Ridgeline Defense RD-15 LPR

[NHPiper]

Brass looks fine but in my experience .223 doesn't show pressure signs until it does... So while I've had success loading .223 hot I try not to push the upper upper limits. Extra COAL helps a bit keeping pressure down.

Barrel shot well out of the gate, groups maybe tightened slightly but it was the speeding up I was watching for. The 200rd mark was more a cautionary move on my part less a hard number. Hell you may be good after 20 rounds.

Temp sensitivity sucks with Tac, like any ball powder

Yeah that's been my experience with the temp stuff. In NH it can be 95' in the summer and 0' in the winter, and I'm too lazy to have different loads for different seasons. My mk12 mod 1 runs about 2750 with 8208 so I figured this should run mid 2600s which is more than fine.

 

[deepsea]

Yeah that's been my experience with the temp stuff. In NH it can be 95' in the summer and 0' in the winter, and I'm too lazy to have different loads for different seasons. My mk12 mod 1 runs about 2750 with 8208 so I figured this should run mid 2600s which is more than fine.

Agreed and would do the same. 8208 has been tough to find, great powder though. That 25.8gr load was the top end of my load development but seemed to shoot fine. Was pleasantly surprised at the lack of gas in the face and still proper ejection so they did a good job gassing the rifle even with a can on there.

 

[NHPiper]

Agreed and would do the same. 8208 has been tough to find, great powder though. That 25.8gr load was the top end of my load development but seemed to shoot fine. Was pleasantly surprised at the lack of gas in the face and still proper ejection so they did a good job gassing the rifle even with a can on there.

I stocked up on like 10lbs of it over the summer when it hit stock again. Should last me a few thousand rounds.

May try StaBall again too, we will see.

 

[NHPiper]

Upper is in and I am really digging it!

The fit with my PRI lower is tight. I mean right. Zero wobble.

It is the softest shooting AR I have ever fired. I ran it with an RC2 and closed time flash hider (waiting on an RC3 and 3 prong). It is as soft, if not softer, than my Mk12 Mod 1 with an OCM5 and BRT reduced gas tube.

I ran my 77 Nosler handloads through (23.8gr 8208 in LC brass with CCI Small Rifle primers). No pressure signs.

The paper was pretty shot up, but I shot several 10 round groups from prone with a bag with each group shot in under 10 seconds. It's a clear shooter. Both groups were 1" with one that would have been 3/4" of I hadn't dropped a round now. That's fantastic for 10 round groups.

The handloads get 2750fps out of the 18" Mk12 Mod 1 Douglas barrel and 2650 of of another 16" Douglas barrel. I chronoed 14 rounds after shooting 50 rounds and got a 2570fps average with an SD of 23. I am hopeful it will speed up and settle in 300-400 rounds. Time to burn some blasting ammo.

I am super happy with it so far.

 

[NHPiper]

Round count is now around 100 with the 77gr 8208 handloads plus another 100 of 55gr blasting ammo.

The barrel has not sped up much, however the SD did really start to settle down. This isn't a load I developed for the rifle as I really like to run the same 77gr 5.56 loads through all of my rifles. It shoots 1MOA or slightly better with 10 shot groups and is now producing a velocity of 2582fps with an SD of 16. I will recheck this again in another 200+ rounds.

One thing that caught my eye is that the rifling is the lands within the barrel are frankly just rough. I compared it to the Douglas barrels I have (16" and 18") and both are just a lot smoother. Borescopes aren't the be-all-end-all, but I do wonder if that is why this barrel just seems a bit slow. If I can get it to low 2600fps I would be very happy. My 16" Douglas with the same loads is about 2650fps.

Of note, the gas port was not drilled in the groove completely, however neither of the 2 PRI Douglas barrels did that either (the Mk12 Mod1 barrel I think is a 6 groove vs the 5 groove in the Proof). I am hoping that I don't get any weird erosion that could cause issues in the jacket of the bullet.

 

[bigjake83]

Of note, the gas port was not drilled in the lands, however neither of the 2 PRI Douglas barrels did that either (the Mk12 Mod1 barrel I think is a 6 groove vs the 5 groove in the Proof).

You may want to look again, the gas port is in a land. Looks like it's splitting a Land and groove 50/50

 

[JR1200W3]

You may want to look again, the gas port is in a land. Looks like it's splitting a Land and groove 50/50

He obviously meant groove

 

[bigjake83]

He obviously meant groove

Well still half wrong...lol

 

[NHPiper]

Well still half wrong...lol

Good catch! Updated to correct i! I doubt it will be an issue. It's definitely shooting well enough for what I would expect.

