We selected this scope for several reasons. We began wondering if we would like the breakdown case nearly as much after our assembling difficulties. Interestingly, while testing the LAR-15M, a guy set up on the bench next to me and pulled out a youth model Savage bolt-action. We felt the Giessele trigger was the best out of all the guns tested, but was also the hardest name to pronounce. The Rock River Varmint A4 sported a heavy bull 416SS air-gauged barrel, but it was only 20 inches in length. 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. RRAGE LAR-15 Type: Direct-impingement, semiautomatic Cartridge: 5.56 NATO Barrel: 16 in., 1:9-in. Rock River Arms has been making their two-stage match trigger for more than a decade. Spent a whole lot of time lurking, listening, and learning on this forum - I know that my knowledge does not offer much compared to most posting on this site. Nice. 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. It also had an owners manual, assembly tool and lock. 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. Sporting a medium-weight 16-inch stainless steel barrel, it represents the top of Rock River's current four-model line of ARs specifically configured for coyote pursuit. Of course, all of this comes at a price but if youre looking for an AR-15 that will serve you well for many years to come, then the Rock River Arms is definitely worth considering. Every rifle is hand-built with precision in mind, and this definitely shows in the quality of their products. Overall, Rock River Arms is a good brand that makes high quality AR-15s. We were somewhat constrained in our ammo choices due to a lack of enough rounds of ammo to run our tests properly. While I was pleased to see the new rifle perform well, I like to know all the reasons why. 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. You have entered an incorrect email address! However, if youre willing to spend a little extra money on your rifle, Rock River Arms is definitely worth considering. Although Ive shot a few, I didnt really know much about them until a couple of years ago. The other guns were so strongly right-handed that having an available left-handed model is a big plus for southpaws, which we too-often forget in our evaluations. Sadly, Nguyen was killed in action in Iraq later that year, so the rifle is particularly special to me and will always remain in my possession. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. And the BT-3 didnt disappoint. accuracy in the Standard Operator, and our testing, at least with match ammunition, was consistent with that claim. Every cowboy needs a revolver. Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer became famous for being intensively involved, along with many of Haarlem's women, with fighting the spanish, who laid siege to the city. To some, a varmint hunter is someone who blazes away at prairie dogs and other such small targets from a rest. So, if youre looking for a cheap AR-15, Rock River Arms probably isnt the best option. You have entered an incorrect email address! . Now for 2022, the company ups the game for hunters with the introduction of the All-Terrain Hunter (ATH), a mid-length rifle that stands tall in the field of AR-platform hunting rifles. Rock River started this trend long before it became mainstream. VMAX ($40/50). The company has created a unique, so-called Star safety selector switch that is both fast and positive. 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. The Rock River Arms X-Series LAR-6.8 AR-15 is specifically designed for this bigger brother to the 5.56 NATO. The design was licensed to Bushmaster, and during the course of about three years, the company built and sold several thousand rifles. Using several surplus FN-FAL magazines as well as the one provided with the rifle, there were no failures to feed. My best 5-shot group was with the Hornady TAP Precision 155-grain A-Max Law Enforcement Ammunition, measuring .935 inch. 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. Of course, lefties complained it was in their way. The author grouped and chronographed Black Hills' 77-grain 5.56 OTM ammo with impressive results. A pair of horizontally opposed internal tunnels for holding spare batteries creates a full contour buttstock that is compatible with a solid cheek weld. Theyve managed this because they make excellent guns. Rock River Arms also offers a lifetime warranty on their products, which is another reason why they are considered to be high end. Couple groups with pulled and called fliers that were under an inch. One of the challenges of introducing an all-new cartridge is getting rifle manufacturers to chamber for the new round. Perhaps the greatest praise was directed toward the side-cocking mechanism. Despite being assembled and disassembled numerous times, we never lost zero on the rigs. Rock River Arms has a reputation for making high quality AR-15s, but they also have a reputation for being expensive. A few other features that lend the LAR-15M to hunting include the winter trigger guard, making the trigger more accessible when wearing cold-weather gloves; the Operator CAR stock, with its generous cheek weld and length-of-pull adjustability to accommodate clothing layers; and the overmolded A2 grip. Remington's Nylon 66 semi-automatic .22 LR rifles have grown from 1950s bargain buys to 21st century collectors darlings. When I formed my frame of reference for hunting rifles in the early 1980s, there was something of a generational overlap going on. As I said, this was a well-used gun and I knew the owner wouldnt tolerate any problems. The Coyote is available in a 16-inch barrel "carbine" model or 20-inch "rifle" model, but I chose the Coyote Carbine because it's easier to wield in the woods. The other gun barrels come lapped from the factory and do not require this break-in procedure. Bergara BXR Review: Is the Bergara BXR the Best Rifle for Hunters? In comparison, the standard AR trigger has most of its mass as far away as possible from the pin about which it rotates. Top accuracy honors came from three flyweight varmint loads. 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. As a result, Rock River rifles enjoy significantly improved reliability with all types of 5.56mm ammunition. Flash forward to today. Sights: folding front post attached to the gas block, Picatinny rail for attaching opticsTrigger: two-stage; 4-lb., 4-oz. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. It weighs 10.2 pounds empty and is 43.5 inches long. 