LWRC International M6A2 5.56 NATO Rifle

Located in Cambridge, Md., LWRCI’s stated mission is to provide their customers with the most durable, reliable, and consistently accurate weapons possible. In order to accomplish this, they use innovative design and meticulous manufacturing techniques as well as state-of-the-art materials and manufacturing processes to create tools that are built to exceed the expectations of their users. Consequently, operating from three facilities encompassing over 250,000 square feet, LWRC International utilizes over fifty state-of-the-art CNC milling centers, laser cutting machines, screw machines, and welding robots, as well as military specification painting to produce their superior quality assault rifles.

Consequently, the LWRCI M6A2 rifle is a superior quality AR-15 style assault rifle chambered for the 5.56 NATO cartridge available with your choice of four different barrel lengths ranging from 10.5” to 16.1” with a 1:7” RH twist. In addition, this rifle features a B5 Systems SOPMOD collapsible carbine stock with an A2 “flat-top” receiver and LWRCI Folding BUIS Front and Rear sights. Thus, this rifle is perfect for those who prefer to mount optical devices on top of the receiver because there is no A-frame front site to obscure the shooter’s view. In addition, the M6A2 rifle also features a longer, free float, rail system with a removable, return-to-zero, top so that any M4 MIL Std 1913 accessory can be mounted to the rail. Also,  because the rail has a monolithic profile, the shooter can seamlessly bridge those devices from the receiver to the rail. Plus, this rifle features a NiCorr finish (much tougher than Parkerizing) that is available in four different colors: Black, Flat Dark Earth, Olive Drab Green, and Patriot Brown.

Upon handling the rifle however, the first thing we noticed was the weight which is listed as 7.3 lbs. unloaded. Thus, by the time the shooter adds optical accessories and/or a tactical flashlight and then inserts a full magazine, the rifle can feel a little heavy. However, this weight is in part due to the heavy, match grade, barrel and LWRC’s patented, self-regulating, short-stroke, gas-bled, piston-driven action. However, this system has the added advantage of eliminating the venting of excess gases from the ejection port after each shot because any excess gasses are vented through the piston system instead. In addition, although some enthusiasts of the AR platform disparage the use of a piston driven action instead of the original Stoner, gas operated, action, stating that they are dirty, unreliable, and difficult to clean, LWRCI seems to have eliminated these problems by creating a piston driven system that is not only residue free, it is utterly reliable and, it’s easy to clean by simply removing two bolts that hold the upper forearm in place. Furthermore, the heavy, match-grade, barrel, aided by a crisp, two-stage, trigger makes this rifle capable of MOA groups with the Trijicon ACOG 3 x 30mm scope installed.

Trijicon ACOG 4 x 32mm Nickel-Boron Dual Illuminated Red Chevron .223 Ballistic Reticle

Since the company’s founding in 1981, Trijicon has been an industry leader in the development of superior, any-light, aiming systems. Well known for their innovative applications of tritium and advanced fiber-optics, Trijicon manufactures some of the most advanced riflescopes and sights for both tactical and sporting firearms.

Consequently, the Trijicon ACOG 4 x 32mm rifle scope features a super tough, nickel-boron finish that not only gives the scope a distinctive look and the ultimate in abrasion resistance. In addition, this scope also features a dual illumination system and a ranging reticle that uses fiber optics to provide daylight illumination of the reticle and tritium to provide nighttime illumination of the reticle which is calibrated for 5.56mm (.223 cal) flattop rifles out to 800 meters. In addition, the Trijicon ACOG 4 x 32mm scope incorporates a Red Chevron .223 Ballistic Reticle. This reticle enables the shooter to zero the tip of the chevron at 100 meters where width of the chevron at the base is 5.53 MOA (equals 19 in. at 300 meters) which enables range estimation for silhouette targets. Last, this scope features 1.5 inches of Eye Relief, an Exit Pupil of 8mm, and a field of view of 36.8 ft. a 100 yds.

