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Varmint Hunting With The AR-15 Type Rifle - Part II |
Varmint Hunting With The AR-15 Type Rifle - Part IIBy L.P. Brezny
©Copyright 2008, The Varmint Hunters Association, Inc.
When writing Part I of my introduction to the AR-15 class of firearms, or just “Black Gun” as they frequently are called, I realized that this subject was not going to be covered in a single article. The topic simply is just too big in terms of information for that to happen. Part II of this ongoing story will address the development of a specialized AR-15 to meet a varmint hunter’s needs by stripping an AR-15 down to the basics and then, by adding parts and accessories, turn it into a first class varmint hunter’s rig.
The author worked on prairie dogs in the field with the Double Star carbine (M-4 style) while shooting off a bench in western South Dakota
In covering this topic, keep in mind that I am not directing any attention toward the military end of this firearm. For that information you need to go someplace else. We are not covering the fighting in the Middle East, but taking on critters of all types as recreational activities, or in some cases as a professional fur hunter or pest control officer. Of course, the original role of these rifles was (and primarily still is) military and law enforcement service, while the secondary role for the “Black Guns” is directed to this hunting end of the spectrum.
From Standard To Specific And Dedicated
We all know that, for the most part, the image of the first Colt AR-15s was developed in Vietnam. These rifles were a solid stocked, H bar receiver, sight on the carry handle, short, black gun without a great deal of other distinguishing features. That rifle is still offered as a basic class firearm today, and generally at a price tag of about $800.00 MSRP. However, as a varmint rig it falls short, as was pointed out in Part I of this story. The H bar receiver design just won’t work in terms of sights, and the fixed, long, one-piece plastic stock will not provide the best fit for accurate shooting from field sticks or a bench.
With that information in mind we will strip the standard field rifle and make it over into a dedicated varmint rifle. After that, the next step will be to cover some hands-on time with a complete series of rifles as modified to be varmint hunting rigs.
These four black guns were part of the author's group of test AR-15 style rifles used during the review of these shooting systems. From left: Sabre Defence, Stag Arms, Double Star, and S&W M&P 15.
Materials Vs. Cost: S&W M&P 15
As a base rifle I will hold up one of my own AR configurations, the M&P 15 by Smith & Wesson. Retail cost of this rifle is about $1,200 and it is equipped with a number of features that make it a user friendly 223 calling/walking rifle. As materials go up in quality regarding these little rifles, so will the price of putting one of them together for field use. In this case the S&W has a special 1:9" twist chromed barrel that is 15" long. Some barrels are not chromed, and twist rate will differ depending on the rifle model or manufacturer. I like the 1:9" twist because it handles 55-grain through 64-grain bullets well, and those are grain weights I tend to like for coyotes and other large varmints. Barrel material is 4140 steel and that is common in better grade rifle barrels for the AR-15 class firearm. So, watch for the types of barrel steel being used in the guns you’re considering, and also twist rate and bore lining. Remember, some or all of these added elements can be eliminated from any given barrel offered on an AR-15 setup. With the barrel being the heart of the rifle, need I say more on the subject?
The receiver, or “upper” as it is known in AR-15 circles, also needs to be made of quality material to eliminate poor fit or twisting under stress. The M&P again uses a 7075 T6 Mil Spec grade aluminum. This is alloy-blended aluminum and not the same stuff that goes into your average toy gun frame. When checking out that upper, search for the term “Mil Spec.” If not there, ask why not because this term means the firearm has been built to military specifications. Again, my S&W M-4 style (S&W variant M&P 15) is designed with its basic frame upper and lower units for military and police applications.
When you check out an AR-15 rifle, remove the rear receiver pin to allow you to pivot the lower and upper apart, but remain intact because the forward pin is acting as a pivot point. You should be able to close the hinged receiver against the lower with ease and there should be no flop between the two major receiver parts. If so, I would question the whole rifle in terms of proper receiver fit.
When possible, check the material used on the lower to see if it matches the upper’s composition. If different, the gun’s receiver components have come from two different sources. Remember that many AR-15 type parts are assembled from those made by far fewer manufacturers than are offered as brand name companies. That means many companies are buying components from a few sources and assembling rifles, versus building them from scratch. I don’t mean to say that having different materials in the upper and lower units is all bad. At times the upper can be an upgrade, as in a long-range target rifle system that is matched to a standard lower receiver frame.
