Sons of Guns star and Red Jacket Firearms supremo Will Hayden’s talking-up his company’s AR at gunsandammo.com. Apparently, the $1225 RJF KMP-DI 5.56mm direct impingement carbine is “built to set a higher bar in this marketplace.” We report, you decide. Here’s how Will describes his meisterstuck . . .
We made sure all internals meet and exceed all Mil-Spec requirements. Each is individually MPI and HPT (high pressure tested) and certified as such. Every bolt is equipped with an extreme duty extractor and spring set. The bolt is fully stress relieved and surface hardened. The above and the Mil-Spec M-16 carrier provide the smoothest action and utmost reliability. The carrier is hard chromed inside and houses a hard chrome firing pin.
The internals are phosphate coated and properly staked to ensure a long life. We apply the RJF logo on several different areas to show you our pride in our components. The upper and lower receivers are forged from 7075-T6 aluminum, equipped with a either a 1/7 twist rate M4 profile chrome-lined barrel, or a match grade 1/7 stainless barrel, fluted for stiffness and superior accuracy. Our RJF suppressor flash hider is installed and externally threaded to accept any of the RJF suppressor line. Our relationship with Magpul allows us to competitively round the gun out with a whole array of Magpul goodies, from their CTR stock and MOE furniture to the latest MBUS site.
Meh. More interesting, Will wants you to know that the gun isn’t built by four guys in a shed.
The Discovery Channel show gives the impression of a small shop doing basically just R&D work; it’s almost like just three or four of us work for Red Jacket. That’s not the case, though we certainly understand why it’s set up that way.
You mean the show isn’t real? And that the new product is more or less a marketing exercise? Who’d a thunk it.
If it’s not 3 or 4 guys working in a shed, then what is it? 10 guys working in a chinese parking lot? And if the show isn’t “real”, how do you feel about signing away the creativity license and allowing the Discovery Channel to make you look like a complete tool? Honestly, I’m about as likely to buy a gun from RJF as I’m am to flushing my wallet down the commode.
I wanted a Red Jacket AK-47 as I had heard good things… then I saw the show. If that’s their R&D team, what do the guys act like who are assembling standard products?
I own a Red Jacket KMP-DI AR-15 and it functions flawlessly. I’ve cycled all sorts of ammo through it including surplus NATO ammo and cheap Tulammo and have never had a misfire, jam, or any other malfunction. RJF makes quality AR-15s. I compared mine to my friends DPMS AR-15. The RJF has a better trigger with a great reset, higher quality buffer spring that’s much quieter than a DMPS’s and higher quality phosphate coated bolt carrier and chrome firing pin and barrel. On the range my rifle was more accurate and had no malfunctions unlike my friend’s DPMS. I even compared it to another friends Bushmaster and my rifle out performed it in every way. So don’t say shit about Red Jacket unless you actually own one of their products.
Neba bin dun befour
*Befoe
The “Sons of Anarchy” logo is strikingly similar to the real Sons of Silence, MC logo. Not folks I’d want to steal from.
OK – What does that have to do with Sons of Guns or Red Jacket Firearms?
Wrong thread lol. Was reading about the show on different site and commented here instead.
Sons of Silence are no joke.
Really? Last I checked SOA didnt have a eagle on their cut…..It really has almost no similarity
Having seen RJF at work, acting as they act when they know the cameras are rolling, I wouldn’t trust them to replace the muffler on my Honda Civic. Infantile behavior, prima donna personalities and shoddy bookkeeping might make ‘reality TV’ but don’t make for good quality products.
That’s funny. Their rifle is so much better because it meets standards set by others.
So how do they go beyond the standard?
AH standards set the the Government don’t you mean?
And none of this is going to make a .223 bullet fly any faster or more true.
Sounds like every cookie cutter AR that is available commercially. I fail to see what sets it apart. Hell they probably ordered them off of Bravo Company and remarked them as their own.
yeah id like to see if it compares to a noveske or LMT. LOL probably NOT
Nah, BCM would cut into their profit too much…..theyre likely DPMS parts
And unlike the Stag Arms 3Gun, they don’t even throw in an excellent Geissele trigger group. Except your RJF logo will say to people, “yee haw, I just loves that over-da-top exploding crap!” OK, even if you do, is there a good reason to broaddcast your viewing habits?
“Geissele trigger group” I would not put that in a duty weapon. Range queen sure but not a duty gun.
