Really distracted… birthday shopping for two granddaughters at the moment. Very different from what shopping for our now grown sons used to be, or even for our grandsons. You know, you give guys a brick in a bag with a card. They never stop checking their finger tips after picking their ears to really notice.
Granddaughters are smart and they definitely pay attention to everything and then there is their blend of future goals: princess / concert pianist or fashion designer / bio engineer. Generally, my wife and I just go with whatever we think will drive their parents crazy… while maintaining some semblance of responsible adults. And, yes, they all own and shoot firearms, children and grandchildren. They may or may not stick with firearms as they grow older, but none will be ignorant of the subject. Anyway…
We live and work in a relatively rural area on 80 acres of rugged woodland… surrounded by many more acres of similar topography. There is wildlife; turkey, deer and moose which seems to attract bobcat, coyote and the occasional black bear. Subsequently, when any of us are out target shooting, hunting or hiking we bring along a suitable sidearm or a compact rifle.
My issues with AR type firearms have been related to their angular, sharp edged form and excessive weight, both which make for less than exciting carry. It is easy to find a 6 3/4 ~ 7 lb bolt action rifle with a standard profile 22″ barrel, but the same on an AR platform always seems to come in at 8.25 ~ 8.5 lbs. Remington’s Model R-15™ VTR Predator Carbine seems to address most of this with a light weight configuration and an absence of wood rasps disguised as Picatinny rails covering its forearm. There are two collapsible stock models, one with an 18″ barrel listed at 7.75 lbs and one with a 16.5″ barrel listed at 6.75 lbs that actually scales 6 lbs 10 oz.
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Model R-15™ VTR Predator Carbine |
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| Manufactured | Remington – Ilion, NY |
| Cartridge | 223 Remington |
| Magazine Capacity | 4 |
| Action | Semi-Auto Gas Operated |
| Stock/Forearm | Magpul® Moe |
| Receivers | Forged Aluminum |
| Barrel | Carbon Steel – Fluted |
| Barrel Length | 16“ |
| Twist | 1:9″ |
| Sights | Clean |
| Mounts | Flat Top Picatinny Rail |
| Weight | 6 lbs 10 oz* |
| Overall length | 33.25″ – 37.0″* |
| Stock Pull | 10.5″ – 14.25″* |
| MSRP – | $1327 |
| Discount Retail | $1136 |
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*Actual Weights and measures |
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The R-15 VTR is also available with a fixed stock and conventional 22″ and stainless steel triangular fluted stainless steel barrels.
How compact IS compact?
With the stock fully extended, the R-15 carbine looks compact even next to one of my favorite heavy hitters, the stubby Marlin 1895 Guide Gun and the carbine weighs a half pound less. Fully collapse the 6 position stock and the R-15 is another 4″ shorter.
Some of the more salient features…
I apologize for the uneven appearance of the Mossy Oak Camo. It responds differently to changes in lighting and is incredibly elusive. There were several hours during the photo shoot when it blended in so well with its surroundings, I couldn’t locate it on the table.
The Mossy Oak camo covered, 6 position collapsible Magpul butt stock is handy and gives an adjustable length of pull of 10.5″ to 14.25″ with solid lockup. The grip is hard surfaces and contains a storage compartment to store.. stuff, gear, perhaps a very small lunch. The detachable trigger guard is “V” shaped to accommodate a gloved finger.
Mo’ MOE at the front end. The clamshell handguard is snapped together with an internal shield then clamped together at the handguard cap at the front and the spring loaded delta ring at the rear. The handguard assembly can be removed without tools by retracting the delta ring. There are also specialty tools available to depress the delta ring, physically, not emotionally, for those with the finger strength of an eight year old girl.
Give me a brake…
I think some of this packaging hides a very useful utility firearms under the trappings of an adult game of Cowboys and Indians, or Cowboys and Aliens, or Cops and Robbers, or Good Guys V. Bad Guys. It is necessary to serve a very legitimate part of the market and to serve some folks operating within a narrow application and it is very much in line with our right to own and shoot what we like. I just like a little less video games and new wave aesthetics in my firearms.
I read this description… twice and realized it needed some interpretation. “AAC®” Advanced Armament Company. “51 Tooth” is the external radial tooth count surface that is used to mount an add on 51 tooth compatible suppressor. “Brakeout” is a misnomer as this is actually an AAC® Blackout model. It is designed to suppress flash, but lacks the rear muzzle brake chamber and compensator ports of an AAC® Brakeout model. The piece is machined from high strength aerospace 17-4 stainless steel alloy and coated in a hard, durable, corrosion resistant SCARmor finish. SCARmor is a Physical Vapor Deposition process that goes beyond surface coatings by forming a molecular bond with the substrate.
What does all of this mean in the greater world of firearm utility? Nothing. I have no desire to hide my rifle’s flash. I don’t use suppressors, the 223 Remington has virtually no recoil, and I am not an AR groupie. No, that isn’t a political statement although, I am sure someone will attempt to label it so.
Closing arguments… I’ve been watching Perry Mason reruns
The Remington Model R-15™ VTR Predator Carbine does ship in a hard case with a 4 round detachable magazine and polymer rail sections. The R-15 take standard AR type magazines and the rails can be secured at various locations on the handguard to facilitate auxiliary sights, lights and possibly Doppler radar.
The R-15’s two stage trigger is light and crisp in the world of ARs and makes for some accurate shooting. All controls are in MilSpec position and standard for folks who like to add third party accessories. For now, we’ll take a break to assemble some short barrel handloads and do a live fire wring out of this hardware.
Remington’s Model R-15™ VTR Predator Carbine Part I
Remington’s Model R-15™ VTR Predator Carbine Part 2
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