My RC3 is on its way to the dealer so I am really looking forward to seeing how this feels with that suppressor vs the RC2.

 

[PBWalsh]

@NHPiper That velocity is a bit concerning to me. My 12.5" barrel with AAC 77 OTM is 2601 - 2634fps. Granted slower with other loadings. Does your handload have some room for extra velocity and/or pressure?

 

[NHPiper]

@NHPiper That velocity is a bit concerning to me. My 12.5" barrel with AAC 77 OTM is 2601 - 2634fps. Granted slower with other loadings. Does your handload have some room for extra velocity and/or pressure?

It does not, that is the top end of an 8208 charge. it should be getting around 2650fps once it settles. It is definitely slow right now. Several online videos said their barrel sped up by 100fps around 400 rounds in.

 

[PBWalsh]

It does not, that is the top end of an 8208 charge. it should be getting around 2650fps once it settles. It is definitely slow right now. Several online videos said their barrel sped up by 100fps around 400 rounds in.

My previous barrel appeared to speed up around the 500 round mark. Hopefully yours does as well.

 

[NHPiper]

My previous barrel appeared to speed up around the 500 round mark. Hopefully yours does as well.

Proof barrel?

 

[PBWalsh]

Proof barrel?

Black River Tactical chrome lined. I am at 238 on my current barrel (12.5" AR Performance) and have not seen any velocity increase. I expect to see it around 4-500, maybe less.

 

[BurtG]

Ordered a upper. Stuff ain’t cheap but if Rudy was involved it’s got to be good


Be interesting to see how it compares to my sgt arms 16” Douglas with jp lmos. Cause that thing is awesome

 

[BurtG]

Yeah, I have had a mixed bag of success with that. I'm currently going round and round with a 22 ARC and I want a pretty long rail on it. I've got a full length Arca on the bottom and 1.5lbs in side weights. With a ckye pod the rifle weighs 18 lb. POI will vary greatly depending on shoulder pressure, cheek pressure or head weight, and grip. More so on this gun than any of my other AR-15s. I would agree with you for a standard 13 -in handguard on a 14.5' or 16" barrel. I have two 14.5" & 16" 223Wylde and they shoot Sub-MOA without any handguard theatrics.

Right now I'm looking for uppers that offer that

VLTOR monolithic would be my choice sounds like a comp gun

Keymar but who gaf

 

[NHPiper]

Ordered a upper. Stuff ain’t cheap but if Rudy was involved it’s got to be good


Be interesting to see how it compares to my sgt arms 16” Douglas with jp lmos. Cause that thing is awesome

I think you are gonna dig it. I am really enjoying it so far. I'm gonna put another 100rds of blasting through it, wipe the bore, refoul, and chronograph to see where it has settled around 500rds in.

 

[BurtG]

Holy crap that is really, really hot and fast out of a 16". What are you running for a load?

Did it take a while for the proof barrel to speed up and settle in?

I get 2750 fps with black hills 77tmk out of a 16” Douglas fwiw. Stand 1 is 50 or more fps faster I’d have to look

 

[DOB161]

All LPR uppers are made on the same assembly benches, to the same standards. The standalone uppers get pulled prior testing as there are simply to many variables with components outside of our control to bother with, them being standalone sub-assemblies.

99% of the time it should be fine but we definitely stand behind our concept so even in that 1% scenario we’ll do our best to help you out.

@Rudy Gonsior Is Ridgeline going to do any deals for BF? I’m looking to buy an upper and don't want to buy one this week if they’ll be any kind of sale on them next week.

 

[Rudy Gonsior]

@Rudy Gonsior Is Ridgeline going to do any deals for BF? I’m looking to buy an upper and don't want to buy one this week if they’ll be any kind of sale on them next week.

Ok, so I poked my head into marketing/sales and it sounds like there will probably be something for Black Friday but exactly what hasn’t been nailed down.

Also a recent question was asked about stand alone upper receiver dropping prices to mirroring the rifle but I don’t have anything concrete.

 

[DOB161]

Ok, so I poked my head into marketing/sales and it sounds like there will probably be something for Black Friday but exactly what hasn’t been nailed down.

Also a recent question was asked about stand alone upper receiver dropping prices to mirroring the rifle but I don’t have anything concrete.

Right on. I appreciate you scoping it out. I’ll hang tight and see where things land.

 

[B4forever]

@Rudy Gonsior what is the gas port spec on these rifles?