22 Dec 12
Robinson Armament, of North Salt Lake City, UT, was founded in 1996 and is run by my friend and colleague, Alex Robinson. I’ve known Alex from the beginning, and I have copies of his celebrated XCR Rifles in 5.56×45 (223 Rem), 6.8mm, 7.62×39 (30 Soviet), and now 7.62×51 (308 Win).
I know few people as dedicated to the advancement of our Art as Alex. In the XCR, he was determined to produce an absolutely superior military rifle, and he succeeded! The XCR System is robust, simple, modular, user-friendly, light, short, slim, slick, and fast. Nothing on it breaks! As an American designer, manufacturer, and hero/entrepreneur, Alex ranks with giants like Mark LaRue (LaRue Tactical), Dave Selvaggio (DSA), John McNamera (PTR), Paul Buffoni (BCM), Dave Lauck (DLS), Ron Downs (STS), Teresa Starnes (Doublestar), Mark Krebs (Kreb’s Custom), et al.
As noted above, I now have in my hands a copy of the XCR-M, in 7.62×51.
It has Picatinny rails on four sides, with a full-length top-rail. It features a wonderful length-adjustable, folding stock, so it is ideal for travel, which is a good thing, as I’ll be traveling with it a lot!
Trigger is smooth at five/six pounds, with a crisp reset. The non-reciprocating bolt-handle is on the left side of the receiver, where like it. The same bolt-handle also serves as a forward-assist.
Twenty-round magazines are available from Magpul and others. All the ones I have run perfectly!
The XCR-M came to me with iron sights, already mounted on the top rail, and already sighted-in at 100m. Dead-on when I first picked it up!
The XCR-M runs on a gas-piston, which is gas-adjustable. There are six settings, “x” for no venting at all, so all gas goes to the piston (we call this setting “running wide-open”), four intermediate settings, and “o” for “open,” which means virtually all gas is vented instead of going to the piston. The “o” setting is for running with suppressors. Many suppressors generate so much back-pressure by themselves, there is plenty to run the system.
My rifle was shipped on the “x” setting, and I thus ran it “wide-open” for the first several magazines. Of course, it ran fine, but I then backed it off, playing with the various intermediate settings. I found it ran best, with the curious mixture of ammunition I was using, on the third setting, two down from “x.”
I equipped my new rifle with a Blue Force Gear Vickers two-point sling, a Streamlight weaponlight, forward-mounted on the right rail, and an Aimpoint H1, forward-mounted on top, on Mark Larue’s wonderful Quick-Release mount and medium riser. It puts the front sight (when deployed) slightly under the centered red dot. I considered magnifying optics, and I may reconsider at a later date, but I dearly love the generous eye-relief afforded by my Aimpoint!
Unencumbered portions of side and bottom rails are muted with rubber ladders.
Accuracy is excellent. Reliability is superb. I fed it all kinds of dirty, outdated, corroded, garbage I had laying around. It ate it all, without a burp. When it gets hot, it continues to run normally.
Among 7.62×51, utility, battle-rifles, the XCR-M is a top contender indeed!
I don’t endorse products, but I do recommend them. I’m not comfortable in the position of a “compensated endorser,” so I’ve never been one. I have no financial relationship with any gun-maker, ammunition maker, blade-maker, nor anyone else. I’m free to say terrible things about all of them, and do!
About products I don’t like, I usually have little to say. When asked, my comment is typically, “I don’t own one.” That is a hint!
In the case of Alex Robinson’s XCR-M, I recommend it, right readily! When you need a reliable, Operator-grade, serious, user-friendly, easy-to-maintain, easy-to-travel-with, utility, battle rifle in 7.62×51, the XCR-M is among the very best, and comes from a company that will stand behind it!
I predict a great future for this rifle and for Alex and RA.
Good show!
Call RA at 801 355 0401
/John
