In the upcoming 2015 issue of AR RIFLEMAN, author John M. Buol Jr. takes Windham Weaponry’s new VEX (Varmint Exterminator) Wood-Stocked Series rifle out for a test drive. Buol writes, “These rifles feature a uniquely milled stock and vented forend made of laminated wood. Two versions are available. My test model features a bright brown ‘Nutmeg’ coloring reminiscent of birch. The laminated wood stock and forend is a strong veneer enhanced with coyote brown anodizing on the upper and lower receivers. The ‘Pepper’ version is the same, strong veneer but more gray with a black anodized finish. Windham’s concept is to get away from the military look of black aluminum and plastic while offering the same, good shooting features the self-loading AR-platform offers.

“Despite its radically enhanced appearance, the Windham VEX Wood-Stocked Series handles just like the more familiar black, plastic AR-type rifles. The Nutmeg and Pepper rifles are constructed with features known for their performance, such as their heavy Colt barrels. Except for the color, the upper and lower receivers of the two rifles are the same, as is the action. At the heart is a heavy, full-diameter, fluted, matte-finished, 1-in-8-inch-twist, 20-inch, precision 416R stainless steel barrel with a Compass Lake-spec’d chamber. The VEX can safely fire any 5.56mm NATO round, however, match (or varmint) grade .223 Remington ammo is recommended.

“The top of the receiver has the expected Picatinny rail. As a nice addition, Windham includes optics riser blocks. This allows the user to mount their optic a bit higher if the objective bell of the desired scope is larger and requires more clearance, a possibility with a higher magnification optic used in varmint hunting.”

To learn more for your AR needs, check out the 2015 issue of AR RIFLEMAN, available on newsstands and digitally Oct. 28, 2015. To purchase a copy, go to Tactical-Life.com/subscribe/ar-rifleman-buyers-guide.

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