Somebody lend me $2,500.00.

[url]http://www.lesbaer.com/ar223.html[/url]

[img]http://www.lesbaer.com/images/TRspecAR223.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.lesbaer.com/images/sightRF.jpg[/img]

NEW! Les Baer Custom Thunder Ranch Rifle

When Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch, began his search for the ultimate duty and defense rifle, it just makes sense that the search would begin and end at the same place that was responsible for producing the spectacular and highly popular Thunder Ranch pistol. Clint Smith came to us with some ideas for one of the most totally unique rifles on the market, and after more than a year of working together, Les Baer Custom is now able to offer a 100%
reliable and amazingly accurate AR rifle with a whole laundry list of exclusive features that clearly distinguish it from any other rifle on the market. For personal and property defense in rural areas or for police use in patrol vehicles, this is the .223 rifle that you’ll be seeing, because it will flat out-perform anything that has ever been built. As with all our AR .223 rifles, we
guarantee this Thunder Ranch rifle to shoot 1/2 MOA groups. Total weight: 7 lb, 6 oz.
Features include:

• LBC Forged And Precision Machined Upper & Lower Receivers • Picatinny Style Flat Top Rail • LBC Ultimate National Match Carrier (Chromed) • LBC Ultimate Bolt (Chromed) • LBC Ultimate Extractor • Les Baer Custom Bench Rest 16” Barrel, 416 R Stainless Steel, Precision Cut Bench Rest Rifling, 1X8 Twist • Barrel Is Precision Fluted In Front Of Gas Block For Better Heat Dissipation • Jewell Two-Stage Trigger Tuned To 41/2 Pound Pull (total pull weight) • Special Thunder Ranch Free Float Handguard With Locking Ring • Sling Stud Mounted Front Of Free Float Handguard • Nylon Weather Proof Sling And Lockable Front Sling Swivel • Special Detachable Carry Handle • Unique Sighting System (see full description below) • QMI Gold Titanium Firing Pin • (2) 10-Round Magazines • LBC Ultimate AR .223 Rifle Soft Case • Bear Coat™ All-Weather Finish On Upper, Lower, Free Float System, Barrel, Carry Handle, And Most Small Parts (Note: Bear Coat™ is a protective all-weather firearm finish that uses tough TEFLON-S™, a product of Dupont.)

The Most Innovative And Accurate AR .223 Sighting And Carry Handle System On The Market Includes:
Tippie Rear Sight, National Match With 1/4 Minute Of Elevation And 1/4 Minute Of Windage • Flip Rear Sight Has One Large .198 Aperture And One Smaller Screw-In .100 Aperture That Can Be Removed (different screw-in apertures with different size holes are available) • Gas Block And Fold Down Front Sight Are State-Of-The-Art • Front Sight Folds Back And Locks In; By Pushing The Release Pin On the Side Of The Sight, The Spring-Loaded Front Sight Springs Up Into Place • Front Sight Also Folds Down Towards The Rear And Locks Into Place If You Choose To Mount A Scope Or Other Optic On The Flattop Upper, Thereby removing The Front Sight From Your Field Of View • Front Sight Includes A Bright Tritium Insert From Trijicon For Highest Visibility In Low Light Conditions • The Carry Handle Is Detachable And It Can Be Removed, Then Reattached And The Rifle Will Still Shoot Within 1/2 Inch At One-Hundred Yards Of Its Original Point Of Aim

[shock]

Nice rifle and custom touches. I consistently shoot eggs at 200 yards with my DPMS though...Using XM193!

Wow, that is pure black sex.

Yawn...[:|]

very pretty



t

It's a .223, NOT 5.56.
IMHO not a true "combat" weapon in that case.

More commentary:

[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=155905&w=searchPop[/url]

Even Colts say .223 on the receiver. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be 5.56.

This one is 1/2 MOA.

Got a write up in the july 2003 Shooting Times.

Does that mean it will soon be spawning little, illegitimate black rifles that we [i]all[/i] have to pay for?

[rofl]

Oh, $hit! IBTL!

I detect the aroma of carrots[:D]

Ya spelled wholly wrong.... [:)]

Too much money.

If I want to shoot 1/2 moa at 200 yds. I want a biger caliber.

Wow, I'm impressed. I thought Wilson made the most overpriced AR.

