How is the ADS rifle performing?

[pjd43]

I am thinking of purchasing an ADS for all around use, hunting, target, and home defense. Just wondering if any of you guys have any comments as to how they are performing.

Thanks.

[Robb Jensen]

I was hoping to find out soon first hand, but they've canceled their T&E program......I won't buy a rifle to T&E.

[Eric]

I was hoping to find out soon first hand, but they've canceled their T&E program......I won't buy a rifle to T&E. That's unfortunate. LE depts and resellers typically won't buy without having tried out a T&E weapon first.

[Shotdown]

I am thinking of purchasing an ADS for all around use, hunting, target, and home defense. Just wondering if any of you guys have any comments as to how they are performing.

Thanks.

Looking for that same info as well:D

[98z28]

I ordered one from Grant last week. Hopefully I can let you know this week or next. :D

[Kurt Reifert]

I have a pile of them due to arrive from ADS tomorrow and 1000 rounds of assorted ammo put aside to run thru one of them.
That may happed this weekend depending on how much snow gets dumped on us.
I'll post a report after I've expended those rounds.

[pjd43]

Thanks for update. I'll be looking forward to your report.

[Kurt Reifert]

Won't get to shoot that ADS today.
We got hit with snow yesterday and the drifts have blocked access to the range I use.
My next opportunity will be a week from Monday.

[Shihan]

Won't get to shoot that ADS today.
We got hit with snow yesterday and the drifts have blocked access to the range I use.
My next opportunity will be a week from Monday.


Yowza! Im glad im in the Phx area:p


I contacted ADS when they came on the scene after speaking with them at a show and they were too much of a PIA to deal with.

[pjd43]

Can't understand all the cold weather and snow with global warming and all.
Guess Al Gore got it wrong.

[DM-SC]

Can't understand all the cold weather and snow with global warming and all.
Guess Al Gore got it wrong.

It's the COLD before the HEAT storm! ;)

[Kurt Reifert]

Got to the range today to test out one of the new ADS Alpha Basic carbines.
Didn’t have as much time as I would have liked and the conditions (26 degrees with a 5-7 mph crosswind) weren’t ideal, but the gun ran well.

All I did to it before shooting was to lube the bolt well with Slip 2000 and mount a Mueller Tactical 3-10 power scope and bore sight it.

I sighted it in using my reloads which use a 55 gr fmj Hornady bullet over 24 grains of Ramshot TAC. This load produces about 3050 fps over a chrono thru a 1/9 carbines, but I didn’t drag the chrono out today. Velocity may be a little higher thru the ADS due to the 1/7 twist.

No adjustments were made to the scope after the initial zero.

I fired five 10 shot groups at 100 yards using:

- 55 grain reloads described above
- Lake City XM193
- Radway Green
- Hornady TAP 75 grain BTHP .223 (red box)
- Blackhills 77 grain Sierra Matchking (new)

Results are shown in the photos below. The heavy bullets grouped about an inch lower than the 55 grainers.

Best groups were with the 75 and 77 grain bullets and they could be improved with a better trigger and better weather conditions. I don’t shoot well when I’m freezing and I wasn’t really dressed properly

In addition to the 50 rounds fired off the bench, I shot another 270 rounds using a variety of miscellaneous ammo loaded into Pmags. I had switched out the scope for an Eotech and ran thru some drills and emptied two mags as fast as I could pull the trigger to see if it would choke. It didn’t.

The gun functioned flawlessly EXCEPT with the Radway. It ejected all 10 rounds fired, but failed to pick up the next round. Radway is notorious for this.

320 rounds isn’t really enough of a workout, but the gun performed as expected. I may get out again next Monday to run it harder.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/anotherlefty/rl55gr.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/anotherlefty/m193.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/anotherlefty/rwg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/anotherlefty/tap75.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/anotherlefty/bh77.jpg

[reason2squeal]

Thanks for taking the time to post the results!!

[pjd43]

Thanks for the results. You should be applauded for shooting in those conditions.

[Shotdown]

That's what I'm looking for. Thanks. You're making me spend money :D .

