Daniel Defense M4A1 Mil-Spec+

Daniel Defense M4A1: https://danieldefense.com/M4A1
Buy now at GunsAmerica: http://www.gunsamerica.com/M4A1
The Daniel Defense rifles have been out in the field, slowly building up the company’s reputation. Their take on the ubiquitous black rifle is seen by many as the benchmark for legitimate quality and value. Their M4A1 is no exception. Designed from the ground up with mil-spec components, the M4A1 is solid. The newest version, the M4A1 Mil-Spec+, has been coated in the new Daniel Defense Mil Spec+ Cerakote, which puts the finish well above military specifications.
Before we go any further, I’d like to comment on this industry’s love affair with military-specifications.” MIL-SPEC. Mil-Spec. MIL-STD. MilSpecs. The new Daniel Defense Cerakote paint job has been named Mil-Spec+. Occasionally, you’ll see something referenced as mil-spec, and it is a bad thing (usually a trigger). It is likely to get a bit confusing. What makes a rifle meet the military’s specifications? Is it an expected performance level? Is it s a budgetary concern that governs contract fulfillment? When it comes to Daniel Defense, the term is used in at least two distinct ways. Many of the M4A1’s rock solid components are listed as Mil-Spec (meaning meeting the standards of service rifles). And then you’ll see Mil-Spec+ paired with Cerakote, the name of the gun’s new finish.

Features

• LOWER RECEIVER: Mil-Spec with Enhanced Flared Magazine Well and Rear Receiver QD Swivel Attachment Point. CNC Machined of 7075-T6 Aluminum, Type III Hard Coat Anodized
• UPPER RECEIVER: Mil-Spec with Indexing Marks and M4 Feed Ramps. CNC Machined of 7075-T6 Aluminum, Type III Hard Coat Anodized
• BARREL: Chrome Moly Vanadium Steel, Cold Hammer Forged, 1:7 twist, 14.5″ M4 Profile, Chrome Lined, MP tested, and Mil-Spec Heavy Phosphate Coated
• GAS SYSTEM: Pinned Low Profile Gas Block CNC Machined of 4140 hardened steel with Mil-Spec Heavy Phosphate Coating, Carbine Length, Direct Impingement
• MUZZLE DEVICE: Pinned and Welded Daniel Defense Flash Suppressor, Extended, 17-4 PH Stainless Steel, Salt Bath Nitride Finished
• BOLT CARRIER GROUP: M16 Profile, Mil-Spec MP Tested, Chrome Lined, Properly Staked Gas Key
• HANDGUARD: Daniel Defense M4A1 Rail Interface System (RIS) II, CNC Machined of 6061-T6 Aluminum
• RECEIVER EXTENSION: 6 Position Mil-Spec 7075-T6 Aluminum
• BUTTSTOCK: Daniel Defense Buttstock, Glass Filled Polymer with Soft Touch Overmolding
• PISTOL GRIP: Daniel Defense Pistol Grip, Glass Filled Polymer with Soft Touch Overmolding
• RAIL PANELS: Daniel Defense Rail Panels made from Santoprene, heat resistant to 300° F.
• FINISH: Daniel Defense Mil Spec+ Cerakote
• Made in the USA!

Design

The M4A1 is a rifle that is as small as legal restrictions allow and as light as functionally possible. The gun features a M4 profile 14.5 inch cold hammer forged barrel with an elongated A2 style pinned flash hider. The gun comes in weighing 6.7 pounds empty, but settles down around 8 pounds loaded. Beyond its mild weight and short overall length of 31.5 inches, the M4A1 has some other tricks up its sleeve that are anything but standard on your typical carbine.

• The free floated RIS II Quad-Rail that is SOCOM approved and was adopted by the SOPMOD II program.
• The flared magwell is cut into the 7075-T6 aluminum lower receiver.
• The M16 profile bolt carrier has a staked gas key.
• The M4 style cut and polished feed ramps.

