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Proud AR57 owner, shoots great, lightweight, ergonomic, factory rounds perform rather anemic but I'm working up my first batch of 'roll you owns'

Enjoy the gun p0rn

What, no Harris bipod? WUSSY!!!

Seriously-how do you like those funky mags vs. tried and true?

Tasty, quite tasty

Hey Frazz, I enjoy the hi capacity, but changing to a fresh mag is VERY un-natural, I have to position my right hand gripping the 'tradtional' mag well, and with my left hand, thumb the mag release while simultaniously lifting the mag up with my left hand. It's not forgiving and probably my least favorite design aspect.

BUT: Everything else about the rifle is amazing, from accuracy, weight, ergonomics, sight picture, follow up shots, brass extraction, etc etc...

So in the end, it isn't perfect, but the whole design is well thought out, reliable, durable, and just plain old different, which is cool.

ETA, Youngblood, thanks

Who you gonna test it out on first?

Invite a random kid to step on your lawn, then blow there head off!


MWHAHAHAHAHAHA

I zero'd it in at 100 yards on sunday, the victim was a pizza box with an orange bulls eye stuck on.

After that some soda-pop cans felt my wrath. *Evil Laugh*

I wish I had lawn....apartment complex's suck...

This thread is absolutely amazing. Devoted entirely to your new, most awesomest toy! I approve. How hard is it finding ammo?

.223s should be easier to find now. Good luck finding .380ACP for some reason.

It seems like a nice weapon but those pictures make it look like an airsoft or a toy.

Lord-Loss wrote:Who you gonna test it out on first?

Invite a random kid to step on your lawn, then blow there head off!


MWHAHAHAHAHAHA

FYI, PDW calibre carbines aren't know for their 'head popping' power, the 5.7x28 fires a very light and fast .223 calibre projectile (same as .22LR and 5.56NATO), it relies on the built in 'tumbling' priciples for effective wound canal (temporary and permanent) creation. There are specialty rounds availible from eliteammunition that have expanding projectiles, soft tip, hollow points, and sythetic tips. BUT that ammo is expensive, which is why this calibre really needs to be hand loaded to be fully taken advantage of.

That is why many shooters cosider the carbine a "glorified range gun", due to the factory loads being loaded so anemic. Hand loads allow you to use a wide range of projectiles and a more effecient powder.

Now THIS could take someones head off...

edits:spelling

Sweet gun. I'm jealous.

JEB_Stuart wrote:This thread is absolutely amazing. Devoted entirely to your new, most awesomest toy! I approve. How hard is it finding ammo?

5.7x28 ammo didn't get as 'scarce' as the more common calibres during the insane panic buying... I tend to order in bulk, online, to keep the price as low as possible, haven't had any problems aquiring it yet. Right now I'm just trying to shoot as many rounds as fiscally possible to develope a good reserve of brass.

Oh wait, that puppy doesn't shoot standard 5.56? Didn't know that. Whats the kick in comparison?

Frazz, the 5.7x28 round is not as powerful as the 5.56. The calibre is considered to be in the PDW (personal defense weapon) class. the idea is to combine pistol type capacity/recoil/energy with rifle calibre trajectory and armor penetrating capabilities.

The 5.7 is IMHO a very underrated cartridge by most shooters, that is mostly because FNH doesn't sell the 'hot' ammo to civilians, due to political pressure.

BUT: If you look around you will find handloaders who can get 5.56 performance out of the 5.7 , also, if you don't handload eliteammunition.com makes all kinds of hot loads for any situation, from barrier penetration, to varmit control, to indoor HD situations.

ETA:

SsevenN wrote:

Lord-Loss wrote:Who you gonna test it out on first?

Invite a random kid to step on your lawn, then blow there head off!


MWHAHAHAHAHAHA

FYI, PDW calibre carbines aren't know for their 'head popping' power, the 5.7x28 fires a very light and fast .223 calibre projectile (same as .22LR and 5.56NATO), it relies on the built in 'tumbling' priciples for effective wound canal (temporary and permanent) creation. There are specialty rounds availible from eliteammunition that have expanding projectiles, soft tip, hollow points, and sythetic tips. BUT that ammo is expensive, which is why this calibre really needs to be hand loaded to be fully taken advantage of.

That is why many shooters cosider the carbine a "glorified range gun", due to the factory loads being loaded so anemic. Hand loads allow you to use a wide range of projectiles and a more effecient powder.

Now THIS could take someones head off...

edits:spelling

I think youre wasting your breath, if movies are any worthwhile indication, the brits believe spas12's are anti aircraft guns.

SsevenN, is that the same mag that's used on the P90 or just one that looks similar?

Platuan4th wrote:SsevenN, is that the same mag that's used on the P90 or just one that looks similar?

It is definatly the same type oh high capcity round, what im wondering is why did they use that clip and not make it a bullpup, it could hve another 8-10 in of barrel length

I did a double take on that mag myself.