[GONIF]

My ADS has been flawless since day one,it now has over 2000 rounds through it and continues to run like a Swiss watch. if your in Phoenix Shooters Vault has tem in stock for $799.00 . youy should restake the gas key ,they do a half assed job of stakeing it. what I did was just bought a BCM M16 BCG and threw the original in my spare parts box. all my M4/carbines have the M16 BCG with the improved extractor and spring .:D

[41113]

I just ran several hundred rounds of 55 grain PRVI Partizan through my ADS today. I'm going to be spending a lot of money on Ammo cause this rifle is awesome!!! :D (Thanks Grant! She's Flawless!:) ) Also got to try out my Aimpoint! (Thanks TheKatar!)

[98z28]

I got a chance to run the ADS for a while yesterday (500 rounds). I ordered it from Grant with his updates to the gun and I had him put in an H-buffer. I also put on a LaRue BUIS and a Tango Down BATTLEGRIP.

The only ammo I had on hand was some VERY cheap Monarch lacquer coated stuff, a little less cheap brass cased Monarch (both from Academy Sports), some of the lacquer coated "Military Classic" Wolf (all 55 grain) and some Federal 64 gr. TRU. Yes, I need to update my selection of ammo. This is all left over from the 1/9 twist RRA AR that I sold. I put about 200 rounds of the Federal through the gun without a hiccup and with decent accuracy. I was only using the iron sights, but off of a rest I was still holding a 5"-6" 20 round group at 115 yards. I can't ask for anything more with my eyes and skills.

I ran 300 rounds of the mixed cheap stuff. The brass cased Monarch caused significant short stroking. I had to cycle the bolt by hand every other round. It was also ejecting very weakly, but it would eject the spent case every time. It just wouldn't pick up a new round very often. The ammo was noticeably underpowered and inconsistent (some rounds hotter than others). Ironically, the super cheap lacquer coated Monarch and Wolf both ran acceptably well. Each would short stroke a round or two every other magazine if I didn't hold the gun tight in my shoulder. If I held it loosely it would short stroke with that ammo nearly every time. I got plenty of immediate action drills in! Just to be sure I switched back to the Federal 64 gr. TRU and ran a couple magazines without issues.

I also only had the one Bushmaster magazine the gun came with. I received an email this morning that my back-ordered PMAGs shipped from Brownells. Now I need some 75 gr. TAP and another day off.:D

Next is a light, a sling, and a red dot.

One thing worth noting for anyone that cares:

I put my old Tango Down BATTLEGRIP on the ADS and it sits about 1/8" away from where it is supposed to. It leaves a gap between the back of the trigger assembly and the start of the grip. It also sticks out about 1/8" from the rear of the receiver. I had this grip on an old RRA AR and it fit properly. I put the supplied A2 grip back on the ADS and noticed that it sits about 1/16" back from where it should. I did not notice that the grip was sitting slightly back when I was shooting. It just bugs my eyes a bit when I look at it.

So far so good. When I get another 500 rounds of decent ammo through the gun I believe it will be going out on patrol with me.


About as KISS as it gets:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/stelks98z28/IMG_0656-1.jpg

The TD grip:
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/stelks98z28/IMG_0650.jpg

[saromans134]

Good information and thanks for the range results. I am looking for some different companies to try out for some M4 projects.

[carbinero]

It will be very exciting if their middy turns out on par with SDI.

[Moon Doggie]

Hello
Was that space on the Grip like that when you first Received the Gun ?
Or didn't you notice the Gap until you put the Stock Grip back on ?
Thank You
Moon Doggie

ETA: I am a Newbie Here

[98z28]

Moon Doggie,

The space with the A2 grip is much less pronounced. It sits out about half as much the TD grip pictured, maybe less. I did not notice it until I put it back on. You have to look pretty closely to notice it.

[Moon Doggie]

98z28
Thank You for your reply, I didn't think it looked bad at all, matter of fact, I may not have even noticed it until I read it on here
Thanks and Nice Rifle
MD

[Jay Cunningham]

I just ran several hundred rounds of 55 grain PRVI Partizan through my ADS today. I'm going to be spending a lot of money on Ammo cause this rifle is awesome!!! :D (Thanks Grant! She's Flawless!:) ) Also got to try out my Aimpoint! (Thanks TheKatar!)

We need pics!

:cool: