USED WS-MCR or NEW SRV2,WK18,CYPTO

[Shin_Gunto]

As I wait for the R18 MK3 to come out.

I want to purchase a 5.56 rifle but am hesitant to pull the trigger. My thinking is either a used WS and then put some upgrades in it…… pick up one of the other Canadian offerings.

Thoughts? Is it worth it to go the WS-MCR route?

My 2 cents on having owned and run the following hard:

- The X95 and Bren are real battle rifles designed and produced to a military/LEO standard. If you can't own both, I would HIGHLY recommend the X95.

- Canadian cope rifles, are nothing more than that. I belive the Crypto is absolutely disqualified from considering on the mags alone, useless. Of the bunch, the Raven is the best, it's a legit NR rifle I will be keeping regardless of whether AR15's become restricted again. I belive the WK-180CZ Gen2 (Zhukov stock model) to be the best budget buy, if you are willing to put a little effort to dissememble the handguard screws & gas key and apply blue locktite, and get a 20cent rubber washer at Home Depot to snug up the lower and upper, its actually a really good budget NR modern rifle. The negative hype on these is hyperbolic to say the least. The WS-MCR is not worth considering given the other options if you are concerned with fit, finish and function.

 

[Kimo62]

My 2 cents on having owned and run the following hard:

- The X95 and Bren are real battle rifles designed and produced to a military/LEO standard. If you can't own both, I would HIGHLY recommend the X95.

- Canadian cope rifles, are nothing more than that. I belive the Crypto is absolutely disqualified from considering on the mags alone, useless. Of the bunch, the Raven is the best, it's a legit NR rifle I will be keeping regardless of whether AR15's become restricted again. I belive the WK-180CZ Gen2 (Zhukov stock model) to be the best budget buy, if you are willing to put a little effort to dissememble the handguard screws & gas key and apply blue locktite, and get a 20cent rubber washer at Home Depot to snug up the lower and upper, its actually a really good budget NR modern rifle. The negative hype on these is hyperbolic to say the least. The WS-MCR is not worth considering given the other options if you are concerned with fit, finish and function.

Thanks for the input Shin_Gunto,
I actually went with B&T APC223 NR.
Bren wasn’t on the list because there is no NR offering (Although I heard one is coming in the new year). I considered the X95 based on all the great feedback but it just doesn’t fit my eye right now. Plus Im a lefty so I’d have to do other work (left handed bolt) but it’s still on my radar.

I still want Canadian content in my Safe so…. The search continues.
Hopefully the WK180 gen 3 has worked out the kinks and/or the SA R18 is the real deal.

 

[Shin_Gunto]

Thanks for the input Shin_Gunto,
I actually went with B&T APC223 NR.
Bren wasn’t on the list because there is no NR offering (Although I heard one is coming in the new year). I considered the X95 based on all the great feedback but it just doesn’t fit my eye right now. Plus Im a lefty so I’d have to do other work (left handed bolt) but it’s still on my radar.

I still want Canadian content in my Safe so…. The search continues.
Hopefully the WK180 gen 3 has worked out the kinks and/or the SA R18 is the real deal.

B&T is a great purchase, sick build quality.

 

[Hoppka47]

My 2 cents on having owned and run the following hard:

- The X95 and Bren are real battle rifles designed and produced to a military/LEO standard. If you can't own both, I would HIGHLY recommend the X95.

- Canadian cope rifles, are nothing more than that. I belive the Crypto is absolutely disqualified from considering on the mags alone, useless. Of the bunch, the Raven is the best, it's a legit NR rifle I will be keeping regardless of whether AR15's become restricted again. I belive the WK-180CZ Gen2 (Zhukov stock model) to be the best budget buy, if you are willing to put a little effort to dissememble the handguard screws & gas key and apply blue locktite, and get a 20cent rubber washer at Home Depot to snug up the lower and upper, its actually a really good budget NR modern rifle. The negative hype on these is hyperbolic to say the least. The WS-MCR is not worth considering given the other options if you are concerned with fit, finish and function.

coming from experience i wouldnt say the crypto mags are useless; other than some ammo falling out the bottom due to recoil they feed more reliabily then most 180’s can function

they also may be the only legal mags to use on all semi autos in short time.

milspec parts while not the best money can buy are quality and can outlast the rifles barrel

 

[leadpellet]

A recently produced SU16 with an upgraded upper would be a nice budget shooter to get some 556 trigger time while waiting for the R18 MK3.