While the Trijicon ACOG 4 x 32 mm rifle scope with the Nickel-Boron, Dual Illuminated, Red Chevron, .223 Ballistic Reticle is certainly a very nice scope, with a retail price $1,450 most shooters will find it beyond their price range. Therefore, we suspect that the market for this scope will be limited to law enforcement, and private security contractors who truly have a need for it and a few individuals who absolutely must have the most expensive toys available. Also, with a weight of 9.9 oz. without the mount, adding this scope and its adapter to your rifle can add nearly a full pound to the overall weight. In addition, with an eye relief of only 1.5 inches, some shooters may be required to place their eye uncomfortably close to the Eyepiece. Plus, we found that the supplied flat top receiver adapter mounted the scope a bit too low on the receiver and thus, purchasing  a Larue quick-detach ACOG mount and the 5/8 inch riser should raise the scope up to the proper shooting level. But, on the other hand, once the tip of the chevron is zeroed at 100 yds. this scope will remain zeroed even when removed from the rifle and then remounted. Also, having two sources of illumination for the reticle (neither of which requires a battery) makes this scope ultra reliable for operation in any light.

Therefore, the LWRC International M6A2 5.56mm NATO Assault Rifle with Trijicon ACOG 4 x 32 Scope would be an excellent combination for anyone who is in need of a superior quality assault rifle and matching combat scope.

Remington 700 Milspec 5R .308 Win. Sniper Rifle

Founded in 1816 in upstate New York, the Remington Arms Company is one of the nation’s oldest, continuously operating, manufacturers of firearms and ammunition and is one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. Also, it is the only surviving U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition. Today, Remington Arms Company, LLC, headquartered in Madison, N.C. where they design, produce and sell sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as the military, government, and law enforcement markets.

Today, Remington will occasionally produce a Limited Edition run of a particular rifle, shotgun, or handgun, and such is the case with the Remington 700 Milspec 5R sniper rifle. This rifle features a black, HS Precision, composite, stock with a 24 inch, stainless steel, barrel chambered for the .308 Win. (7.62 x 51mm NATO) cartridge with R5 rifling and an 1:11.2” RH twist mated to a stainless steel Remington 700 bolt action and Remington’s X-Mark Pro trigger along with a five round, internal, box magazine. Last, it features an overall length of 43 3/4” and an overall weight of 8 1/4 lbs.

The first thing we noticed when handling this rifle is the heavy contour of the Milspec barrel which is the same as that found on Remington’s 700P and Varmint rifles. However, although the Milspec 5R does have a heavy barrel profile, the diameter is noticeably smaller than that of the standard, military issue, M24 version of this rifle which lends credence to the rumor that these rifles first came about as a mating of M24 barrels that did not quite meet the required specifications and thus, they were re-contoured and mated with model 700 actions and offered as limited edition rifles (probably due to the R5 rifling). Next, we noticed the barrel on the Milspec R5 was two inches shorter than standard on the M24 and yet, the combination of the heavy barrel contour and the shorter length combined with the HS Precision stock caused the rifle to balance unusually well and the action was very smooth as is to be expected from Remington. However, we did notice that the Milspec 5R rifle has an aluminum alloy floor plate instead of the steel floor plate used on the M24 and thus, it is likely to be slightly less durable. In addition, we noticed that this rifle came with the new X-Mark Pro trigger which no longer features the ribbed shoe and the adjustment system has been reduced to one screw to adjust trigger pull weight. However, the trigger did break crisply and without excessive overtravel. In addition, although the 1:11.2” RH twist was originally designed for the M118 173gr. sniper’s round at the time, this rifle seems to capable of 1/2” to 3/4” MOA groups with a large diversity of bullets weights; possibly due to the R5 rifling. Consequently, we found the Remington 700 Milspec 5R rifle to be a very comfortable and accurate rifle with all of the quality you would expect from Remington.

