Federal Gold Medal Match delivered the . My teammate, SFC Tung Nguyen, was a hardcore competitive shooter and offered to build me exactly what I wanted. The fluted stainless-steel barrel pretty much proves that you dont need a bull barrel to achieve precision on a rifle. Im talking no slop, no gaps and excellent quality. Their AR-15s are some of the most durable and reliable on the market, and they offer a lifetime warranty on their products. The Rock River A4 won some points from us when we uncrated it to find a blue plastic breakdown case with foam storage areas for extras, like scopes. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. Rock River Arms also offers a lifetime warranty on their products, which is another reason why they are considered to be high end. The rifles they were issued were manufactured by Rock River Arms, and were carbine variants in similar spec to the U.S. militarys M4. Rock River Arms guarantees one-m.o.a. The adjustable buttstock will interchange, as will the trigger and safety mechanisms, but that is about it. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. And if youve ever waded into some of the online forums devoted to things-AR, you know just how bewildering it all can be. Being M-LOK compatible, you can fit whatever railed accessories you like or keep it clean. ), it would have shot gaudy numbers. Their AR-15s are made with forged aluminum receivers, chrome lined barrels, and MIL-SPEC parts. Recoil with any AR-style gun is pretty minimal, at least in the .223/5.56 configuration. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The choice of the FN-FAL magazine offers some nice ergonomic touches, such as the ambidextrous bolt stop and magazine release, but it also makes for a significantly longer, bulkier and heavier .308 Win. I shot this rifle within my skill level, and I think I shot it well. RRA's R3 Competition Rifle is a Versatile & Accurate AR Guys from my grandpas era (at least in my area of the Appalachians) seemed to cling to the classical deer rifle forms, led prominently by the Winchester model 94 lever action. Kenau and Ripperda Monument - Tripadvisor Despite being assembled and disassembled numerous times, we never lost zero on the rigs. I wanted to do this as by the book as possible, so waiting for calm winds was my only option. The Smith flash hider worked very well and the 1:10 twist ratio seemed perfect for the 165-grain Hornady TAP ammo. That changed several years ago when Michigan decided to allow the use of straight-wall cartridges in .35 caliber or larger with case lengths ranging from 1.16- (minimum) to 1.80-inch (maximum). Rock River Arms originally designed and patented the system back in 2005. All Rights Reserved. These guns can quickly become complex, so I greatly appreciated the furniture being so user-friendly. As young hunters, those were the rifles we aspired to own as soon as our apprenticeship time was up working with the hand-me-down lever actions. If youre already among the AR-cognoscenti then you probably already know general information about Rock River Arms and their line of LAR-15 rifles in particular. This allowed us to position the scope well above the charging handle, yet remove the scope for transport, and re-attach it via two quick-throw levers. The Rock River Arms RRage Carbine 's straightforward construction and choice of components allows Rock River Arms to achieve a very reasonable MSRP of $759.99, and real-world prices will. Loves Federal Premium 69g Match. For a couple hundred more, you can get a gun fitted with extra features, maybe a nicer trigger or barrel or sighting system. The SCAR 15P is chambered for 5.56 NATO and, with its 7.5-inch barrel, is the most compact SCAR to date. Each company has its own strengths and weaknesses. The A4 also featured a Hogue-style grip, which received no negative comments. This makes them some of the most durable and reliable AR-15s on the market. Well, not any more of an idiot than I usually feel like, I suppose I should say. At those temperatures, the molecules align with their neighbors. The overmold means minimal hand-slip when wearing gloves, and it makes the A2 grip more comfortable when shooting bare-handed. Join our Mailing list for special perks and updates from Shoot On. The Rock River Star selector makes that process more intuitive and does it without the expense of purchasing an ambidextrous switch. In the hands of a skilled rifle shooter, the groups from this rifle will shrink dramatically. The Freedom RDS is a fixed, 1X sight that includes a dual-ring, 34mm cantilever mount; $300. The average velocity of the load from the Rock River was 2,728 fps. Reasonable Accuracy from LAR-15 Predator Pursuit However, the standard selector lever can be a struggle when a right-handed shooter moves the rifle to the left shoulder and tries to work the selector with the index finger. 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 2003 they got a big government contract to supply the Drug Enforcement Administration with a bunch of AR-15 style guns. His shooting and hunting passions cover everything from traditional archery and big-game bowhunting to the latest in handguns, rifles, and reloading. Even with only 16 inches of launch, the .223's velocity averages 2900-3000 fps. 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. This is topped off with Rock River's .308 A2 flash hider. There is also a fundamental difference in the definition of the varmint hunter. Let me put this out there right away: Im not a rifle shooter by trade. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Rock River Arms uses barrels from a variety of manufacturers, including FN, Criterion, and Wilson. Rock Rivers manufacturing experience, however, made that a non-issue. Time warp? Billed as the LAR-15M . Feel free to reach out to us or read our affiliate disclosure and privacy policy. . The new big bore pistols feature industry-first capacity, with a standard 15-round capacity and 22+1 rounds of 10mm or 18+1 rounds of .45 ACP from the extended magazines. Its balance and weight will suit both the bench blaster and the predator hunter. As I write this, a quick Internet search reveals .350 Legend is among the few cartridges still available from online retailers. Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. The gas block has two setscrews that hold it in place, and the contour is Rock Rivers heavy match. Far from what youd call a heavy match barrel on a bolt-action rifle, the barrel on the ATH V2 has almost a straight contour and measures three-quarters of an inch at the muzzle. As for recoil, the .350 Legend cannot help but to be compared to its more famous straight-wall cartridge bruiser, the .450 Bushmaster. While they may be on the higher end price-wise, many feel that they are worth the investment. The first time I bought one was in 2006 when one of my Special Forces teammates built an AR-15 for me. Pointed Soft Point R223R1, $19/20 rounds), Winchester Supreme 55-gr. The two-stage trigger allows for perfect control and a clean break. The increased profile of the unit makes it easy to locate, engage and manipulate with the left hands index finger when firing off the left shoulder. Stocky's Owner Don Bitz walks David Faubion through the company's new rifle stocks for 2023. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? Winchester seized this opportunity to develop an entirely new cartridge that would fall within these parameters while utilizing manufacturing efficiencies to keep production costs down. The top rail runs the full-length of the fore-end and mates with the flat-top upper receiver. 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. They also like the companys commitment to customer service. The published bullet diameter for the .350 Legend is .357 inches. But the Rock River Arms guns have a very solid reputation for reliability. The fire control is Rock River's 2-stage trigger. I acquired Federal and Hornady cartridges for the range test. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. pullStock: black synthetic fixed Rock River Arms A2 Operator; length of pull, 14"; drop at heel, 1/2"; drop at comb, 1/2"Overall Length: 42" Weight: 10 lbs., 3 ozs.Accessories: owners manual, one 20-round magazineSuggested Retail Price: $1,720. Presidential Competitor: Rock River Arms LAR-15 NM Review Rock River Arms is known for being accurate due to the materials they use and the quality of their products. We quickly found that choosing four guns to test wasnt going to be easy. When asked about maintenance, he responded with, I like to shoot it, but I let the armorer take care of it. Each rifle he was issued was carried for about a year and typically saw 20,000 rounds before replacement with a new one. The combination of barrel weight, the proprietary process used to manufacture the barrel and the mid-length gas system makes for one of the lightest recoiling and most accurate AR-pattern rifles Ive tested. Spaarne (Haarlem) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go - Tripadvisor Its much easier to shoot with this trigger than with a standard variant. Still, the balance of the gun kept it from receiving our highest mark. Remington 700 accuracy international AX chassis package. This is not the first time Ive tested a Rock River rifle with their stainless-steel match barrel, so I was not surprised when group averages hovered near MOA for five shots at 100 yards. 49865 Leupold QRW 30mm Quick Detach Mounts for a robust, portable mount. Certainly not, considering the quality. The FALs feed lips are built into the receiver rather than the magazine itselfa feature that, in theory, should offer more reliable feeding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLDPl0rguAE, Pelican Case Foam Cutting: How to Cut Perfectly Every Time. The A4 had a winter trigger guard, which allowed gloves to be used with the gun. 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 "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. The Judge has been promoted! The results: Federal Non-Typical, 180-gr. The 1:10-inch twist rate will stabilize both the 168- and 175-grain bullets used in long-range loads. Then again, this is the beauty of the MSR its a completely modular system as long as the foundation is there, and the BT-3 is one heck of a foundation upon which to personalize a precision rifle build. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. People appreciate the quality of their products and the fact that they offer a lifetime warranty. Rock River Arms Standard A2 (.223 / 5.56) 20" Barrel First, is an ambidextrous magazine release consisting of two fenced buttons mirrored on both sides of the lower receiver. Newer models are sporting a more robust Hogue grip. twist Overall Length: 36 in. The new-for-2023 lineup includes ultralight hunting stocks and a VGA 2-pound adjustable vertical-grip stock. The rifle follows the AR-pattern designed by Eugene Stoner and Jim Sullivan very closely. Their AR-15s are made with forged aluminum receivers, chrome lined barrels, and MIL-SPEC parts. It weighs 10.2 pounds empty and is 43.5 inches long. The BT-3's furniture includes a Magpul PRS stock and Hogue rubber over-molded grip. The LAR-8 will accept metric- or inch-pattern magazines as well as current-production Rock River magazines. 