My guess for the rationale is the maximization of off-the-shelf parts in the design. It would probably take too much work to modify an AR type rifle for a bullpup configuration.

yes but then im questioning the rational behind the weapon. why would i what that when i could have the same barrel length with the entire gun being 8-12' shorter

I don't know a lot about firearms in general, but didn't the bullpup used to have issues with reliability? I thought they jammed a lot.

grizgrin wrote:I don't know a lot about firearms in general, but didn't the bullpup used to have issues with reliability? I thought they jammed a lot.

The British Army SA80 had a lot of jamming issues and they were sent to Germany to be reworked.

The French FAMAS seems to be reliable. The Steyr AUG is also widely used.

I don't think there's any core engineering problem in the bullpup configuration which makes the design inherently less reliable.

There aren't any bullpup rifles in 7.62. The whole point of bullpup is to make the weapon smaller, which basically conflicts with using a larger round.

The SA 80 has been nothing but trouble since inception. They're still busy ironing out the faults and perfecting it.

It's interesting to see a top loading clip on such a strange housing like that. But they are very reliable, at least the clip from the FN P90 is.

A bullpup simply moves the action back into the stock. Nothing's different mechanically. In theory, you could make nearly anything in that configuration.

My main interest is shooting weapons made before 1900, but I did indulge in an AR15. Looks like I could swap the upper for the AR57 if I want to spend 700 bucks (MSRP).

ZF-

youbedead wrote:yes but then im questioning the rational behind the weapon. why would i what that when i could have the same barrel length with the entire gun being 8-12' shorter

AR15s are the most popular selling auto loading rifle in America. One of the many reasons for this is an AR15 can be 'built' by the purchaser. You select an upper, chambered in a calibre you want, then you buy a lower that is comfortable for you to position on your body, then you get you optics, and other desired attachments. This whole process makes your ar feel very personal to you.

The AR57 upper takes advantage of the HUGE amount of manufacturers the fabricate AR15 lowers and attachments. Instead of doing a 100% original design, that would require the customer to drop well over 1000 dollars in to the weapon, they decided this style carbine would be more appealing if it had universal parts commonality. I think they made the right call.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Zad Fnark wrote:A bullpup simply moves the action back into the stock. Nothing's different mechanically. In theory, you could make nearly anything in that configuration.

My main interest is shooting weapons made before 1900, but I did indulge in an AR15. Looks like I could swap the upper for the AR57 if I want to spend 700 bucks (MSRP).

ZF-

I've seen the uppers going for as little as 550.00 on gunbroker, FYI.

Nonsence!

Us Brits know about guns, I got alL my training from halo...


Love your new BR BTW.:p

SsevenN wrote:
I've seen the uppers going for as little as 550.00 on gunbroker, FYI.

Yeah, I figured what was listed on the manufacturer's site was worst case. Price is pretty much that of a typical upper.

I was lucky. I got my A2 type rifle for 500.00 complete.

You can get lowers pretty cheaply at the shows at times -- especially if you just get the parts and build it. My brother was building A1s using cheaply gotten A1 uppers (on sale for 180.00 for a while) for about 400.00 complete.


ZF-

Looks like an interesting carbine. How many rounds have you put through it and how did they feel?

grizgrin wrote:Looks like an interesting carbine. How many rounds have you put through it and how did they feel?

On sunday I shot the first 50 rounds. I used 9 to sight in the truglo red-dot scope, the last 41 were divided between me and the gf on soda cans.

The 5.7 round is extremely controllable while firing, you don't lose your sight picture at all between shots, the fact that the mag is mounted up front makes the gun front heavy, which knocks down the muzzle rise even more. It reminds me off a .22LR except it's much louder, and noticebly faster.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Zad Fnark wrote:

SsevenN wrote:
I've seen the uppers going for as little as 550.00 on gunbroker, FYI.

Yeah, I figured what was listed on the manufacturer's site was worst case. Price is pretty much that of a typical upper.

I was lucky. I got my A2 type rifle for 500.00 complete.

You can get lowers pretty cheaply at the shows at times -- especially if you just get the parts and build it. My brother was building A1s using cheaply gotten A1 uppers (on sale for 180.00 for a while) for about 400.00 complete.


ZF-

I -really- wish I had more time and money for AR building. Sometimes it feels like I have two choices, get in good shooting (meaning buy a crap-ton of reloading supplies/ or factory ammo if I don't have the dies), or get another gun. I don't know which option I like more.

I think reloading is well worth it. Cheaper in the long run. I tried some of my brother's 40 grain varmint rounds and the group I got with iron sights was just obsene -- almost touching.

I mostly shoot trapdoors nowadays. I pour my own bullets, so the cost there is next to nothing. Plus, there's something about shooting a rifle made in 1867...

ZF-

Zad that's awesome, and I agree, it's a blast shooting good handloads, quality handloads tend to be much more accurate than bulk factory junk.

I REALLY wish I could buy a good block of lead and cast my own.....But I live in a aparment complex, and I don't think neighbors/landlords would be too thrilled with me pouring molten, toxic metals in their driveway.