Side of upper receiver blown open.

Bolt carrier split.

Bolt face split.

The drill was firing from the urban prone, weapon side position. We loaded and made ready and I waited for the threat command. When the threat command came I went into the urban prone position and fired. On the second round the upper receiver blew apart. It took a few seconds for me to get oriented and realize what had just happened. I checked to see that there wasn’t another round in the chamber and raised my hand to let Travis know there was a problem. Travis was already on the way as he said that he thought that I was on fire from all of the smoke that was rising from me. There was a medic who checked me out real good to ensure that some shrapnel hadn’t penetrated my skin anywhere without my being aware of it. I sustained only minor injuries (a bruise on the left forearm and some flash burn to the face).

...

The 6920 is on its way to Colt Manufacturing for analysis as of this posting. I will certainly post the results of the analysis as well as the resolution when that information is available. I would appreciate it if the wild guesses as to the cause of this failure were withheld until Colt Manufacturing has had a chance to check it out. I will give a few facts that will help to keep the conjecture to a minimum. The barrel was clear before and after the event and the ammo used was factory XM193. I don't know if the brass was ejected, it appeared to be, however, there could have been part of the brass case left in the chamber, I was too busy trying to get back to training to check, then the gun went via FEDEX to Colt before I had the chance to check because I was trying to catch up on all of the work I had neglected while out running and gunning.

Many thanks to jdun1911 for emailing me the info.

Knights Armament as a company has had a notable hand in the evolution of Eugene Stoner’s classic AR-15 design. One of the most obvious results of that heritage is visible in the SR-15 E3 IWS (Integral Weapons System).

The biggest question when people see the SR-15 is “what’s different about this gun to make it special?” And to answer that is to look under the hood and understand that the SR-15 doesn’t seek to be the most accurate, or the most durable gun (the SR-15 E3 IWS actually groups 1.25moa or better, so it’s no slouch). What it does is be one of the most complete package rifles that require almost no user modification or tweaking. And by doing so is an incredibly reliable and lightweight rifle with a plethora of features.

From the inside out Knights has given the SR-15 a longer than mid- length gas system, which provides for an extremely smooth and reliable operation. The rifle also features a larger bolt cross section, which serves to improve overall durability. The hammer forged barrel groups very well, and in combination with the very lightweight URXII rail (including integrated front sight, and included match grade rear sight), gives the gun an extremely svelte appearance and light overall weight. All combined with their match grade trigger assembly and offering completely ambidextrous controls to those who are southpaws (or shooters working off their reaction sides).

So, SR-15 feature primer aside, how well does it actually shoot? Amazingly well. Having run the gun in a few carbine courses and competitions, and run it hard, the gun has easily become the rifle I count on as my ‘go to’ gun. What it offers me is an extremely lightweight rifle (even running lights and lasers) that gives me an above average level of accuracy from a fighting carbine. Short of changing out some furniture to fit my personal needs, the gun has not required any tuning or fixes. An extremely smooth gas system in combination with the Knights Armament triple tap brake (not included) creates a rifle with almost zero muzzle flip. In the end what the rifle brings to me is a gun that far exceeds my own capabilities as a shooter.

The value of the SR-15 E3 IWS is obviously relative to the needs of the shooter. Some may never need the features of the SR-15, and that’s a valid point. However considering what you get as a package (LMT SOPMOD stock, 16” hammer forged barrel, ambidextrous lower, lightweight continuous railed forearm, etc) you’re getting a great value. For those who want or need a gun that requires practically no modifications to achieve maximum durability and performance, this is obviously an excellent choice that far exceeds the levels of what make up a top tier AR-15 rifle.

Reminds me of the FG-42 ... only more awesome!

I have never seen a side magazine mounted .50 BMG upper for the AR-15 platform. Tactlite have outdone themselves!

The T-2 will also be available chamabered in .338 Laupa and .416 Barrett.

The price starts at $2,198 and preorders require a $500 deposit (refundable at anytime before shipping). It is expected to ship by Christmas.

