By Alan M. Rice<\/a><\/p>\n O<\/span>ver the past six decades, the AR-15<\/span> type rifle has undergone various modifications, upgrades and enhancements. I often wonder if Eugene Stoner envisioned the amount of modularity and breadth of offerings you see today when he first designed the rifle.<\/p>\n While there are a range of applications for which the AR is appropriate, its versatility and low recoil make it particularly ideal for home defense, in my opinion. When The Armory Life<\/em> asked me if I would like to review the SAINT B5 Systems M-Lok<\/span> rifle, I jumped at the opportunity to go hands-on with a budget-friendly production rifle. Based on my experiences with it, I believe this carbine is well-suited for the defense of hearth and home, as well as police patrol duty.\u00a0<\/p>\n [Ed. note: This is a Springfield Armory SAINT B5 review. Be sure also to read our SAINT Victor B5 review<\/a>.]\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n When I opened the box at my local FFL, I was impressed with the attention to detail that Springfield included. Packed in the box are Items that will help new gun owners get to the range immediately. Things like a soft case with magazine storage and a bright orange chamber flag, something now required by many ranges, were just some of the included items.\u00a0<\/p>\n Functional upgrades are standard on this rifle. Some of them include:\u00a0<\/p>\n Springfield wisely marked the lower receiver as MULTI-CALIBER and laser engraved the barrel with the chambering of this specific rifle, which is 5.56 NATO (it can fire both 5.56mm and .223 ammo). A nice touch is the laser-engraved logo on the bolt. <\/p>\n The trigger had a consistent pull weight of 6.2 lbs. as measured on a Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge. I checked the pull weight after a day of shooting, in which I estimated the pull weight to be closer to four pounds; I attribute the lighter feel to a lack of creep and the nickel boron coating. After that same day of shooting, cleaning the rifle was easy due to the Melonite coating.<\/p>\n [Learn more about Melonite in our article Common Coatings and Finishes for Modern Guns<\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\nInitial SAINT B5 Impressions<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/picture>SAINT B5 Specifications<\/h2>\n
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