By David Crane
david (at) defensereview (dot) com
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February 6, 2014
Last updated on 3/09/14.
About two weeks prior to SHOT Show 2014, DefenseReview (DR) got to view and handle the brand-spankin’-new Adams Arms Competition Optic Ready (AA C.O.R.) 16.5″ Ultra Lite Upper Reciever/short-stroke gas piston/op-rod (push-type operating rod) tactical AR carbine (5.56x45mm NATO/.223 Rem.) at the Hernando Sportsman’s Club (HSC) in Brooksville, FL, thanks to T.K. Martindill of the Adams Arms Shooting Team, right after he shot a 3-Gun match. The COR was designed and developed specfically for 3-Gun competition shooting, so it’s as lightweight as possible while still attenuating/mitigating (i.e., reducing) the felt recoil impulse and muzzle rise as much as possible. To accomplish this, the COR employs a lightweight rifle-length piston/op-rod system, lightweight 16.5″ VooDoo Innovations (VDI) match-grade barrel made from chrome moly vanadium steel with Lifecoat internal and external finish/coating (essentially a Melonited/salt-bath-nitrided/nitro-carburized-type finish), a VDI Jet Comp muzzle compensator/muzzle brake, a lightweight Samson Evolution Rail System, and a lightweight skeletonized bolt carrier group (BCG). Even so, TK told us the COR can handle 55gr-77gr bullets with total reliability, and he loves it. According to him, the COR ROCks (our phrasing). It’s accurate and fast-handling.
Martindill’s also a big fan of the AA COR’s very cool HIPERFIRE Trigger Group, specifically the HIPERFIRE HIPERTOUCH 24C (Competition) Flat Trigger/Fire-Control Group, since that’s the trigger that Hiperfire developed specifically for 3-Gun competition and DMR applications. The HiperFire trigger utilizes dual coil springs. The hammer, sandwiched between them, is “charged” forward by both springs, creating a significantly harder hit on the primer for the same trigger pull weight. TK’s trigger also features the HiperFire HIPERSHOE for precise finger indexing/placement and the same trigger-pull action every time.
TK (Martindill) AND Defense Review are both also fans of the extremely cool Diamondhead D-45 (Swing Sights) Integrated Sighting System (ISS), which are a flip-up front and rear BUIS (Back Up Iron Sight) system that light flat on top of the receiver when retracted/dormant (i.e., not in use), and instantly pop out at a 45-degree angle when actuated. You have to try them to fully appreciate them, and DR highly recommends you do, if you need a 45-degree iron sight.
Check out the embedded videos below to watch Adams Arms 3-Gunner T.K. Martindill discuss the AA 16.5″ C.O.R. (Competition Optics Ready) AR-15 Ultra Lite Complete Upper Receiver/tactical AR carbine, HIPERFIRE HIPERTOUCH 24C Trigger, Diamondhead D-45 (Swing Sights) Integrated Sighting System (ISS), and other tactical AR accessories and accoutrements.
Martindill actually had a few Adams Arms COR Ultra Light AR carbines with him, and one of them sported a Kryptek Typhon (black) camouflage pattern, which looked good. However, his actual match gun that he competed with that day was another gun outfitted with a KFS Industries adjustable buttstock (given to him by a friend of his at AMU, or Army Marksmanship Unit), a Leupold Optics Mark 6 1-6x20mm (34mm) M6C1 Tactical Scope with TMR reticle, which he (T.K.) LOVES, a GB Customs Aluminum AR Magwell from TheShootersSource.com, the new MagPul MOE-K2 Grip – AR15/M4 with decreased angle, and a Samson Evolution Vertical Grip (Aluminum Short) stubby vertical foregrip with QD swivel stud, so the shooter can pop the foregrip on and off quickly.
TK says the stubby VFG really assists him “suck the rifle in” and pull it into himself for fast off-hand shooting. DR also prefers to run a stubby vertical foregrip for enhanced control during both shooting and muzzle punching, if necessary. A stubby grip can also make patrolling with a carbine or SBR easier and less tiring. For shooting, we generally run two fingers on the rail, and two fingers on the foregrip, while running the thumb forward along the left or right side (depending on whether we’re shooting righty or lefty). This (weak) hand position gives us roughly the same grip angle as if we were running a MagPul AFG (Angled Fore Grip), while giving us a solid backstop for the hand and an actual vertical foregrip for superior control when needed. And, if you really need to run the gun with a C-clamp grip (thumb-over/broom-handle grip, of which we’re not the biggest fans, in general), you should still be able to do so.