The stock is light, but substantial. And it has the Santoprene overmolding and QD sling mounts.

All of these features make this rifle into an optimal and reliable tool. They’re subtle enhancements, though, and this rifle isn’t subtle. The first thing that you will notice when you see the new rifle is its beautifully rugged paint job. The M4A1 is coated from head to toe the Mil-Spec + Dark Earth Cerakote. This ceramic finish is tougher than nails. It improves abrasion resistance, impact resistance, and is corrosion resistant. The color is an added bonus, really, and is a very dark tan.
The rifles also come with Daniel Defense furniture, which is so much better than Mil-Spec. The grip is easy on the hand and the stock is easy on the face. While we’re throwing around the Mil-Spec term, we should talk about the trigger. The Daniel Defense trigger is solid. There are much better options available on the market, but this is a great place to start. It breaks right at 6 pounds. There is a minimal amount of creep. The reset is fast. Mil-Spec, when we’re referring to triggers, is typically a bad thing. But in this case, the stock trigger is actually a cut above what most would expect from a Mil-Spec trigger. You could go a long time with this trigger and never feel like you are settling for second best.

Shooting the M4A1

In addition to the work I did for this review, I’ve used the M4A1 for a number of different projects. To date, I’ve got close to 2,000 rounds through it. Out of all the rounds fired during the (rather long) evaluation period, I didn’t experience one single issue. I haven’t been cleaning obsessively, I haven’t added any lubrication, and no special ammunition was used. I ran the gun in blistering heat, freezing rain, and mud as deep as my ankles and it chugged along. I’d expect nothing less from a gun with the Mil-Spec philosophy.

The accuracy you can achieve with the M4A1 is much better than you’d expect from anything Mil-Spec.

In the stock configuration (less all of my tactical doodads) the rifle is balanced well. If anything, it is a little on the light side up front. The gun draws on to target with ease, popping up from low ready with speed and precision. The 14.5-inch barrel swings left and right with little to no effort. Engaging multiple targets is easily mastered and becomes more of a game than a work out.
Accuracy of the M4A1 is somewhat staggering. Outfitted with a Nightforce 2.5-10×32 scope, I was able to repeatedly make sub moa groups at 100 meters. With a Primary Arms Micro Dot on top, I was able to produce a 5 shot group from 100 meters that was less than 3.5 inches. Before you start saying “well big whoop plenty of rifles are able to shoot groups like this,” let me add that the M4A1 ships with a “Mil-Spec” trigger, and the Micro Dot has a 3 moa dot. Let that sink in a bit… As far as accuracy goes the M4A1 is a rock star!
http://nightforceoptics.com/nxs/2-5-10×32
http://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_Micro_Dot_With_Removable_Base_p/md-06.htm

The Nightforce XXX.

The reticle of the Nightforce on a silhouette at 100 yards.

Ergonomics

The M4A1 is a rifle built with ergonomics in mind. Starting at the front, the rifle is equipped with a full-length free-float handguard. Low profile and deburred, the quad rail gives you optimal space for mounting whatever grips, lights, or tactical crap you see fitting. For the minimalist, the gun also comes with three rail panels that add texture to the front and make that high C grip just a bit more comfortable.

The pinned and welded muzzle device will prevent you from attaching a supressor, but it keep the overall length down. And it can be replaced.

The receiver offers a flared magwell, and a QD attachment point at the rear. Other than those two features, this guns has those standard Ar-15 ergonomics we are all so accustomed to. The gun doesn’t offer any ambidextrous controls, nor does it have any fancy 45-degree safety levers. Do you really needs them anyhow? If you do, you have your first stepping off point for customization.

The Standing Question

Is the M4A1 Mil-Spec + worth it? The MSRP on the M4A1 Mil-Spec+ is $1,949. Without the Mil-Spec+ finish, the gun comes in at $1,819.
Most AR afficiandos buy multiple guns, adding on pieces incrementally, in search of the perfect combination of parts. The irony is that most of us end up buying rifles that are clearly not what we want. Most carbines feel like they were built on an assembly line where random plastic placeholders were fitted onto a receiver. We start stripping them and replacing pieces until we end up with something that really works. Yet, by the time we get one rifle really finished, we’ve found something else that we want more and we start all over.

