First Look: Rise Armament Watchman Carbine and Pistol

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posted on March 4, 2020
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New to the market is Rise Armament’s Watchman rifle and pistol, chambered .223 Wylde and featuring a Rise match-grade trigger with a free-floated 416R stainless steel barrel. 

The Watchman rifle line was created in 2018 with input from law enforcement officers, military snipers, competitive shooters and firearms instructors. The success of the Watchman rifle with law enforcement motivated Rise to roll it out the model to the consumer market. The Watchman is chambered .223 Wylde and is available in both rifle and pistol configurations. 

Both Watchman firearms come standard with a Rise match-grade trigger that features a crisp, balanced break and lightened pull weight. The free-floated 416R stainless steel barrel is a favorite among top competitive shooters and provides proprietary weight reduction and superior accuracy. The Watchman is air gauged and button rifled, and is capable of shooting sub MOA groups with most factory ammunition. Many shooters are regularly recording hits out to 600 yards with heavier bullets in .223 Rem./5.56 NATO. 

The rifle configuration has a 16.1-inch barrel with a mid-length gas system for more manageable recoil, while the pistol configuration of the Watchman has an 11.5” barrel with a carbine-length gas system. The Veil flash hider on both guns was developed specifically for the Watchman, ensuring flash minimization in low-light environments. 

The Watchman’s handguard has a continuous 12 o’clock top rail, QD points and multiple M-Lok slots for limitless addition of lights, lasers and other accessories. The handguard was also designed with a  slim profile for comfort and a skeletonized design for weight reduction. 

Other features of the Watchman rifle and pistol include: 

  • Forged aluminum receivers
  • Premium black nitride bolt carrier group for dependability and smoother shooting
  • Ambidextrous safety
  • Magpul pistol grip
  • Magpul MOE stock on the rifle; SB Tactical SBA3 brace on the pistol
  • Rifle weight: 6 pounds, 8 ounces
  • Pistol weight: 6 pounds, 2 ounces
  • Includes one magazine

 
MSRP on the Watchman Rifle is $1,349 and $1,449 for the pistol version. More information on both guns is available at risearmament.com.

 

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