[ Blogging is addictive ... I really need to take a break ]

The Stoner Rifle 15 series are semi-automatic rifles featuring a 16" chrome chamber barrel, a URX free floating barrel system, an ambidextrous control system, a two-stage trigger, an improved multi-lug E3 bolt and integral front sight and sling mounts. This is already a comprehensive package on its own and does not require excessive modular accessories for performance enhancement. The KAC SR-15 is the first rifle model with an Integral Weapons System (IWS) that combines both built-in and modular features.

One of the upcoming guest blog posts is a review of the SR-15 so watch out for it.

They also tested an AK derivative, a 5.56mm SAR-3, which did not do as well. It seems odd that the trigger group would fail to function. I have posted videos on the blog showing AKs working under worse conditions.

The .50 GI was born out of the idea that if .40 was better than 9mm, and .45 was better than .40, then .50 must be better then .45. It should not be compared to the .500 S&W, .50 Beowulf or the .50 Action Express as it has much less power. The cartridge is comparable to the .45 ACP +P cartridge, but with a larger diameter bullet.

8" SBR with .50 GI magazine.

Carbine with AR-15 magazines converted to take .50 GI

The .50 GI magazine holds 14 rounds and the AR-15 magazine holds 9 rounds.

The 16" upper will sell for $750 and with one magazine. You can see the contact details of the manufacturer, RMW Xtreme Inc., at the beginning of the below video.

Thanks to Giesler for the link.

Hat Tip: Photos from 475AR @ .50 GI Forum

Wilson Combat Recon 6.8SPC

Tactical Hunter Lightweight 6.8 SPC

M-4T 6.8 SPC

The prices start of $2300 for a complete rifle, or $1025 for just an upper.

More info here.

100% of the proceeds with go towards Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization which supports breast cancer research.

UPDATE:

Hat Tip: ericire12 @ Downrange.tv

Gen-3 Upper

The new Gen-3 receiver is CNC-machined from a single piece of steel. It includes an integrated picatinny which is machined into the receiver.

Zel are also working on a quad rail system for the Gen-3 upper (see photo below).

Shown without coating on the rails

Tam has got her hands on one of them and has an interesting discussion going on about it on her blog.

• Forged 7075T6 A3 Flattop Upper Receiver
• Forged Front Sight Base with Bayonet Lug
• A2 Flash Hider
• 16 Inch 5.56mm NATO Nitride Treated Chrome Moly 1:9 Twist ZM-4 Barrel
• M4 Style Handguards
• Aluminum Delta Ring
• M4 Style Feed Ramps

The introductory price is $275.

It is great to see semi-automatic rifle hunting going mainstream.

Troy claim the diamond shaped aperture helps the shooter acquire a sight picture faster than a round aperture.

The DIO has two aperture settings, one for 300 meters and another calibrated for 550 meters. The price starts is $140 and it comes in a variety of colors.

Thanks to Konrad for the info.

Ruger SR-22

Jeff Quinn holds a tricked out SR-22

You are probably thinking that the action in the above rifle does not look much like a Ruger 10/22. This is because a standard Ruger 10/22 action and trigger group sits inside a Nordic Components designed conversion chassis / enclosure.

Nordic Components Stock Kit - very similar to the SR-22 rifle.

The chassis allows a standard AR-15 stock and pistol grip to be used on the rifle. It also allows a standard Ruger 10/22 barrel, which attaches to a v-Block, to be used with a the AR-15 style handguard. This breakdown photo illustrates how it all fits together:

The mid length handguard is drilled and tapped to allow picatinny rails to be installed on the 3,6,9 and 12 o' clock positions, if desired. These rails allow all standard AR-15 accessories to be used with the rifle.

Ruger 3" SR-22 TR 3 Picatinny Rail ($14.95)

SR-22 Full Length Picatinny Rail ($39.95)

Another benefit of the SR-22 over a standard 10/22 is that the barrel is factory threaded and a Ruger SR-556 / Mini-14 flash suppressor is installed.

