Yet further improvements to the DD Recce.

[Podmonkey]

Or as I prefer these days the General Purpose Rifle-

I had to do a little Bubba engineering to get clearance on that one rail cover. I know it looks ugly, I'll clean it up with a file later.

This wasn't a completely frivolous exercise in aesthetics either.
I like the new Magpul stocks and the DT-PR here has a couple features that suit this rifle, well- it weighs about the same as a CTR, is lighter than the the Bravo B5 it replaces has a check comb a little wider than the CTR but a little narrower than the B5, has a tighter fit than either and the bag rider will be nice for bench shooting.
I selected the Magpul MIAD grip to replace the K2 grip because I found the hump on the back strap of the latter to be fatiguing for the hand in supporting shooting but I still wanted a large grip that fits my hands. The type 2 grip panels replace some other rail covers whose MLok attachment screws actually contacted the underside of the gas block, these tpye 2 panels provide clearance and they are really grippy.
I chose FDE to mimic a color scheme of an old Noveske model I always liked the look of and I really like the FDE + Deep Woods Green scheme of this rifle a lot.
Changing the tigger guard and sling to match would complete the look but I don't think I'll want to spend the money silver there is nothing wrong with either of those components otherwise.

 

[Podmonkey]

Oh, yeah that is the new Magpul TMag. Apparently they suck. I wish I had seen about that before I bought 4 of em. I guess I'll need to test them to see if they are problematic. They look cool at least.

 

[dsdmmat]

I have way too many rifles.

Who am I kidding, one can never have too many rifles.

 

[Podmonkey]

I have way too many rifles.

Who am I kidding, one can never have too many rifles.

If I were a wealthy man, or had the discipline to stack money aside for a year,
I'd get one of the new Geissele precision rifles in 6mm ARC.
Here, this guy:

https://geissele.com/18-6arc-gfr-maritime-recce-rifleddc.html

 

[dsdmmat]

If I were a wealthy man, or had the discipline to stack money aside for a year,
I'd get one of the new Geissele precision rifles in 6mm ARC.
Here, this guy:
View attachment 268168

https://geissele.com/18-6arc-gfr-maritime-recce-rifleddc.html

I have been looking at the 6mm ARC, but I am not sure I want to invest in another caliber.

 

[Podmonkey]

I have been looking at the 6mm ARC, but I am not sure I want to invest in another caliber.

Do you suppose it will become an established cartridge? It's parent 6.5 Grendel never seemed to have moved beyond a niche cartridge. Then again apparently some as yet unnamed SOCOM unit is doing a field trial with Geisele 6mm ARC uppers as sort of a new SPR program. That Geisele GFR is certainly an interesting rifle, long range precision capability in a duty grade durable package.
6mm ARC, or something like it, in a rifle like the GFR, is EXACTLY what the Army SHOULD adopt instead of that God awful SIG abomination and its backward step 6.8 cartridge.

 

[dsdmmat]

Hard to say. It does fit in the M4 platform but the round weighs more than the 5.56 so there lies the rub, do we trade performance for weight and less rounds per mag?

 

[Podmonkey]

Hard to say. It does fit in the M4 platform but the round weighs more than the 5.56 so there lies the rub, do we trade performance for weight and less rounds per mag?

The weight is only something like 10% more, if we can get a 25 round magazine that is the same size as a 30 round 5.56 I'd say we were in business.
Ideally we'd take this cartridge and narrow and lengthen for better packaging but since we are married to the small frame AR form factor it is what it is. I am a big proponent of a universal 6mm cartridge for military service. It is time, the Marines has the 6mm Lee Navy and they loved it, and again before adopting the M855 we looked at the 6mm SAW.
The 6mm ARC has the range and presumably penetration to replace the 7.62x51 and low enough recoil and is JUST small enough and light enough to supplant 5.56x45.
For extreme long range or high terminal effect fire we could adopt a high power magnum cartridge to supplement in sniper use and medium heavy machine guns. I like the 300 PRC for that, basically a beltless. 300 Win Mag with extra spice and tge Army has already adopted the .300 Win Mag for sniping. .338 Lapua is overkill I think., 300 PRC is just right.

 

[dsdmmat]

If you look at the speed of war these days, the long range rifleman is replacing close contact fights and that is if they can sneak into position before being discovered. Drones and the drone controllers teams are taking out fighters and fighting vehicles 10-20kms from the battle lines.

I am not sure if battle rifle calibers will make as much of an impact as the once did. I bet the drone teams will be replacing the sniper teams in the future.

 

[Vapor]

What scope mount you running? Trigger?

 

[Vapor]

If you look at the speed of war these days, the long range rifleman is replacing close contact fights and that is if they can sneak into position before being discovered. Drones and the drone controllers teams are taking out fighters and fighting vehicles 10-20kms from the battle lines.

I am not sure if battle rifle calibers will make as much of an impact as the once did. I bet the drone teams will be replacing the sniper teams in the future.

All gun and games until a desperate country uses an EMP. Unless drones are shielded?

