Bahde writes, “I’ve tested dozens of rifles over the years, so I usually meet marketing hyper- bole with a bit of skepticism. Sure, it’s a marketing director’s job to sell their products; my job is to be open minded, impartial to brands and practical in testing. When this new REC7 arrived, it was immediately evident that James was not kidding—the REC7 Gen II is a nice rifle, one of the nicest out-of-the-box AR rifles out there.
“Handling the REC7 Gen II, the first thing I noticed was how smooth it feels. Barrett designed and builds the new Gen II handguard in-house. It uses the now- prolific ‘KeyMod’ system, allowing you to add rails and accessories as needed. The handguard is octagonal and narrow, pro- viding a comfortable handhold, with a flat bottom where it attaches to the upper receiver. A continuous top rail offers plenty of real estate for sights and optics. The remaining surface is smooth with no sharp edges, making it very comfortable to hold. Key-slot holes are in the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions. Sling-cup slots sit at the rear on both sides. Inserts protect the aluminum, which is a really nice touch.
“The new handguard covers a Barrett-built, 1-in-7-inch-twist, chrome-lined, hammer-forged, medium-contour barrel chambered in 5.56mm NATO with M4 feed ramps for reliability. Primary Weapons Systems’ Triad flash suppressor caps the barrel, making it immediately suitable for LE duty use. A large nut threaded to the barrel holds the three-position gas block in place. With no pins or screws to come loose, the gas block can be removed using standard tools. A bullet can be used to adjust the gas system, with positions for standard firing, suppressed and disassembly.”
To learn more, check out the October 2014 issue of GUNS & WEAPONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, available on newsstands and digitally July 15, 2014. To subscribe, go to Tactical-Life.com/subscribe.
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