Specifications
Receiver	Ruger 10/22
Trigger Group	Ruger 10/22
Caliber	.22 LR
Pistol Grip	Hogue Monogrip pistol grip
Capacity	10 Rounds
Finish	Black, Hard Coat Anodized
Stock	6-Position M4-Style (on a Mil-spec diameter tube).
Barrel Length	16.12"
Groove	6
Twist	1:16" RH
Overall Length	32.35" - 35.25"
Weight	6.5 lbs
Flash Suppressor	Mini-14 / SR-556 with 1/2”-28 thread
California Approved	No1
Massachusetts Approved	No
Front Sight(s)	None
Rear Sight(s)	None
Other Features	Cross Bolt Safety
Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)	$625.00

The Ruger press release:

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announces the introduction of the Ruger® SR-22™ Rifle, an autoloading, rimfire rifle that combines the legendary reliability of the Ruger® 10/22® with the ergonomics and configurability of the new AR-style Ruger SR-556™. The new SR-22 Rifle allows shooters to use economical .22 LR ammunition, while still enjoying the look and feel of an "AR" and experiencing the reliability they have come to appreciate from Ruger.

Because it utilizes the unique rotary magazine supplied with the Ruger 10/22, the SR-22 Rifle offers the same gold standard for reliability in autoloading rimfire rifles. Like the 10/22, the AR-style SR-22 Rifle also has an extensive array of accessories available, allowing shooters to select a custom configuration that best suits their tastes and needs.

The SR-22 Rifle uses a standard 10/22 action inside a top-quality, all-aluminum chassis that faithfully replicates the AR-platform dimensions between the sighting plane, buttstock height, and grip. The SR-22 Rifle provides a Picatinny rail optic mount, and includes a six-position, telescoping M4-style buttstock (on a Mil-Spec diameter tube), plus a Hogue® Monogrip® pistol grip. Buttstocks and grips may be swapped out for any AR-style compatible option.

The SR-22 Rifle also features a round, mid-length handguard mounted on a standard-thread AR-style barrel nut. Picatinny rails, specifically designed for this handguard, are available from Ruger, allowing the handguard to be configured to accept any number of rail-mounted sights or accessories. A barrel support block is installed in the handguard, ensuring accuracy and allowing the standard 10/22 V-block barrel attachment system to be used.

The SR-22 Rifle is equipped with a precision-rifled, cold hammer-forged alloy steel barrel. The 16-1/8" barrel is capped with an SR-556/Mini-14 flash suppressor mounted with a 1/2"-28 thread.

More photos:

Ruger advertisement for SR-22:

Michael Bane has also created a video review over at the Down Range TV Blog. Michael hinted at the rifle earlier this week, but I must admit I did not imagine a tactical Ruger 10/22 was what Ruger had in store for us!

The SIG 516

Markings indicate manufacture at the Sig Sauer plant in Exeter, NH, USA

I do not know if Sig plan on a civilian carbine version. If they did it would compete directly with their Sig 550 line of full length and short barreled rifles.

UPDATE: jcmiller points out that the lower receiver is semi-automatic. A production PDW would have to be fully automatic. Maybe Sig are thinking of civilian sales.

UPDATE:

The SIG516 Tactical Rifle line has three different models:

• SIG516 PDW : 7" barrel. A personal defense weapon (pictured above).
• SIG516 CQB : 10" barrel. A Colt M4 Commando equvelent.
• SIG516 BASELINE CARBINE : 14.5" barrel. A M4 Carbine equvelent.
• SIG516 Patrol. 16" barrel.
• SIG516 Tactical Marksman: 16" barrel A squad level sniper / designated marksmen rifle.
• SIG516 Precision Marksman: 20" barrel. Possibly a true sniper rifle, or designated marksmen rifle.

They are all piston operated and feature an adjustable gas regulator like the Ruger SR-556.

