Sterling Arms International R18 Mk3 Part 1 Review - Specifications and Initial Impressions

A guy who has real world experience fighting with military firearms that helped drafting FRT documents for Mk.3, chosen as a tester who has physical sample of pre-production but also numerous other military grade firearm collection to compare Mk.3 to them that wrote paragraphs of review,

Vs.

Hearsay, he-said she-said naysayer who nitpicks or bring subjects that has nothing to do with firearm itself

Hmm...
 
Words are cheap. Till it shoots, it's a boat anchor. Even then... Crusader had their 1000rd test of the crypto and since then loads of folks are reporting issues with the mags. Shoot the snot out of it. Give it to other people, tell them to shoot the snot out of it.

I want to be a believer, but the proof will be in the puddin'.
 
A guy who has real world experience fighting with military firearms that helped drafting FRT documents for Mk.3, chosen as a tester who has physical sample of pre-production but also numerous other military grade firearm collection to compare Mk.3 to them that wrote paragraphs of review,

Vs.

Hearsay, he-said she-said naysayer who nitpicks or bring subjects that has nothing to do with firearm itself

Hmm...
Ah yes the non functional sample, military grade. Should start a poll on how long it takes to get an “in spec” bolt to make the gun function

Evaluated by military man, with military combat experience.
 
Ah yes the non functional sample, military grade. Should start a poll on how long it takes to get an “in spec” bolt to make the gun function

Evaluated by military man, with military combat experience.
It is functional, but Bartok and SAI chose not to fire since a) no point testing a rifle that's out of spec, b) what good is a review when the product is not as intended product? Who would drive a new car out the dealership when you got told it has issues without fixing it first?

Like I said previously, it's good thing SAI caught the issue and notified Bartok. Their QC works but they just sent the rifle so the hype train continues. Seems to work because it's burning hot with attention.
 
^ there qc doesn’t work. Who pays/hires/works with a company to machine, polish, coat/treat then test bolts that don’t meet the drawing dimensions and/or tolerances.

Don’t worry only a 4-6 week process=zero opportunity for for measuring anything.

It’s indicative of a company who doesn’t know how to subcontract parts, write a contract, vet contractors or do QC.

When SAI is assembling their “bespoke” rifles the time has long pased
 
Lol horrible analogy - lots of people drive lots of cars off dealerships with well documented problems. And many of them don't fix the things because dealerships charge an arm and a leg, and the parts are so horribly expensive they just limp through it anyway. That's way off track though.

Tech companies like AMD and Intel have been through the ringer lately for bad product releases, largely due to flawed products (Intel, mostly) and lots of hype that doesn't deliver (AMD). People are tired of lies. Sorry, misinformation. Doing this disenfranchises the very people you want to buy your stuff. If your product doesn't deliver on promises your marketing team made, or whether through bad design or bad performance estimates, the masses will hold off buying the product until something else comes along. Might be one product generation. Might be 2. Or they get tired of waiting and switch brands. Either way, you did it to yourself.

This gun might shoot unicorn farts at 800yds. Or it might light-strike every primer you give it. We don't actually know yet, beyond conjecture.

I respect Bartok for standing by his friend. Truly noble and respectful, I actually admire that. The issue comes from telling us it's a game changer when it isn't even here yet. Exactly the stuff that's happened to AMD with their latest launch. The interviews sounded amazing, the demos were huge, and the proposed performance increases were staggering. Launch and releases.... Yikes.

I won't go so far as to call it shilling, mostly because it really doesn't feel like it to me. Definitely not the greatest marketing ever, but hey, I screw up lots too. Who am I to judge?
 
It is functional, but Bartok and SAI chose not to fire since a) no point testing a rifle that's out of spec, b) what good is a review when the product is not as intended product? Who would drive a new car out the dealership when you got told it has issues without fixing it first?

