Just for grins here is my experience … and my own selections process. This may or may not apply to you.
I love the MRP. It's build quality, it's engineering, it is drop dead an eye pleaser (particularly that streamlined area just forward of the front pin). On every engineering level it is just that cool.
But I didn't buy it. The AR15 is what I think of as a
framework. As such I wanted to pursue as many paths as I could on the fewest lowers as ultimately there are only 2 real step-ups, A2 and M4 stocks.
I weighed it all out, I WANTED an MRP (DI). BAD. But my plans were to modularly have:
- an SBR with T1 RDS/FSP/irons
- a mid-length M4 with M3 or T1 RDS/FSP/irons
- a RECCE style in 5.56 and perhaps RECCE style 6.8SPC each with mag optics
- and much later an SBR in 6.8SPC
The barrels swaps seems simple enough and the SPC bolt swap was not a big deal if it came to that. But after floating the idea with some colleagues the discussion of re-zeroing came up. Each setup varied enough that, while in theory some circumstances would be OK, in practicality each needed a separate zeroing, particularly the RECCE setups. Not to mention the increased fussing of switching out 'one more thing' when it came to optics/irons/possible lights/VFG/bipod, etc.
It just wasn't for me.
I ended up deciding to assemble à la carte using a number of components … some DD, many not. Not important though …
The point is that … while a wonder of engineering, and the BEST looking AR variant out there … the MRP mission swappable barrel didn't really translate into a superior modular setup for what I wanted to do vs multiple regular uppers. The cost was also rather prohibitive.
So, FWIW …
Bookmarks