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. They quickly earned a reputation for making excellent guns and components. And since then, they have continued to be one of the major manufacturers of AR-platform guns and parts. This website contains many older reviews. The rear half of the fore-end is rounded and smooth for a comfortable hold, while the front half has four rails that provide plenty of space for mounting accessories. Overall, we found its price (a little more than half that of the Fulton gun), the extras, and its performance at the range ranked it as a Best Buy. 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. Depending on exactly what kind of gun you want, with all those myriad options I mentioned, you can spend as little as $900. The dimensions of the barrel extension are different, and the bolt carrier and charging handle are both longer. Smith & Wesson Model 586: Reviewing A .357 Revolver With Class. About the only thing someone might complain about is having to wait for a few weeks to get a custom gun they order. It seems almost every manufacturer out there is turning out some version of this genre. Email *, Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Shoot On. In addition, Rock River Arms offers a wide variety of customization options, so you can build a rifle that is truly unique. Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the May issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. However, its unclear if the FBI currently uses Rock River Arms rifles or not. Fulton Armory is one of the top providers of M1, M1a, and M14, competition guns, and Clint McKee (the owner) and Walt Kuleck (sales manager) have also written books on firearms, including The M1 Garand Complete Assembly Guide, The M14 Complete Assembly Guide, and The AR-15 Complete Assembly Guide. Rock River Arms is committed to the protection of your Second Amendment Rights and is a proud supporter of the ISRA, SAF, FPC, NSSF, and FFL-IL. He has also authored and co-authored several DIY gun building books. Well it's me and I cheaped out on a scope and have a $200 Nikon on an expensive gun. 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. Rounding out the features were a Krieger heavy 1:13-twist barrel ($390) and a Geissele adjustable two-stage trigger ($200). Find the perfect make zone stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Accuracy is the average of five, five-shot groups from a rest at 100 yards. Once they hit 300 below zero, theyll bring the barrels up (also in steps) to 200 degrees above zero. Their rifles are backed by a lifetime warranty, so you can be sure that your investment will be protected. 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. However, if youre willing to spend a little extra money on your rifle, Rock River Arms is definitely worth considering. The bolt remains open after the last round is fired, but the shooter releases it by hitting the traditional bolt-release lever or tugging backward on the side-cocking module. Like 3/8 to 5/8 of and inch accuracy for three shots. 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. The RRA LAR-15 is a quality gun, in just about any configuration you can come up with. Having shot both cartridges in AR platform rifles, we must agree. Bergara BXR Review: Is the Bergara BXR the Best Rifle for Hunters? Our advicemake your decision and your move now. accuracy in the Standard Operator, and our testing, at least with match ammunition, was consistent with that claim. Gun Review: Rock River Arms LAR-8 Elite Operator - Gun Digest Several have stepped up to the .350 Legend plate, and one of the most recent is Rock River Arms. How does a company that makes AR-15 platforms stand out in a market thats flooded with product? The ATH V2 will continue that proud tradition. The Fulton turned in the best overall grouping at 0.89 inch, despite some balky performance by the Remington ammo we used that none of the guns could group under 1 inch. Rock River has also correctly set up the gas system where the rifle is neither under- or over-gassed. resulting in 1.5-MOA accuracy at 100 yards. I didnt know I was capable of shooting like that, and especially not after a mere dozen rounds. If so, you may be wondering which manufacturer is the best. VMAX ($40/50). Make zone hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy Performance of Rock Rivers new ATH V2 was exceptional. 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. At 100 yards, my groups were a bit to the right, but I was just looking for groups so I didnt touch the scope. Lower Receiver: Forged RRA LAR-15 Upper Receiver: Forged A4 Barrel: 16-inch Chrome Moly, 1:9 Twist Muzzle Device: RRA Tactical Muzzle Brake/-28 Thread . Rock River Arms All Terrain Hunter (ATH) Semi-Auto Hunting Rifle: New Putting a barrel through the cryogenic process at Rock River means the barrel is cooled down in steps until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit below zero. 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. 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. 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. The design was licensed to Bushmaster, and during the course of about three years, the company built and sold several thousand rifles. Last but certainly not least, the trigger was the most impressive part of this rifle. Even the two lefties in were impressed with this feature. The included magazine, which is specific to the .350 Legend, boasts a 10-round capacity. But the best feature is the way it eliminates the gap normally found where the grips frontstrap meets the triggerguard. 