Nightforce NXS Compact 2.5-10 x 32 Rifle Scope

In the country of Australia, night hunting is not only legal, it is also extremely popular! Consequently, avid hunter and shooter Dr. Ray Dennis founded Lightforce Australia Pty. Ltd. with the single purpose in mind of manufacturing the finest spotlights on the planet. However, Ray soon discovered that although he had achieved his goal of producing the finest spotlights available, there were no rifle scopes on the market capable of taking advantage of his superior quality spot lights. Therefore, Ray decided to design and build his own scopes too! Thus, following his previous principals, Ray gathered the finest materials and incorporated the most advanced technology to build the most rugged and most precise riflescopes on the market today.

Therefore, the Nightforce NXS Compact 2.5-10 x 32 scope is an excellent choice for mounting on the Remington 700 Milspec 5R sniper rifle for firing out a range of 600 yds. It features a variable magnification of 2.5X to 10X, an Objective lens of 32mm, a Field of View at 100 yds. of 44 ft. to 11 ft., an Exit Pupil of 13.3mm to 3.3mm, and an Eye Relief of 3.7 inches. In addition, it is available with your choice of four different reticles depending on your preference and intended purpose. Last, this scope measures a compact 12 inches overall and weighs 19 oz.

Consequently, the 2.5 -10 x 32mm NXS Compact has proven to be extremely popular with shooters looking for a rifle scope that delivers the maximum in size-to-weight performance. In addition, the large Exit Pupil makes acquiring your target quick and easy and the internal design of the NXS eliminates parallax focusing issues. Plus, it is specifically designed to outperform other rifle scopes with much larger Objective Lens diameters by gathering more light for a clearer sight picture. In fact, the quality of the glass is superb and we feel that it definitely enables the shooter to easily acquire targets under different lighting conditions at different ranges. In addition, we had no trouble seeing the reticle, even against different types of backgrounds such as grain fields, hardwood forest, pine forest, and prairie. Last, we have seen many different brands of rifle scopes fail when the rifle they are mounted on is leaned against an object and then the rifle either inadvertently falls over or is accidently bumped. But, it is very obvious that the Nightforce NXS Compact scope is robustly built and thus, it is a scope that can be depended upon for reliability when mounted on any rifle that will be used in rugged terrain.

Therefore, the combination of the Remington 700 Milspec 5R .308 Win. Sniper Rifle with Nightforce NXS Compact 2.5-10 x 32 Scope is an excellent choice for precision shooting out to 600 yds.

Sako TRG-42 .338 Lapua Target/Sniper Rifle

Sako Ltd. is a Finnish small arms and ammunition company that was established in 1921 and consequently, it has a rich and eventful history. In fact, the company was first established to build and service firearms for Finnish Civil Guard but, played a key role in Finland’s struggle to survive the chaos of WWII. Since that time, they have become known for producing superior quality military, hunting, and target rifles as well as some innovative new cartridges. Thus, by combining their knowledge of both cartridge and rifle development and production, Sako rifles and cartridges provide the shooter with the advantages of uncompromising accuracy and reliability.

In fact, the Sako TRG-42 target/sniper rifle was specifically designed to do just that. Chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge, the TRG-42 rifle is a true, precision, long range weapon for target or tactical use and it can be equipped with various accessories to make the rifle mission specific. Also, the solid, vault-like, action is cold hammer-forged from special steel alloy and it includes integral, 17 mm, axial, scope mounting rails with integral recoil stop-slots on the top of the receiver. In addition, the sturdy bolt (with three locking lugs) feeds rounds unfailingly from the centerline of a detachable, staggered, 2-row, 5 round, magazine for reliable feeding with various types of ammunition and the bolt lift is only 60° for a fast bolt throw. Plus, the super strong receiver is mated with a 27 1/8”, heavy contour, barrel with a 1:12” twist. Furthermore, the rifle is available in two different configurations: one of which is a black and green, fully adjustable, high-tech, aluminum reinforced, composite stock with a blued barrel and action and the other of which is an all-black, stealth configuration featuring a black, fully adjustable, high-tech, aluminum reinforced, composite stock and bolt with “phosphatized” barrel and action. Last, the rifle has an overall length of 47 1/4″ and weighs 11 3/4 lbs.

