Blog

As I reported back in January, the USMC is looking to replace the ungainly fixed stock on the M16A4 with a collapsible stock, and one of the options is the Vltor A5 stock assembly. They did some testing, but apparently the results aren't approved for release yet. The A5 "done good", though. I think that's safe to say. (rest of the post removed for above reasons)

I've come across a number of items that never really appealed to me - such as this "Battery Caddy" - before I actually used them. When I received two examples as a gift (during the AR15.com Christmas Exchange), I thought, "What are these for? Holding batteries? What's wrong with just having them in a box?" Then, as I said, I started using them, and found them to be very practical devices. They're injection molded polymer, and the 4xCR123 and 4xAA examples that I own weigh less than an ounce "unloaded".… Read More

I used to think that all lowers were alike, and that the only real difference in lower parts kits was that some came with fancy triggers. I now know this to be false. After having to perform final - perhaps corrective is a better term - machine work on several "budget" lowers, I started to set my sights higher. It's easy to cut what would seem to be fat out of an AR-15 build budget by using a cheap lower and a cheap LPK. For many (low-volume) shooters, this is… Read More

With the recent production of more Bravo Company lower receivers, complete BCM rifles and carbines will now be available. Among them is one of my favorite AR-15 configurations - the 16" lightweight midlength. The one you see here represents what will go on sale, with a few exceptions - the Magpul MOE midlength handguards aren't out yet, and the production lightweight midlengths will have a .625 FSB instead of the .750 FSB on this weapon. Also, you'll have to order the Vltor Modstock separately (and the ammunition/magazine too). Weighing just… Read More

Bravo Company has released a ton of information as to what makes their product worth the asking price. I've never questioned that - the barrel extension thing taught me plenty - but now there's plenty of in-depth information as to the quality of the rest of the parts. Some of it takes a little of the wind out of my "Beyond the Chart" series' sails (that is, items I'd been planning to cover), but I can't complain - good info is good info, regardless of where it comes from. Do… Read More

I hear this all the time - "What's the big deal? The difference is only a few ounces." This is usually followed up by some sort of admonition to stop being a weakling and start lift weights. Well, ounces add up. See the Spike's rifle at the top of the screen? As pictured, it weighs 7.55lbs (unloaded). Without the flashlight, 7.2lbs. It's not what I'd call a heavy rifle - it's a government profile midlength. Compared to some stuff that's out there, it's veritable featherweight. That rifle is equipped with… Read More

"All AR-15s are parts guns" - I don't know how many times I've heard that statement. I'll even admit to thinking that way once. It is, now that I've had time to think about my sins, wrong. What the people who say such things don't realize - or choose not to realize - is that the person who put the weapon together has a tremendous impact on the overall quality of the weapon. While the process of assembling one may seem really simple, it's also very simple to screw up.… Read More

Well, the ones that I haven't carried yet, that is. The corrosion resistance properties of Tenifer are highly overrated in popular lore. Glocks that have been plated with electroless nickel don't rust, though!

My first AR-15s were a mix of used and new parts, "rifle kits", anything I could find that was cheap. I didn't understand what the difference was between the stuff I could piece together for $500-550 and the stuff that I could buy for $800. Knowing what I know now, the $800 stuff back then wasn't all that great, and the "good" stuff was $1200 on up. Of course, I spent at least $1200 between two rifles that ended up being junk, because I thought that was better than having… Read More

In the never-ending battle to remove weight from weapon components, several companies have turned to a pretty simple AR-15 handguard design: a tube with a rail along the top and several small removable sections of rail. The thinking is that the average shooter doesn't really need all that rail space. It's pretty sound thinking, in my opinion. It's not really a new idea, but it has seemingly enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the last year or so. One of the designs that follows that line of thought is the… Read More