It is hard to believe that Clint Smith, who advocates basic, lightweight, 16" carbines, would endorse a heavy, varmint-style rifle for defensive use.

Lots of good comments on the thread Lumpy196 mentions.

I too am surprised that Clint would approve this rifle.

While attending Defensive Handgun II, we were eating BBQ and I was sitting with Clint.  Someone asked about the TR Special Rifle and Clint said, "I told Les that if it weighs more than 6.5 pounds, I'm taking a hacksaw to it."

Given his insistance on no-frills rifles, I don't understand this weapon.  The only explaination is that there wasn't enough profit in a simple rifle and Les wanted to add all the gegaws to push up the price.  Not really like Clint to compromise, but there it is.

Agreed. My Bushmaster cost 1/3 that price, and it'll shoot 1/2MOA groups. That thing's [b]way[/b] overpriced.

A flip up front sight with a carry handle.  Who else thinks that's retarded?

THIS is what allows them to get away with the price tag:

[img]http://www.lesbaer.com/images/TRlogo-inset.jpg[/img]

that is ass clowny

i am not sure what they ar going for.

Its ok ...for about 850.00

I keep the Oly instead .

I believe that the handle is removable to allow for optics; therefore the fold-down front sight.

But since Clint doesn't like things with batteries, it is an "Ingenious solution to a non-existent problem."

I would not dissagre that the price is too much. However, there are a lot of nice features on this gun. I am pretty sure that with the 1/2 MOA guarantee most of the rifle will shoot better than that.

Damn that things ugly.......

It's not a bad rifle but like the Wilson Combat AR's I feel it's over priced and it's not even a pre-ban.

If I was going to spend that much money at one time I'd work with WES at MSTN.  You can bet you'll have a top notch AR setup configured by a man who knows what's best!

Wow, $2500.00.  Ok, lets see at that price you get:
no chrome lined barrel, no threads to install brake/suppresor, no milspec trigger, do I see sling swivels on there?, MAYBE 5.56 chamber and she weighs almost if not as much as a 20in barrel gun.    Okay, GREAT DEAL [;)]

Actually it makes a lot of sense if you regularly go from irons to optics and back.

not really.  it doesn't follow the KISS philosophy of Clint Smith or Thunder Ranch.  I like my A2 with the scope mounted on the carry handle so i can use the irons if i need to without detaching a scope and reattaching a carry handle.  this gun is goofy.  

Gee you are right.

I just threw all my quick detach mounts and goofy optics away. I now live my entire life according to KISS and if something doesn't comply it is GONE. Any rifles with optics will be perma mounted with super glue.

I know realize that removing the A3 carry handle and installing QD mounted optics is entirely too much work. Next time I need to try that 600m shot I'll just do it with irons like a real man. Who cares if my life may depend on it. Versatility is just stoopid.

Thanks for your guidance Obi Wan. [:D]


Editted to add: No way you are gonna use those see through irons or optics very well in a CQB situation.

Por Que?

I guess I would use a ARMS rear flip-up leaving the rail available for the rest of the site system. You can co-witness if desired and still have the option of non-obstructed magnified optics.


[i]Barrel Is Precision Fluted In Front Of Gas Block For Better Heat Dissipation[/i]
LMAO, that part IS retarded!

My only objection to this rifle (aside from the price), is that it does not square with Clint's own professed opinions on what makes a good defensive AR carbine.

As Old_Painless said, Clint has stated that *his* personal preference is for 16" lightweight carbines with iron sights.  Now you may disagree with this, but this is *his* opinion.

My first reaction to this was, "What's next, the 'Jeff Cooper Custom Gunsite Compensated Glock 17 Longslide'?"

I couldn't care whose name is on it. I like it because is is a accurate carbine (could be a bit lighter for my tastes) that can go from irons to QD optics quickly. The fold down front site is far better than a detachable one in my opinion. The optics on a lower plane contribute greatly to accuracy.

The fact that it can go from irons to optics and back with only a discrepency of a 1/2 minute in accuracy is really the selling point. It is a pretty decent gun for most occassions in terms of vesratility.

I don't go in much for gadgets and doo daa's either. A streamlight M3 and medium fast aquisition QD optics would be about all the accessories I'd carry.

And I think it should cost about $1,000 less.

Clint needs his cut.

[;D]