Unfortunately for us, the rather inconsiderate range master at Hernando Sportsman’s Club didn’t allow us to shoot, despite T.K.’s attempt to implore him to allow us to shoot at least one or two boxes of ammo through it, since he (rangemaster) wanted to go home immediately after the 3-Gun match had just ended. So, we didn’t get to run the C.O.R. at the range, in spite of our rather long drive get there (about 122 miles). Obviously, we were a bit ticked, since we’d driven all the way from Sarasota specifically to T&E the COR. We weren’t happy about it, but we let it go. Still, it wasn’t too cool, and HSC isn’t exactly our favorite range at the moment.
Anyway, such is life, and Mr. Martindill was awesome. Cool guy.
Editor’s Note: DR subsequently shot some more photos and video of Adams Arms products at SHOT Show 2014, which we’ll publish as soon as we can. By the way, notice the MagPul B.A.D. Lever (Battery Assist Device Lever) – AR15/M16 on the lower receiver in one of the photos, below. The BAD Lever may be advantageous on a competition/match gun, but we’re not crazy about it for a combat gun, since we’ve heard anecdotal stories of them going down from contacts of ours, and if your (BAD) lever goes bad (see what I did there?), it can be problematic.
Company Contact Info:
Adams Arms (AA)
612 Florida Ave # B
Palm Harbor, FL 34683
Toll Free: 877-461-2572
Phone: 727-853-0550
Email Contact Form: http://www.adamsarms.net/contact/contact-sales
Website: http://www.adamsarms.net
VooDoo Innovations (VDI)
Phone: 813-867-4242
Email Sales: sales@voodooinnovations.com
Email Support: support@voodooinnovations.com
Website: http://www.voodooinnovations.com
HIPERFIRE (Triggers)
POB 300
Hamel, MN 55340
Phone: 612-729-3829
Email Contact Page: http://www.hiperfire.com/contact.html
Website: http://www.hiperfire.com
Diamondhead USA, Inc.
622 Union Street
West Springfield, Massachusetts 01089, USA
Phone: 413-739-6970
Fax: 413-739-6973
Email: sales@diamondhead-usa.com
Website: http://www.diamondhead-usa.com
Samson Manufacturing Corp.
4 Forge St., Keene, NH 03431
P: 603-355-3903 F: (603) 355-3896
Email Tech: techsupport@samson-mfg.com
Email Intl: cathleen@samson-international.net
Website: http://www.samson-mfg.com
Leupold & Stevens
14400 NW Greenbrier Parkway
Beaverton, OR 97006-5790
Toll Free: 800-538-7653 (LEUPOLD)
Email Contact Page Sales: http://www.leupold.com/contact/sales
Website: http://www.leupold.com
KFS Industries Inc.
875 Wharton Drive, SW
Suite A
Atlanta, GA 30336
Toll Free: 800-848-4671
Phone: 404-691-7611
Fax: 404-505-8445
Email Contact Page: http://kfsindustries.com/?page_id=13
Website: http://kfsindustries.com
Magpul Industries Corp
400 Young Ct., Unit #1
Erie, CO 80516
Toll Free: 877-462-4785
Phone: 303-828-3460
Fax: 303-828-3469
Email Info: magpul@magpul.com
Email Orders: orders@magpul.com
Email Government/Military: military@magpul.com
Website: http://www.magpul.com
The Shooters Source
Phone: 214-735-1359
Email: info@theshooterssource.com
Website: http://www.theshooterssource.com
Hernando Sportsman’s Club
16121 Commercial Way (US-19)
Brooksville, Fl. 34614
PHONE: 352-597-9931
FAX: 352-597-8997
Email: hsci@gate.net
Email Contact Page: http://www.hernandosportsmansclub.com/contact.htm
Website: http://www.hernandosportsmansclub.com
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