You’ll find that Geissele makes a wide variety of trigger groups providing different break distance and weight. There may be one to suit you for duty. Not the SD 3G trigger, certainly, but those which keep a 2-stage feel and slightly longer travel and weight.
Geissele makes a fantastic duty trigger group in both the semi and select fire configuration. They use full power hammer springs so there is no worry with shooting hard primed duty ammo, and they are made to hold up to abuse. The 3 Gun trigger mentioned is part of the Super Dynamic line which I believe originated from the Super Dynamic combat trigger, which was meant for a duty weapon. Personally I absolutely love the 3 Gun trigger, it is impressive. IMHO Geissele makes some of the best trigger groups available for the AR platform. And similar to Baskin Robins they make it in every flavor.
or use the non adjustable 2-stage trigger group…
Not worried about pull weight or staging. I am talking about a trigger that can take field abuse.
Oh and Stag arms? Not one bit impressed middle to lower of the AR pac. We had one as one of the shop guns. We sold it off in 2 months. Fit was not up to anyone’s specs. Only Vltor Ar’s seem to not be “moved on” around here. Double Star is looking good so far though.
I’m holding out for the dee-lux model featuring two fully autos welded together, with a flame-thrower and P-38 can opener on the rail. And a t-shirt. They have to throw in a free t-shirt with a picture of the girl on the front, or its good-by Charlie.
You don’t really want to see her close up, do you?
It needs a rail-mounted coat hanger for the t-shirt.
After seeing that their armorer had to hand fit the lower reciever that their CNC tech had produced,
(which pretty much means their CNC ability is poor)
I would not buy ONE AR built on any Redjacket lower. They should just buy a premade lower and have their trademark engraved on it, if the alternative is having to manually grind it down later be hand to get it to fit.
Secondly, everything that is put on or in the “Redjacket AR” consists of STOCK OFF-THE-SHELF parts, that anyone can go buy and install on any AR.
Magpul parts may make the gun look cooler or more tacticool, but they have zero effect on the quality of the gun itself. The whole redjacket show made it seem like “building” (really = ASSEMBLING) a AR was some technical task that had Chris spending hours painstakingly “building” this gun…
The reality is, the things Chris was doing as simple beyond belief and with a punch&armorers wrench anyone so inclined can assemble a AR that runs great.. dont need redjacket or a ‘armorer’ to assemble a AR from the readily available parts that redjacket merely orders.
the entire show is pretty much offensive to me at this point, and tries to make their AR work appear a lot more involved and technical than it really is. Everything redjacket does to their AR’s on that show, taking hours time-lapsed, I have done sitting on the side of my bed in minutes or seconds.
Any high end gun needs hand fitting. I have a custom shop Kimber. It was still hand fitted even though the frame and slide are CNC.
If your going to slam them for the stupid stuff OK but no CNC machine exists that is better then hand fitted. Just a fact.
I agree with Ted. There is a difference between a premium firearms maker or gunsmith hand fitting parts so they function flawlessly and look beautiful; and what these idiots did. Which was CNC mill a receiver with the intention of just putting it together, screwing it up so badly they almost had to machine a new one, and then taking a dremmel and a file to it to make the parts fit in order to meet the deadline. One is a service worth paying for, the other is a bunch of monkeys with power tools.
“Ah tol’ dat genarol…
dat aynt Neva bin dun befo”
The power plant security guards making 11 bucks an hour.. er.. ‘contractors’, will really appreciate dese fine shootin appliances..
My uncle works as a guard at one of those… does he get to shoot this fine piece of “Neva ben dun befoe” technology?! That was approved by a “Generol?” Gee Wilikers, that Will hayden is a GENIUS!
From the comments its obvious that he firearms community has a hatred for this show but I don’t think that it is looking at the big picture. Culture moves poll numbers. According to all the polls I have seen, more and more Americans are arming themselves and approve of gun ownership. I don’t think it is a coincidence that cable now has a proliferation of shows that show gun’s in a positive light.
10 years ago a sizable majority of Americans were against gay marriage and after a relentless push by Hollywood to include gay story lines in almost every show on television, the numbers have changed drastically. We need to think big picture, the more new or non gun owners are exposed to the gun culture on television that better it is for 2nd amendment advocates at the ballot box. We are winning when “Modern Family” has a story line where “Claire” goes to the gun range. Its becoming mainstream. So it makes me happy that “Sons of Guns” is on the air even if the show is a low rent soap opera.