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. We didnt have any problems with the gun operating at all, but I didnt expect any. We were somewhat constrained in our ammo choices due to a lack of enough rounds of ammo to run our tests properly. Of course, lefties complained it was in their way. When the carrier key hits the gas tube, that disturbance travels down the tube and into the barrel. Winchesters data reveals the .350 Legends felt recoil to be more than half that of the .450 Bushmaster. 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. 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. Accuracy with the rifle was commendable. Second is the bolt stop lever located between the magazine well and the trigger guard. I know several manufacturers that swear by the process and they all turn out highly accurate rifles, so there is something to be said for the treatment. Unless otherwise noted, these reviews carry the guns prices at the time of the original review. It is ambidextrous as well and can be activated with the trigger finger. Review: Rock River Arms RRage Carbine - An Official Journal Of The NRA Although inexpensive and reliable, the FAL magazine presented a number of design challenges, such as dimensions and feed angles that differ from AR-style magazines. (stock extended) Weight: 5 lbs., 11 oz. Rock River Arms produces their own bolt carrier group (BCG), which is made from 8620 steel and features a nitride finish. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Our testers felt that the gun had the versatility to shoot prairie dogs off of a rest, but was light enough to tote through mesquite thickets in search of coyotes. Since the freebore area only surrounds the bullet when a cartridge is chambered, variation in brass thickness causes no trouble. While dimensional specs play to the geek intrigue, the real value of the .350 Legend is its ballistic performance and shooter experience. 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. On a grid target, accuracy lives up to the Rock River Arms' claim of 1.5 MOA at 100 yards. Minuteman. Which brings me to my point. The Rock River Arms BT-3 is a .308 modern sporting rifle, featuring Rock River Arms billet upper and lower receivers, fluted 20-inch cryogenically treated stainless-steel barrel, Rock River Arms .308 A2 flash hider, Magpul PRS stock, Hogue rubber over-molded grip, new lightweight M-LOK compatible 17-inch aluminum floated handguard with MS1913 top rail and a Rock River Arms 2-stage trigger. TESTED: Rock River Arms' LAR-15M .350 Legend | Shoot On Our mission is to provide readers with compelling content that is both relevant and valuable to the modern outdoorsman/shooter. Like 3/8 to 5/8 of and inch accuracy for three shots. This often requires carrying guns through thickets of brush, and a rest, if available, is a handy tree branch. The Standard Operator has a 20-inch, cryo-treated chrome-moly barrel. Using several surplus FN-FAL magazines as well as the one provided with the rifle, there were no failures to feed. The handguard is RRAs own design, and I like it for its smooth simplicity. Rock River Arms RRAGE 5.56mm NATO Review - Shooting Times Theyve managed this because they make excellent guns. I picked the SIG Optics Tango6 5-30X56mm riflescope with an illuminated MRAD/MOA reticle, and I mounted it on a SIG base and rings. 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. Jeff Bradley shows off the Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR) from Christensen Arms at SHOT Show 2023. The pistol grip is a Hogue rubber unit and the synthetic buttstock is a fixed Rock River Arms Operator A2 stock. Accuracy: 1 MOA @ 100 yards Included: One magazine, RRA Case, Manual, Warranty MSRP: $1,480 www.rockriverarms.com. 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. Rock River Arms Review: Take Me To The River, Drop Me In Colona? - Gunivore All that was left was to hit the range. This rifle also has an RRA TRO-XL extended free float rail handguard and an accuracy of 3/4 MOA at 100 Yards. Rock River Arms produces some of the most reliable and durable AR-15s on the market today. Ballistic Silver Tip SBST223B, $21.48/20, and Black Hills Match New Production Red Box 50-gr. 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. Bob Meinert, FN Marketing Director, introduces FN's first commercial pistol suppressor, the FN Rush 9Ti. For testing, we fitted the rifle with a Leupold 1.1-8X 24 mm CQBSS using steel 34 mm rings. This makes them some of the most durable and reliable AR-15s on the market. A four-pronged Smith Enterprise Vortex flash suppressor is threaded to the muzzle. Wigbolt Ripperda, governor of Haarlem at the time of the spanish siege, inspired the people of Haarlem to resist the spanish. Rock River Arms is a popular option, but is it the right one for you? The rifle I tested was chambered in .223 Wylde, meaning that it can shoot both .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm (NATO) ammunition. soft point; 5-shot string #2, Hornady American Whitetail, 170-gr. This is not John Waynes revolver it is a modern work of art! This month we chose one of the most popular requests, the AR-15 varmint/predator rifle. 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. This is a .350 Legend. Turned out, he had just bought that rifle for deer hunting and got a youth version because it was the only one in stock. Either way, its clear that Rock River Arms is a reputable company with a history of providing quality products to law enforcement agencies.