He has also authored and co-authored several DIY gun building books. Accurate. The accuracy increase gained by this hammer profile makes every other hammer shape irrelevant. A normal throw lever found on an AR works fine for a right-handed shooter firing off the right shoulder. And since then, they have continued to be one of the major manufacturers of AR-platform guns and parts. Some reviewers have had negative experiences, but this is rare. 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. Despite being assembled and disassembled numerous times, we never lost zero on the rigs. 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. Federal Gold Medal Match delivered the best group, which measured 0.81 inches. Ive had this rest for more than 15 years and its still my favorite. This attention to accuracy is especially evident in Rock Rivers new model, the Advanced Tactical Hunter V2 (ATH V2). twist Overall Length: 36 in. Last year, I got to spend some time with a pre-production version of the LAR-15M and managed to shoot sub-MOA groups. The Rock River Star selector makes that process more intuitive and does it without the expense of purchasing an ambidextrous switch. Since we had so many choices, we decided to narrow the field by setting the following parameters: a barrel length between 20 and 24 inches long, constructed of stainless steel, and capable of shooting the most popular ammo weight of 50 to 55 grains. Accuracy with the rifle was commendable. The reset on the trigger was smaller than I expected, so it allowed for very quick follow-up shots. The gun arrived in a plastic carrying case, with a safety block that can also used to remove the takedown pins attaching the upper and lower assemblies. Im talking no slop, no gaps and excellent quality. 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. However, its unclear if the FBI currently uses Rock River Arms rifles or not. The SCAR 15P is chambered for 5.56 NATO and, with its 7.5-inch barrel, is the most compact SCAR to date. This makes them some of the most accurate AR-15s on the market. The deep-freeze cryogenic process that each barrel receives removes any stress imparted on it during the manufacturing process. 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). The dimensions of the barrel extension are different, and the bolt carrier and charging handle are both longer. 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. Ben Voss FN Product Manager talks about the new FN SCAR 15P ultra-compact rifle-caliber pistol at SHOT Show 2023. Anyway, I was lucky to have someone I could turn to for information. There are several candidates that also would have worked from other manufacturers such as DPMS, Bushmaster, Armalite and others, but we had to pick one and wanted to see if RRA's reputation would hold up. A Cold War era classic with smooth lines, a legendary back story, and an exotic-sounding name, Beretta's Model 71 was definitely a mouse that roared. Still, the balance of the gun kept it from receiving our highest mark. For years, deer hunters in certain states and areas were limited in their firearm options due to regulations curtailing the use of high-powered centerfire rifle cartridges. My buddy had a significant amount of experience on several of them, so I value his opinion of the platform. Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. While dimensional specs play to the geek intrigue, the real value of the .350 Legend is its ballistic performance and shooter experience. resulting in 1.5-MOA accuracy at 100 yards. It also included an optional scout rail to raise the scope height, but we found it unnecessary with the LaRue mounts. 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. Its balance and weight will suit both the bench blaster and the predator hunter. The match grade trigger (what RRA calls their two-stage) was very smooth and crisp. 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. We had planned on getting 10X scopes, but SWFA had shipped all they had to the Army for their Designated Marksman Program. If Stag used a vented forend to reduce weight, used a stock with more butt weight to balance the rig, and used a shorter barrel, this gun might have won. One of the challenges of introducing an all-new cartridge is getting rifle manufacturers to chamber for the new round. Since the freebore area only surrounds the bullet when a cartridge is chambered, variation in brass thickness causes no trouble. Rock River Arms ATH V2Type: Gas operated, direct impingement, semiautomaticCartridge: .223 WyldeCapacity: 20 or 30 rds.Barrel: 18 in., 1:8-in. They've been producing 5.56mm and 7.62mm models since the beginning of their AR-15 manufacturing, and that's pretty standard. 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. Many people believe that Rock River Arms is worth the money because of the quality of their products. RRAGE LAR-15 Type: Direct-impingement, semiautomatic Cartridge: 5.56 NATO Barrel: 16 in., 1:9-in. Gun shoots better than I do because for 5 I just to an inch and know it is me. We spent the better part of two days recording data in what Bass Pro employees affectionately call the Dungeon. Our time there also allowed us to schedule testers to come in and fire away, including a young lady who broke away from her teachers job to school us, by posting the second best group of 0.49 inch in our tests. The company made its humble start in 1963in Gussago, Italywhen Giuseppe Pietta made a commitment to produce guns as authentic and true-to-original as possible. Its a direct-impingement (DI) rifle manufactured to all the standard dimensions. Shooting the RRAGE was a pleasure it's lightweight, accurate, and it handles well. I have yet to find a Rock River rifle that wasnt extremely accurate, so its only natural to have a favorable impression of the brand. The shorter stainless barrel gave us better balance in the heavy barrel category, allowing us to shoot off-hand with reasonable accuracy. 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. And not only are their guns excellent, theyre actually very reasonably priced. So got a brand new Rock River Arms Predator Pursuit in .223. 