August 9th, 2023
8:52 runtime
Ive shotevery SAINT rifle available.
And what have I learned from all this?
Each runs exceptionally well, and each comes nicely equipped from the factory in relation to their respective pricepoints.
What happens when you pair two excellent brands — Springfield Armory and Midwest Industries — in a custom AR build project? Read on to find out.
But what if youre a tinkerer like me?
What if you like changing out parts, trying new configurations, etc.?
Then, the SAINT the lowest-cost rifle in the line-up makes for a great option.
The author used a SAINT 5.56mm as the foundation for his custom AR build with the Midwest parts.
gear?, he asked.
Needless to say, I jumped at the chance as Im a big fan of their products.
Sourcing In… And it was in that section I was looking.
The SAINT rifle proved to be easy to break down and prep for the build with all the new Midwest parts.
So, the bottom line is the gun doesnt reallyneedany of these changes.
But, Im a tinkerer, and its not always about what weneed, is it?
So, what informed my choices?
Installing the new low-profile gas block from Midwest on the SAINT barrel was a straightforward and simple process.
There were also some other tweaks I wanted to make.
As for the trigger, I was very curious to try out Midwest Industries Drop-In 3.5-Lb.
Single-Stage Flat Trigger with included anti-walk pins, as I prefer a flat trigger these days.
Thanks to the quality of the base SAINT rifle and the Midwest parts, the custom build project ran quite smoothly for the author.
And lastly, I selected the Midwest Enhanced Black Nitride Bolt Carrier Group.
This one was more of an apples to apples comparison, and I was curious how it would perform.
But, as with everything, its always good to be careful and cautious.
The author ran the reconfigured rifle on the range and was impressed with the performance of the base gun as well as the Midwest parts.
And doing the same with the base rifle selecting a reputable manufacturer like Springfield is also a sound move.
Hitting the gun bench, the build was honestly one of the smoothest Ive ever undertaken.
Starting my work on the upper, I removed the clamshell-style M-Lok handguard, which was relatively easy.
These phosphated low-profile steel sights were quite impressive and well-made.
Installing the drop-in trigger was very easy.
As the name implies, it drops into place.
I added a bit of included orange thread locker for additional security.
I loaded up the truck and took off to the range.
In general, it felt as good as my SAINT Edge in terms of responsiveness and rock-solid build characteristics.
I ran half a dozen mags through it and enjoyed it thoroughly.