Your premise is sound and something I believe in. However the problem is the misinformation that this show relies on. The long term effect on new gun enthusiast when they realize that they look like a fool running around talking about and drooling over the first ever X, that RJF built, when they find out that it has been around for years is not good for us or them. Thier intro to firearms should be a better and more accurate experience, exspecially if we want them to remain gun enthusiasts.
That’s my $0.02 anyway.
You’re not in the target audience. Neither am I.
These shows get viewers due to the dramatic element and because stuff blows up. That’s why Sons of Guns is close to Family Guy in ratings.
A bunch of longbeards debating the finer points of AR buffer selection and which trigger group makes for the best duty weapon would be lucky to garner ~20k viewers, rather than the 2+M these shows attract.
No viewers, no money, no show. That’s why hardcore enthusiast shows generally live very short lives, in the rare instances they’re produced at all. Hence, it’s prudent to be more concerned with getting a pro-gun message out at all than strict accuracy of any given subject.
So true.
So you are saying that a show cannot be entertaining, blow stuff up and not be completely full of lies? Because I would disagree. No one said have it be a debate about parts or be boring, I said it shouldn’t be full of lies and misinformation. Both of which lead to the viewers becoming disenfranchised when they realize that it was all BS. Instead of being welcomed into the gun community they are treated as fools since they are talking about lies as if they where facts. Just look back at any of the threads here about RJF and see how well these viewers where welcomed.
Top Gear is a great show about cars, but you don’t ever see them (seriously) claiming that they just invented the wheel.
Your Top Gear analogy is an excellent method of making my point. Top Gear is entertainment. It’s fun, about going fast and stuff blowing up. It is also hugely inaccurate in many ways and many purists can not stand it because it isn’t a bunch of guys standing around in a garage covered in grease.
So, based on that, is Top Gear full of lies and all together detrimental to the car thing? I would say no, and the ratings would agree.
By that same logic I would not say Sons of Guns is poisoning the well with the dramatic elements and inaccuracies, because of the end of the day people watch it and while it might not promote the gun thing in a method some consider ideal, it does promote it.
That, as they say, is where the buck stops. I really don’t care if Red Jacket gets rich and fat by promoting their stuff through the show, any more than I cared when the same thing happened with American Chopper and the like. The alternative is no counterpoint to the endless media war against guns, driving fast, motorcycles or what have you.
Based on that, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and hence I really don’t care how inaccurate the show is so long as it brings in new faces, money and exposure to the shooting world.
If your cause is just, you shouldn’t have to lie to promote it.
Why buy this overpriced rifle when you can get the same or better quality for much less from Bravo Comany?
This certainly helps push me toward some sort of AK clone for my first Evil Black Rifle. Dragging it through the dirt for a few feet hardly constitutes a scientific test.
LOL for any AR it is! I used to feel very sorry for the Cav scouts as I sat in my tank and they crouched down behind sand dunes trying to get the M16’s unjammed.
Also what are they lying about? He says his AR is the best. I say my ammo my company makes it the best.
How is that lying?
Also he is very clear when they do something silly Wil says out rite “Let’s get stupid” Laughing because he knows it’s silly and fun.
I think the majority of you have your panty’s in a bunch because he is having stupid fun, knows it’s stupid fun, loving every minute of it and since YOU CAN’T DO IT your getting bent.
As some one who actually owns a shop, not just a bar stool at the bench of hot air opinions, there are times in the shop we make crazy ammo just to make it and have fun shooting stuff up with it.
Do starburst 5.7×28 serve a purpose? Hell no but they are sure fun to shoot after sundown. Purple tracers? No real purpose whats so ever but they look cool.
I know lets make a show about 5 to 10 know it all 40 something gas bags leaning on a glass gun case in a pretend gunstore pontificating about guns they don’t own and making fun of every gun noob that comes in the store and acting sexist and condescending to all the female noobs who come in.
That above is the PURE truth, and reality of 80% of all gunstores ! Bet the only viewers would be the gas bags them selves when they got home.
Sadly, I think you’re right about gun stores in general, hopefully with exceptions.
Jay Wolf,
What do you think happens when some 20-something with a backwards baseball hat and zombie hunter t-shirt walks into a shop like that and starts talking about how RJF made the first ever AK based sniper rifle or the first ever DI AR? Do you think there is any chance they walk out of there being a happy new gun enthusiast still?
By the way, that is the lying we are talking about, the claiming to be the first ever of things done decades before. Any manufacturer better either be claiming theirs is the best or reevaluating what they are making.
