By R.K. Campbell | Contributing Editor
America’s rifle is in production from many manufacturers including original makers such as Colt and Armalite, and others including S&W and Ruger that have introduced an AR version and smaller makers such as Radical firearms.
Price is important but not as important as performance. Fortunately you may purchase a solid reliable rifle at a fair price. Upgrades are easily handled in this versatile platform. Learning which rifle is worth the price isn’t difficult. Keep your ear to the ground and ask around the shops as to the return rate. But then some folks don’t fire their rifles much, they simply enjoy owning them.
The indoor range is a good place to start your investigations. I learned that Radical firearms are good bets. I have tested four so far and own two, set up quite differently, but each offers real utility. Sometimes quality suffers from over production. Radical kept their reputation up during recent panic buying.
I try not to be on a short clock and even if I am operational imperatives demand I proof every firearm I test. An unfamiliar manufacturer gets a more stringent test as they have no history with me. The investment in money was slim but the invested exertion paid off. The rifle runs reliably. It isn’t a bargain basement model but it isn’t a thousand dollar rifle either.
Most of us obtain an AR 15 for personal defense. That is the bottom line and the most important role. The next role for the rifle is hunting and then competition. My home defense plan is badger like- go into a safe hole and come out somewhere else. An AR 15 is ideal for this. It is useful at close quarters and if need be effective well past 100 yards. The hunting rifle is effective against varmints and the like to more than 300 yards and with a proper load the AR will take hogs and deer to 125 yards or so. My friend Roger dropped 12 deer with a single shot to the heart over several seasons. With open sights. That is proof enough of the .223 for me.
Choosing and Setting Up
My two Radical rifles are very similar in outline and configuration to a point. What I have added differs. The rifle that enjoys the most use is my primary training and defensive AR rifle. The rifles each features a well-designed M LOK handguard, well-shaped MFT grip, and adjustable buttstock.
I fitted the generous flat top receiver with a SIG Romeo 5 red dot. The Romeo has worked out well for me and is affordable. I also added a capable sling, proofed the rifle with several hundred cartridges, and have engaged in numerous tactical drills with good results.
The factory mil spec trigger action is as good as some and better than most at 6.0 pounds even compression. After a few months of use I figured performance could be upgraded with a top quality aftermarket trigger. Before going to this expense I did a thorough inspection of the carrier keys and bolt and found everything well fitted. I have previously confirmed the rifle will put five shots into an inch or so at 50 yards. I was primarily interested in speeding up times in defensive drills. A bit of curiously concerning a new type of trigger also drove my decision.
I know something about triggers, and that includes enough knowledge to consult those who understand AR 15 triggers better than I. I ended up with a Delta V trigger as a result. The Delta V comes with a letter from the ATF concerning its legality, and really the legality is obvious. Someone may hear the action at the range and question you, but the trigger is a semi-automatic trigger even if it allows very rapid fire. There are three settings on the trigger. Safety, standard mode, and a rapid assist mode. In the first firing setting the trigger breaks clean at a sharp 3.8 pounds. This is a very clean trigger. You must understand the AR 15 trigger before purchasing and have some experience with the type to make the most of your experience. The Delta V requires a light touch and a seasoned trigger finger to get the most of this set up.
In the first setting the Delta V is like any other trigger with an assisted reset arm bearing against the disconnect. As the bolt recoils to the rear the hammer is cocked. The hammer hook moves below the face of the disconnect and it is captured by the disconnect. This is what semi-automatic fire means. The enhanced firing mode is also semi auto. However the Delta V Gen 2 3MR also features an assisted reset. You can feel this feature in the trigger finger, although you must pay attention and use a light trigger finger. So- in normal fire the hammer is pressed down by the bolt during the firing cycle.
With the Delta V selector in the final setting the assisted reset arm/lever now no longer butts into the back of the disconnect, but rather the hammer plunger presses downward on the Delta V reset arm. The hammer is pushed forward resulting in a very rapid reset. While hammer engagement in the hammer hook is less in this mode it isn’t likely to bump off the reset. The reader may agree this setting becomes in some ways an instant trigger job and in a trigger of the best material and machining. A spring loaded adjustment allows adjusting this final firing mode if needed. Machined parts are coated with electroless nickel NP3.
Controlling the trigger requires practice. The final setting offers a superb trigger true but if you work the trigger properly with a series of rapid trigger presses it isn’t difficult to fire three or five shots very rapidly. The difference is that with a fully automatic- I have fired a few- control is difficult. With the very rapid semi-automatic Delta V groups are cohesive.
I find that I am able to control an issue trigger just fine off the bench rest. To an extent- which is why the second rifle features a Timney upgrade. The R.E.D. isn’t adjustable it offers superb Timney quality at a fair price. Trigger compression is a smooth 3.5 pounds. This is a rifle intended for longer range work than the previous rifle.
The optic is a SIG Tango MSR with 1 x 8 magnification. (1 x 8 x 24mm) If you want good service and fast delivery shop at Brownells.com. There are 11 illumination settings. An illuminated BDC 8 type reticle is good to have in many types of shooting. This RF 15 rifle is in a different category, perhaps 200 yard work in my hands. I enjoy this type of shooting taking my time and carefully landing bullets on top of the other.
A quality AR 15 is a joy to use and fire. I am blessed that I have on hand quite an assortment of ammunition. The bulk is Black Hills Ammunition 55 grain FMJ training ammunition and 60 grain JSP as the service load for the first Radical rifle. With the heavier optic and Timney trigger in the second Radical rifle I tried a few other loads. The Black Hills Ammunition 77 grain load is famously accurate. My own efforts put three shots into .9 inch on demand at 100 yards. The other rifle with its red dot sight is more in the 2 inch category, which is more than acceptable- the glass makes all the difference. I also added a MagPul bipod. Some like bipods some do not I find they make for a steady rest in many situations.
These rifles have proven useful and make for interesting range work. One is as good as it gets for home defense and area defense, with plenty of room for stretch, the other is a good hunting rifle that will see less use but it is an important rifle.
Specifications as issued
- Barrel 16 inches
- Barrel Material: 4140 Chrome Moly Vanadium
- Barrel Finish: Melonite
- Barrel Profile: SOCOM
- Barrel Thread Pitch: 1/2×28
- Chamber: 5.56mm
- Twist Rate: 1:7
- Barrel Extension: M4 Feed Ramps
- Gas System: Mid Length
- Gas Block Type: .750 Low Profile Gas Block
- Muzzle Device: A2 Flash Hider
- Upper Receiver Material: Forged 7075 T6
- Upper Receiver Style: M4 MIL-STD
- Upper Receiver Finish: Type III Anodizing
- Forward Assist: MIL-STD
- Dust Cover: MIL-STD
- Handguard Type: Free Float
- Handguard Style: M-Lok Thin Rail
- Handguard Length: 15″
- Charging Handle: MIL-STD
- Lower Receiver: Forged 7075 T6
- Lower Receiver Finish: Type III Anodizing
- Fire Control Group: Semi-Automatic MIL-STD
- Grip: MFT EPG16V2 Grip
- Buffer Tube: Carbine MIL-STD
- Stock Adjustment: 6 Postion
- Stock: MFT Minimalist
- Magazine: 5.56mm 30 Round
- Average Retail $422
Radicalfirearms.com
Deltavusa.com
SIG-Sauer.com
Timneytriggers.com
Brownells.com
Black-hills.com
