21 May 01

We conducted a Rifle/Shotgun Course in the Midwest last weekend. Each student fired a minimum of 500 rounds. Of the rifles used:

Two AR-15s by Colt: Both had innumerable functional problems, mostly failure to extract and failure to eject. One student limped along with his. The other was pulled from service.

Several AR-15s by Bushmaster: Worked fine all weekend. No problems.

Two DSA FALs, both brand new: One worked fine displaying only one failure to feed. The other consistently failed to chamber rounds, and, even with the help of the resident gunsmith, could not be returned to service. The owner had to substitute a Ruger Mini-14 in order to complete the course. The Ruger worked fine.

One Robinson Arms RA96: Not one hiccup all weekend. Flawless functioning.

One Springfield Armory M1-A: Worked fine until the bolt dissembled itself on the second day spewing parts in every direction. The resident gunsmith fixed the bolt, and the rifle was returned to service. No further problems.

One Soviet SKS: Flawless functioning, except that the muzzle break, which was affixed via a single roll pin, blew completely off the rifle during the first day of shooting. The rifle itself continued to work as if nothing had happened, and the student finished the course. The muzzle break was recovered from a clump of grass.

Some functioning problems can be attributed to S&B ammunition. I know it is cheap, but it is erratic and filthy. I have decided to advise students not to bring any caliber of S&B ammunition to our courses. Whatever is saved in purchase price is more than counterbalanced in wasted time.

Lesson: I don't presently recommend anything made by Colt. Robinson Arms is a good way to go if one want a reliable rifle in 223 caliber. Bushmaster is also very good, if one wants to stick with the AR-15 platform. DSA FALs have been pretty good, but we surely saw a bad one last weekend.

/John