One of the benefits of the compact package is that it breaks down into manageable parts that are very easy to conceal.

So is the M4A1 Mil-Spec+ worth it? If you are only going to own one AR-15, this could be it! This rifle is a home wrecker. The M4A1 Mil-Spec + is one rifle that could convince you that is okay to ditch your other AR’s.  It is certainly a cohesive package that feels intentionally designed.
In all honesty, I think it is worth the price. With this kind of unfailing reliability, and the inherent abilities of the gun itself, why not? And you get the benefit of the Cerakote, too. I’ve seen a lot less being sold for a lot more. Just sayin’.
Daniel Defense M4A1: https://danieldefense.com/M4A1
Buy now at GunsAmerica: http://www.gunsamerica.com/M4A1

If you are looking for a rifle that is ready, right out of the box, the M4A1 isn’t going to disappoint.

Groups with the Primary Arms Micro Dot are surprisingly tight.

The Nightforce brings out the best in the M4A1. Sub MOA from a 14.5″ barrel.

The M4A1 doesn’t come with iron sights, but Daniel Defense’s fixed sights are a great option.

Field Cameras Catch Deer Eating Birds

Deer aren't the slim, graceful vegans we thought they were. Scientists using field cameras have caught deer preying on nestling song birds. And it's not just deer. Herbivores the world over may be supplementing their diets.

When researchers in North Dakota set up "nest cams" over the nests of song birds, they expected to see a lot of nestlings and eggs get taken by ground squirrels, foxes, and badgers. Squirrels hit thirteen nests, but other meat-eaters made a poor showing. Foxes and weasels only took one nest each. Know what fearsome animal out-did either of those two sleek, resourceful predators?

White-tailed deer.

These supposed herbivores placidly ate living nestlings right out of the nest. And if you're thinking that it must be a mistake, that the deer were chewing their way through some vegetation and happened to get a mouthful of bird, think again. Up in Canada, a group of ornithologists were studying adult birds. In order to examine them closely, the researchers used "mist-nets." These nets, usually draped between trees, are designed to trap birds or bats gently so they could be collected, studied, and released. When a herd of deer came by, they deer walked up to the struggling birds and ate them alive, right out of the nets.

This behavior is not limited to one species or one continent. Last year, a farmer in India made a video of a cow eating a recently-hatched chick. Some scientists speculate that herbivores turn to meat when they're not getting enough nutrients in their diet. It's possible. A biologist in Scotland documented red deer eating seabird chicks, and concluded it was how they got the dietary boost necessary to grow their antlers. The same researcher also documented sheep eating the heads and legs off of seabird chicks. And then there's another cow in India, which reportedly ate fifty chickens. There may be a specific need that drives herbivores to occasionally eat meat. It's also possible, experts say, that eating meat, when it can't run away from them, is just something supposed "herbivores" do, and we're finally getting wise to it.

The famous line from The Simpsons might be accurate - If a cow ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you ever cared about.

Image: Craig Lewis; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters

[Sources: Herbivores Busted Preying on Birds Nests, Scottish Deer are Culprits in Bird Killings.]