Specifications
Caliber	5.56mm NATO
Fire modes	single shot, 3 round burst and fully automatic (except marksmen models which are semi only)
Controls	Ambidextrous
Gas system	piston system with 3 or 4 position gas regulator
Upper Receiver	Flat top with picatinny rail
Lower Receiver	forged 7075-T6 aluminum
Trigger	Milspec for all models except the Marksmen which have 2-stage match trigger
Capacity	Takes standard AR-15 magazines
Finish	black hard coat finish
Barrel	chrome lined, cold hammer forged, nitrate finish
Barrel Twist	1:7" right hand
Stock	collapsible SOPMOD buttstock
Weight	6 lbs. (PDW) - 7.28 lbs (Patrol) - 8 lbs (Precision Marksman)
Rails	Free floating aluminum alloy M1913 picatinny quad rails
Sights	flip-up BUIS (backup iron sights)
Magazine	Ships with 30 round AR-15 magazine. Marksmen models ship with 10 or 20 round magazine.
Other Features	0.5x28TPI threaded muzzle
MSRP (Price)	not known

Upper receiver assemblies will be sold. Just before anyone gets their hopes up, while it is likely that Sig will sell civilians models, this has not been confirmed.

Big thank you to Lusaka for the information and photos.

The BAD attaches to the bolt release button. Its lever extends through the trigger guard which allows the bolt to be released with only the trigger finger .

.

Incidently, Magpul designed the Remington ACR / Magpul Masada rifle so that the bolt could be released with the trigger finger.

The price on the Magpul website is $29.95.

Hat Tip: Solider Systems

It’s built right, and it’s built to shoot. From the factory you get an accurate, functional rifle with excellent iron sights – you don’t need to do anything to this rifle to make it an excellent home defense carbine. It terms of “no-muss no fuss” defensive weapons, the DDXV does very well for itself, providing an accurate, lightweight platform at a reasonable cost.

Mrs Caleb also got a turn with it.

Read the whole review at Gun Nuts.

The AR-15/M16/M4 Carbine Barrel (#080-000-681) is made of 4140 chrome moly steel, hardened to Rc 26-33 and stress relieved. It’s 16″ long with a 1 in 7 twist and ½”-28 threads for a flash hider. M4 feed ramps provide reliable feeding into the 5.56 NATO chamber. A dark gray, Parkerized finish helps prevent rust.

They are selling it for $219.99. I wonder how long before they start selling a Brownells branded upper receiver.

When they release more information I will be sure to publish it on the blog.

Advanced Long-Range Systems has identified a condition that may exist with the bolt supplied with the ALS 50 caliber conversion which may allow the gun to fire out of battery.

As all the facts are not yet in, and purely as a safety precaution, ALS is asking owners of its rifle uppers to suspend shooting this product until further notice.

It is our goal to provide safe and accurate products. We are currently working on a solution. Please, bear with us, it may take up to sixty days to complete this task. We will resolve this issue and make it right with our customers.

Once additional information is available, you can rest assured that it will be passed along on our website, in VHP Magazine, and the relevant firearms discussion forums.

A .50 BMG firing out of battery could easily be deadly, not just for the operator but potentially for spectators or the person in the next lane at the range!

More info here.

Hat Tip: Suburban’s Domain

As you can see above the Taclite is a single shot bolt action that sits atop an AR-15 lower. Because the lower is considered a firearm by the BATFE, the Tactilite is legally an accessory not a firearm, a fact that I am sure would freak out certain elements of society if they ever found out!

It features a free-floating barrel and is available in barrel lengths 18.5″, 22″, 29″ or custom lengths up to 30″. There are three main models. The Ultralite is the budget model that has a Mossberg barrel. The Duty is next step up and is the basic law enforcement / military model. It features a Lothar-Walther barrel. The Super Match is the competition-grade model featuring a Lothar-Walther Super Match barrel.

TactLite UltraLite Defender with custom finish.

