December 11th, 2023
12:50 runtime
Short barrel rifles are excellent tools for home defense and law enforcement use.
The question of what is the best SBR is subjective and greatly influenced by your individual needs.
At the start of every shift, I load my cruiser with a seeming truckload of important gear.
The SAINT Victor SBR brings duty-ready performance and capability to a very compact and capable package.
Some of that gear, like my breaching tools, rarely see use on patrol.
Other items, like my duty rifle, see regular use.
My SAINT Victor SBR (short-barreled rifle) 5.56mm is paramount to the work I do.
A duty rifle’s accessories can be as important as the rifle. The author topped his off with a Rugged Suppressors Razor556.
I would say that on approximately 10 percent of the shifts I work, I deploy my rifle.
Of the gear Im not wearing on my person, my 5.56mm gets the most attention.
Lives may count on it.
The author has run his Victor SBR hard for two years, and the finish shows it. However, it is still running strong.
Most of the reviews I write tend to center around firearms for home or self-defense.
When looking at a gun for these purposes, reliability is king.
For my duty rifle, I hold it to a different standard.
In training and in the field, the author’s SAINT Victor SBR has stood up to all he threw at it, including taking part in breaching operations and training.
Dont get me wrong, reliability is still the most important aspect of a duty rifle.
But when it comes to duty use, there are other factors that are nearly as important.
When it comes to reliability, a duty rifle is no different than a rifle used for home defense.
The author tested the Springfield Armory SAINT SBR over a two-year period in real-world conditions as a patrol deputy.
It needs to go bang every time the trigger is pressed.
My SAINT Victor SBR has done that.
It has run reliably for me in difficult circumstances in training over the past two years.
There are many considerations when selecting an AR-15 for duty or home defense use. Reliability, durability and the ability to customize it to your needs are all important.
It doesnt matter what ammo Im running even training ammunition the gun just runs.
Again, this is a paramount quality in a duty rifle.
The durability requirement for my SAINT Victor SBR is just a slight notch below the reliability requirement in importance.
The author’s SAINT Victor SBR has two years of hard training and patrol use.
Remember that stat I threw out earlier?
In 10% of my shifts, my rifle is in use.
That means it is out, in my hands or slung on my person many, many times.
The author tested and trained with the rifle using a range of accessories and ammunition. The gun proved reliable and durable.
And the stresses it faces do not just come from conventionally employing it.
And while the finish of my gun shows that wear, the rifle keeps on going.
Also, I stow my rifle in a padded case in the back of my Tahoe.
The author was able to shoot this tight .635” group at 50 yards with the Black Hills 62-gr. Dual Performance 5.56mm load. Shooting was off-hand with a non-magnified red dot sight.
Customizing My Short Barrel Rifle
And what about customization?
These days, an AR-15 duty rifle without a selection of must-have accessories simply comes up short.
For starters, a rifle without a sling is a liability.
The author’s testing of the short barrel AR-15 rifle from Springfield Armory covered two years of intense training and patrol use.
My rifle has aTrijicon MRO HDon a Unity FAST MRO mount on the upper.
At the end of the handguard, I mount a Steiner DBAL-A3 laser with a LEAF back-up front sight.
Right behind my laser, the rail holds the switch for my weaponlight.
Finally, the M-Lok compatible handguard allows the mounting of everything else.
In my case, it secures the supplied handstop and a Cloud Defensive REIN 3.0 weaponlight.
Instead, Im going to share the details that I feel are important from a duty standpoint.
First, the size.
The Victor SBR is small.
With the stock fully collapsed, the 11.5-barreled SBR is just 27.5 in length.
With the six-position stock fully extended, the length comes in at a short 30.75.
In my opinion, the length is an advantage in two situations.
The first is if your job has you regularly working inside a vehicle while wearing your rifle.
The short length of the SBR is a decided advantage here.
The second situation is my personal situation.
I use my rifle almost exclusively outside of the vehicle.
As a result, I dont need the short length of the SAINT Victor SBR.
So, why did I select an SBR?
Because its the perfect host for a can and I run my gun suppressed.
Next is the single-sided safety.
And lastly, there is the bolt carrier group (BCG).
In addition, it is Melonite-coated and is both MPI and high-pressure tested.
Ive pushed it very hard, and it has kept running.
And in my time with it, I have come to really respect and trust the rifle.
Some of it was high-quality ammo; others, not so much.
However, we all know a duty or defensive rifle needs to be paired with the right ammunition.
But that being said, all of it was impressive.
Dual Purpose and TSX loads, as well as a 77-gr.
Open Tip Match load.
All of the ammo performed well without a hiccup, but the real standout was the 62-gr.
Black Hills certainly deserves a look if you care about the quality of your ammo.
Not a big deal, just be aware.
I also experienced one instance of my adjustable gas block adjustment screw walking out of position.
Road vibrations are real for rifles that live in vehicles.
I never worry if my rifle is going to be ready to do work.
I know that if I do my part, it will have my back.
And that means a lot to me.
