I have waited to see reviews on here and youtube to see how things progressed. As with anything, I never buy the latest, newest, greatest first run. I prefer to wait and let the gen. 1, gen. 2 etc. of anything to get the bugs out. I particularly watch all the reviews and updates that Bartok5 does on the firearms he has tried, as they are always well written, honest, and thoughtful, without B.S..
P.
Thanks for the kind words, OCanada! Very much appreciated. Here are my thoughts concerning NR, semi-auto, 5.56mm rifles in Canada.
Of the NR 5.56mm semi-automatic rifles currently manufactured in Canada, the LTAC Raven is IMHO, the best of the bunch. I am not particularly wed to the "Internal Piston" (so-called "Direct-Impingement") operating system, nor do I favour either Short-Stroke Piston" or "Long-Stroke Piston" operation. The Internal Piston designs such as the AR15 and the Raven have without question the softer recoil impulse. Piston operating systems tend to have a more abrupt mechanical type of operation, resulting in more pronounced recoil.
Aside from the recoil impulse, assuming that they are properly designed, one operating system is as good as the next. Each have their inherent advantages and disadvantages but at the end of the day any operating system will offer acceptable performance in terms of reliability, accuracy and durability. All of that in mind, as far as I'm concerned the Raven represents the best value for your money at the present time.
The Silver Raven with plain Magazine Well is my choice for a Right-handed firer (due to the lack of ambi controls). If ambi controls are required, go with the Platinum Raven. Insofar as options are concerned, I recommend paying Lockhart rather than the aftermarket 3d-printer operators. The Lockhart accessories are well-made with exacting machining and components which result in a perfet fit. Here are the options that I would include with my order:
- Top Charging Handle Gen 2
- Extended Take-Down Pins
- Side-Cocking Slot Cover
- Empty Casing Deflector
- Trigger Tech "Duty" Trigger
- Bolt Catch Assembly (for Silver Raven orders)
- Dust Cover (optional - user preference)
All other options, I would purchase on the open commercial market. That includes:
- upgraded MAGPUL Furniture with Vertical Fore-Grip
- MLOK Rails
- MLOK QD Sling Mounts
- Back-Up Iron Sights
- Muzzle Device
Hopefully this answers any questions that those in the market for a NR Canadian-made, 5.56mm semi-auto rifle may have. If there are questions or concerns, by all means feel free to PM me or ask in this thread and I will contribute what I can.
If you are looking at competing non-Canadian NR 5.56mm designs, there is the Kel-Tech RDB ($1500), the HK SL8 ($2400), the IMI Tavor ($2700), the SG 540 and 543 ($3500), the used Bushmaster ACR ($4500 depending on accessories), the B+T APC5 556 ($4700), or the HK G36 ($8K for a parts gun, $10K+ for a matching, proofed rifle). Some may recommend alternative Keltec rifles, however I do not recommend the SU16 or other designs besides the RDB due to their perceived fragility.
One potential wild-card is the forthcoming Sterling Arms International R18 Mk3. A hybrid with major components manufactured off-shore for cost-savings, assembled, proofed and QC-inspected in Canada, the R18 Mk3 appears to boast some very welcome new features. These include a Self-regulating, Carbine-length Gas System, Pinned and indexed Gas Block, Captive Bolt-Carrier/Guide Rod Assembly, and a one-piece, Ambi Bolt-Catch (among others). The final price-point has not yet been announced, but the R18 Mk3 will offer exciting value based on the offshore manufacture of its major components. The R18 is already the best of the AR180B derivative designs, so an improved design, selling for less money, ought to be a welcome development indeed! Stand-by as timelines are uncertain, but I should have a test rifle in-hand within a matter of weeks. This is perhaps the most interesting development I see coming down the pipe in the near term.
That's it, that's all I have at the present time for Canadians considering their first NR 5.56mm semi-auto rifle. Best of luck and above all, have fun!
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