They also sell a variety of packages. One of the packages they sell is the ultra-short 18.5″ barrel UltraLite Defender. It is designed to be fired from the shoulder (as opposed to a bi-pod) and is packaged with a set of back-up iron sights (BUIS) and sling. I don’t think a single-shot .50 BMG is ever a good choice for self defense, as the name suggests, but it could be popular with hunters wanting to carry something exotic during their next hunt. While it would have the power for African dangerous game, civilian ownership of military cartridges are banned in many African countries where hunting is popular.

Pricing starts at $1550 for the most basic model.

The upper had a 20″ smoothbore barrel and is supplied with a five round magazine. Two models are available, the Classic and the Compact. The only difference between the models is the handguard length.

The Compact Model


The Classic Model

The M16 in this photo, which was taken in Afghanistan a few days ago, has a carry handle mounted on the 9 o’clock handguard rail.

I had not seen a carry handle mounted there before so I asked about it on MP.net. BumpkinBoy and scrybe suggested he has it there in case his optics fail. If it failed he would need to detach the scope and carry handle, then reattach the carry handle.

I suppose it is not a bad idea if you cannot afford, are not allowed, or do not have backup iron sights (BUIS) on hand.

Daniel Defense DDXV

Daniel Defense are making a California specific version that requires a tool, in this case a bullet tip, to be used when changing magazines. This allows it to be Cali-legal, although somewhat decreases its utility as a self-defense weapon. The California version also includes a 10 round Magpul PMAG magazine instead of a 30 round magazine.

10 round Magpul PMAG. Same size as the standard 30 round magazine.

It will retail for about $1150 and should be available later this month.

“FREEFALLE7″, a Ranger Instructor, posted the above photo at AR15.com. A student, on arrival at the Swamp phase of Ranger School, showed him his M4 and said “my barrel fell off”. His punishment for not telling an instructor at the Mountain phase (the previous phase) about the broken M4 was to be given a M240, which weights 27 lbs, as a replacement.

Keith J came up with a plausible theory of how this happened

Salt water in the threads. Steel rusts. Steel in contact with aluminum. Aluminum then oxidizes, reducing the rust to iron dust. Joint remains tight until it is abused, then it just falls apart.

This all started when the barrel was installed and it was tightened a bit too much, causing the anodizing to crack

Of course this would have happened over a long period of time and use.

Thanks to Jay for the link.

everyone seems to be talking about how the world/economy/social order is going to collapse soon (it’s not) I figured the best rifle for that collapse would be a bolt action .223 with an 18 inch barrel, forward mounted optic, back up iron sights, and the ability to feed from standard AR15 magazines.

This got me thinking and I could not come up with one that did.

My artist impression of what such a Remington 700 would look like.

The Australian AIA M-10 “5th Generation” Lee-Enfield rifle comes in 7.62×39mm and feeds from a AK-47 magazine. The one pictured below is being sold on gun broker. Not many are available in the USA because after it was found out that some parts of the rifle (maybe the whole) was manufactured in Vietnam, they were banned.

While 30 round magazines are not as practical on a bolt action as they are on a semi-automatic, magazine parity with the AR-15 would be a big bonus. Remington and Ruger are you listening?

As you can see in the photo some dremel work is required but it is a pretty straight forward procedure.

Photos by unclemoak @ ar15.com

The Answer: About $450!

The muzzle brake is made from one of the Inconel family of nickel-chromium superalloys and claims 40% reduction in recoil.

Thanks to Jay for the link.

The new military magazine manufactured by Brownells

Larry, from Brownells, told me that the follower will unfortunately not be available to the civilian market as part of the contact prohibits them from using the design for any other purpose than the military.

The new Adams Arms gas block quickly mounted with hex screws and a new bolt carrier key, a couple springs and a bushing were all that was needed before adding the sleeved drive rod. Supplied front handguards mounted normally, and I was left going back over the installation manual, convinced that I must have missed something. It was that easy. Though it took me more than half an hour due to the troublesome factory gas block, this is certainly a task that can be accomplished by a moderately capable gun owner.

