Tactical Solutions’ dedicated .22 upper uses their own .22-action mated to one of their lightweight barrels; Black Dog mags come standard. The lower is from Stag Arms with an ACE buttstock and Rock River NM trigger; the optic is a Trijicon ACOG.
Their conversion system (which, at
this time, is not available as a stand- alone conversion) is loosely based on the Atchisson design, but is beauti- fully machined from stainless steel, and disassembles using a clever key- way system. By doing away with the requirement that you have to pry the receiver rails apart, they’re able to make the rails of much heavier steel. Like the Model 1 unit, their dedi-
cated uppers are available in several different variants, including a slick integrally suppressed one that looks like every other heavy-barrel AR. The one I requested for this article came with a flattop upper receiver, mid-length, free-float handguard and a 16" barrel, all of it matte black except for the silver logo engraved at the rear of the upper. I’ve only got a box or so of ammo through it so far, but with the ACOG on top zeroed in, it’ll break clay pigeons at 100 yards — and with the Tactical Solutions suppressor installed (did I mention I ordered an upper with a threaded barrel?) it’s just a riot to shoot.
The Higher End Even this, though, may not be
Dedicated .22 LR uppers from Model 1 Sales (top) and Tactical Solutions (bottom). While each uses a different mechanism — the Model 1 has a modified Atchisson unit, while the Tactical Solu- tions conversion is proprietary — both are available in a variety of configurations. Both feature barrels with the appropriate cham- ber, bore diameter and twist rate for the .22 LR cartridge.
enough for some folks, who simply have to go the next step into the cus- tom world. Another upper that I’ve only started playing with is a T&E unit that was built as a testbed for barrels from the German barrelmak- er Lothar Walther. A major OEM maker of high-end gunbarrels of all descriptions, Lothar Walther has a very active custom shop, and they recently turned out the pair of .22 LR barrels that are currently mated with this upper. One is a fairly tame M4-contour barrel, and the other a deceptively sophisticated progres- sive twist version; they can be easily swapped back-and-forth in the up- per with the appropriate wrenches. No word yet on which is better, but if the progressive one keeps shooting the way it is, I may not bother trying the other one on — scratch that, yes I will. Also worth noting are the cus-
tom uppers from SAOD Industries. Also assembled using Lothar Wal- ther barrels, they come in a variety of configurations for both rifle and pistol ARs (all NFA rules apply), with features such as polygonal ri- fling and tensioned barrels. And it
works: I’ve done a 1/2" or so at 50 yards with them. For those interested in assem-
bling their own custom .22 upper (or having it done), .22 LR-AR bar- rels are available from Lothar Wal- ther — but bear in mind since their primary business is manufacturing and not retail sales, you will have to tell them exactly what your want the barrel to look like, including mea- surements. It may not be cheap, but few things worth having ever are. Like many things — including the
AR itself — you can do as much or as little with the .22 LR conversions as you want to, and at whatever price point is most appealing to you. But in a world where both ammo and places to shoot high-powered rifles are becoming harder to find, it’s an idea whose time has come. * A special thanks to Keith Bangs and John and Will Fawcett.
FOR MORE INFO: BROWNELLS
www.brownells.com (800) 741-0015
JONATHAN ARTHUR CIENER, INC.
www.22lrconversions.com
(321) 868-2200
www.lothar-walther.com (770) 889-9998
LOTHAR WALTHER
Primarily known for their lightweight barrel assemblies for the Browning Buckmark and Ruger MkIII and 10/22, Tactical Solutions also offers a dedi- cated .22 upper for the AR. Everything they do is top notch, and the AR-22 is no exception.
46
The basis for most rimfire AR conver- sions, the Atchisson-style conversion (this one is from J.A. Ciener) drops into your rifle in place of the .223 bolt, and consists of a new bolt, a chamber insert that also contains the .22 LR chamber and a self-contained recoil system. Slap in a loaded .22 mag, and you’re ready.
www.model1sales.com (903) 546-2087
MODEL 1 SALES
SAOD INDUSTRIES
www.saodind.com
TACTICAL SOLUTIONS/BLACK DOG
www.tacticalsol.com
www.blackdogmag.com (866) 333-9901
PERSONAL DEFENSE • SPRING 2011 SPECIAL EDITION
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