I know the barrel says 223 and the twist 1/9 but on the side of the gun it says cal-multi and after reading guns and ammo book of the ar-15 which had an article called the 15 goes green which was only on the r-15vtr. It had two guys from remington John Trull brand manager and John Fink who headed the r-15 project, and in this article it said that it had a button rifled barrel and 5.56 or 204 chamber then in another place in the article it said chamberings for 2008 are limited to the 5.56 NATO (accepting commercial 223 ammo as well) and the 204 ruger. So should I go with the email remington sent me and the barrel saying 223 or should I go with the side of the gun that says cal-multi and the article in the book of the ar-15 which said twice 5.56 NATO?
Who sent the email? If it was signed by a “customer Service” person, its likely the legally correct answer. If it was sent or references an engineering person, I’d believe the email…
People close to Bushmaster told me that the R15 can shoot 5.56. I’ve contacted Remington multiple times and they told me that the barrel is .223, and that I should not shoot 5.56.
All the Bushmaster rifles I’ve seen can shoot 5.56. I’ve been told Bushmaster made the R15 for Remington. Did they build the entire rifle for them? I’m not sure. I was thinking that if Bushmaster made the rifle, then most likely it can shoot 5.56. I also think that Remington wants to be seen as a company that makes hunting rifles, not self-defense rifles. Even if the rifle could shoot 5.56 they won’t admit it.
That’s just a theory and I don’t know for sure. Is there some way to tell by looking at the rifle? Some measurement you could take that would tell you? I am not an expert, so any help would be appreciated. Oh yeah, I was also told by a local gun shop that it could shoot 5.56, but who knows if they are just trying to make a sale.
I emailed remington as well, It took two weeks and two follow ups.
The exact response from Dan@remington was “The R15 should not be used with 5.56 NATO ammunition, whom ever informed you of this was unfortunately mistaken. We have cut a true 223 Remington chamber into the R15 and therefore use of 5.56 NATO could potentially cause damage to the gun or injury to the shooter.”
Remington states that you should only use .223 ammo and not to use 5.56 ammo in the R15…no need to wait 2 week for reply just call Remington and after a few minutes you get to talk to a live person….the 5.56 will fit in the R15 and fire but may cause damage because of the difference in the shell and the head space, etc….remington also stated always use the ammo that is stamped on the rifle and nothing else which is .223
Thanks william, i get the differences, I’ve been shooting for nearly 30 years.
I would never put a 5.56 cartridge in a barrel stamped .223. I was just looking for a statement from remington directly, as usual on every board on the net all the gurus made claims that someone are rem told them 5.56 was fine.
Just purchased an R-15 VTR Rifle. Looking to put a good scope on it. I have a Leupold VX-III 4.5-14 x 50mm LR (30mm) with a B&C reticle on my TC ProHunter .300 Win Mag. Has anybody put a 50mm bell on an R-15 yet?
If so, what kind of rings did you use, and what height were they.
What I Would like to do is use quick release rings and picatinny bases on both guns so that I could use the same scope on both rifles.
Any comments, or help, wpuld be grtaetly appreciated. RCP
As a side note, I was told by a local gunsmith, that the receivers and lowers are made by Bushmaster and the barrels are Remingtons.
Great info from everyone..thanks. Where if any do you get other than 5 round mags for the r-15 in .204? First AR and starting to love it. Have the Savage 10 Predator and have racked up a few doubles on coyotes with the bolt but this thing should really even out the playing field..Thanks again text if need be..1-810-701-3835 Jed
Is the R-15 legal at all in California?
What am I doing wrong? This rifle jams almost every time I shoot it. I sent it back to the MFG and they replaced the firing pin. I tried new clips and various ammo and it still is very sensitive and jams or fails to cycle the cartridge, I can’t empty one clip without a failure. It’s been cleaned and torn apart by Remington approved gunsmiths.
When we finally empty the clip after shooting the action does not stay open. Should I send it back again or am I missing some basic operating proceedures for this type of rifle?
I have an new R15 and I was a little frustrated to find out that it won’t shoot 5.56 (according to all the forums and apparent Remington feedback). I still think it is BS. I can’t believe Bushmaster would retool just for Remington or I have a hard time believing Remington tooled up to make a barrel specifically for the R15 when the rest of the gun is made by Bushmaster. To further complicate things, look at the box magazine that comes with the gun. It says Remington Arms on the bottom and 5.56 on the receiver end.