It is a well written review and worth reading.

This 3D animation shows how the piston system works verses the AR-15’s normal method of operation, direct gas impingement.

A piston operated gun will reduce the dirt that enters the rifle compared to a direct gas impingement gun (AR-15). When you add a suppressor, I think it makes little difference what type of gas system your rifle uses, it is going to get very dirty!

From the patent of an early model MP5SD suppressor.

A suppressor works by slowing down the gas through a series of baffles. The slower moving gas makes less noise as it is vented out of the can (can = slang for suppressor). The downside is that on a autoloading firearm once the action cycles and the spent cartridge is ejected there is more pressurize gas in the system than there would be without a suppressor. This gas, along with carbon, dirt, unburned power, is vented into the rifle action. Without a suppressor this still happens but the pressure inside the barrel is lower because the gas is vented faster.

“new-arguy” posted photos at AR15.com of his HK 416 upper (piston AR-15 upper), which had a AAC 416 suppressor attached, after firing 2000 rounds without cleaning.

This is my HK 416 upper, I ran it with an AAC 416 silencer at the last Magpul Dynamics class here in St Augustine. 2 days, 2000 rounds. I only took the silencer off the start of day 2 for a few drills, I would guess about 150 rounds. All the rest were with the can. I dropped some lube in the gun at the start of the class, aside from that, no cleaning, no oil, nothing at all. No problems either, well, not really. I will admit, I have run regular DI guns like this without problems, but I needed to keep dumping oil on the bolt group. In fact, one of the guys who works with me ran his Noveske N4 with a AAC M4 2000 right next to me the whole class. His gun ran fine as well, but he did keep dumping lube into the bolt carrier.

Anyway, the gun was fiilthy. I have never cleaned a gun that was so dirty. Grime and crud was seeping out between the upper and lower trying to escape. It is worth mention that a large piece of carbon built up and fell under my trigger group toward the end of the second night. I thought it was a primer, but when I opened the gun up and shoot the lower, it was plainly a piece of carbon. So technically, the gun did comletely fail. I have seen this same thing happen one other time, in another Magpul class (actually the one from the last DVD). My friend Derek was running a gun with a can on it for about as many rounds. Same thing, crud kept building up until some of it found its way under the trigger group.

bigbore, of adcofirearms.com, posted photos of his AK-74 rifle after firing 2000 rounds of corrosive ammunition using a suppressor and leaving it sit for a week.

After leaving it sit for a week, the bolt rusted into place and it was no more than a club.

A problem with some of the now discontinued Ruger Police Carbine and Marlin Deer Camp, blowback autoloader pistol caliber carbines, was that their actions got very dirty. A pistol in the same caliber with a 4″ barrel would vent gas much faster than a 16.5″ barreled carbine.

Ruger PC4 (Police Carbine .40 S&W).

There is no substitute for cleaning your rifle. If you are considering a suppressor this is something to take into account. Bolt/lever/single shot action rifle with suppressors will not have this problem. The gas will be vented before the action is manually cycled. I personally have not had any problems with .22 semi-autos rifles with suppressors, nor have I heard of anyone having problems.

Many thanks to Jay for emailing me the link to the photos.

This is an incredibly bad idea. Not only could people could easily it for a gun-like weapon, but an AR-15 lower is legally a firearm. I doubt the cops would be very happy about it being waved around in a public space.

Click to expand the images.

He knows what he did was idiotic, and as someone at AR15.com said, he has balls of steel posting it on the internet. So don’t mock him for it!

Thanks to Jay for the link.

Linda from Remington emailed me this photo (UPDATE: or CAD rendering, thanks Erni) of the new AR-15 style Model 597 rimfire. More info on the rifle here.

Click to expand.

