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I’m thinking of getting a straight pull .223/5.56 M4 style AR rifle. I’m not a a serious/competitive shooter, I just like to plink targets, for me the aesthetics are as important as the function.

I’ve been thinking of getting one* without any side charging handle, just the original t bar charging handle so that visually it retains the appearance of a classic M4, though it’s been suggested to me that ejecting spent rounds is far harder without a side charging handle?

Does anyone own such a rifle that can comment on how easy it is to cycle the gun using just the t bar?

*Guncraft M4 seems to fit the bill.

TIA

Just get one with a side charger, they easily remove for aesthetics but after one magazine extracting with the T handle you will be fitting it back on, especially when the chamber gets hot and sticky.
Even better get a WMR especially if you are just plinking then you get the authentic M4 in semi auto.

I plan to get a WMR too, though haven’t decided which yet… there was one teased on Facebook by a company called DSAT (linked to T2) but heard no more about it since. I preferred it over the T2 version again because of how it looks, the T2 version is too angular and modern for my vintage tastes! It had LRBHO and 30mins mags which edges it over the Guncraft version for me…

You’re probably right on the side charging handle, just wondered if there was anyone who had gone down the route of not having one that could give 1st hand opinion, good or bad.

7792 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2023 11:14 pm You’re probably right on the side charging handle, just wondered if there was anyone who had gone down the route of not having one that could give 1st hand opinion, good or bad.

Shot my mates loads, you have to move your head EVERY time to reload it, so it's a right pain for consistent cheek weld. Harder to extract when hot etc.
He shot my straight pull BAR and instantly talked about changing his to straight pull, that's two 1st hand opinions for you.
Opinions aside, I shoot a Saiga AK and this would be improved with an extended handle but I'm happy with how it came as it looks right, so I know where you are coming from. Maybe the semi WMR will make up for it ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9oep1rhvgU
VS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTHECgM1APQ

Ah nice!

I think it’s more the difficulty to extract when hot that I’m worried about than messing up my cheek weld, I’m not that precise a shooter that moving between shots is going to throw my game off!

I had a RomArm AK and when that got hot I’d occasionally need to smack the charging handle against something to get stuck brass out. Ended up selling it in the end though not for that reason).

Trust me after five minutes shooting one without a side charger you'll wish you had one.

Alan

You can get a compromise between the two in the form of a replacement rear charging handle that has an extension down the left side of the gun to where a bolt on side charging handle would be. Underworld Arms do a straight drop in one and Devil Dogs do one that also bolts to the picatinny rail (this may interfere with optics placement depending on what/how you're putting on there). These allow you to retain the dust cover/bolt plunger/forward assist etc on the right side of the rifle. Most are around the £120-160 price range

I’ll take a look, thanks!

It's a shame not many (barely any) large-scale AR-15 manufacturers produce straight-pull versions, Schmeisser being the only one I can think of. Would be nice if some UK distributors (e.g. Edgar Brothers for KAC) would put some pressure / make some proposals to the manufacturers. Whilst obvsiouly a small market, I think they would do well.

Elshad wrote: ↑Wed Nov 08, 2023 12:04 pm It's a shame not many (barely any) large-scale AR-15 manufacturers produce straight-pull versions, Schmeisser being the only one I can think of. Would be nice if some UK distributors (e.g. Edgar Brothers for KAC) would put some pressure / make some proposals to the manufacturers. Whilst obvsiouly a small market, I think they would do well.

There are LMT (Lewis Machine & Tool) AR10 and AR15 rifles here as straight pull. Lantac also produce straight pull AR15s. Both are not cheap options though.