Although Sako’s origins are based in civilian marksmanship, they extensively studied the requirements of sniper’s when designing the original TRG-21/41 and, within a decade, these two models evolved into the TRG-22/42 competition/tactical rifle that is available today. In fact, the heart of the TRG system is the cold hammer forged receiver and barrel combined with three massive locking lugs to deliver sub-MOA groups. In addition, the short, 60°, bolt throw makes chambering a new round a very quick process which can be critical in tactical situations. Also, the free-floating, 27 1/8” barrel chambered for the .338 Lapua Magnum has a 1:12” RH twist that is specifically designed to stabilize a 250 gr. bullet traveling at 2,860 fps and the chrome lined bore helps prevent throat erosion and enhances accuracy and barrel life. Plus, the fully adjustable, high-tech, aluminum reinforced, composite stock can be fully customized to fit the anatomy of any individual shooter. Consequently, when this rifle is mated with a superior quality target/tactical scope such as the Schmidt & Bender PMII 5-25 x 56mm scope, it is capable of producing groups as small as five inches at 1,000 yds!

Schmidt & Bender PMII 5-25 x 56mm Target/Sniper Rifle Scope

The German optics company of Schmidt and Bender was founded in 1957 by precision mechanic Helmut Schmidt and master precision engineer Helmut Bender who decided to pursue their “Project Passion”. Consequently, 50 years later, the name Schmidt & Bender is synonymous with quality and precision and now ranks among the world’s top optics suppliers. Also, because each hunt and each hunter is different, Schmidt & Bender offers a wide variety of different scopes in two product lines: the Klassik series which epitomizes the traditional style rifle scope in form and function and, the future oriented Zenith line which is specifically designed to display progress and aesthetic awareness.

Consequently, the Schmidt & Bender PMII 5-25 x 56mm rifle scope is part of their Police and Military Forces series and it features a Field of View of 5.3m to 1.5m at 100m, a Parallax adjustment that ranges from 10m – ∞, an Exit Pupil diameter of 10.95mm – 2.28mm, a light transmission factor of 90%, and an Eye Relief of 90mm. In addition, this scope is available with two different reticle planes and the first reticle can be equipped with your choice of seven different illuminated reticles whereas, the second reticle plane can be equipped with your choice of three different illuminated reticles. Plus, each turret features two turns in the elevation and windage adjustment (Double Turn). Therefore, due to its large magnification factor and comprehensive reticle adjustment range along with the highest quality optical glass available, this scope may be successfully used up to a distance of 2,000 meters.

Consequently, the Schmidt & Bender PMII 5-25 x 56mm rifle scope it is a perfect match for the Sako TRG-42 .338 Lapua Magnum target/sniper rifle since both the rifle and the round are capable of sub-MOA groups when combined with this scope. Also, because both the rifle and the scope have an effective range 2,000 yds, a skilled operator can eliminate targets at extreme ranges with this combination with a high degree of confidence.

SIG556 Classic Swat Assault Rifle

The famous firearms company we know today as SIG SAUER actually began in 1853 when two Swiss gentlemen named Friedrich Peyer im Hof, Heinrich Moser and Conrad Neher began what they hoped would become a successful wagon factory located above the Rhine Falls in Switzerland. Just seven years later, as an answer to a challenge from the Swiss Federal Ministry of Defense, the “Swiss Wagon Factory” entered a competition to develop a state-of-the-art rifle in the hopes the Swiss Army would adopt it and then award them the manufacturing contract and that is just exactly what happened. In fact, four years later, the Swiss Wagon Factory was awarded the contract for its Prelaz-Burnand rifle. At this point, due to an order for 30,000 muzzle loading Prelaz-Burnand rifles, the owners of the Swiss Wagon Factory decided to change the name of the company to the Swiss Industrial Company – Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft: now known worldwide as SIG. Then, in 1985, a U.S. division known as SIG ARMS was established in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia and in 2007, SIG ARMS again changed its name to SIS SAUER in order to reflect its worldwide growth.

