I just picked up a nice SL8-4 with TN G36 stock from a fellow CGN and having fired it today feel I should add my opinion to thousands already out there. I'll try and address the concerns people have already raised as well as my own.
Accuracy
This is a very accurate gun for the money. Its very rare to find a semi that will shoot MOA out of the box even in this price range. Today firing prone with the factory bipod I was able to consistantly get MOA groups and offhand hit clays at 100m with (and I do not tell a lie) 55gr Remington UMC. I am deffinately the limiting factor with this rifle and others will be more consistant then me.
I have not shot a better quality ammunition so I can only imagine it will keyhole with the preferred 64-77gr pills the rifle was designed for.
I have fired a lot of AR type rifles and there is no compairison for accuracy out of the box. I think you would invest a lot more then the sticker price of the SL8 to get an AR that compares. Just my not so humble opinion.
Comfort and Feel
I only fired the SL8 with the G36 stock so my milage may very from yours. Simply though this rifle is the BMW of .223 semi's. Recoil although its a light caliber was beautiful, there was no real muzzle rise and everything felt tight. I was able to shoot confidently every time.
I spent a good bit of time pouring over the thumbhole stock and I can understand why some people find it a bit akward. The thumbhole is the only real problem otherwise its fully adjustable and very solid. This gun comes from the factory with a precision stock.
The mag release is deffinatly nicer on its G36 brother but I found mag changes quick and easy. The mag seats firm every time and you have no doubt about whether its fully seated like you might with an AR. The only downside is the cost of full length G36 magazines here in Canada is a little steep.
The rifle is heavier then a carbine AR or vz58 but if you take into account the target stock and barrel it is a relatively light gun. Its much lighter then my n14 shorty and thats will a bipod attached on the SL8. If you want it lighter you could always get a G36 bbl and the weight on the end of the rifle would drop significantly. It is a little front heavy but that is to be expected. If you can't handle the weight then you need to meet KevinB at the gym.
The trigger is exactly what I want in a trigger, its short, crisp, light and very predictable. You just squeeze and go. The trigger is one my favorite part of this gun.
Optics and Sights
Firstly I lucked out with a rifle that came with the SL8-4 and SL8-5 optics rail so I got to play with both before firing. The factory irons and long rail are a bit rough so if you will be needing to save up for optics but still want to shoot the rifle they are an asset. The irons sit a bit high for my liking and if you want to mount a scope and the irons you're gonna need high rings and then comfort suffers. The front sight post is way too thick for a rifle that is built to shoot at longer ranges period. I didn't even bother to use the irons for this reason. Also they sit on top of the rail, if a rail existed that would allow the irons to sit lower I think I would be intersted in keeping them. If you can match an optic to the rifle right away then I would pass on the SL8-5. Just my not so humble opinion.
I picked up a Leupold 2-7x33 for the SL8 and can't say enough good things about it. Mounting is easy because of the factory rail. Simply this gun is made for optics. I'm sure so long as you choose a quality scope you won't be disipointed. I would like to see the factory rail have continuous slots so that you can mount the optic anywhere you want but thats just not in the cards. Either way there is plenty of mounting options with what you get.
Function
What a beautifully simple system. There are about half the moving parts you will find in an AR and you can tell that the engineers at HK thought this one out very well. Cleaning is a dream as everything is easy to get at and there is very little to clean.
The cocking handle is a bit out of the way but for us civillian users its good to go.
Cost
Its a fair deal for what you get. Plain and simple.
There are cheaper .223 semis out there but this is right in line with if not cheaper then a target AR. And you get unrestricted use.
Accessories
The rifle comes ready to shoot out of the box so if you just want to mount your optic and go then you will be happy. If you're like me and can't leave anything well enough alone then there are some very nice options out there for you. I'll cover what I have and you can decide for your self on the rest.
Mine came with the G36 lower and I find it very nice to shoot. I'm a big fan of pistol grips on rifles and the SL8 is no exception. If the G36 look is what you want then I encourage you to go that route. I believe there are 3 aftermarket options out there, two of which fold and one does not. The folders have a longer LOP which can be changed with the G36C stock but for me the standard length works fine. I added the cheek risers from the thumbhole stock and find it very comfortable to shoot.
The factory bipod is pricy but works like a dream. When deployed it has some swivel to it and there is deflection in the polymer legs so its very comfortable to shoot. When folded it tucks away nicely and offhand shooting is very comfortable. Its a nicely designed addition.
Conclusion
Its a great gun at a reasonable price. If you're unsure about purchasing one then worry no more and lay down your hard earned cash. My initial review is that you can't go wrong.
