Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Utilizing the strong base of the SAINT® rifle’s design, the enhanced SAINT® Victor series of AR-style rifles offers purpose-built performance. Expanding upon this capability is the latest inclusion in this lineup, the SAINT Victor with a Law Folder. Incorporating the Law Tactical folding mechanism, this 16”-barreled 5.56mm carbine can be conveniently transported and stored. This mechanism enables the buttstock assembly to fold neatly alongside the left side of the rifle’s receiver. Just like all models within the Victor series, this variant showcases Springfields M-Lok® handguard for unrestricted mounting options and enhancements that ensure dependable professional-level reliability. From the factory, this variant also utilizes B5 systems furniture, a 16″ CMV Melonite barrel, Springfield Armory muzzle break, an upgraded trigger, and of course the Law Tactical folder.
Table of contents
Specifications
Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO (.223 REM)
Gas System: Direct Impingement Mid-Length, Low-Profile Pinned Gas Block
Weight: 7 lbs 3 oz
Barrel: 16″ CMV, Melonite®, 1:8
Upper Reciever: Forged 7075 T6 Aluminum, Type III Hardcoat Anodized, Forward Assist, M4 Feed Ramps
Lower Reciever: Forged 7075 T6 Aluminum, Type III Hardcoat Anodized, Accu-Tite™ Tension System
BCG: Enhanced M16 w/ 9310 Steel Bolt, HPT/MPI, Melonite
Trigger: Nickel Boron Coated Flat GI
Magazines: (1) 30-Round Magpul® PMAG® Gen M3™
Stock: B5 Systems Enhanced SOPMOD, Law Tactical AR Folding Stock Adapter
Grip: B5 Systems Type 23 P-Grip
Muzzle Brake: SA Muzzle Brake
Buffer Assembly: Carbine “H” Heavy Tungsten Buffer
Out of the Box
As previously stated, Springfield Armory utilized a lot of great upgrades for this rifle. Opening the box, the SAINT comes packaged in a padded rifle case with a foam shell with adjustable interior Velcro straps. The exterior also features two magazine pouches. The rifle comes with a SA muzzle break, metal pop-up iron sights, a solid upgraded trigger, a Law Tactical folder, a B5 stock, and a B5 grip installed. A single 30-round Magpul M3 PMAG and a gun lock are also included. Pictured below is an EOTECH EXPS3-0 and Valhalla Tactical weapon light which did not come with the rifle, but were used throughout this review.
Law Tactical Folder
The biggest perk of buying this configuration of the SAINT Victor is definitely the inclusion of a Law Tactical folder. I have run these folders on my personal ARs for years without issue. While this adds 10.5 ounces to the platform, it allows for much more compact storage for easy transportation. While this 16″ Victor requires a slightly bigger bag than the backpack I can fit my 11.5″ in, this folder adds a lot of versatility to the weapon system.
One thing to note is that the rifle cannot be fired when folded using the standard BCG that comes with this rifle. The stock must be swung back and locked in place to be able to chamber a round and operate the action. However, for those who would like to shoot the SAINT Victor folded, Law Tactical recently came out with their ARIC (AR Internal Carrier). Simply swap out the old BCG for the ARIC and then fire this rifle with or without the stock locked back.
SEE MORE: Testing The AR Internal Carrier or ARIC from Law Tactical
SAINT Victor B5 Furniture
While mil-spec rifles leave a lot to desire, the SAINT Victor is well-equipped straight from the factory. Springfield includes a B5 Systems Enhanced SOPMOD stock and a P-Grip 23 pistol grip. The Type 23 P-Grip has good texturing and a steeper grip angle to ensure a proper trigger index. The Enhanced SOPMOD Stock has a great ergonomic design that is comfortable when shooting. Featuring water-resistant storage compartments, dual steel anti-rotational QD sling mounts, and a “sure grip stock latch,” the B5 stock has a lot going for it. I like the cheek weld I get with this stock and the grip texturing allows me to hold the rifle more securely.
Trigger
Springfield Armory includes one of its own flat-faced Nickel Boron Coated triggers in this rifle. While curved and flat-faced don’t really make much of a difference, I have slightly been preferring flat as of late. The single-stage trigger looks sharp and works well. I measured the pull weight of this trigger to consistently break between 5-5.5lbs. This trigger has no “take up”, however, when pulling past the wall there is a short spongy creep before the trigger breaks. After the shot, the reset is very short and positive. This short reset made it easy to run this gun fast while staying on target. I would say this trigger is definitely an upgrade from a standard mil-spec trigger, but doesn’t have the crisp break found in other higher-end options. The enlarged trigger guard is also from B5 Systems and allows easier access especially when wearing gloves.