How well would drones operate in dense forest/jungle?

 

[Podmonkey]

If you look at the speed of war these days, the long range rifleman is replacing close contact fights and that is if they can sneak into position before being discovered. Drones and the drone controllers teams are taking out fighters and fighting vehicles 10-20kms from the battle lines.

I am not sure if battle rifle calibers will make as much of an impact as the once did. I bet the drone teams will be replacing the sniper teams in the future.

I concur actually. I'm just saying if the Army actually completes the adoption of 6.8x51, and it won't, they will have been better served by something like 6mm Arc.

What scope mount you running? Trigger?

A humble Midwest Industries QD mount which has given me good service so far. Trigger is tge excellent LaRue MBT 2 stage.
I did have the scope mounted in a Scalarworks LEAP mount which while expensive was a piece of shit and failed catastrophically. LaRue is charging an unreasonable amount of money for his mounts, double in price basically, I don't like vertical split rings so ADM was out sonI settled on the MI mount which is a perfectly good setup. Warne has a good 1 peice mount also as does GG&G though the later has only 1 QD latch which I shied away from.

 

[dsdmmat]

All gun and games until a desperate country uses an EMP. Unless drones are shielded?

How well would drones operate in dense forest/jungle?

The drones don’t have to be shielded, the place they are making them does. In Ukraine they are making 10s of thousands a month with 3D printers. So an emp may take out those that were in use at the time but it would not affect this made tomorrow.

small drones have no issues in tight quarters, I imagine no issues in dense forests or jungles. Equipping the larger ones with infrared to spot the enemy and then bomb them through the canopy is how I would do it. Just because you can’t see me doesn’t mean I can’t see you.

 

[Vapor]

I concur actually. I'm just saying if the Army actually completes the adoption of 6.8x51, and it won't, they will have been better served by something like 6mm Arc.

A humble Midwest Industries QD mount which has given me good service so far. Trigger is tge excellent LaRue MBT 2 stage.
I did have the scope mounted in a Scalarworks LEAP mount which while expensive was a piece of shit and failed catastrophically. LaRue is charging an unreasonable amount of money for his mounts, double in price basically, I don't like vertical split rings so ADM was out sonI settled on the MI mount which is a perfectly good setup. Warne has a good 1 peice mount also as does GG&G though the later has only 1 QD latch which I shied away from.

I have 2 mbts as well. I also have a single stage cassette style I really like.


I have 2 larue and an adm mount, but the larue I feel like I bought a long time ago when they ran $100 or less

 

[Podmonkey]

I have 2 mbts as well. I also have a single stage cassette style I really like.


I have 2 larue and an adm mount, but the larue I feel like I bought a long time ago when they ran $100 or less

Yeah, prices are nuts now. I did a quick price check on various mount I consider GTG-

LaRue is charging $400 for their mounts now and while the are good mounts that is way overpriced.

ADM is running $220-$270 for their mounts which is more reasonable

Midwest Industries run right around $200 which is pretty decent

Warne Tactical run around $170ish give or take $10 depending on model though they have one model that lists over $300 for some reason. Warne seems like the best value here and I haven't heard anything negative about their products

Even the high end Bobro Engineering have mounts that start around $250 for single latch models and up to $370 for dual latch models

GG&G has a nice mount for $200 but is offered only in a single latch style which I don't prefer.

I'd consider all these to be suitable on a duty carbine, LaRue just wants too much for what they give you.
ADM has a good reputation and seem to be the go-to for most but I just don't like vertical split rings, PITA to get the scope mounted and keep it level while torquing everything down. This is why I opted for the Midwest Industries mount. I have several MI products and find them to be wholly satisfactory, MI mounts are not milled out in all kind of pretty ways and have a basic, almost brutalistc quality to them which is why I think the prices is a bit lower and why the Instagram crowd seem to run other mounts.
I do like the GG&G mounts but again, single latch only so I didn't choose them.
Borrow makes good stuff and the self adjusting latch system they have is neat but while light those latches are bulky and prone to busting open the knuckles as well as getting snagged on clothing/gear.
Next time I need a mount I might check out Warne.

LaRue is a weird company, their MBT trigger is so good as to equal the Geissele triggers at 3/4 the price which in my mind makes the MBT the only AR trigger to consider yet they see fit to overcharge on their mounts.
Makes no sense to me.

 

[Vapor]

Wow, my larue mounts were maybe $120 at most. My adm was around 120-150. I better make sure to keep them forever then. My adm is the scout, which might be discontinued now, but I've never had an issue.


I have several non qd warne mounts. They've always worked just fine. Also have wanre qd scope rings on my minis. That have been great.


The split rings can be a pain, but usually I just cock them a bit in the opposite way when torqing them in. Most of the time I can get it the first or second try.

 

[Vapor]

You weren't lying. The larue is ridiculous now


Also this trigger has been great in my ar10 as well

https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-custom-ar-3-5-lbs-match-grade-drop-in-trigger-flat-116055.html