Tango Down developed the ARC-L magazine by going back to the drawing board and taking a hard look at ammunition feeding in the AR-15 platform. Tango Down started with the understanding that 30-round magazines in the AR-15 are curved, yet the magazine well in the AR-15 is straight.
Instead of utilizing a single piece of molded plastic, the Tango Down magazine is a two-part assembly that snaps together (permanently) in the middle. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is to have a straight portion that is in the magazine well, with a curved portion that is the part extending beyond the magazine well.
Tango Down says by using the two-piece construction they can mix various polymers for different portions of the magazine:
We can also mix materials, impossible with conventional plastic magazines. We can offer transparent lower/high tensile strength upper sectioned magazines that avoid the brittle feed lip issue of all-transparent material construction.
Ruger announced a new piston-driven AR-15 rifle: the Ruger SR-556. Announced at the NRA convention, the SR-556 is a completely new line for Ruger, and part of an obvious effort to redefine the company.
The SR-556 has a host of quality features, the most significant of which is the two-stage piston system. But, in a market that seems to have an overwhelming number of AR-15 makers, will the SR-556 be interesting enough to survive?
The “black rifle” market is clearly hot, as AR-15’s have been selling extremely well throughout the United States. Some manufacturers have stated that orders are backlogged six months or more. Bringing a new AR-style gun into the market now may be good timing for Ruger, as a scarcity of all AR rifles may push more customers into their rifles.
Let’s take a look at some of the features of the SR-556.
The Stark Equipment SE-1 is a polymer grip that replaces the standard AR-15 grip and trigger guard with a single polymer unit. At the 2009 SHOT Show, I had a chance to preview the Stark SE-1, and I was impressed by the look and feel of the floor samples.
Stark Equipment is now shipping the SE-1, and I was able to get one of the early production grips. I am just as impressed by the production model as I was by the samples.
Rock River Arms has introduced a new AR-15 variant: the LAR-15 Elite Comp. Guaranteed to shoot 1.5″ MOA, the Elite Comp features a number of very nice features, typically seen only on nicely upgraded AR rifles.
Chambered in 5.56 NATO (.223 Remington), the LAR-15 Elite Comp has a forged A4 upper with a 16″ chrome-lined barrel with a 1:9″ twist. The threaded barrel features an RRA Tactical Muzzle Brake standard.
Sighting is handled by the combination of a flip front sight gas block assembly and a PADS flip rear sight.
The trigger is a two-stage match trigger in a winter trigger guard. The front end features an RRA half-quad, free-float mid-length rail system. The pistol grip is an Ergo SureGrip.
The buttstock is my favorite: the Magpul CTR stock. The Magpul is fully adjustable, feels very good when the rifle is mounted and is designed in such a way as to prevent any inadvertent adjustment of the length.
I currently have a LAR-15 from Rock River Arms that I bought before they announced the Elite Comp. On my LAR-15, I installed the Magpul buttstock, the front flip-up sight/gas block, rear flip-up sight, and the SureGrip. All totaled, I paid more than what Rock River is asking for the Elite Comp. So, I think the rifle package is a very good deal. Also, my Rock River has run pretty well. I don’t know who makes the “best” AR-15, but these Rock River rifles seem to be well built.
The LAR-15 Elite Comp ships with only one magazine. I would expect at least two magazines at this price point, but fortunately, new magazines are relatively inexpensive. You can pick up Magpul PMAGs for less than $15 for example.
MSRP is listed at $1470, and advertised prices start very close to this number. Dealers are accepting orders now, and the Elite Comp is due to ship in the third quarter of 2008.
For those of you that have not yet seen it, meet the DeWalt AR-15 nail gun.
Someone released a photo of their AR-15 rifle made up as a DeWalt nail gun. Personally, I love the originality behind it. As one forum poster observed, maybe it should be called a DeWalt ‘Tack Driver’.
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When I originally posted this DeWalt AR-15 nail gun several years ago, I had no idea it would become such a popular post. It has actually become one of the most read pages on the GunsHolstersAndGear.com website. I still chuckle about how viral this photo has gone.
Also, if you have not already done so, please read through the comments on this thread and join in on the discussion about this rifle. There is quite a bit of lively chatter regarding its status as an M16, M4 or AR15. Also, which version of which gun… for example: if it is an M4, is it an M4A2 or M4A3. I find it all humorous, and I hope you do as well.
I’m curious: have you ever done anything like this to dress up your gun? Would you consider a Black & Decker paint scheme? How about a Chevy or Ford styling? The truth is a lot of people like to customize their firearms to give them a unique feel and flair.
Gun companies have cashed in on this in the past, creating limited or special edition runs of some firearms. You may have seen some manufacturers rolling out everything from Texas commemoratives to zombie guns. Sometimes these guns carry some collector value, but mostly they are simply an option for someone that wants to stand out from the crowd. Since many gun owners are independent-minded, adding a little flair to their rifles makes sense.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to dress up one of your guns? Would you be willing to buy a limited run rifle with an unusual paint scheme?
Update
Thanks to one of our readers for sharing this video of the gun in action:
If you watch the video, you can see the gun is capable of full-auto fire. Hopefully, that will help settle some of the arguments in the comments section.
Special note for all of those who have been e-mailing me – I’ve got the Glock 19 holster page up now.