The SIG556 Classic SWAT is a semiautomatic rifle with a look that reminds us of the original “military-only” 550 model. Also, because it features a full-length, gas piston, operating system with a 2-position gas valve, the rifle will keep operating even in inclement environmental conditions. Chambered for the 5.56 x 45mm NATO round, the SIG Classic SWAT features a Swiss-type folding stock as well as an aluminum, Picatinny, quadrail, forend that is ideally suited for mounting accessories such as laser sights and tactical flashlights. In addition, the SIG556 SWAT model features a new, rear, rotary, diopter sight utilizing aperture calibrations for close quarter ranges out to 100m, 200m, and 300m. Plus, the Classic SWAT’s slim profile and short length is enhanced by a 16’’ button rifled barrel with a 1:7” twist and, SIG managed to reduce the weight of the SWAT Classic model a full pound by incorporating a redesigned, alloy, trigger housing, AR style magazine, and flash suppressor. Last, the SIG Classic SWAT features an overall length of 35 7/8” and weighs 8.2 lbs.

In addition, we suspect that most every avid shooter is familiar SIG SAUER’s well deserved reputation for quality and the SIG556 SWAT is no exception. Thus, our first impression of this rifle was that it is very well designed for its intended purpose and that it is very solidly built as is very apparent by the over eight pound weight which seems excessive to those of us who are familiar with the original Eugene Stoner design produced by Colt. On the other hand we believe that it is safe to say that this rifle is far superior in quality to those early Colt rifles as well. In fact, the folding stock as opposed to the collapsible stock makes the rifle far more compact and the integral Picatinny quadrail handguard provides the shooter with all of the room needed to mount any desired accessories. So, for those of you who would like to own a true, professional quality, assault rifle for either professional use or home defense, the SIG556 Classis Swat should be at the top of your list.

EOTech EXPS3 Holographic Sight with HHS II 3x Magnifier

L-3 Communications is now the parent company of EOTech which they acquired in 2005. Since then, the company has grown very quickly to become the sixth largest defense company in the United States. Consequently, they are a leader and prime defense contractor in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), secure communications, government services, training and simulation and aircraft modernization and maintenance.

Today, L-3/EOTech designs, manufactures, and markets electro-optics products and systems using advanced laser and holographic technology to enhance optical devices in target acquisition systems. In fact, L-3 EOTech manufactures a sighting device they call the Holographic Weapon Sight (HWS) which is the world’s first holographic sighting system for small and medium-sized arms. They accomplish this by incorporating patented technology to provide the user with a parallax free sighting device that removes some of the complexities of acquiring a sight picture and allows the aiming process to become almost instinctive and reflexive. Consequently, the HWS is specifically designed to increase the speed of target acquisition and target accuracy by enabling the shooter to focus with both eyes open. Plus, the HWS is nearly indestructible! Furthermore, when transitioning from short to long range shooting, EOTech offers the HHS II 3x magnifier. This 3x magnifier with Switch-To-Side mount works with all existing HWS units and features a Reticle that is a 65MOA circle with two 1MOA aiming dots.

So, all things considered, the SIG556 Classic Swat with the L3/EOTech EOTech EXPS3 Holographic Sight with HHS II 3x magnifier in an excellent choice for the law enforcement officer or professional, private, contractor that has a need for one of the best assault rifles on the planet. But, with a retail price package price of around $3,150, it is not a package most average shooters would choose.