Here are some pics for those who can't go without.
Accuracy
This is a very accurate gun for the money. Its very rare to find a semi that will shoot MOA out of the box even in this price range. Today firing prone with the factory bipod I was able to consistantly get MOA groups and offhand hit clays at 100m with (and I do not tell a lie) 55gr Remington UMC. I am deffinately the limiting factor with this rifle and others will be more consistant then me.
I have not shot a better quality ammunition so I can only imagine it will keyhole with the preferred 64-77gr pills the rifle was designed for.
I have fired a lot of AR type rifles and there is no compairison for accuracy out of the box. I think you would invest a lot more then the sticker price of the SL8 to get an AR that compares. Just my not so humble opinion.
Comfort and Feel
I only fired the SL8 with the G36 stock so my milage may very from yours. Simply though this rifle is the BMW of .223 semi's. Recoil although its a light caliber was beautiful, there was no real muzzle rise and everything felt tight. I was able to shoot confidently every time.
I spent a good bit of time pouring over the thumbhole stock and I can understand why some people find it a bit akward. The thumbhole is the only real problem otherwise its fully adjustable and very solid. This gun comes from the factory with a precision stock.
The mag release is deffinatly nicer on its G36 brother but I found mag changes quick and easy. The mag seats firm every time and you have no doubt about whether its fully seated like you might with an AR. The only downside is the cost of full length G36 magazines here in Canada is a little steep.
The rifle is heavier then a carbine AR or vz58 but if you take into account the target stock and barrel it is a relatively light gun. Its much lighter then my n14 shorty and thats will a bipod attached on the SL8. If you want it lighter you could always get a G36 bbl and the weight on the end of the rifle would drop significantly. It is a little front heavy but that is to be expected. If you can't handle the weight then you need to meet KevinB at the gym.
The trigger is exactly what I want in a trigger, its short, crisp, light and very predictable. You just squeeze and go. The trigger is one my favorite part of this gun.
Optics and Sights
Firstly I lucked out with a rifle that came with the SL8-4 and SL8-5 optics rail so I got to play with both before firing. The factory irons and long rail are a bit rough so if you will be needing to save up for optics but still want to shoot the rifle they are an asset. The irons sit a bit high for my liking and if you want to mount a scope and the irons you're gonna need high rings and then comfort suffers. The front sight post is way too thick for a rifle that is built to shoot at longer ranges period. I didn't even bother to use the irons for this reason. Also they sit on top of the rail, if a rail existed that would allow the irons to sit lower I think I would be intersted in keeping them. If you can match an optic to the rifle right away then I would pass on the SL8-5. Just my not so humble opinion.
I picked up a Leupold 2-7x33 for the SL8 and can't say enough good things about it. Mounting is easy because of the factory rail. Simply this gun is made for optics. I'm sure so long as you choose a quality scope you won't be disipointed. I would like to see the factory rail have continuous slots so that you can mount the optic anywhere you want but thats just not in the cards. Either way there is plenty of mounting options with what you get.
Function
What a beautifully simple system. There are about half the moving parts you will find in an AR and you can tell that the engineers at HK thought this one out very well. Cleaning is a dream as everything is easy to get at and there is very little to clean.
The cocking handle is a bit out of the way but for us civillian users its good to go.
Cost
Its a fair deal for what you get. Plain and simple.
There are cheaper .223 semis out there but this is right in line with if not cheaper then a target AR. And you get unrestricted use.
Accessories
The rifle comes ready to shoot out of the box so if you just want to mount your optic and go then you will be happy. If you're like me and can't leave anything well enough alone then there are some very nice options out there for you. I'll cover what I have and you can decide for your self on the rest.
Mine came with the G36 lower and I find it very nice to shoot. I'm a big fan of pistol grips on rifles and the SL8 is no exception. If the G36 look is what you want then I encourage you to go that route. I believe there are 3 aftermarket options out there, two of which fold and one does not. The folders have a longer LOP which can be changed with the G36C stock but for me the standard length works fine. I added the cheek risers from the thumbhole stock and find it very comfortable to shoot.
The factory bipod is pricy but works like a dream. When deployed it has some swivel to it and there is deflection in the polymer legs so its very comfortable to shoot. When folded it tucks away nicely and offhand shooting is very comfortable. Its a nicely designed addition.
Conclusion
Its a great gun at a reasonable price. If you're unsure about purchasing one then worry no more and lay down your hard earned cash. My initial review is that you can't go wrong.
Here are some pics for those who can't go without.