Handguard
Reducing weight, and increasing ergonomics, the SAINT Victory features a “full-length “interrupted” rail to accommodate modern shooting styles, providing comfort for those who shoot with a thumb-over grip.” This just means it is rounded on the top and omits all top Picatinny rail slots except for two in the very front and two in the far back. Otherwise, this free-floated aluminum rail is fairly standard and features 7 M-Lok sides around the handguard. I am a big fan of M-LOK handguards as they provide a great combination of durability to weight savings.
Iron Sights
Springfield Armory utilizes its very own spring-loaded flip-up iron sights for all rifles in its SAINT Victor lineup. They are adjustable, and the rear sight has both a large and small aperture for different types of shooting. To deploy, simply press the oversized round knob on the left sight of the sights to make them spring up and into action. While I didn’t use the iron sights for shooting during this review, it is nice to have a solid set of metal ones included from the factory.
Muzzle Brake
Not only does Springfield use its own iron sights, trigger, and handguard for this rifle, but they also utilize their own muzzle brake. While most muzzle brakes do the same thing very comparably, I was quite impressed with the one installed on this rifle. Maybe it’s because I mostly shoot suppressed these days, but this AR shot extremely flat. The muzzle brake not only drastically reduced recoil, but it kept the barrel from rising. This allowed me to continually hit a C-zone-sized silhouette from around 30 yards keeping a 0.17-second cadence between shots, or roughly 6 shots per second.
SAINT Victor Precision
Aiming to see how accurate this 16″ Melonite CMV barrel was, I set up paper targets at 100 yards, grabbed an assortment of ammunition, and started shooting groups. Trying to eliminate as many variables as possible, I used the Vortex Razor 6-36 riflescope for shooting groups. While some people just shoot 3-round groups and call it a day, I feel like 5-round groups give a better representation of how a rifle actually performs. While 5-round groups typically have a larger deviation, take from them what you will. Either way, this rifle shot quite well, especially for one in this price range. Also, when shooting Hornady Black, I had a 0.45 MOA four-round group if I exclude the flier. Including it, I still received a 1.01 MOA group which is quite impressive. The groups I got are listed in the table below:
| Ammo Type | 5-Round Group Size in MOA |
| PMC Bronze 55gr FMJ | 0.99 |
| Hornady Black 62 gr FMJ | 1.01 (.45 excluding the one flyer) |
| Frontier Match 75gr BTHP | 1.45 |
| Hornady Match 75gr BTHP | 1.85 |
| Norma Golden Target Match 69gr BTHP | 2.03 |
Testing The SAINT Victor
So enough with the features, and let’s move on to the performance. The Springfield Armory SAINT Victor ran like a dream. For the few hundred rounds I was able to put through this rifle, I never had a single malfunction. While I only used various brass ammunition, nothing gave any issue whatsoever. The muzzle brake not only made this rifle shoot flat, but it also made recoil almost non-existent. Springfields’ single-stage trigger has a very short reset which makes quick follow-up shots a breeze. One thing that should be noted is that the slim handguard heats up fast. After a single quick mag dump, the rail got too hot for me to hold without gloves. While this slim rail is both comfortable and lightweight, it is not ideal for quick and intense strings of fire.
When paired with the right ammunition, it grouped quite well. It was good to see multiple types of ammunition get right around 1 MOA 5-round groups. The Law Tactical folder is a great touch. It enables much easier transportation for those who want to keep a rifle with them. The B5 furniture is also top-of-the-line and very ergonomic. The SAINT Victor handles well, and I had no trouble maneuvering around and shooting through a VTAC board.
For those who want to see the FPC in action, you can watch a short video I posted to my Instagram account below:
Summary of The SAINT Victor
For the money, I think the Springfield Armory SAINT Victor is a great option. Currently, the MSRP for this rifle is $1363 while the street price is a little under that. It comes upgraded with great furniture and even a Law Tactical folder. The rifle shot without a single issue, and I was able to achieve right at 1 MOA 5-round groups with two types of ammunition. Overall, I am impressed. This variant of the SAINT Victor packs in a lot of features and performance for the price.
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This new AR sounds really wonderful, my question is can I get this in a specific caliber to match me other weapons so I will not have to mess with which round goes to what gun.
Thank you,
Clint