Top 5 Popular but Non-Optimal Guns for SHTF Scenario

Rick Grimes loves his trusty Colt Python. But I’m not so sure It’s the perfect gun to get the job done. (Photo: AMC)

I love list articles. They’re typically brief, somewhat informative and always a good conversation starter. Yet, I feel that they’re a little binary in their approach in that they always seem to skew toward what is the best, most useful firearm for a certain application or what is the worst, most useless firearm for a certain application. Rarely, if ever, do list articles generated by the firearms community focus on firearms that are somewhat in between, meaning firearms that would be able to get the job done but would be less than optimal.
It’s in this vein that I’m revealing my most popular but also non-ideal guns for a sh*t hits the fan scenario. So, below is a list of five. As always, feel free criticize, commend or contribute to the list.
Revolver: Sorry Rick Grimes (of The Walking Dead), but if all hell breaks loose I’d prefer not to have a Colt Python or insert your favorite revolver. Yes, wheel guns are cool, durable and they’ll almost certainly take down an undead brain eater. However, they’re also heavy, bulky (to a degree, depending on barrel length) and are typically limited to six rounds. Plus, reloading a wheel gun without the help of a speedloader takes fine motor movement and time, two luxuries one may not have when confronting marauding hordes.
1911: I know, John Moses Browning is rolling over in his grave. Hear me out, though. Like my beef with revolvers, my beef with the 1911 is (a) its limited capacity 7+1 or 8+1 and (b) its weight relative to polymer pistols. It’s not a huge difference, but it’s not negligible either and might be even more noticeable if you’re constantly on the move. I guess you can get a polymer 1911, but still you’re stuck with a limited capacity sidearm.
M1 Garand: Battle tested? Yes. Iconic? Yes. A Classic? Certainly. Ideal for the end times? Not really. Why? One word: clips! Clips are outdated. Magazines are easier to load, safer to load (no Garand thumb) and more widely available. Of course, there’s also the issue of modern amenities (silencers, certain optics, lights, etc.) that just won’t affix neatly to an M1.

Joe Biden’s lessons on self-defense are about as good as OJ Simpson’s marital advice. Either one is likely to get you or someone you love killed. (NBC: News)

50 Cal: Plinking zombies from over a mile away with a Barrett model 82A1 would be a lot of fun, don’t get me wrong. But where on God’s green earth I’m I going to get the ammo to feed this beast? As it stands right now, .50 cal ammo is prohibitively expensive. Assuming that during the apocalypse it becomes even more scarce and hard to come by, what then? What will it cost to get more ammo?
Double-Barreled Shotgun: Despite what vice president Joe Biden tells you, firing two blasts from a double-barreled shotgun into the air is not going to scare away dystopian predators. On the contrary, it’ll likely give away your position and invite more trouble. Not good. If you’re going to carry a scattergun, go with a pump-action or semi-auto. While they don’t have the vice presidential endorsement, they do have more versatility and can carry more rounds.
Conclusion
By now you’ve probably picked up on one of the major themes of this piece, which is mainly that when the stuff hits the fan I want a gun that is light, easy to maneuver, durable, somewhat ubiquitous — so parts, ammo and accessories are easy to find — and that is capable of holding (or accepting a magazine with) a high number of rounds.
What comes to mind? For me, it’s two specific firearms: The AK-47 and the Glock 19. Those are the gold standard for zombie guns, in my humble opinion.

YIKES! Did A Nuke Just Go Off In Ukraine?! Breaking Footage Of MASSIVE Explosion In Donetsk!