Sounds like american choppers. Buy everone elses parts and assemble them to make a ” home made” bike. In this case a ” home made” AR, probably 25 TapCo parts assembled together to make it “”meet and exceed all Mil-Spec requirements”” NO THANKS…. Ill take my Colt Competition Match AR, same price, made by a real gunmaker. And the buffer isnt hiding under Vincent’s bench. By the way, I love this site.
I think some folks take life way too seriously. Sure the show is corny. It’s just a TV show. It’s not a classroom lecture nor was it designed to provide up to date technical data. It’s just entertainment. A flame thrower cannon? That’s too cool not to watch!
I’d like information from someone who has actually owned or at least shot an AR from RJF. I plan to add another AR to the safe and I’d like to know if RJF would be a good choice. Opinions based on the TV show are irrelevant.
Get a Colt.
These are the kinds of comments I have come to expect from shit-for-brains gun experts.
This site is a joke. Thanks for the laughs.
Oonogil
I do own a RJF KMP-DI. This is my first AR15. So far it has functioned flawlessly. I have been using cheap ammo(mfs ammo). My wife and I have put 300 rounds though it since 02/27/12 with ZERO problems. I’m sure the gun is not the highest quality of components but they seem to function great together. If anyone would like more information on it let me know. I would be glad to take pictures of all the components broke down…maybe someone can tell me if they are Red Jacket manufactured parts or just RJF stamped logo on other manufactures parts.
Tommy, I would love more information. I’m currently in the market for my first AR (by no means is this my first gun…) and have looked at DPMS, Colt, Smith and of course the RJF. It is not a duty gun, it’s a plinker that I’d like to plug in some of the add on’s, for fun of course.
I’m looking for an honest review from someone who has actually handled and shot the gun. Send me an email at [email protected] if you’d like with a good honest review of the gun. I really appreciate it!
Here is the present list of AR manufactures that make the AR lower/upper receivers for everybody else. All you have to do is start your own company, acquire a class 7 federal license and enough cash to have your name put on the firearm. Then add some special goodies from the AR goodie mart and sell them as custom rifles with above standard workmanship.
Aero Precision: Aero Precision, Spike’s Tactical, Surplus and Ammo, Palmetto
LMT: LMT, Lauer(old), DS Arms, PWA, Eagle Arms, ArmaLite, Knights Armament, Barrett
CMT: Colt, S & W , Stag, Rock River Arms, High Standard, Noveski(old), Century(current), Global Tactical, CLE, MGI, Wilson Tactical, Grenadier Precision, Ratworx
LAR: Bushmaster, Remington, Ameetec, DPMS, CMMG, Double Star, Fulton Armory, Spike’s Tactical, GSE, Grizzly, Noveski(new)
JVP: Double Star, LRB, Charles Day
Mega Machine: Mega, GSE, Dalphon, Gunsmoke, POF(forged), Alexander Arms, Stinger
Olympic: SGW, Tromix, Palmetto, Dalphon, Frankford, Century, Del-Ton
TKS Engineering: Sun Devil
Superior Arms: Superior, Lauer
Tactical Innovations Inc: Tactical
Sabre Defense: Sabre
Nodak Spud: Nodak Spud (retro)
Essential Arms: Essential Arms
JPS Mfg: American Spirit Arms
Yankee Hill Machine (YHM): Yankee Hill Machine
Daniel Defense: Daniel Defense DDM4
Professional Ordnance (polymer/carbon fiber): Bushmaster, PlumCrazy
Tactical Machining: Tactical Machining
Colfax:
Anyone with a 90 or more IQ can build an ar from a parts kit. a 95 IQ you can assemble it from scratch. With a little youtube time you can machine the lower yourself and anodize it. I have machined from a 0% forging a receiver that worked without using a file the first time on a Smithy 1340. ” a real game changer” I wish I had the HAAS VMC that RJ has that they have no idea how to use it to the potential it has. How about the so called builder Kriss that has no idea what to do without Vince holding his hand. DO NOT BUY RJ ANYTHING THEY DO ANYONE CAN DO. If it is not to be sold it is totally legal to build a semi auto firearm. Will says don’t do this at home so he can hack it for you for $5000000…
If the govt was going to buy a “New Type” M16/AR it damn sure wouldn’t be the same DI they ALREADY HAVE! They’d prob just buy new piston uppers to put on old lowers.
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