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. There, review done. They also like the companys commitment to customer service. Velocity is the average of 10 shots recorded by a Shooting Chrony chronograph 10 feet from the muzzle. One of the challenges of introducing an all-new cartridge is getting rifle manufacturers to chamber for the new round. Several years ago, I was visiting with a good friend of mine when the discussion turned to the guns he carried on duty.. The tight adherence to exacting tolerances of their chamber dimensions and the stress-relieving effort are two of the big contributors that I credit for this brands reputation for accuracy. weight, the rifle is an easy carry when outfitted with a quality sling. At one . The fire control is Rock River's 2-stage trigger. Leading the charge is RRAs Operator muzzle brake. 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. The barrels Rock River use come from the Connecticut-based company, Wilson Arms (wilsonarms.com). This often requires carrying guns through thickets of brush, and a rest, if available, is a handy tree branch. He fired tens of thousands of rounds each year, which made me curious about what firearms he used and how they fared. Fluted Stainless Steel Bead Blasted Fluted Stainless: +$35.00. And since then, they have continued to be one of the major manufacturers of AR-platform guns and parts. This year, H&R announced an expansion of its AR-15 lineup, bringing additional "retro" models to the market, including a 9 mm Luger-chambered Colt SMG clone, an M16A2-styled rifle and the carbine-size 723. If youre looking for a good, dependable AR at a reasonable price, I dont think you could go wrong with a Rock River Arms product. The result is a super-reliable, mid-level AR with clean lines and solid accuracy, to boot. Pointed Soft Point R223R1, $19/20 rounds), Winchester Supreme 55-gr. Lots of groups under an inch. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. InterLock, Burris Veracity PH Rifle Scope: Drop Compensation for the Masses, Why You (Yes, You) Need Next-Level Firearm Training. When it comes to comparing Rock River Arms to other manufacturers, there is no clear winner. 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. Fortunately, our established test protocols took care of this requirement on their own. For a couple hundred more, you can get a gun fitted with extra features, maybe a nicer trigger or barrel or sighting system. The Rock River Arms R3 Competition Rifle is designed for and has the feel of a competition rifle, yet the same platform is spot-on if your hunts require a lot of walking or if your predator sets demand exceptional accuracy out to the limits of the cartridge along with the ability to make fast follow-up shots. I use the term "good" loosely because it really is subjective. One of the things that makes the Rock River Arms so accurate is its attention to detail and craftsmanship. Its Rock River Arms business model and today Guns.com reviews the Rock River Arms LAR-15. Here's what it's like to shoot this classic scattergun. 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. I didnt know I was capable of shooting like that, and especially not after a mere dozen rounds. If youre looking for a reliable AR-15 manufacturer, Rock River Arms is definitely worth considering. The Hornady. He pointed out how good the Rock River trigger was, so Ive had it in that rifle ever since. Contrary to what youll find on the internet, most rifles are not capable of this kind of performance with factory ammunition. Also included were an owners manual, two-stage trigger assembly and adjustment procedures, lock, maintenance instructions, 25-meter zeroing target, and break-in instructions for the stainless barrel. 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. In fact, they even have a testimonial from an FBI agent on their website. We didnt have any problems with the gun operating at all, but I didnt expect any. This is topped off with Rock River's .308 A2 flash hider. Wigbolt Ripperda, governor of Haarlem at the time of the spanish siege, inspired the people of Haarlem to resist the spanish. Get a fairly basic model as an introduction and rest assured that when you want to geek-out later, youll be starting with a quality platform. 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. 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. Even with only 16 inches of launch, the .223's velocity averages 2900-3000 fps. I wanted to do this as by the book as possible, so waiting for calm winds was my only option. You must log in or register to reply here. Rock River Arms Reviews: The Best AR-15 Manufacturer? - YESTACTICAL The TaurusTX 22 Compact delivers class-leading reliability, capacity, and shootability in a 22 LR platform, and it's cut for a slide-mounted mini red dot. By signing up you agree to Guns.com's The shorter stainless barrel gave us better balance in the heavy barrel category, allowing us to shoot off-hand with reasonable accuracy. Like 3/8 to 5/8 of and inch accuracy for three shots. It also included an optional scout rail to raise the scope height, but we found it unnecessary with the LaRue mounts. I was impressed, its as simple as that. Feb 16, 2019 748 . The general idea was that high-velocity ammunition was deemed incompatible, for safety reasons, in areas of flat terrain and denser populations. 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. However, we can say that Rock River Arms is a great option if you are looking for a high-quality AR-15. The two-stage trigger allows for perfect control and a clean break. So, what do people think about Rock River Arms? After installing and zeroing a TRUGLO Omnia 8a suitable optic for this firearm platformI set up for ballistic and group size evaluation. Select Grip. The monolithic receivers and . 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. As for recoil, the .350 Legend cannot help but to be compared to its more famous straight-wall cartridge bruiser, the .450 Bushmaster. Review: Rock River Arms RRage Carbine - An Official Journal Of The NRA Stocky's Owner Don Bitz walks David Faubion through the company's new rifle stocks for 2023. 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. 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. Rock River Arms RBG-1S Rifle: Full Review - RifleShooter When the carrier key hits the gas tube, that disturbance travels down the tube and into the barrel. 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. Caleb Giddings, Marketing Manager at Taurus, introduces the all-new TaurusTX 22 Compact. Our gun sported an Ergo grip, comfortable but woefully undersized for hoisting the gun around. For testing purposes we selected three mid-range bullet weights with different price points: The Remington Express 55-gr. 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. Minuteman. Whether you are looking for a basic AR-15 or a fully customized weapon, Rock River Arms is a great choice. 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.