NUCLER BOMB? CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Pay $1 Shipping for FREE RadSticker Dosimeter (limit 1,000)
http://www.ki4u.com/products1.php#100
This 33 second video from Febuary 8th never made the national news, not even Drudge, despite that fact that it has over 3,000,000 plays on Youtube. Alex Jones aka Bill Hicks) even played information gatekeeper on it by changing the story from the original “breaking” story of a nuke, to later explaining that it was a chemical plant. What do you think it was? But the bigger question is, why wasn’t it injected into the 24 hour news cycle for the talking heads to speculate on for at least a day? Could it be that the powers that be decided it wasn’t the time for the next nuclear fear porn? Why would they do that? Is it because that the real “black swan” event scheduled to trigger WWIII is set to be nukes?
Since President Clinton defunded the US Civil Defense program in the late 90s, Shane Connor at KI4U.com has been one of very few in the “survivalist” corner preaching that nuclear war is survivable, and that it is probably coming to the US at some point. His now famous article “The Good News About Nuclear Destruction” and the companion “What To Do if a Nuclear Disaster is Imminent” are absolute must reads, and if you didn’t read our article “Catastrophic Radiation Events & How to Survive,” we cover Shane’s CDV meter reconditioning service, and explain the basics of bigtime radiation, including having some absolutely essential Potassium Iodide on hand.
The problem with this whole subject of nuclear holocaust is that unless something happens, nobody seems to be all that interested. Our radiation articles here have been among the least clicked of the Prepping 101 series, but in many ways it is the most important. Because with the exception of intentional famines like the one that killed 30,000,000 people (coincidentally in Ukraine), even in times of war and collapse, people generally have been able to survive with what is left of the original infrastructure. Nuclear weapons, however, have been used in war already, and if you believe the video above, are potentially being used right now.
To garner awareness of his principles (ie. survival in a nuclear conflict), Shane has decided to give away at least 1,000 of his free “RadStickers” and charge you only $1 in shipping, which I doubt even covers the envelope and stamp. RadStickers usually sell for $5 each, and we have included below several links to retailers to buy them directly. The RadStickers are the modern equivalent of the original CDV dosimeters, but they haven’t sat around in storage for 50 years. I am unaware of any competing product, and if anything, the ability to buy them so cheap explains the passion that Shane has had to protect the American people from the effects of what is probably an inevitable nuclear conflict. We have covered the work of Joel Skousen in the past regarding this subject. This video from Ukraine, clearly shot on purpose by someone told to direct his camera in that direction at a given time, possibly accelerates Joel’s timetable.
Radiation has no smell, makes no noise, and you can’t see it. Low level radiation meters like we covered in this series blank out at nuclear bomb levels. Without some warning that radiation has reached you, any human body in the zone will suffer a slow and painful withering death. If you are an “early reader” of the digest, get your free RadSticker right away, and if you missed it, buy some for heavens sake! The only downside to these stickers as opposed to the CDV dosimeters is that you can’t reset them. They are linear, so until normal background radiation renders them useless, the scale is the scale, and if it all of a sudden speeds up you know you are in trouble. Read up on our prior article as well as we covered the CDV dosimeters in detail.
Shane does not sell RadStickers or his other low cost products directly anymore from KI4U.com after the circus following Fukushima, (a small meltdown of a small nuclear power plant on the other side of the world). If you have any doubt that “ten years too early is better than one day late” when it comes to radiation, check out what Shane had to say when I asked him why he only sells his $750 NukeAlert meter (which we hope to review soon), and another big ticket called “The Package” at $815 (which includes some Potassium Iodide, books on nuclear survival, CDV meter, keychain NukeAlert, CDV dosimeters with charger and other stuff). Quote:
At the height of Fukushima we had 20 orders per minute coming in here,
we shut it off at about 8,500 orders to focus solely from then on to only
packing & shipping. We removed our order submit button and listed then
all our dealers to go buy our remaining stock from whom we’d shipped it
all to, other than what we needed to fulfill orders already here. That whole
episode about killed us as we sold over 6 million doses of KI and tens of
thousands NukAlerts, RADStickers, etc. We’d unplugged our phones for
a week and brought in 20 more people to help with our packing & shipping
and still had people driving from all over Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana
and lining up outside our door 24 hours/day to buy direct. The cars were
lined up the road, it was crazy. And, we are not a retail store, we don’t even
have a sign on the building, but they found us.
So if you want to go buy some RadStickers or other stuff, here are links to the retailers that seem to carry most of Shane’s stuff:
Shepherd Survival:
http://www.shepherdsurvival.com/nuclear-radiation-survival/
Ush2:
http://www.ush2.com/potassium_iodide_radiation_tools.htm
Alerts USA:
http://www.alertsusa.com/products.html
Advanced Mart:
http://store.advancedmart.com/nupr.html
CalQuake:
http://www.calquakeinlandempire.com/

