First Look: Springfield Armory California-Compliant Saint AR-15

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posted on September 12, 2017
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Springfield Armory expanded its Saint line of AR-15 rifles with the addition of a California-compliant version of the rifle, providing all of the necessary modifications for California-based gun owners in order to avoid having to register their firearm as an "assault rifle," per California law.

“This is not a stripped-down Saint or a band-aid fix”, Springfield Armory CEO Dennis Reese said. “The California Saint is a ground-up, factory-engineered response to some of the tightest regulations in the country. It gives California shooters an AR-15 they know is compliant and know they can count on. This SAINT is a solutionnot a sacrifice.”

The Springfield Armory California-compliant Saint AR-15 comes equipped from the factory with all of the necessary modifications already equipped to avoid being labeled under the state's "assault rifle" regulations, removing the burden on the gun owner to spend more money on aftermarket upgrades that meet the same requirements.

The California-compliant rifle features a state-approved rigid Option Zero rifle stock made by Survivor Systems. The stock has the ability to store a spare 10-round magazine, making a quick reload available to shooters. The Saint is equipped with a free-float handguard that is fully compliant under California law. Other furniture features include a TangoDown BG 16 grip. The stock features a back paddle that prevents a shooter's thumb from wrapping around the back of the grip.

State specifications are also met through the use of a 10-round Magpul PMag included with the rifle, as well as a proprietary muzzle brake designed by Springfield Armory that helps to reduce recoil. Otherwise, many of the features on the California-compliant Saint are identical to those found on models sold in the majority of the country.

The rifle is equipped with a pinned low-profile gas block, as well as a handguard fully equipped to handle M-Lok attachment points. The rifle sports a single-stage, nickel-boron coated mil-spec trigger, as well as flip-up front and rear sights. The rifle also features an M16 bolt-carrier group, as well as a 16-inch barrel made from chrome-moly vanadium steel and featuring a 1:8-inch twist rate. The rifle comes with a 5.56 NATO chamber and is Melonite-treated on the chamber, bore and exterior of the barrel.

The Springfield Armory California-compliant Saint AR-15 weighs in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces. The suggested retail price on the new rifle is $1,135.

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