Like I said previously, it's good thing SAI caught the issue and notified Bartok. Their QC works but they just sent the rifle so the hype train continues. Seems to work because it's burning hot with attention.
Iceman106, your comments are absolutely correct. I appreciate your reasonable perspective, which is refreshing amongst all of the recent negativity. I wouldn't waste your breath countering the ongoing trolling from the likes of M1008 however. He has yet to offer anything of value to the conversation. Putting him (and a few others) on ignore has cleaned up my version of the the thread nicely....
 
Lol horrible analogy - lots of people drive lots of cars off dealerships with well documented problems. And many of them don't fix the things because dealerships charge an arm and a leg, and the parts are so horribly expensive they just limp through it anyway. That's way off track though.

Tech companies like AMD and Intel have been through the ringer lately for bad product releases, largely due to flawed products (Intel, mostly) and lots of hype that doesn't deliver (AMD). People are tired of lies. Sorry, misinformation. Doing this disenfranchises the very people you want to buy your stuff. If your product doesn't deliver on promises your marketing team made, or whether through bad design or bad performance estimates, the masses will hold off buying the product until something else comes along. Might be one product generation. Might be 2. Or they get tired of waiting and switch brands. Either way, you did it to yourself.

This gun might shoot unicorn farts at 800yds. Or it might light-strike every primer you give it. We don't actually know yet, beyond conjecture.

I respect Bartok for standing by his friend. Truly noble and respectful, I actually admire that. The issue comes from telling us it's a game changer when it isn't even here yet. Exactly the stuff that's happened to AMD with their latest launch. The interviews sounded amazing, the demos were huge, and the proposed performance increases were staggering. Launch and releases.... Yikes.

I won't go so far as to call it shilling, mostly because it really doesn't feel like it to me. Definitely not the greatest marketing ever, but hey, I screw up lots too. Who am I to judge?
DRIVE the car is the operative word.
 
Canadian-made bolt is out of spec (why am I not surprised? this mishap falls right in line with all other various made in Canada 180-platform failures) and the rifle doesn't shoot. Ok, we can't conclude if that's a good rifle just yet because there's no data. But we also can't say that it's a bad rifle for the same reason! Why don't we all just chill for a couple weeks and wait until the data on accuracy and 1000-rds reliability is available in the Part 2 of the review?
 
Seeing as TSE is shutting down, I imagine that has a degree of impact on the timeline for these as well?
Now JR can funnel all the money he's refusing to refund people for memberships, store credits/ect into this R18 project.

So rip off your client base and declare bankruptcy, then take the capital you already extracted out of your business and put that into obtaining another product to sell to the same client base you previously ripped off!

JR Cox is morally bankrupt and his lapdogs on here are not much better, just look how Bartok attacks just about everyone who disagrees with anything he claims.

I'd love to see this firearm work out and come to Canada but god damn why must it be tainted by having such toxic people involved with it!
 
Seeing as TSE is shutting down, I imagine that has a degree of impact on the timeline for these as well?
No, SAI has nothing to do with TSE in terms of business relationships. Plans are in place to establish a small SAI retail space in Calgary for local sales of the R18 Mk3 in the absence of TSE. SAI facilities in Calgary for small-batch machining, QC, assembly and proof/test firing are already established thanks to the R18 Mk2. There should be no perceptible change to the timeline for sales of production rifles, which is dependant upon pre-production live fire testing results and supply chain eficiency (eg. potential Port of Vancouver strike). Still on track for late Nov/Dec, although things could slip to the right dependant upon testing, component availability. and component QC checks. There are a multitude of variables which could delay the launch of the Mk3, as SAI is determined that testing will not occur on the backs of customers.
 
Lol horrible analogy - lots of people drive lots of cars off dealerships with well documented problems. And many of them don't fix the things because dealerships charge an arm and a leg, and the parts are so horribly expensive they just limp through it anyway. That's way off track though.
... So if the dealership tells you there was a QC issue with your car (engine, transmission, whatever that's major part of), you would sign and accept the car to drive it, and conclude it's a ####ty car when you were very well notified of the issue and it's not the intended spec/quality of it?

You could just decline and get your money back OR wait until the part gets replaced. Then you can determine if the car is #### since the car is released by the factory's QC and spec.

They caught the defect, or out of spec, or whatever you want to call it and notified it advising not to fire it. If this was any other AR-180, chances are they would have let it go and hide it until somebody who knows one or two about AR bolt raises warranty issue.

Name a company who actually listened to us about what we wanted before they released a rifle or torture testing 2500~? rnds to each of 25 pre production rifles.

Oh yeah, and it's PRE production rifle. So the analogy SmackSB4 or I gave also isn't really accurate since It's not even released product. I'm sure you guys would know, they do testing batch(es) for low rate production to work out the production line before going high rate, mass production because you just don't know how things turn out until you actually start getting it out on the line. Again... they did caught the QC issue and Bartok has been notified. It's exactly how it should go. You know... like how prototypes are?

I've seen the Mk3 in person, handled it and seen the internals. Did I fire it? No, but I can tell the quality of visible parts is very close to what I had when I did some time in the Army(not that it means anything). But, I am staying neutral as I didn't get to see how the reliability and accuracy is, which is a rifle's ultimate deciding factor of value. Chances are, it probably is not going to be surpassing H&K, FN, BCM, KAC quality. It's the old $800, new ~$2000 MSRP. For a self loading rifle, that's the price for mid-low rifle. I still think it'll be closer to PSA quality, and I'd like to have Canadian PSA who tries to work things out under our current political climate and who communicates with us, not like some company who doesn't even answer calls or e-mails and go dark.

Negative attention or criticism is still a good thing but damn, isn't it getting a little petty? It's not even released or shot any rounds yet and it looks like people just WANT IT to be a piece of junk. Have some faith or patience you miserable people.

Screw this. I'm going hunting lol.
 
Last edited:
Shoot the gun then if it’s functional
Then I'm sure you won't mind donating to Bartok for the useless waste of ammo on out of spec rifle then? He's a volunteer after all, I'm sure you owe him that much if you want to talk ####. That would be an actual contribution to the review other than your speculations without the rifle or your infinite knowledge of manufacturing firearm parts and their QC?
 
It is functional, but Bartok and SAI chose not to fire since a) no point testing a rifle that's out of spec, b) what good is a review when the product is not as intended product? Who would drive a new car out the dealership when you got told it has issues without fixing it first?

Like I said previously, it's good thing SAI caught the issue and notified Bartok. Their QC works but they just sent the rifle so the hype train continues. Seems to work because it's burning hot with attention.
Sounds like a shareholder wrote this
 
Then I'm sure you won't mind donating to Bartok for the useless waste of ammo on out of spec rifle then? He's a volunteer after all, I'm sure you owe him that much if you want to talk ####. That would be an actual contribution to the review other than your speculations without the rifle or your infinite knowledge of manufacturing firearm parts and their QC?
Bartoks claims are pretty much all speculation as well, like claiming this is on par with Colt USA, DD and BCM while being out of spec aka not safe to fire.

Save us the silliness about him being a volunteer that we should donate towards, the guys a blatant shill for his best friend who is funding this rifle project with the money stolen from TSE members and customers.

Napoleon syndrome on top of having no sense of morals, what a guy to hold in such high regard.

Starting to see a trend developing here regarding who jumps in to defend select people and their actions….
 
TSE is dead, tits up... so what is happening with this gun?

seperate company I guess


https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/threads/goodbye-farewell-and-amen.2479595/#post-20394584
It seems TSE is dead but JR is opening up a new (smaller) location under a new name.

Im skeptical of the R18mk3 but hopefully everything still makes it to market. Curious to see some reviews after 2000~3000 mark. With my Mk2 I only started having issues after the 1500 round mark (on both uppers)
 
Back
Top Bottom