 

[CobraGT]

My 2 cents on having owned and run the following hard:

- The X95 and Bren are real battle rifles designed and produced to a military/LEO standard. If you can't own both, I would HIGHLY recommend the X95.

- Canadian cope rifles, are nothing more than that. I believe the Crypto is absolutely disqualified from considering on the mags alone, useless.

Given that the magwell can be filed down to accept STANAG mags, without violating any laws, I think building a rifle with quality AR15 parts on a Crypto receiver set is by far the most cost-effective option among the questionable-quality Canadian 'cope guns'. No way I'd buy a pre-built Crypto rifle though.

That being said, I'm with you... I'd take a Bren2 or X95 in a second even over building a Crypto.

Raven, Siberian, WK180, WS-MCR... having owned most of the Canadian-manufactured 'cope guns' at one time or another to check them out, no way I'd personally consider any of them a 'serious' rifle.

 

[rugbydave]

Given that the magwell can be filed down to accept STANAG mags, without violating any laws, I think building a rifle with quality AR15 parts on a Crypto receiver set is by far the most cost-effective option among the questionable-quality Canadian 'cope guns'. No way I'd buy a pre-built Crypto rifle though.

That being said, I'm with you... I'd take a Bren2 or X95 in a second even over building a Crypto.

Raven, Siberian, WK180, WS-MCR... having owned most of the Canadian-manufactured 'cope guns' at one time or another to check them out, no way I'd personally consider any of them a 'serious' rifle.

Very much agree. A Crypto build is probably your best bet if looking to put together something that scratches the AR itch and has the potential to be an accurate/precise system. How reliable they will turn out to be, no one knows but as long as CA haven't effed up the receiver set (here's hoping?) then a build with quality parts should run well.

A Bren 2 or X95 if you want a battle-tested/proven rifle.

The Canadian rifles are mostly suitable for range/fun use but so far none of them are "serious" rifles.

 

[infidel29]

So, speaking as someone who has no experience with any of these 5.56 semi rifles, including the AR platform, what's the difference/criteria for a rifle to go from fun range toy to a serious battle tested rifle?

I'm used to rough machining, loose-fitting components for reliability and poor finish. Ie: SKS and vz 58 type guns.

 

[Kimo62]

Very much agree. A Crypto build is probably your best bet if looking to put together something that scratches the AR itch and has the potential to be an accurate/precise system. How reliable they will turn out to be, no one knows but as long as CA haven't effed up the receiver set (here's hoping?) then a build with quality parts should run well.

A Bren 2 or X95 if you want a battle-tested/proven rifle.

The Canadian rifles are mostly suitable for range/fun use but so far none of them are "serious" rifles.

I ended up with an APC223 NR and hopefully will be getting an R18 MK3 whenever they release it. I'd like some reliable Canadian content in the safe.

 

[rugbydave]

So, speaking as someone who has no experience with any of these 5.56 semi rifles, including the AR platform, what's the difference/criteria for a rifle to go from fun range toy to a serious battle tested rifle?

I'm used to rough machining, loose-fitting components for reliability and poor finish. Ie: SKS and vz 58 type guns.

The big difference is that battle-tested rifles have not only gone through very rigorous and extensive testing pre-adoption (like 10s of thousands of rounds) but they've also been tested in combat and have generally had whatever issues that popped up under hard use (that weren't caught in pre-adoption testing) addressed and remedied.

None of the Canadian companies put in the same kind of R&D time before releasing their rifles to the public and end up using the public as beta testers. It's hard to fault them for doing so in that I don't imagine many of them have the capital to really extensively test the rifles pre-release, especially seeing as they could be capriciously banned as soon as they are released. Regardless, it's less than ideal as an end user, hence the general lack of desire of most to be early adopters.