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 gun shot 1 inch overall, but without the inconsistent Remington ammo (1.52 in. At one . Rock Rivers manufacturing experience, however, made that a non-issue. soft point; 5-shot string #1, Federal Non-Typical, 180-gr. The two-stage trigger allows for perfect control and a clean break. Item Number Description Select Price. InterLock; 5-shot string #2. But the Rock River Arms guns have a very solid reputation for reliability. They quickly earned a reputation for making excellent guns and components. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, New for 2020: Rock River Arms BT-9 4.5" Pistol, New for 2020: Rock River Arms LAR-15M 350 Legend, NRA Gun of the Week: Rock River Arms BT9 R9 Competition, NRA Gun Of The Week: Rock River Arms Assurance-C, Product Preview: Rock River Arms M1911 Mainspring Housings, 7 Simple Follow-Through Tips to Improve Your Accuracy (Right Now!) 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. Rock River Arms is considered to be high end because of the materials they use and the quality of their products. But the best feature is the way it eliminates the gap normally found where the grips frontstrap meets the triggerguard. My teammate, SFC Tung Nguyen, was a hardcore competitive shooter and offered to build me exactly what I wanted. weight, the rifle is an easy carry when outfitted with a quality sling. twist, stainless steelOverall Length: 36.5 in.Weight: 7 lbs., 14 oz.Stock: Rock River Operator A2Grip: Ergo SuregripLength of Pull: 13.5 in.Finish: Type III, hard coat, anodizedTrigger: RRA MatchSights: Adjustable, flip-upSafety: Selector, two positionMSRP: $1,370Manufacturer: Rock River Arms,309-792-5780, rockriverarms.com. How does a company that makes AR-15 platforms stand out in a market thats flooded with product? The overmold means minimal hand-slip when wearing gloves, and it makes the A2 grip more comfortable when shooting bare-handed. Rock River Arms' new Fred Eichler Series LAR-15 Predator joins a growing number of AR-platform rifles and carbines specifically configured for the serious coyote and bobcat hunter. AR-15s tend not to fit standard gun cases when set up with the high mounts required to clear the charging handle, and still provide a solid sight picture. This might sound ridiculous, but not to the keen ears of a 'yote. And almost all guns are built for a specific orderit is rare that youll find a new one for sale someplace. Lots of groups under an inch. My best group this go-around was 1.443 inches. The monolithic receivers and . Perhaps the greatest praise was directed toward the side-cocking mechanism. 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. It also had an owners manual, assembly tool and lock. Although the particular model tested for this review was a few years old and had seen plenty of use, it was still as tight as any gun I have shot. It weighs 10.2 pounds empty and is 43.5 inches long. Additionally, RRA offers a lifetime warranty on their rifles. Their rifles are built to last and their customer service is second to none. We were somewhat constrained in our ammo choices due to a lack of enough rounds of ammo to run our tests properly. Ballistic Silver Tip SBST223B, $21.48/20, and Black Hills Match New Production Red Box 50-gr. I acquired Federal and Hornady cartridges for the range test. By signing up you agree to Guns.com's Second is the bolt stop lever located between the magazine well and the trigger guard. The handguard on the ATH V2 is ideal for a general-use rifle. We were shooting iron sights only and the gun shot better than I can, in terms of accuracy. Rock Rivers winter triggerguard solves this problem. This was a gun that transformed itself on the bench. Give a Gift 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. The design was licensed to Bushmaster, and during the course of about three years, the company built and sold several thousand rifles. With this in mind, we went to LaRue Tactical (www.laruetactical.com) for the exceptional LT104 30mm QD Lever Mount, $195. Oh, you want more? Recoil with any AR-style gun is pretty minimal, at least in the .223/5.56 configuration. 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. It's absolutely sufficient for . A big reason that these rifles shoot so well is the barrel. If so, you may be wondering which manufacturer is the best. Either way, its clear that Rock River Arms is a reputable company with a history of providing quality products to law enforcement agencies. needed for precision accuracy at exceptional ranges. Shot it for the first time today. Whether you are looking for a basic AR-15 or a fully customized weapon, Rock River Arms is a great choice. 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. Next, although fixed power (16x in this case), the Super Sniper had parallax adjustments for given distances present on a rotating indicator dial, along with a fast-focus eyepiece. 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 ATH V2 will continue that proud tradition. 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. With the LAR-8, the choice of the FN-FAL magazine created the opportunity for a pair of significant ergonomic improvements. AR1700.V1 Sale LAR-15M R3 Competition Starting at: $1,525.00. It retains the original direct-gas-operating system, as well as the multi-lug rotating bolt and cylindrical bolt carrier of the original design, but the guns internal and external contours and dimensions have been extensively modified to accept FN-FAL-pattern magazines. The Magpul PRS Stock is one of the best stocks in the market for any precision rifle build; it was easy to set up and, after being set up, nothing moves and it retains its settings after a long day of shooting. This came in very handy when we decided to go ahead and test the .223 cartridge for BBTI last year. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. 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. 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. This handguard is very comfortable in the hand while still leaving plenty of attachment options for any accessories the shooter might want to employ. This gives the hammer considerable inertia. Select Barrel. Ruger's multi-role small frame autoloading rifle - Sear - combines AR-10 power with AR-15 Portability.