M.S.A.R. STG 556 report

[westex]

Got out with my new rifle today and went to sighting in.......was a little apprehensive since I'm a fairly big guy; worried about how it would feel, eject, etc.... Wow! What a fun gun. The scope at 1.5X is not a big magnifier but you can SURE find your target quick. Still have to zero in, (I take my time at that) b/c the wind picked up. Most expensive gun I ever purchased but so far I'm a happy camper in deep West Texas with it. Oh, the cusomter service I've received so far with questions, etc...is EXCELLENT. They actually answer the phone at the company and will patiently explain whatever question you have. For what it's worth.

[RJ Shooter]

COOL! They are expensive, but there is just something about the AUG design that is sexy - plus the looks at the range are much more prevalent when there is a rare-looking rifle. :D

Now we need pics! :p

[imanaknut]

Thanks for the brief range report. I have always been a fan of the AUG, and now with it's clone on the market, was wondering if it retains the things which made the AUG such a nice rifle. Sounds like it does. :up:

[westex]

One of the things that got me interested in this particular gun was a visit to a local gun shop. I am acquainted with the gunsmith and he remarked that they had disassembled one of the MSAR rifles and in his opinion it was constructed better than the original Steyr AUG. Now I know that may inflame some collectors of European Steyr Augs, but hey, I like to buy American and this gun is pure red white and blue. As an example, you take out the gas piston and examine it closely......it has little rings on it, I think 3 or 4, just like a miniature piston out of an automobile engine. I still have not zero'd the rifle because of the wind here in El Paso, but will within the next week. I'll report on accuracy findings when that's accomplished.

[Schuetzenman]

I eagerly await your next report with accuracy information. BTW how much are thos magazines costing you for the weapon?

[imanaknut]

I am acquainted with the gunsmith and he remarked that they had disassembled one of the MSAR rifles and in his opinion it was constructed better than the original Steyr AUG. I would hope that technology in the well over 30 years since the AUG was introduced has progressed just a bit so this new MSAR would use better metals and plastics as well as assembly techniques. :)

[westex]

I purchased one of the limited edition guns and it came with 4 magazines in it. The gun, with the magazines, including a Microtech knife along with the Pelican hard case set me back $2,500.00 without tax. The regular production guns are right at $2,000.00, I believe. My philosophy was, at the time, if I'm gonna blow 2K, might as well blow 2.5K. But to answer Schuetzenman's question, I don't know the individual prices of the mags. The 4 included in my package was a 10 round, a 20 round, a 30 round and a 42 round.

As far as the material used in construction, in one word the gun seems robust to me. I'm not going to be a salesman for this company, rather, I intend to objectively report my findings as I come upon them with the rifle. I can say the barrel is really neat, because with movement of a lever button you can just pull it right out of the receiver. The chrome lining seems very professional.......they have alot of this on the msar website and so far I repeat so far, all of their representations as to how the guns are made, etcc...are borne out by what I have. Again, will report again after I've gone to the range. When it stops blowing in El Paso.

[westex]

Finally made it to the range. This gun is capable of grouping to the extent groups of 3 all touch out to 50 yards; at 75 yards today, my groups opened up to about an average of one inch. At 100 yards I managed 2 inch groups. This was on a 'not the best' bench rest with sand filled leather bags for the front rest from Wal Mart with a pillow for comfort at the rear, while seated at a desk type seat with small table. Ammunition was American Eagle by Federal Cartridge in 63 gr softpoint.

Shooting today was done with a mild wind which I think had an effect on my accuracy to some extent, especially at the 100 yard range. The scope required some adjusting, but responded well. The low power optic prevents the gun from being a tack driver at 100 yards, however, I feel with practice I can get used to the reticle which is a European style 3 point quick acquisition 1.5X scope. The ammunition I used is not exactly a match grade ammo from what I know, but I like the heavier bullet weight for zeroing purposes, since I may shoot pigs with it.

In further observation, this is an extremely well made gun and I'm still very glad I bought it. I had some apprehension about the casings being ejected just under my right cheek forward, fairly close to my right eye, but somehow this gun was engineered to the extent the right lens of my shooting glasses had no oil, powder residue, not "nuthin" on the lens. Casings are ejected backward and to the right some distance, my best estimate being 5 to 6 feet at an angle of approx 100 degrees from 12 o' clock. Casings are not mangled or dented in any way. There were no malfunctions whatsoever during it's 60 round session today. Recoil is next to "nuthin", even with the extremely short length of this gun. The bolt stays open on the last round, the clip can be removed and a new one inserted and then cycled closed.

In summary (so far with my experience on it), this rifle is geared toward quick acquisition that can readily pick up running game and varmints and engage with lethality. I have NO DOUBT that if you wanted, you could get the picatinny rail from MSAR and mount the optic of your choice and shoot sub moa at 100 yards all day, possibly at longer ranges, but that's not what I purchased it for. For what its worth. Westex out.

[Schuetzenman]

Sounds like it shoots decent. The low magnification is a combat optic designed to pick up people sized targets and precission isn't it's mission. Yep a rail system that allows you to mount any optic on it would be da bomb. That way you could put a good scope on it or an Eotech with a magnifier module for distance work.

[westex]

Do you like the EOtech or the ACOG better; just wondering because I've never been able to look through either, quite frankly......?

[RJ Shooter]

An ACOG is a magnified optic, an EOTech is a non-magnified dot optic that is to be used with both eyes open. There is also a good $600 price difference between the two. ($400 EOTech - $1000+ ACOG)

For CQB and ranges less than 200M, EOTech is my preference. An Aimpoint would be another good alternative as well.

http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data//3346/13617eotech-dot2.jpg

Certain ACOGs have something called BAC (Bindon Aiming Concept) where you learn to focus differently and with both eyes open to make the 4X ACOG act like a 1X red-dot optic.

You're really going to have to go look at the optics in the flesh to make a decision though. You should never base your decision on what I'm going to tell, or someone else. We can only give personal preferences...

That being said, you can make an EOTech or an Aimpoint act like an ACOG by spending another $4-500 by adding a 3X magnifier.

http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data//3346/medium/3xM4-View.jpg
http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data//3341/medium/3xM4.jpg

[westex]

RJ--Great pics there! I take it that's an EO tech you're taking the pics through. I also gather the circle becomes greater the longer the range? Sure like the brightness of that thing!

[Schuetzenman]

Having recently gone out and looked through both Aimpoints and Eotechs ...... I put my money down on an Eotech 512. Why you might as, well ... the Aimpoints dot looked to me like it could get lost easily as it's not very big. The big ring with dot of the Eotech isn't going to get lost. Sure the Eotech doesn't have near the battery life but still it's between hundreds of hours and 1100 hours. I've put lithium AA batteries in it so I'm good to go for the next decade.

On Acogs, I got a chance to use Daemon's Acog several months ago when he visited and we went shooting. It's a fine optic and his had been through a tour in Iraq. His had the rudimentary iron sights on top. I looked at that model locally and it's in the $900 buck price range. I just can't go there mentally, too much money for a 4X scope IMO.