ProMag’s Benelli Mods on the Cheap–Review

The Benelli M4 is a shotgun I respect and trust. And I’ve been working with the diehard scattergun a lot, lately. Today I’m back with another overhaul that addresses what almost everyone acknowledges as one the gun’s biggest shortcomings.
I’ve already addressed the undersized controls and limited capacity. Now it is time to give this workhorse the final touch in the transformation: that old fixed stock has to go. I’ve already tested one of the leading aftermarket stocks sets, the ATI Raven. Today, though, we’re looking at the underdog.
ProMag is a company we are all familiar with; they’ve been making aftermarket extras for years. One such offering is their furniture package for the Benelli M4: a pistol grip, a railed forend, and a nearly identical copy of the Benelli collapsible stock. The ProMag furniture seemed to be too good to be true. It retails at MidwayUSA for $125, a note worthy $125 less than the going rate of a NOS M4 stock and it gives you the forend as a bonus.

Padding and sling positions.

Construction is more than adequate. The parts look just as good as the competition. Comprised of aluminum and glass filled impact resistant polymer, the stock is tough, and just as strong as the original Benelli furniture. The only noticeable difference on the furniture is the addition of polymer rail sections on the forend and a ProMag stamp on the heel of the pistol grip.
In use, the furniture adds utility to the firearm giving the forend mounting surfaces to accommodate lights, lasers, and vertical grips. The pistol grip and butt stock add comfort, and are adjustable, which allows the user the option of varied lengths of pull. When the gun is in storage, the stock collapses away, shortening up the overall length by nearly 6 inches. It is still fully functional and quick into action. The 3-position stock is compact enough for those wearing plate carriers.
The Benelli M4 is a platform that is formidable in its stock configuration. Adding a simple upgrade like the Pro Mag furniture set makes the gun even better. And the price of the ProMag stock makes this the single best Benelli mod available.

The adjustable stock has three positions.

The ProMag logo on the back of the butt pad.

Extended, the stock increases the length of pull to 14.5 inches.

The railed forend is easy to grip, for sure.

With the ProMag forend, extras can be added at 3, 6, and 9.

The rails are polymer. Not as strong as aluminum, but substantial enough for lights and lasers.

The cheek piece on the ProMag is low enough for the use of the iron sights.

While it doesn’t make the gun much more compact, the stock does allow for a more custom fit.

1,000 Yards from a $500 Rifle–Ruger’s American Predator

The Ruger American Predator:
http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRiflePredator/models.html

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I really despise gun writers that have no problem selling their soul to whatever company sends them a gun or product to review. I will not ever be that guy. With that being said go ahead and get prepared for a review of the Ruger American Rifle Predator edition that will make it sound like my soul was bought and paid for.

When I began this review, Ruger had asked me what caliber I wanted the Predator in and I almost went with .308, but a friend suggested that I give 6.5 Creedmoor a chance. I am glad I chose the 6.5. I’ve now fallen in love with the cartridge and the reason will become more clear the article progresses.
When I unboxed the Predator, I found a skinny little tapered barrel, a light composite stock, and a surprisingly smooth action. I say surprising because there was really nothing remarkable about the rifle other than the action. Admittedly, I did not have high expectations for the predator. It is a deceptively modest gun.

The American Rifle is known for its modest appearance and solid performance.

Specs:

Stock: Moss Green Composite
Capacity: 4
Material: Alloy Steel
Finish: Matte Black
Barrel Length: 22.00″
Overall Length: 42.00″
Thread Pattern: 5/8″-24
Weight: 6.62 lbs.
Twist:     1:8″ RH
Grooves: 6
Length of Pull: 13.75″
Sights: None-Scope Rail Installed
Suggested Retail: $499.00
A few features make the Ruger American Rifle Predator an exceptional rifle. Likely the most important in terms of accuracy is the tapered cold hammer forged barrel. The process allows for precise rifling, which aids accuracy. The barrel on the predator also comes threaded for a suppressor. The 6.5 Creedmoor is threaded at 5/8”-24.

