This isn’t really going to be a review about my rifle as much as it will be the sum of its parts. My rifle is nothing to speak about really. It’s a Frankenstein that I built myself from muzzle to stock. I thought I’d just put the parts into context and why I like them and what advantage I think they give me. Take my two cents for what they’re worth. I’m just hoping to be a little informative. 🙂
Speaking of the muzzle, I run a BattleComp 1.0. While it likely doesn’t perform as well as a JP, Bennie Cooley, Miculek, or other similar type brake, it is a good all-around brake. I can go prone without kicking up a dust storm like the previously mentioned brakes and shoot in/around barricades without worrying about blowing them apart(as I have seen before). The BattleComp keeps me on target and has really tamed the jump I used to have when I was running a standard A2 birdcage. I’ve also tried many of the things I’ve seen in the YouTube videos that BattleComp has posted and they are all true. I have shot doubles with my rifle without a support hand and it’s pretty easy to keep on target. Is that necessary for 3-Gun? Nah. I just wanted to see if it could be done as easily as they said.
With the introduction of the BattleComp 2.0 series, you can now mount anything to the muzzle that would typically lock onto a standard A2 birdcage since the dimensions are the same. This would be great if you wanted to run a comp and occasionally use something like a Gemtech Halo without having to remove/reinstall your brake each time. BattleComp
On the other end is my favorite stock at the moment, the Magpul UBR. What I like about this over a traditional collapsible stock is the consistent cheek weld. No matter the position of the stock, the cheek weld is the same. It has seven positions and even two that you can preset via a couple of screws. This is particularly useful when you want to find your favorite position quickly instead of pulling the farthest position and then adjusting back to where you want it. With my long arms I typically just use the stock all the way out but I do have a close in position for using in tight spaces on a stage.
The stock also comes with a couple of small doors that can be removed(as pictured). I took them off to save a little weight but you could use them to carry a couple of spare CR123 batteries or maybe a small survival kit(if you’re the Boy Scout type). Magpul
On top I have my favorite Aimpoint, the ML2. It sits in a LaRue Tactical M68 CCO mount. A word about the mount – if you don’t have a LaRue mount, you need one. No, really. NEED. I have pulled my Aimpoint off numerous times for various reasons and when I remount it, it’s dead on like it was. No need to sight the rifle in again. It’s tough as hell and holds tight. You can’t say those things about all other mounts of this type. Heck, this particular model even has a spot to carry a spare battery for the sight(it’s waterproof too). LaRue
Anyway, the Aimpoint is definitely my go-to red dot of choice. I’ve banged it on window frames, barrels, obstacles, getting in and out of cars, and it always works. The range that I shoot at is usually a dust bowl and dirt’s never been an issue with this scope. It’s taken abuse from riding in the Polaris at the ranch and being in a heavy downpour while hog hunting and always keeps zero. The only thing I’ve got to do is feed it batteries every once in a while and it’s there for me. If I ever upgrade to a different sight, it will be another Aimpoint. Aimpoint
The other sights I carry on my rifle are BattleSights from Troy Industries. Since they are backup I don’t always use them but they have saved my bacon more than once when I had forgotten to put a fresh battery in the Aimpoint or had left it on after hunting and it was dead when I got to the range.
They’re fairly unobtrusive and are out of the way until you need them. With a simple flip they lock in the “up” position and are ready for action. The rear sight has the dual aperture just like a standard AR has. I prefer the “HK” type front sight and they make that option so that’s what I have. I opted for the plain sights over the Tritium night sights. If I’m hog hunting at night I’m either using a weapon mounted Surefire or a handheld spotlight and typically don’t need an illuminated sight and most 3-Gun matches are during the day so that’s yet another reason I chose the standard irons over the Tritium. Troy Industries
Without a doubt, the best thing I have ever put into my rifle is a Geissele trigger. For years I ran a mil-spec trigger in my AR thinking, “If it’s good enough for the military, surely it’s good enough for me.” And while that’s true, there’s a lot to be desired with a standard trigger. The pull I had was tough and even a bit gritty. Kinda felt like there was always sand/grit in my trigger group even though I had just cleaned it. Anyway, I finally decided to bite the bullet and invest in a trigger and got the Geissele Super 3 Gun(S3G). “If LaRue Tactical uses them then they must be worth a damn” is what went through my mind as I entered my credit card info and then later had to explain to the wife what this particular charge was all about. And after getting the trigger in and pulling it the first time, I knew I had a winner. My long range shooting got measurably better as I started to hit farther and farther out because I wasn’t having to pull an 8lb, gritty trigger. At close range I was getting faster doubles because of the lighter pull and the quicker reset. Although I haven’t measured the pull itself, it’s really light and has a very crisp break. It might even be the best trigger pull I have in any of my guns. If I could only buy one upgrade for an AR rifle, It’d be a Geissele trigger. Geissele
“What’s there to upgrade concerning a charging handle?”, my buddy asked me when I started to tell him about mine. Well, a bit actually. I had just bought a charging handle from Bravo Company and was already telling my friends what I liked about it. First off, I really like the extended latch. I got a medium and it’s not so far out so that it snags on everything but it’s just far enough that it’s easy to grab when you need it. Secondly, they redesigned the handle and latch so that the majority of the weight of pulling it is directed to the handle itself and not the tiny roll pin that typically holds the latch to the handle. This makes one-handed manipulations feel much more solid than a standard charging handle. The latch is machined so that when it’s pulled, the rear of the latch actually touches the handle and makes a solid contact. It feels like one unified piece and not a frail lever that might break off if you yank it hard enough. Bravo Company
I also run an ambidextrous safety selector. I like having the option of flipping the safety back on with my trigger finger or running my gun totally weak handed if I need to. I chose the selector from Battle Arms Development(BAD-ASS). After installing the selector I noticed two things. One, it helped further train me to get my finger off the trigger and switch the gun on safe after shooting a stage. I found it’s easier for me to manipulate the safety that way than with my thumb. I flip the gun to “fire” with my thumb and then back onto “safe” with my trigger finger. A simple idea but yet another “safety” in place. Second, the lever from Battle Arms is super slick. It flips in/out of place very quick and easy compared to a standard safety lever. This isn’t a huge deal but when you put pressure on the lever, you know it’s going to fully lock out and do it quickly and easily.