Regarding the pressure threads above, you can’t load any round beyond 2.26-2.27 C.O.L. and still fit in the magazine so the bullet is still sitting miles off the lands for pressure concerns. Any handloader knows that it is the last couple thousands that count with accuracy and pressure. I find it hard to believe that a .223 hand load in a bolt gun just kissing the lands and pushing 3200 fps delivers less pressure than a NATA 5.56 in the same gun.
For those of you wondering about accuracy of the R15. I just tried some handloads on the range and shot some factory rounds too.
Results in 5 shot groups at 100yds, 5 mph, 50 deg:
-Federal bulk .223 55gr. FMJ, you get what you pay for (1 1/2″ groups at best and two duds in 30 rounds).
-Hornady factory 55gr Vmax (3/4 – 1″ groups).
-55gr Vmax bullets with 23.2 gr Benchmark at 2.250 COL, Federal match primers & winchester brass(1/2″).
The barrel & action still need to get broken in, I am assuming the groups will stay the same or get slightly tighter over the next 100 rounds.
Do you have to order the Remington AR in 204 to get one? I havn’t seen one at any dealer, or if they get them they get snatched up quick!
I just bought one. An R-15 CS Max 1 camo and on the barrel it”s stamped
5.56.
Is the R15 the same as an AR-15? Are parts other than the magazine interchangeable with AR-15’s? Please no complicated answers. I am not fluent in AR language.
John, the R-15 is an AR-15 rifle. How compatible it is with other ar-15 rifles depends on which model you get.
If you want compatibility go with the models chambered in .223 Remington.
Thanks Steve,
If you were looking to buy your first AR, where would you start? My desire to own an AR is the likely bans on any semi automatic rifles in our near future. I own several rifles for hunting purposes. I would not be described as a shooting enthusiasts just a hunter. I just do not want to be wishing I had purchased an AR when I had the chance. A local major firearms dealer has a Bushmaster .223 priced at $1020. I have several friends that suggest all AR’s are similar, and they find all work well. None of them own the Remington. I have found Remington firearms are as fine as they come for the price, but my definition of fine comes from accuracy and durability not reliability in successive round shooting. I will be purchasing an AR for personal defense not hunting. Any help and direction will be greatly appreciated.
To R Persse…just mounted my Leupold 3×9x50 to my VTR. I used Leupold Rifleman mount #55870 that I bought at Walmart. It is detatchable and it is a perfect fit for my 50mm lens. Can’t wait to shoot it !
Paul…
Over the weekend, I picked up a R-15 varmint model with the 24″ triangular barrel similar to the model 700 VTR. This R-15’s barrel is stamped with the 1/9 twist and .223. Just as others have reported, the magazine is stamped Remington Arms on the baseplate, but the follower is stamped 5.56.
RPersse, You’ve probably already found this, but it you haven’t, Leupold makes a quick release set of rings for that 50mm scope with the 30mm tube. The models are 49864 (gloss) and 49865 (matte). http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/mounting-systems-and-accessories/mounting-systems/qrw-mounts/
I hope to find my Leupold VX-3 4.5-14 x 40mm LR (30mm, varmint) in the mail this week.
I have a new R-15 (March 2009), 18 inch BBL which is stamped: cal multi.
Does this mean it will accommodate .223 or 5.56 mm cartridges?
Bill
I contacted remington. The only ammo you can put through the rifle as far as they are concerned is what is stamped on the barrel.
If the barrel is stamped multi, then your good I guess.
The receiver is stamped as multi because the R15 is available as .204 ruger and .223.
Hi,
I just wondering if anyone had feed problems with the remington r-15 factory magazine? I loaded the factory magazine with 2 snap caps and when I insert the magazine into the rifle with the bolt closed and then chamber the rifle it feeds wrong and jams. But when I insert the mag. with the bolt open and then hit the bolt release it chambers fine. This only happens with the factory mag though. For kicks I changed the magpul follower that comes in the factory mag with an old black GI follower and this corrected the problem. Just to make sure it wasn’t the factory mag, I put the magpul follower into the old G.I. mag that I got the black follower from, and it jammed on me. Does anyone know of problems with the magpul followers?
-Peix
to address the 5.56 / .223 question, there are subtl differances in the two rounds one is the case thickness, the 5.56 has a thicker case than the .223 wich causes inreased case pressure in the NATO round. The second differance is there is suposedly a two to three degree differance in the case shoulder so if you are shooting a bolt gun chambered in .223 it is not advisable to chamber a 5.56 in it because of the slight differance in case profile. and for this reason and the obvious liability no manufactoter will tell you its ok to shoot one caibur if it is specificly designated for another. but in the AR platform which is a workhorse when talking guns, if you are chambered for 5.56 you can shoot the .223 and vise versa all day long. I own an Oly K-16 and an R-15 and have fired several hundred rounds of .223 & 5.56 through both. and Olympic Arms even states on thier home page that you can shoot .223 in a 5.56 all day, and please keep in mind i’m talking fatory ammo. hope this helps.