There’s nothing pretentious about this gun. That doesn’t limit its capabilities.

The barrel is also free floated using Ruger’s Power Bedding that positively locates the receiver, thus increasing accuracy. As with other variations of the American Rifle, the Predator uses the Ruger rotary magazine for smooth feeding and a flush fit to the stock.
The stock is ergonomic and lightweight.   That flimsy feeling that I noticed at unboxing had no noticeable negative effect during my time shooting the predator. The stock, weight and ergonomic design aids in the overall design of the rifle making it comfortable to shoulder for long periods of time in various shooting positions.
To add a little awesomeness to the rifle that comes threaded for a suppressor, I attached a Harvester from Silencerco. The Harvester is a very impressive suppressor as it manages to be an affordable, lightweight, and effective.
I had a Leopold Mark AR optic in on T&E–an optic designed for a completely different platform; despite that, I mounted it on the Predator and zeroed at 100 yards.

100 yards, top group is one 4 shot group from bipod. Bottom group is 2 shot group after sight adjustment.

I was immediately getting sub MOA groups and quickly had the rifle dialed in. While the groups were better than I expected, what impressed me the most was the trigger. The Ruger Marksman Adjustable trigger is a fine trigger that feels much better than one would expect in a rifle in this price range.

On The Range

I had about 500 yards to play with, and a series of 5” plates hanging at the base of the berm. I had about 30 rounds of Hornady left, so I decided to get the barrel hot and see if would retain its accuracy. At 300 yards, I began whacking plates. I manipulated the bolt and transitioning to another plate.   About 20 rounds later, the gun still couldn’t miss, so I backed up to 500 yards and got the same results with my last 10 rounds.
A few days later I taught a long range hunting class and let eight different shooters put rounds through the Predator at 400 yards. Everyone remarked how light and how soft shooting the rifle was. Some of the shooters had some very expensive rifles and scopes at the class. One such student remarked that he paid a couple thousand dollars to get his rifle to be able to do what the Predator was doing out of the box.
My hope for this article was to keep the rifle, optic, and bipod all under $1,000 and be able to consistently hit at 1,000 yards. I was able to keep the cost of the entire set up under $900. After the long range hunting class, my confidence was high that the Predator would allow consistent thousand yard hits, but I wasn’t able to test it until a few months later.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is an excellent choice for predators.

Stretching out

We joined some friends for some fun on Independence Day, a fitting day to be testing the American Rifle. There were a few children and several adults out for our shoot. I brought the Predator and a Primary Weapons Systems MK3 chambered in 300 WinMag (wearing a Vortex Razor HD). The line also included a decked out Remington 700 in .308 and a Winchester Model 70 also in .330 WinMag–a gun that kicked like a mule.
After the guns were confirmed, everyone took turns shooting each others’ guns. Everyone loved shooting the $10,000 rifle/scope combo of the PWS MK3, but the predator was the easy favorite among the kids and the ladies.
Finally, we took a long walk to a location where we could get a 1000-yard shot. The range was built on a recently harvested wheat field, and had steel targets ranging in size and distance from 200 yards to 1,000 yards. Fortunately the Kansas wind was taking a break for the holiday and we only had a 5 MPH full value wind blowing from right to left. I plugged some data into an iPhone app, put the data on the gun and pressed the first shot at 1,000 yards.   There were a few adjustments made, but after the Predator was dialed in. It could not miss the 3’x3’ plate at 1,000 yards.

Price Tag

The Ruger American Rifle Predator can be purchased for under $500. Paired with a quality optic for around the same price, one can expect to have a superb hunting or target rifle. I actually intend to get an optic with a little more reticle in it to mount on the predator and take it to a long-range match. I am sure it will get some funny looks until the participants see the rifle’s capabilities.
The Ruger American Rifle should appeal to anyone who wants an affordable and extremely accurate rifle for hunting or fun at the range. Pair it with a good suppressor such as the Harvester and you get a fun soft shooting rifle that can deliver a high level of accuracy from 0 to 1,000 yards.

