{"id":65872,"date":"2016-11-11T13:50:33","date_gmt":"2016-11-11T18:50:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=65872"},"modified":"2016-11-11T13:50:33","modified_gmt":"2023-08-20T10:42:29","slug":"sub-1000-seekins-ar-freedom-munitions-223-wylde-g-rifle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/sub-1000-seekins-ar-freedom-munitions-223-wylde-g-rifle\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sub-$1,000 Seekins AR? The Freedom Munitions .223 Wylde G.I. Rifle"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The Seekins Precision G.I. rifle from Freedom Munitions combines top-notch quality and features with a sub-$1,000 price point.<\/p><\/div>\n

To learn more, visit https:\/\/www.freedommunitions.com\/firearms\/rifles\/seekins-precision-gi-rifle\/ar-15-223-seekins-rifle-kit.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To purchase a Seekins product on GunsAmerica.com, click this link: https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/Search.aspx?T=SEEKINS<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I was recently sent a gun from a company that I had previously only purchased ammunition from, which was interesting. The good people at Freedom Munitions<\/a> had formed a partnership with their neighbors, Seekins Precision, in Lewiston, Idaho. Seekins has a great reputation as a quality boutique manufacturer of AR parts and complete rifles. The cool product of this partnership is that Freedom Munitions is now stocking what they call the G.I. Rifle<\/a>, which has all the best options that Seekins offers for around a grand! The exciting part is that they have this rifle in stock now, ready to ship to your FFL.<\/p>\n

What makes the G.I. rifle so unique is the fact that Seekins Precision rifles are usually not \u201cprice point\u201d products. Seekins has a great reputation for quality, and prices their rifles at reasonable ranges for the quality you are receiving. But, these prices often range from above $1,500 (with some around $1,250 at the lowest). So, the sub-$1,000 ballpark price of the G.I. is notable. Sure, $949.50 is still a lot of money, but you get a lot for that money with this rifle that makes it a real value, in my opinion. Read on to find out more.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The rifle was equipped with the optional 60-degree ambidextrous safety lever, which the author liked.<\/p><\/div>\n

Unboxing<\/h2>\n

The GI Rifle came in a plastic hard case precut outlined in the Mil-spec high-density 2.2-lb. polyethylene to match the rifle and all the accessories. Also included were three Freedom Munitions-branded AMEND2 30-round magazines (one comes standard with the rifle). These magazines were black polymer with a textured grip, anti-tilt follower and stainless steel spring. The magazines can be painted with Cerakote.<\/p>\n

The rifle has a 16-inch barrel with a twist rate of 1:8, is chambered in .223 Wylde (which means that it can shoot both 5.56x45mm and .223 Remington) and has an ArmorBlak coating. From what I can tell, ArmorBlak is a durable coating that, unlike Melonite, will not affect the heat treatment of the metal. The barrel was capped off with a A2X Flashhider, threaded at 1\/2x 28. Covering the barrel was the beautiful 12-inch Seekins Precision MCSR<\/a> M-LOK Free Float Handguard. This is a traditional gas-operated gun, featuring an M16 bolt carrier group and an M4 feed ramp. The upper receiver has a Mil-Spec 1913 Picatinny rail feeding into the matching rail on top of handguard.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The buttstock on the G.I. is a Mission First Tactical Battlelink Minimalist MilSpec unit.<\/p><\/div>\n

The buttstock on the rifle is the Battlelink Minimalist MilSpec adjustable stock from Mission First<\/a> Tactical. The stock is made from military-grade reinforced, super-tough polyamide. This makes for a very strong yet incredibility light stock. The pistol grip, also from Mission First Tactical, feels good in the hand and has storage in the grip for kit of your choice.<\/p>\n

Housed within the lower receiver is a milspec standard trigger. The selector switch is fully ambidextrous and offers you the choice between a 90-degree standard throw lever and a 60-degree short throw lever. My sample rifle was set up with the 60-degree option. The selector has a diamond texture added that aids in maintaining contact with the lever, and it has the added benefit of looking great. The trigger guard is oversized and uniquely-shaped to add to the appearance and facilitate the use of gloves. The bolt catch is the Seekins oversized catch with an aggressive diamond texture for positive operation. Locking the bolt back is facilitated by the bottom portion of the catch, which is also oversized and diamond textured for this reason. Even the mag release button, billet CNC machined from a solid piece of aluminum, is diamond textured to match the other controls.<\/p>\n

So, it should be clear by now that while the G.I. rifle has an introductory-level price point, it is very well-appointed on enhancements and feature upgrades. This is not a bone-stock M4-style carbine, but a nicely appointed little rifle.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Be Clear<\/h2>\n

The following is a clarification to avoid confusion, not necessarily a point of criticism. The G.I. Rifle\u2019s upper and lower receiver are CNC made from 7075\u2013T6 aluminum forgings. This is not a complaint, but I want to clarify this, as Seekins is best-known for their very creatively-machined billet receivers. Both the selector switch and bolt catch are manufactured using metal injected molding (MIM). They claim that this allows for the selection of a proprietary material that is considerably stronger than billet or factory milspec.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A 12-inch Seekins Precision MCSR M-LOK Free Float Handguard comes standard on the G.I.<\/p><\/div>\n

Now, for my opinion: All of the AR-15 style guns that I currently own are manufactured using an aluminum forging. I have never had an issue with this material. I do believe that the billet is a stronger, more durable base to build the gun from. However, on this platform I believe that its advantage is primarily to allow for a higher, more detailed level of artistic customization. I have had some less-than-spectacular results with MIM parts, and as a rule I generally try to avoid them. That being said, I am not in the manufacturing business, nor am I any class of an engineer. I will defer to others who\u2019ve told me that it is quite probable that the claims made about the process and materials are completely accurate in regards to producing a better part using MIM over machining from billet.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The G.I. has all the features you want from an AR and none that you do not, and all at a great price.<\/p><\/div>\n

SPECS<\/strong><\/h2>\n