New Range Gun!! Sterling R18!!

[Sveinn84]

Yes, I have just over 1000 rounds through one pre-production test rifle and approximately 300 rounds through a spare. The spare was not needed, as the primary test rifle did not suffer any breakage, or even stoppages that weren't attributable to the magazine in use at the time. You can check out my 2-part review at the links below:

Part 1: https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...-1-Initial-Details-and-Pre-Firing-Impressions

Part 2: https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...-1-Initial-Details-and-Pre-Firing-Impressions

NOTE: The above rifle has been personalized by me for testing, and has items attached that differ from the basic R18. My changes/additions include the Muzzle Brake, VFG, Optic and Mount, Trigger, Ambi Mag Release, and Folding Butstock. The standard Muzzle Brake is quite effective, I just wanted to try this other one that I had kicking around my spares bin. The Folding Buttstock allows the use of a more compact Transport Case. The Optic and TriggerTech Trigger are there for accuracy testing.

Your post is what made me want one haha. Setup you have looks great.

 

[BioPace]

lovely

View attachment 553041

Beauty is in the eye of the be(er)holder

 

[hsatimmy]

So many bitter people trying to save a buck to hurt the business.

If you want more rifles coming in for other people, you gotta pay.

Remember when you could buy a norinco m305 for less than than $600? I don't recall the same comments from the commercial Springfield company making their rifles for $2k+

With covid adding double-digit percent to cost of literally everything, it doesnt seem unreasonable for the cost of a supposed AAA+ quality product.

They do not produce 100% of all parts in house so there is middle men and markup in play too. Shipping everything has skyrocketed.


People just have to be more realistic with the way money works in this country.


I have no skin in the game and likely will never own a 180-type I don't build myself over long term. Just calling it like I see it

 

[wolf300H&H]

Hmmm. Interested. Is it reliable ?

 

[ScorpionJ]

I've never owned any 180 variants. Never fired one. The variants out there today just don't do it for me aesthetically. I know... never judge a book by its cover. Although I appreciate manufacturers and designers keeping costs low to make it more affordable for the regular Joe, but for me, "you get what you paid for" sits well in the back of my mind. I'm willing to pay more for quality and reliability. Sure, the R18 is the rookie on the block, but from what I can tell from Bartoks review, this rifle is more quality than any of the other offerings. I'm willing to take the "plunge" on this rifle.

 

[.45automatic]

Yeah and those things are aligned with the shooters eye on a properly designed platform not the top of his skull dome.



But you sure do put in extra effort in peddling this cope gun for someone who's posturing to be a non-beneficiary party. Pathetic.

It's about the same height as a T97 with the Canadian made flat top upper and I've never had a problem with standard height sites. I don't mash my face on buttstocks though. I hate cheek risers.

 

[Jacobean]

Remember when you could buy a norinco m305 for less than than $600? I don't recall the same comments from the commercial Springfield company making their rifles for $2k+

Except there were lol the narrative was "Don't buy a Springfield. Buy an M305, dress it up, and have it perform as good for half the price." Not sure how involved in the M305 world you were, but general consensus was not to waste your money on an M1A.

To keep things in perspective; ATRS made a $3000 AR when we (as Canadian shooters) had $600 Norincos available and Rick managed to build a very strong and solid business. Various NR AR style rifles in Canada "pre-ban" still ran in the $1800-$2000 range.

Fair point, however the ATRS ARs produced were:

1. Completely bespoke to the purchasers requests on virtually every part, and
2. Considered high end AR rifles when compared to the rest of the market.

Comparing a domestically made 3k AR in 5.56 to a foreign mass produced $600 M305 in 308 compares two very different groups of shooters, albeit with some overlap. So if we want to compare apples to oranges, I got my C8 IUR in 2015 for just under $2k. Produced by a large company, which cut costs? Sure. Yet considered one of the greatest ARs made worldwide.

I'm empathetic to the times. As was mentioned, COVID and global supply chain logistics has thrown a financial wrench into everything. All said, things mightve been different had this come into the market in 2019, inflation excluded.

Has there ever been consideration to taking a page from ATRS' playbook and offering choices? a la barrels, grips, stocks, triggers, etc to create a catalogue of ordering options for people at different price points? Or would this be too labour intensive?

 

[Bartok5]

Hmmm. Interested. Is it reliable ?

Read the reviews - that's what they're for. To answer your question however, yes - my test rifle was very reliable.

 

[wolf300H&H]

Read the reviews - that's what they're for. To answer your question however, yes - my test rifle was very reliable.

Thanks bud. Yeah I have mainly but also working too much and tired. But that’s what I gathered. Cool.
Also I don’t understand the non reciprocal charging handle thing mentioned. How do you rack a shell then from mag or blah blah

Ahhh. Looked it up. Think I got it figured. Lol . Never thought of that stuff before really

 

[Ustauk]

Thanks bud. Yeah I have mainly but also working too much and tired. But that’s what I gathered. Cool.
Also I don’t understand the non reciprocal charging handle thing mentioned. How do you rack a shell then from mag or blah blah

It means you use the charging handle to actuate the bolt by hand, but the charging handle stays still and its track handle cover remain closed when the rifle is firing. It means the rifle is nicely sealed most of time, keeping grit and dust from getting into the rifle and killing the trigger mechanism or mucking up other parts. People have complained about the "pop-tart" slot the charging handle runs along on other designs being constantly exposed, and the RS18 added the non-reciprocating handle and slot cover as their answer to this complaint.