Odds are the doe never heard that shot.

And a side note:

A friend who needed a rifle for a deer hunt conducted the final test for the Predator. Her first hunt ever, she carried the rifle to her stand, sat quietly until the buck walked into view, raised the Predator, and too her first deer. I imagine the Predator would be a suitable rifle for many young men and women to use on their first hunts and many more thereafter.

The Ruger American rifle Predator holding its own in some tough company. Foreground is PWS MK3 with Vortex Razor HD.

The American Rifle and the Leupold Mark AR are a solid match.

Rifle, scope, and bipod for under $900? Not bad.

The Harvester, from Silencerco, doesn’t make the rocket fast 6.5 round completely quiet, but it takes some of the bite off.

Safety mounted on the tang.

Obama's Power Grab to Ban Ammo in Full Swing. Only YOU Can Stop Him!

In a familiarly troubling pattern, the Obama administration’s wanton crusade against the Second Amendment marches on.  You must act NOW if we are to stop them in their tracks!

In an attempt to suppress the acquisition, ownership and use of AR-15s and other .223 caliber general purpose rifles, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) is moving to ban a whole class of common rifle ammunition with a radical reinterpretation of a nearly 30-year-old law regulating so-called “armor piercing” ammunition. The BATFE’s new “Framework” would prohibit the manufacturing, importation, and sale of M855 ball ammunition, one of the most popular cartridges for the AR-15, the most popular rifle in America.  The Obama Administration's repeated attempts to outlaw the AR-15 and other firearms have been unsuccessful, so they're attempting to do what they see as the next best thing--ban one of the most popular types of ammunition the AR-15 uses.

Urge Your Lawmakers to Sign the Congressional Letters to ATF!

In an effort to thwart BATFE's attempted action, NRA has worked with U.S. Representative Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to draft letters to BATFE expressing the lawmakers' opposition to the proposed framework. Use our online tool to strongly urge your lawmakers to sign the letters and protect our Second Amendment rights by putting a stop to this action!
WRITE YOUR LAWMAKERS

To thwart BATFE's attempted action, NRA has worked with members of both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to draft letters to BATFE expressing the lawmakers' opposition to the proposed Framework. Efforts in the House were led by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.  To read a copy of the House letter, please click this link.  Efforts in the Senate were spearheaded by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  To read a copy of the Senate letter, please click this link.  NRA would like to thank Rep. Goodlatte and Sen. Grassley for their leadership and quick action on this critically important issue.

NRA will be submitting its own detailed comments to BATFE in opposition to the ban and is continuing to work with Members of Congress on legislation that will put a stop to this abuse.

It cannot be overstated--gun owners and other affected members of the public must act now to help ensure BATFE does not get away with this latest attempt to deprive Americans of ammunition for their favorite rifle and to squeeze ammunition markets between converging bans on both lead and non-lead ammunition.

BATFE is accepting comments on their proposed ban and will consider all comments received on or before March 16, 2015.  Please be sure to submit your respectful comments in opposition to the ban.

Comments will only be considered by BATFE if received by March 16, 2015. They may be submitted in any of three ways:

1. Via email at APAComments@atf.gov (follow the instructions at the link for submitting comments).
2. Via fax at (202) 648-9741.
3. Via mail to Denise Brown, Mailstop 6N-602, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Enforcement Programs and Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 99 New York Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20226: ATTN: AP Ammo Comments.

For more detailed information on how you can submit your comments to BATFE online, please click this link.

Finally, please contact your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to sign Rep. Goodlatte's letter, and please contact your U.S. Senators and urge them to sign Sen. Grassley's letter to OPPOSE BATFE's proposed "armor piercing" ammunition Framework.  To contact your lawmakers by phone, please call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or click here to Write Your Lawmakers.