# Hey gun nerds, SA 15.7 or 15.7 IUR franken gun?



## Bzzliteyr (8 Dec 2015)

Okay, I know there are gun nerds in here that are way smarter than I am.

I have 20+ years in the military and really want to pick up the SA15.7 from Colt Canada. 

BUT

I also have no AR15 platforms in my household and saw the IUR for a good price. Mixed with the Colt Lower, a new charging handle and bolt carrier group, I can make a pretty sexy rifle. 

Pros and cons? Nerd out please.


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## acen (8 Dec 2015)

The IUR is pretty front heavy, and while it is very nice, I prefer the standard SA15.7. If you intend on adding a rail, then cost wise you may be better off with the IUR but I like the look of the 15.7 with a KAC RAS on it. Your particular use case will determine which way you should go, but the 15.7 with an RAS fit mine. It, with an Elcan SpectreOS forms the basis of what I would consider the ideal patrol rifle for me personally. YMMV


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## Mr. St-Cyr (8 Dec 2015)

IUR is a cool idea but unfortunately it's a heavy piglet and has proprietary parts. I'd personally go the SA 15.7 way and knock off the front sight gas block, replace it with a low profile gas block and slip a lightweight free floating hand guard on it. I am still waiting to see CC release barrels with a slimmer profile. HBAR's have no place on a carbine IMO.


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## Dissident (8 Dec 2015)

My advice: Do it.

My IUR doesn't seem eavier than my VLTOR upper w/ full profile barrel. 

What the IUR is: Accurate (freakinly so for a mass produced upper) and reliable.

My opinion: If you can afford it, there are no reasons to own anything else than Colt Canada


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## Jarnhamar (8 Dec 2015)

My personal pick would be the IUR.  I think a lot of people pick up the SA rifles in order to build it up to a replica C7 or C8.  If you want an AR15 that looks like your rifle from work go for the SA, if it's not a priority I'd say the IUR.    

. 
I think it's pissed a few people off because for a while they were $999 and being purported as a sort of limited edition hurry up you won't get another chance like this, but now they're going for under $600. I'm trying to afford picking one up myself.


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## Dissident (9 Dec 2015)

Let me paraphrase what one of my friend said:

There is no such thing as a commercial production line at Colt Canada. All the rifles produced are subject to get pulled off the line and get quality tested by one of the two permanently attached CF quality control inspector. I don't know this for a fact, but I doubt this QC level is present in most commercial AR-15 released.

I like to compare My C8 IUR to my previous upper of choice: A VLTOR upper with a 16" barrel from Compass Lake Engineering carved from a Douglas blank. All assembled by Ed Begg. Bought that puppy from Martin at DS Tactical a while ago, for a decent chunk of change. That thing was more accurate than me. BUT: I had some hard extractions during some matches while shooting BCRA service rifle. That level of "reliability" is absolutely unacceptable for me. The  C8 IUR proved unfailingly reliable (so far) and just as accurate (to my surprise).

While I don't drink the cool aid, I see no reason to own anything else than Colt Canada. Accurate enough for competition and reliability I would rely on if my life depended on it.


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## Bzzliteyr (9 Dec 2015)

NinerSix said:
			
		

> Let me paraphrase what one of my friend said:
> 
> There is no such thing as a commercial production line at Colt Canada. All the rifles produced are subject to get pulled off the line and get quality tested by one of the two permanently attached CF quality control inspector. I don't know this for a fact, but I doubt this QC level is present in most commercial AR-15 released.
> 
> ...



But But But, they are both Colt Canada...


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## Dissident (9 Dec 2015)

Yeah, I went off the rails there.

Alright, lets get pedantic. Define your requirement for me. Competition? Courses? Home defense? (;P) Just to have one? LCF?

It's nice to have a complete factory rifle from the factory, in that sense the SA15.7 has the edge. 

It's also nice to have the accuracy edge of a free floated rifle and the versatility of the front rail. Mind you, I have absolutely no data to back up that the IUR is more accurate, common wisdom dictates that a free floated barrel will have the edge. But common wisdom has been the source of a lot of misconceptions. YMMV. While I like to have a front rail, I have actually only used the front rail once: On a low light course with PLG. 

You know, if you have the money, buy the SA15.7 and a spare IUR upper. 

My goal is to have 2 CC lowers (wife likes to shoot) and have one of each uppers.


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## Jarnhamar (9 Dec 2015)

Damnit.   Anyone know a really cheap place for the IUR?