When I bought my selector kit I just got the standard blued model. Then I began to see them make levers in all sorts of colors: OD green, FDE, pink, stainless, and so on. I really wanted a set in FDE to match the rest of my rifle and emailed customer support to see if I could just buy the colored levers without having to buy a new kit. They informed me that all I had to do was mail in my levers and they’d switch them out for whatever color I wanted, all free of charge. I also swapped the fat, shorty lever for a standard length thin lever on the opposite side of the gun. Battle Arms makes at least 6 different lever styles so there’s a good chance you’ll find a set that’s to your liking. Battle Arms Development
Last but not least, I got a heavy buffer from Spikes Tactical. The buffer is filled with a tungsten powder which doesn’t rattle like a standard buffer does and therefore runs slightly quieter than a regular buffer. The additional weight makes for smoother cycling operation and also helps with felt recoil. And then there’s the cool looking spider logo hiding out in your rifle. Who doesn’t like that? Spikes Tactical
So, there’s my gun. I can’t say that I’ve won any matches with it but have definitely seen my times decrease with the upgrades I’ve chosen. Now it just comes down to my skill(or lack thereof) that determines whether I finish top or bottom of my class. And while it’s nice to finish up top and have some bragging rights, I could care less. It’s a super fun hobby that I really enjoy and I always get to shoot with a bunch of good guys. It’s almost more about the camaraderie than it is who finishes numero uno.
Dieterich out.
Dieterich
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well, one thing to keep in mind at 500 yards the dot is never going to on the target, it will be held over and thus not obscuring it. So, I don’t really thing 2 or 4 MOA is going to make that much of a difference.
I run a T1 on my 16″ AR and don’t really think a 1-4 or a 1-6 really helps at all at 100 or less, even at the plates at the back of the bays at our local matches.
This is all very true. I have been running a 300yd zero though and the dot does cover quite a bit at 300 where I am holding dead on. Another thing I really want is the weight(or lack thereof, really). Not that my ML2 is heavy, but it’s considerably heavier than the T1. Battery life is also another factor. I do occasionally(maybe once a year) have to replace batteries but I also tend to turn my Aimpoint on and off. If I had a T1, I’d just leave it on all the time. Plus it would be a new toy. 😀
Dieterich,
As an avid 3 gunner I am very interested in this rifle. I have kicked about shooting Limited class 3 gun a bit. I generally run magnified optics because I shoot Tac class but have thought about shooting locals with an Aimpoint. Have you ever tried the Aimpoint Mini T1 instead of your Comp ML2? How does the big dot in the Comp ML2 do when you reach out to 500+ yards on 3 Gun long range stages?
Overall nice build.
Kurt
I’m not gonna lie, the 4MOA dot doesn’t help me at all when shooting long range. It covers what, like 20 inches at 500? That’s a lot of target. I am wanting to move to the T1 2MOA just to help with some of that dot coverage at long range. I am not a great long range shooter in the first place and our local matches usually only have a single stage with some distance so I’ve been pretty willing to give one stage just to have faster target acquisition for the rest. I shoot in limited mainly because I love my Aimpoint but it’s also nice to be in a smaller class of shooters. And really, I’ve seen some of the guys I shoot with out shoot everyone using an Aimpoint or Eotech so until I feel like it’s holding me back from placing better, I’ll stick with it.
Yeah I run a 2MOA T1 on my 10″ gun and it is what I will use if I shoot any limited. 3 Gun is a weird sport when it comes to the long range stage for every class probably except limited. The long range stage will rarely win you the match, but you can most certainly lose the match there. I know I am faster on regular stages with my Aimpoint gun, but that is just because I have shot more drills with it. As I practice and drill more with my magnified optics I assume I will get faster with them.
Definitely! I have been doing pretty well in a match until I hit the long range and then dive bomb because I spent too long and maxed out or just missed too many targets. 🙁
Dieterich, that is one handsome AR! Great rifle review – keep ’em coming.
Webmaster Mike.
Mr D. Nice review! I am in the process of building up a RRA m4 style (14.5 inch) to replace my aging UZI 9mm for my “farm defense/predator” rifle. RRA is doing my upper for me and I was going to do the lower myself. After reading your review I have decided on the magpul stock your using. Being able to set 2 positions and a good cheek weld sold me. So thanks. Additionally the more I read on these Geissele triggers…I gotta have one. Gonna yank the 2 stage out of my RRA ATH and use that one in the new farm rifle and replace the ATH’s trigger with this Geissele. Thanks for the good write up. C.
Oh man, I actually had a RRA 2-stage in my gun for a short time before I got the Geissele….the two are not even close! The RRA is definitely a nicer trigger than standard but the Geissele is even nicer. If you get one, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I can’t like mine enough.