This was posted on a thread at ar15.com, topic dujour is “can I put 5.56 in this thing or not”
I contacted Remington, and as expected, there answer was “only feed the rifle what is stamped on the barrel”.
Others have contacted bushmaster, who is the apparent parts sources…
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=424307&page=5
I got a email from bushmaster regarding using 5.56 ammo in the remington R-15 VTR and this is a copy of the response. I thought this should end the discussion and controversy surrounding the matter:
Hello,
Subject: Chambers
The barrels have a custom match hybrid chambering that uses the tighter .223 SAAMI Spec headspace from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face. It has the longer “Leade” or throat that will accommodate the 5.56mm ammunition so it can be used without developing higher pressures as in a .223 caliber chamber that have a shorter “Leade” or throat.
Both 5.56mm and .223 caliber ammunition can safely be used in the rifles.
The 1:9 twist barrels will stabilize bullets from 40 to 75 grains.
Thank you,
Jim Eden
Technical Support
Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC
Office: 1-800-883-6229 ext. 277
Fax: 207-892-8068
would you say that the r-15 predator rifle 22″ barrel is accurate to 300+ yds under good cond. and good bullet and also any good reviews on the coyote special scope from Nikon
I fired my R-15 yesterday and after 2 shots, I fired a third time and the round fired, but the round didn’t eject. I tried to pull the charging handle back and it wouldn’t budge. I took off the upper reciever and tried again. It still wouldn’t budge. looking closely, it appears that the bolt notches that fit into the star chamber arn’t alligned and therefor can’t come out. I tried spining it with dental tools but it wouldn’t budge. Any suggestions on how to fix the problem?
Or is this something I need to have a gun smith fix?
I purchased the gun about 7 months ago. I’ve only fired about 30 rounds through it as I’ve been waiting for my scope.
thanks
I am having problems with my new R 15 223. It does not always fire the chambered round, and sometimes it “locks up” when chambering next live round, and the trigger wont pull. Is this a common problem with these rifles? I have been an avid believer in Remington rifles and shotguns, but I think this one might change my ways
To the folks having problems, Ryen and Dave, I strongly urge you to just call Remington, the number is available right on their website.
You both had issues with brand new rifles, just call Remington, they’ll make it right.
Darrel,
For 300, I don’t see why not. This past weekend I was able to shoot easy .5 groups @100 with hornady 55gr vmax ammo with my 22″ R15 with an 80 dollar scope on it.
I had no problem smacking the 220 yard gong(which is a 12″ plate) round after round with federal bulkpack ammo as well. That ammo prints between 1.25 to 2.00 groups at 100.
With quality ammo and proper optics I believe 300 yds is an “easy” shot for the 22″ R15.
The problem with the R-15 of the bolt locking up in the star chamber has been resolved. By leaving the weapon assembled, strike the butt of the rifle on a padded surface (carpeted floor) while pulling on the charging handle. This dislodeged the bolt along with the unfired round. A deep cleaning was said to solve the problem. I was told that the oils on the rifle that it’s delivered in heat up and jam up the weapon. All this oil needs to be removed in order to avoid future problems. A good evening of deep cleaning should solve it.
I bought a R-15 with a 22″ barrel about a year ago. Barrel is stamped 1:9 twist and .223. Could not get better than 1″ groups at 100yds. with any ammo. I started handloading for it a few months ago.
My best load is: Sierra 69 gr. Matchking HP, 22.5 gr. of W748, Remington brass with Winchester WSR primers. I used a Lee collet crimper and the OAL is 2.235″.
The first time out with this load I got 1/2″ 3-shot groups at 100yds.
One 5 shot group measured a little over 1/2″ with 4 shots touching each other at less than 1/2″.
I used a Bushnell Banner 4-12×40 Scope, and was using a Harris Ultralight bipod for a rest.
I am very pleased with these results.
Fellas,
I have had good luck. I have the fluted barrel 22″ I am getting great groups with .223 Federal Premium V Shok 55 grain Sierra BTHP. Hits where I aim it….Man great big hole in the Coyote too….Love it. Keep it clean, works like a charm…..Great gun.