 

[wolf300H&H]

Wicked. Thanks.

Like an AR vs WK platforms ?

Is this R18 Rifle ? piston driven or direct ?

My piston on my WK has broken 2xs now , last at the last stage of a comp costing me huge ...... 4- 6 failure to engage and dropped my from a top contender for that match to like 13th.

 

[Bartok5]

Thanks bud. Yeah I have mainly but also working too much and tired. But that’s what I gathered. Cool.
Also I don’t understand the non reciprocal charging handle thing mentioned. How do you rack a shell then from mag or blah blah

Ahhh. Looked it up. Think I got it figured. Lol . Never thought of that stuff before really

Sorry if I came across as impatient - that wasn't my intention. I direct folks to my reviews because they tend to answer most questions that people have. I can certainly understand "too tired" though! I think that you will find that the R18 is very reliable.

 

[Ustauk]

Wicked. Thanks.

Like an AR vs WK platforms ?

Is this R18 Rifle ? piston driven or direct ?

My piston on my WK has broken 2xs now , last at the last stage of a comp costing me huge ...... 4- 6 failure to engage and dropped my from a top contender for that match to like 13th.

The RS18 is piston driven, but it uses a rifle length piston system that will reduce the stress on the system compared to the carbine length piston used on the other rifles, plus it sounds like the piston itself is more robust and much less likely to fail. The gas block on the final production model released in February will be adjustable, allowing you to tune the system down the force to properly cycle your preferred ammo and further reduce stress on the system. Plus the barrel will be dimpled to match an indexing projection on the gas block, to prevent it from rotating out of alignment. When thread locker is not used on the WK, the force of the overgassed carbine length system has been known to loosen the gas block and rotate the block out of alignment; the resulting torsion stress on WK's piston can cause it to snap over time.

Hopefully the RS18 will prove itself as a more dependable alternative to the 180s on the market, especially for those competing for funds in a competition. We will see.

 

[Sawakita]

Yes, I have just over 1000 rounds through one pre-production test rifle and approximately 300 rounds through a spare. The spare was not needed, as the primary test rifle did not suffer any breakage, or even stoppages that weren't attributable to the magazine in use at the time. You can check out my 2-part review at the links below:

Part 1: https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...-1-Initial-Details-and-Pre-Firing-Impressions

Part 2: https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/for...-1-Initial-Details-and-Pre-Firing-Impressions

NOTE: The above rifle has been personalized by me for testing, and has items attached that differ from the basic R18. My changes/additions include the Muzzle Brake, VFG, Optic and Mount, Trigger, Ambi Mag Release, and Folding Butstock. The standard Muzzle Brake is quite effective, I just wanted to try this other one that I had kicking around my spares bin. The Folding Buttstock allows the use of a more compact Transport Case. The Optic and TriggerTech Trigger are there for accuracy testing.

may i ask for what type of stock is it? Thanks

 

[Ustauk]

may i ask for what type of stock is it? Thanks

From Bartok5's review:

I have a “Safe Queen” SIG MCX which temporarily donated its Folding/Retractable Buttstock to the R18 Mk 2 just to see if it could be done and it was no problem.

The Shooting Edge has several 1913/Picatinny options to pair with RS18 available -> https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2212200-Midwest-Accessories-Just-in!-Picatinny-stock-adapters!!. Other options available in Canada can be found in this Black Rifle Subforum thread, https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2205137-1913-Style-Stocks-in-Canada .

 

[wolf300H&H]

Thanks so much for the answers guys.

Hmmm. Damn now I want one

Want kind of stocks do they take cause I finally found and put on a skeleton type straight / padded stock on the WK that just clicked in.

AR stuff or something different cause it looks different

 

[Sawakita]

From Bartok5's review:


The Shooting Edge has several 1913/Picatinny options to pair with RS18 available -> https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2212200-Midwest-Accessories-Just-in!-Picatinny-stock-adapters!!. Other options available in Canada can be found in this Black Rifle Subforum thread, https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/2205137-1913-Style-Stocks-in-Canada .

Thank you for the link. seems like those stocks are folding to left side. do you know any for folding to right side?

 

[Ustauk]

Thank you for the link. seems like those stocks are folding to left side. do you know any for folding to right side?

With the buffer tube folding adapters, you should be able to flip them upside down. Bartok5 ordered a Midwest Industries Side-Folding Extruded Buttstock from Brownell's, as he noted on the Black Rifle thread and the Shooting Edge carries their Picatinny Mounted Side Folder Light Weight Stock. The instructions to reverse that stocks are below:

 

[Bartok5]

Thank you for the link. seems like those stocks are folding to left side. do you know any for folding to right side?

I have my Midwest Industries Extruded Folding Stock reversed to fold Right because folding Left interfered with the Charging Handle. It is a 2-minute job to reverse the Stock. Note that it partially blocks the Ejection Port, which may cause spin-back stoppages if you try to fire the rifle 1980s style with the Buttstock folded. Otherwise, the Extruded Stock fits like it was made expressly for the R18 with a perfect 13" Length Of Pull.

 

[sharpsway]

Well, this is going to be my second firearm purchase of the year I think, once the Zhukov model is out. Going to have to start squirreling money away again I guess, but it should be a beauty for 3 Gun.