Chambering specifications can make a difference in how the rifle “runs” (a term for how an AR-15 rifle shoots). I tend to favor a rifle chambered for the military specification (Mil Spec) 5.56mm NATO round. Such chambering allows the military and civilian 223 Remington ammunition versions to both function well in the same rifle. I have shot AR-15 rifles chambered in 223 Rem. that didn’t do well when fed a variety of ammunition types. However, the Mil Spec-type rifles tended to shoot a wider range of 5.56 mm/223 very well. The S&W M&P 15 is chambered for 5.56 mm ammunition. Also, by “Mil Spec” I am stating that these rifles are manufactured with attention given to military requirements. In fact, to my knowledge only Colt and Armalite rifles meet real world Mil Spec requirements. A Mil Spec rifle must be test fired and zeroed before leaving the factory and every so often a gun is run through a complete high rate of fire “burn down” test to assure military grade quality under combat conditions.
Gas System Overview
If barrels are the heart of accuracy, the gas block and tube which move raw gas to the bolt functioning system become the rifle’s engine room. While the AR-15 is not a firearm with a lot of glitz and fancy custom reworked elements, parts like a well-made gas system that is plated to fight corrosion will make for a rifle that won’t fail you in the field. Chromed parts in this system are an indication of quality. Be sure to make a quick check of that small but very important detail when considering a specific brand of rifle. Parts like bolt carriers and gas keys that are plated will add to the cost of a rifle, but will be worth the expense in the long run.
Stocks
Even with a limited offering when compared with many other AR-type rifle manufacturers, the S&W rifles are making use of the skeletonized stocks on their new M&P 15 PC, and six-position collapsing models on their other three rifle offerings. Switching from the fixed one-piece stock to these advanced designs provides less carry weight, more options for final rifle fit for an individual hunter, and are just a cut above the norm.
My rifle is fitted with the six-position stock, and I would not hunt without it. Compress the stock for back packing, or extend it to position number four for a dead on perfect fit, and I am ready to call song dogs to the rifle.
What I see taking place among many AR manufacturers is that after upgrading many of the models out there today, and with the knowledge gained through our military people who use these tools every day to stay alive, the gun is changing into a quicker-to-use and more effective, as well as accurate, field tool. The fore-end of the AR-15 has evolved into a multiple rail (Weaver) system that can meet every known need in a rifleman’s wish list. On my rifle I have swapped out the standard fore-end that comes with the factory M&P 15 for the quad rail handguard used on the S&W M&P 15 T. This modification in handguards allows far greater flexibility in terms of sights and added equipment. Cost in this area, however, can add $200.00 to a rifle in short order. A nice item to have on board, but not at all mandatory.
Summing Up
Depending on the gadgets added to your rifle, the quality of the parts and finish, as well as upgrades in barrels, sights, and controls, dropping $2,000 to $3,000 into a current production AR-15 type rifle is not at all uncommon. For the most part, you can buy a good quality system in the range of about $1,200 to $1,500. At that price you will bring to the platform most or all of what has been reviewed here, as well as a good durable surface treatment and some high quality backup battle-designed iron sights.
In The Field
Based on several different models of AR-15 configured rifles, I will walk you through the series of test events that took place during the fall and winter of 2007. These rifles were added to my list of test guns as the subject grew to be bigger and bigger as a writing project. In general, I tend to avoid two- or three-part stories, but in this case the AR-15 is an exception to that self-imposed rule.
When tested, each rifle received two weeks or more in the field. In general, real time consisted of about 35 to 50 hours total with rifle in hand. The guns were checked for accuracy at 100 yards, function with selected ammunition, and ease of handling as per controls, stocks, and related add-on features. In all cases the test rifles were given uniform treatment in terms of test ammunition, weather conditions, and a pattern of general use … as much as possible. Thanks to several ranchers, I had the chance to get all of the rifles on plenty of prairie rats, and also some time over a FoxPro predator caller in the field.
Sighting systems included everything from battle sights (iron open) to HUD (heads up display) red dot, and my favorite fast-handling system for fast-moving or close-in shooting, the Trijicon ACOG. I have the ACOG mounted on my Smith & Wesson 223 Rem./5.56 NATO M&P-15, and killed two coyotes with the rifle within its first three days afield after mounting the ACOG glass and zeroing the rifle.
Stag Arms Varmint 15 Configuration
Stag Arms is a younger company in terms of offering the public finished AR-15 type rifles. That is because this company has been building all the parts for these rifles for many years and only recently decided it was time to build complete rifles from the parts they manufacture in-house at a Mil Spec level of quality. The result of that new direction for Stag Arms is a complete Model 2-TL for starters and variants on that and other uppers and lowers from that service rifle. I selected this outfit for review because of their young age and being a complete in-house company. Also, there was that small but important detail indicating that Stag Arms was more than willing to put their product right up front for an honest review.