* 16″ target-style heavy barrels.
* A2 style stock or Pardus M4-style collapsible stock
* A2 Pistol grip
* Free float handguard
* 1913 Picatinny rail for optics.
* Black finish on all parts.

It is not clear if standard AR-15 compatible stocks and pistol grips can be attached. I will try to find out from Remington.

Two models will be available. The “Model 597 VTR 22LR with A2 Stock” model will MSRP for $445 (10 round magazine) and $479 (30 round magazine).

The “Model 597 VTR 22LR with Collapsible Stock” features a Pardus collapsible stock and had an MSRP of $445.

UPDATE: According to John, Product Development manager, different AR stocks should be compatible. AR pistol grip interchange will be limited because of the receiver design.

Thanks to Linda from Remington for her help getting me information.

There is no better illustration for this change than the Evil Black Rifle itself which has just joined the Ruger product offering. The slogan for the SR-556 is "a platform redefined". I say it should be "a company redefined". I present to you the Ruger AR-15, the SR-556:

Ruger SR-556

Ok, I will wipe the tear from my eye, be a man and shove my emotional outburst back down where it came from Onto the features ...

The most significant feature is a new short stroke gas piston designed by Ruger. It shares the same benefits as other gas pistons system: a cleaner, cooler bolt carrier as the excess gas it vented out the gas block, far from the upper receiver. The AR-15 was not designed for a piston and retrofit piston systems can cause problems, for example the pressure from the piston operating rob can cause the bolt carrier to bind. It was been suggested that the Ruger bolt carrier is designed to mitigate this particular problem. Time will tell (I am no expert on this topic).

The chrome lined SR-556 bolt carrier.

Disassembly of the gas system.

Another feature is a four position gas regulator. The first position prevents any gas entering the piston system. This turns the rifle into a single shot which requires the bolt to be manually cycled between shots. The next position allows the normal quantity of gas into the piston system to cycle the bolt. The next two position each let in more gas than the previous system which can help when the rifle is dirty or the ammunition is low powered. It is a compelling feature for reloaders because it gives them a greater range of adjustment for thier powder loads.

Chromed gas regulator.

Gas regulator positions.

The rifle also features:

• Full length Troy Industries Quad Rail with rail covers.
• Hogue Pistol grip.
• Ruger branded Troy Industries flip up Backup Iron Sights (BUIS).
• Ships with three 30-round Magpul PMAG magazines.

Ruger branded Troy Rear Sight

The Specs:

Caliber: 5.56mm NATO / .223 Remington Barrel: 16.12" Barrel Twist: 1:9 Right Hand Weight: 7.92 lbs Total Length: 32.75" - 36" (depending on stock position) Stock: 6 position M4 style

It is nice to see Ruger has explicitly said .223 Remington AND 5.56mm NATO are compatible with the rifle.

The MSRP is $1,995. It is expensive and you could build one your self from parts for less, but if the gas system works flawlessly then I think it will be a good seller. I think it will sell for about $1800 on the street.

Here is the Ruger promotional video. They seem to be keen to promote it to law enforcement and military:

GunBlast.com made this video showing the rifle in action:

This photo is from Snowflakes in Hell. For the high resolution version and many more photos as well as on the ground reporting from the launch visit Snowflakes in Hell:

This photo Adam's Incoming blog. For many more photos check out the Guns and Hunting Incoming blog.

More information about the rifle is at Caleb's Gun Nuts Media blog.

Thanks to y'all who emailed me about the SR-556. I appreciate it. Contrary to popular belief I am not dead just slow and overworked.

UPDATE: Many thanks to Brian for sending me these photos of his new Ruger SR-556.

Fore-end and gas regulator. The Backup Iron Sights. Nice touch with the buttstock Ruger logo.

The M1 (.30-06) load pushes a 150 grain FMJ bullet at 2740 fps fps and the M1A (7.62×51mm NATO) load a 168 grain Open Tip Match (OTM) bullet at 2650 fps.

Also from Federal is a Power-Shok hunting load optimized for AR-10 style rifles chambered in .338 Federal. The loads pushes a 200 grain soft point at 2700 fps.

