Springfield Armory goes old school

Retro AR15s were a big thing at Shotshow this year, with a number of manufacturers bringing them out.

Personally, I don't see the point. I own an old school AR like that. A flat-top is vastly superior because you can easily mount optics. A handguard with MLOK is superior because that way you can mount a light. The length of pull of an A2 buttstock is too long unless you are over 6' tall.

This is one trend that I really don't get.
 
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Obsolete yup, but its cool. I like the carry handle, it has great iron sight picture, and you can mount one of those strange little carry handle scopes on it, though I don't know if anyone makes a good scope in that format.
 
hminsky said:
Obsolete yup, but its cool. I like the carry handle, it has great iron sight picture, and you can mount one of those strange little carry handle scopes on it, though I don't know if anyone makes a good scope in that format.
Click to expand...

I have one of those cantilever mounts that I used with a A2 I had previously. It worked well to set up a Lower 1/3 Cowitness with an Aimpoint M2
 
M1911 said:
Retro AR15s were a big thing at Shotshow this year, with a number of manufacturers bringing them out.

Personally, I don't see the point. I own an old school AR like that. A flat-top is vastly superior because you can easily mount optics. A handguard with MLOK is superior because that way you can mount a light. The length of pull of an A2 buttstock is too long unless you are over 6' tall.

This is one trend that I really don't get.
Click to expand...
Retro ARs are like old cars.
People want them because of Nostalgia, not because they are better, or even particularly useful.
 
I had one colt with the builtin handle, i get it's nostalgic but it's massive dick self punching in like 10 different ways. Nope.
 
Options are good. There are already tons of options for A2 builds, but this seems nice for those who want a ready-to-go option.

Would I use it for home defense? No. But it would be very nicely at home in a safe next to an M1A, M1 Garand, M1903, etc…
 
hminsky said:
Obsolete yup, but its cool. I like the carry handle, it has great iron sight picture, and you can mount one of those strange little carry handle scopes on it, though I don't know if anyone makes a good scope in that format.
Click to expand...
But you can't get any decent cheekweld with a carry handle mounted scope.

If you want to mount an optic (and I want an optic on all my long guns), then go with a flat top. I suppose if you want to get some old Alice gear and Larp, then this is for you. 🤷‍♂️
 
Cap'n Mike said:
Retro ARs are like old cars.
People want them because of Nostalgia, not because they are better, or even particularly useful.
Click to expand...
I learned to drive in a 1969 Ford Falcon with a 3-speed automatic transmission (my Dad would have preferred three-on-the-tree, but he found this car cheap), 4-wheel unassisted drum brakes, manual steering with a HUGE steering wheel, and an inline 6-cylinder engine that probably didn't make 120 hp.

I don't get the nostalgia. I don't disagree that exists -- it certainly does. I just don't understand it.
 
M1911 said:
But you can't get any decent cheekweld with a carry handle mounted scope.

If you want to mount an optic (and I want an optic on all my long guns), then go with a flat top. I suppose if you want to get some old Alice gear and Larp, then this is for you. 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...

Hey now, we can larp with ALICE gear even with modern ARs 😉

IMG_0477.jpeg
 
M1911 said:
I learned to drive in a 1969 Ford Falcon with a 3-speed automatic transmission (my Dad would have preferred three-on-the-tree, but he found this car cheap), 4-wheel unassisted drum brakes, manual steering with a HUGE steering wheel, and an inline 6-cylinder engine that probably didn't make 120 hp.

I don't get the nostalgia. I don't disagree that exists -- it certainly does. I just don't understand it.
Click to expand...
It’s because you drove a three speed falcon, nobody has nostalgia for that POS.😂😂😂
 
71montess said:
It’s because you drove a three speed falcon, nobody has nostalgia for that POS.😂😂😂
Click to expand...
I also drove a 1971 Ford station wagon. A 1972 Mercury Capri — V6, 4-speed. A 1978 Trans Am — high output 6.6L V8, 4-speed. Plus a smattering of rental cars throughout the ‘80s.

The reality is that cars from back then were crap. A modern Toyota Camry is faster, has better handling, better braking, better fuel economy, and is quieter and more comfortable.
 
hminsky said:
Obsolete yup, but its cool. I like the carry handle, it has great iron sight picture, and you can mount one of those strange little carry handle scopes on it, though I don't know if anyone makes a good scope in that format.
Click to expand...
www.brownells.com

COLT AR-15/M16 4X RETRO CARRY HANDLE SCOPE | Brownells

Check out the COLT available Online at Brownells Today and many more Rifle Scopes products are available in our Optics Department.
www.brownells.com www.brownells.com

I have one for my retro AR. A bit on the expensive side for what it does, but it is an exact clone.
 
I like the retro ARs - because I can't see paying a premium for older ones.
If you're not going to put a scope on it, the carry handle seems to make more sense than the high rear sight.
If you're not going to put a bunch of crap on the rifle, the triangle A1 handguard, to me, feels better in the off hand.
I'm 5'8", but find that the length of pull on a A2 is decent, M1 Garand seems too short for me - maybe my arm is weird.

I want the carry handle because it brings me joy at the many times SNCOs completely lost their minds seeing me carry an M16A1/A2 by the carry handle because "carry handle". The spikes in their blood pressure was worth the pushups.
 
M1911 said:
I also drove a 1971 Ford station wagon. A 1972 Mercury Capri — V6, 4-speed. A 1978 Trans Am — high output 6.6L V8, 4-speed. Plus a smattering of rental cars throughout the ‘80s.

The reality is that cars from back then were crap. A modern Toyota Camry is faster, has better handling, better braking, better fuel economy, and is quieter and more comfortable.
Click to expand...
I learned to drive on a 1986 F150

I really learned how to drive in my neighbors 68 GTO 4 speed

I’d give my left nut for the GTO and a pinky for the F150
 
M1911 said:
I also drove a 1971 Ford station wagon. A 1972 Mercury Capri — V6, 4-speed. A 1978 Trans Am — high output 6.6L V8, 4-speed. Plus a smattering of rental cars throughout the ‘80s.

The reality is that cars from back then were crap. A modern Toyota Camry is faster, has better handling, better braking, better fuel economy, and is quieter and more comfortable.
Click to expand...
M1911, you have to admit there is No feel of the road like the old style steering and gas pedal. That's a feeling I loved, drive by wire took that away and some people wouldn't know the difference.
 
71montess said:
M1911, you have to admit there is No feel of the road like the old style steering and gas pedal. That's a feeling I loved, drive by wire took that away and some people wouldn't know the difference.
Click to expand...
He knows the difference and that stuff often sucked too. Especially shitty spongy f***ing drum brakes and the rest of it. 🤣 Older cars look nice in terms of style but mechanically they were often mediocre garbage. When you look at a lot of the kits for older cars it's pretty obvious that they were deficient in certain areas which is why a lot of guys will do disc brake conversions and that kind of stuff to make those cars suck less if they're building an old car for enjoyment vs it being exact.
 
@71montess those f***ing cars also caught on fire like probably at a rate 3 to 4 times greater than even the EVs and the other cars on the road today. Every friend that I have whose owned cars in that generation has a "my car caught on fire for no reason" story..... 🤣
 

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