Russian ORSIS has announced that they have set up a manufacturing line to produce AR-15 pattern rifles chambered in .223 Remington. The new rifles are called ORSIS-AR15J. They seem to be pretty standard configuration rifles but if priced right they should have a high demand in Russia because there is very limited availability of reasonably priced quality AR-15s in the local market. The company earlier used to assemble AR-15 rifles from imported parts but the new ORSIS-AR15J will be completely manufactured in-house.

As stated in the company’s news release, the main advantage of their rifles over similar AR-15s is the use of their precision barrels. ORSIS is well known for designing and manufacturing long-range precision rifles and they do have the capabilities to manufacture high-quality barrels. While the standard version of the ORSIS-AR15J rifle will be equipped with button rifled barrels and nitrided surface treatment/finish, the gun will also be offered with an optional 416R stainless steel barrel with single point cut riflings – arguably the most precise method of rifling where each groove is cut separately. The company notes that with quality optics and ammunition, their rifles are capable of printing less than 1 MOA groups.

According to ORSIS, the other main components of this new rifled will be made by machining cast parts. The rifles will be offered with two barrel length options, will come standard with an adjustable telescoping stock, threaded barrel (1/2-28 standard AR-15 muzzle threads), an A2 birdcage style flash hider and aluminum handguards with a top Picatinny rail and KeyMod slots on 3, 6 and 9 o’clock.

To my knowledge, currently, there is only one other local company that makes AR-15 pattern rifles in Russia. That company is called ADAR and the rifle they make is called ADAR 2-15. Reportedly ADAR assembles these rifles with their own furniture, barrels outsourced from Molot and the rest of the parts outsourced abroad.

UPDATE (12/14/2019): This rifle is now listed on the company’s website at an MSRP of 140,000 Rubles which is about $2,225. Also, a photo shared on their social media pages (see below) suggests that there is (or will be) a version chambered in 7.62x39mm, too.

Images from www.orsis.com