Rifles offered by Stag are completely American to the last spring and pin. With the factory building 90 percent of an AR-15 type rifle, the quality control can be held to near perfection. Everything fits and fits correctly on every rifle. Stag offers customers a full lifetime warranty. Added accessories purchased through Stag are always added to the rifle by their gunsmiths at no additional charge, save for the cost of the parts through this company, which seems to me a righteous way of doing business. As a final note regarding general information, Stag Arms offers left-hand variants in each rifle built by the company. In this regard a left-handed shooter has not been left out of the picture.
Stag Arms AR-15s In The Field
My first encounter with a Stag Arms AR was at an outdoor writer event in PASA Park, Illinois, during the summer of 2007. It was super hot with super humidity to match, but shooting the Stag rifle was one small joy in a day that would have been more enjoyable in air conditioning. My rifle had not been zeroed correctly and so I was able to watch the bullet “walk” into the X ring on the 100-meter range as I adjusted my scope’s turret knobs. This rifle, coupled with a good varmint style high magnification scope, was just that accurate.
When a test rifle arrived from Stag Arms for some hands-on field work, it was the very new Model 6 Super Varminter, and I took it along into the badlands of northwestern South Dakota. I was informally guiding an eastern hunter for mule deer, and the Stag Arms rifle was just the ticket in terms of a truck rifle that could be used for an assortment of potential varmint targets as we moved in and out of deep draws in my 4x4 pickup truck.
This Stag Arms rifle would be classed as a “heavy” with a heavy stainless steel target-style bull barrel, steel tube free-floating and fluted fore-end/handguard, and Weaver flat-top rail. The stock system was the basic unit with a Hogue rubber pistol grip. For the most part, the rifle, because of its carry weight when loaded and scoped (9.7 lbs), is best suited to static bench or pickup truck work. I am not saying that all Stag Arms AR-15 type rifles are heavyweights. Like almost all other systems regarding the AR-15, you can get a Stag Arms rifle in just about any configuration you wish. In this case the heavy rifle was a tack driver as it produced sub-MOA groups all day long during the zeroing-in phase of testing. Perhaps the best part of this specific rifle is that it is selling for some small change over a grand. Yes, $1000.00 is the sticker price on this rifle, and I am here to tell you that is a super bargain.
If you’re searching for a good, light AR-style rifle at a very fair price, look at the Stag Arms Models 1 through 4. These rifles are priced from $895.00 to $1,015.00, and are worth every dime. The Model 3 flat-top is a natural for a walking varmint hunter who wants to get into an AR rifle at a working man’s price tag. After entering the new generation of AR rifles, a hunter can upgrade the basic flat-top varmint rig with any number of assorted features. The Model 3 has ample surfaces to tack on lasers, lights, or broom handle hand grips at the fore-end. With its six-position stock, this is one very handy rifle. In addition, it carries a lifetime warranty.
All upper receivers on Stag Arms rifles are forged 7075 T6 aluminum, and barrels are 16-inch 1:9" twist on the moderately priced Model 3, for example. Rifle weight is 6.1 lbs, making it real easy to haul into the field or carry on a backpack. Why have I stressed this model rifle? Because it is a great choice for the varmint hunting AR-15 class of rifle shooters. I don’t think it’s necessary for TVHM readers to pay more than necessary when looking into a new or different product line.
My Stag Arms test rifle went to work on several prairie dog towns from my bench rest, with devastating results ... for the dogs. Shooting a wide range of ammo, from Wolf steel-cased FMJ Russian fodder to high-end Black Hills 5.56 NATO with 55-grain V-Max bullets, the Stag just kept on clicking off the rounds and drilling sub-MOA holes. With a fixed AR stock and a Harris bipod, this rifle is a tack-driving prairie dog shooting system.
Sight selection for the Stag Arms rifle was the ranging Multi Dial Hi-Lux scope built by Leatherwood. At 3-9x40, it was adequate for getting bullets on grass rats, but I would upgrade to a higher magnification if I were about to turn to this variant in AR rifles for much of my varmint work. This rifle, even in 5.56 NATO, is still a hard-punching shooting tool well out to 500 yards when the guy or gal behind the stock knows what he or she is doing.
Before concluding my test of the Stag Arms rifle, I did mount a second scope on the Model 6, but this time it was the Nitrex Optics 6-20x50mm AO, a new brand from Federal/ATK. Now, with the increased magnification, I was able to punch tight holes in 500-yard plus targets with ease. The Nitrex is a big glass, designed just for long-range varmint work, and it fit the big bull-barreled Model 6 well. Getting it into the field again, prairie dogs were the primary target. Despite the winter conditions, there were hardy dogs basking in the cold but sunny conditions enough of the time to make for an interesting shooting session. During an additional day on government land farther north, jackrabbits were the targets of choice, and this shooting tended to put a nice cap on my field evaluation of the Stag Arms Model 6 Heavy Varmint rifle.
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