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## Bzzliteyr (9 Dec 2015)

NinerSix said:
			
		

> Yeah, I went off the rails there.
> 
> Alright, lets get pedantic. Define your requirement for me. Competition? Courses? Home defense? (;P) Just to have one? LCF?
> 
> ...



well damn, since my credit card is taking the hit (and I already just paid $450 for a range membership) why not just add the IUR and use the charging handle and bolt from the 15.7? Genius!


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## Colin Parkinson (9 Dec 2015)

NinerSix said:
			
		

> Let me paraphrase what one of my friend said:
> 
> There is no such thing as a commercial production line at Colt Canada. All the rifles produced are subject to get pulled off the line and get quality tested by one of the two permanently attached CF quality control inspector. I don't know this for a fact, but I doubt this QC level is present in most commercial AR-15 released.
> 
> ...



I be betting that you have a "match" chamber or similar, you can have greater accuracy or reliability, but not both. Unless you use only brand new ammo from the same source and you have chamber checked every one of them prior to the match.


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## Dissident (9 Dec 2015)

Colin P said:
			
		

> I be betting that you have a "match" chamber or similar, you can have greater accuracy or reliability, but not both. Unless you use only brand new ammo from the same source and you have chamber checked every one of them prior to the match.



Indeed. A match .223 Wylde chamber on my VLTOR.


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## Mister Donut (10 Dec 2015)

Jarnhamar said:
			
		

> Damnit.   Anyone know a really cheap place for the IUR?



Blemished IURs without the BCG are running for about $559 with free delivery, but supply is supposedly limited.  There are about 150 complete rifles built buy CC with IUR uppers, CC BCGs, and CC premium lowers for sale right now at various retailers (check out SFRC the Ammo Source), think they have a few black ones left.  Anyway, these things are going for $1599, a *ucking fantastic deal, why?  Because......

..........if you can still find them, the regular SA15.7 (C8 clone) sells for about $1,899 or so retail with the SA20 (C7 clone) running about $1,500-1,600.  When they first came out, I think the SA20 was $2,100 and the SA15.7 was about $2,300?  We of course go the mil discount and the SA20 could be had for $1,500 plus tax and the SA15.7 for about $1600.

Anyway, they released the IUR for $1,100 or so(just the upper, no BCG, cheap-o charging handle), with a mil discount for us (I paid $944 to my door) and some guys sold off their regular uppers for one of these IUR uppers.  I ended up building one from an IUR upper, Colt USA BCG, and a stripped CC lower with a DD LPK.  All said and done, it cost me about $2k to build what they are now offering for $1599


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## Maxadia (10 Dec 2015)

Mister Donut said:
			
		

> .........if you can still find them, the regular SA15.7 (C8 clone) sells for about $1,899 or so retail with the SA20 (C7 clone) running about $1,500-1,600.  When they first came out, I think the SA20 was $2,100 and the SA15.7 was about $2,300?  We of course go the mil discount and the SA20 could be had for $1,500 plus tax and the SA15.7 for about $1600.



SA20 IOP pricing is running around $1799 right now actually, with the SA15.7 going for about $200 more ($1999).

I know, because I am purchasing one of these "blemished" SA15.7 rifles for just under $1650, shipped to my door, GST and delivery included.  That's over $400 of discount.  Green furniture too (That's running about another $250 or so now).

TAndT Arms in BC is where I am getting mine.


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## Bzzliteyr (11 Dec 2015)

Interesting. I bit the bullet and bought the IUR combo from SFRC. Got the last black one. 

I still may buy the SA15.7 locally. If it still exists. What "blemished" are you talking about RDJP?


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## Maxadia (11 Dec 2015)

They were calling them "blemished", but in reality is was a cancelled order that they were trying to unload...some kind of buyer/dealer politics - I didn't get into it.  

Basically....they weren't blemished.  

Looks like a slight price increase for Christmas now:  http://tandtarms.com/?p=2986


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## Bzzliteyr (11 Dec 2015)

I feel that's the exact weapon I just ordered but mine was black furniture.


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## Maxadia (11 Dec 2015)

Sorry, this is the exact link to what I purchased:

http://tandtarms.com/?p=2824

And if you bought yours black instead of green, this may be why:

http://tandtarms.com/?p=2270

$300.  I'm sure some savy dealers out there are swapping it out for black as there is an actual demand for green.


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## Bzzliteyr (11 Dec 2015)

Seen.


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## Bzzliteyr (2 Mar 2016)

Long delayed update:  I ended up with both.

Bye bye $$$


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