We just got our 18″ and 20″ 6.8 SPC barrels today! I’ve put together the first upper for testing. It’s a 20″ with unthreaded muzzle. Pictured below is the upper with a Young Mfg. Match bolt carrier, YHM lightweight four-rail rifle length hand guard, and YHM A3 flat top upper receiver. The upper also features an intermediate-length gas system, YHM low profile gas block, and YHM forearm end cap.

These photos of the uppers were posted on 68forums.com:

The first upper is the most basic, 20″ with threaded muzzle, Phantom .308 FH, Bushnell 3-15×50 scope and rifle length gas system. The second one is the 20″ unthreaded with intermediate-length gas system.

The first upper in this photo is an 18″ with a Saylors Machine Phoenix FH and mid length gas system. The bottom one is an 18″ with a TNW gas piston system and DPMS Levang linear compensator. I’m really looking forward to trying out the GP system.

This is the actual rifle that will be presented to Sarah Palin.

- It’s approximately 6-7 pounds
- One of a kind custom solid billet upper hand fit to a forged lower made of 7075 T6 alloy
- Vltor Enhanced Modular stock with the state of Alaska engraved on the side
- Satern machining single point cut rifle barrel 1/20 twist, with an integral flash hider milled into the barrel with an 11 degree crown, chambered in .50 Beowulf
- Composite G10 hand guards with spiral pattern cut
- SSA Geiselle 4 pound trigger
- Magpul trigger guard
- Eotech 512 holo sight
- One seven round magazine
- Ergo small grip

Engraved on the receiver is “In honor of Sarah Palin”.

An absolutely beautiful rifle. Do you think if I move to Alaska, become Governor and run for the Office of the Vice President, they will also give me one? I am tempted to try just to get my hands on the rifle

Many thanks to Bob for taking the time to email me.

UPDATE: Palin is not attending the banquet. (Thanks to Sebastian and ExurbanKevin for letting me know).

G3 lower (top)

Some minor modifications are needed to the upper to accommodate the larger magazine. The price is $449.95 and it can be ordered online.

Many thanks to Tom for the info.

Click to expand the photos (photo from LeverArms.com)

The rifle seems to be well received by Canadian shooters, although the finish is said be be poor. Of the Norinco manufactured firearms I have seen, they tend to be poorly finished. The badly scratched finish can be seen in this photo:

This video shows the firearm being used (iron sights and Magpul stock has been installed):

LeverArms.com are selling it for C$899.00, which seems like a good price for a M4 clone, although I am not sure what M4 AR-15s normally sell for in Canada. Canada is likely the only country where it is being sold to civilians.

Thanks to Dennis for information about the rifle.

Mark AR 1.5-4×20mm

The Mark AR 1.5-4×20mm model is a light weight scope allowing a wide field of view at the 1.5x zoom, while giving the option of 4x zoom for longer shots. The disadvantage of this scope is the poor low-light performance from the 20mm OA (objective aperture).

The Mark AR 3-9×40mm is your standard 3-9×40mm scope but with pre-engraved bullet drop compensation on the elevate adjustment dial for a 55 grain .223/5.56mm NATO load.

More info here.

Hat Tip: Shooting Wire

Daniel Defense M4 Carbine

The carbine features:

* their own in-house manufactured lower receiver
* 1:7 16″ barrel
* Daniel Defense Omega X 12.0 FSP rail that extends forward of the front sight / gas block
* Daniel Defense A1.5 rear sight.
* Magpul stock.
* Daniel Defense forward grip

I like the look of the A1.5 rear sight.

Promotional video:

No word on pricing.

More info at DDM4.com

UPDATE: MSRP seems to be $1600. See randomhero58’s comment below.

Hat Tip: Tactical Life

… he then goes on to show off the stitching kits he stole form the hospital / clinic that sewed his arm up.

Many thanks to Jay for emailing me the video.