Allot of hype around it since showing up at SHOT show in April.

I'm sure also we've all noticed it has definitely been "full court press" for it on the guntuberverse.

The M16A2 is a "touchstone" firearm for the Cold War/First Gulf (M81 Woodland wearers) generation, as the A1 is the Vietnam (OG-107 and ERDL wearers) generation.

Myself included for that "M81" generation, although in full disclosure my relationship was with the M14. Not that I'm "only Woodstock I knew in 1969 was an M14" Old, it is just that 7.62X51 was the preferred for the 1980's Persian Gulf USN use. It is actually ironic, my original PQS (Personnel Qualification Standard) book is fully signed off for maintenance and operations from everything in the US Arsenal from the 1911 all the way up to the Mk38 (M242 Bushmaster) except for blank pages for the M16 variants.

It wasn't till years latter when my own GWOT generation son, had me drink the "America's Rifle" and 5.56x45 Kool Aid and I've been hooked ever since.

So my only experience has been with the A2 has been my trusty H-Bar match. I have a love-hate relationship with it, Colt's "we're being good little boys" by shaving the bayonet lug and the extra "meat" in the lower receiver has always pissed me off. It's also heavy (duh) in the nose. But very accurate and reliable.

The quandary had been, trying to transition my wife into becoming comfortable with a 20 inch, fixed stock, Iron Sight full length rifle. She's has taken a "set" to her M4 clone, flat top and holographic optics. For her as a "newer" shooter, frankly relying too much on optics and a magnifier IMO.

The H-Bar has been a little "too much" for her, the center of gravity seems to be a little off for her liking and arm strength to shoot it non-bench rested. The SP-1---meh/ "so-so" as the A2 has much better sight from a range perspective for her. Plus the 1-12 twist holding it to 55 grain, I don't want her to have to do the "supply armorer" stuff to figure what can holds 55 gr, what can holds 62 gr and so on.

Ironically one of my LGS's had one in stock..so jumped on it (and apparently they've been flying off the shelf as soon as they arrive). Out the door at essentially $1200 with tax and transfer, so puts it at a H&R "Blem" and one without the FN barrel, As well as obviously tremendously less than a vintage Colt and the offering from Fulton  

 

Initial thoughts on it:

So far not bad, it doesn't have that "loose" delta ring issue with the front hand guards that others have reported.

The mag well has a slightly different angle to it as compared to the Colt.

It feels just slightly less "gassed" than the Colt but, that is fractions of a point and maybe just in my mind.

Trigger is good, clean break, good reset for a representation of an issue trigger.  

Coloring is grossly off, it is black hard anodized not the proper Colt Grey/Black. I do have stockage of the Norell's correct Colt Grey/Black Moly Resin and might break it down and refinish it.

Not a lot of rounds through it, but holds zero well, holds a group to what you'd expect for a service level A2 in general.

Comes with a nice range case, 1 30 round magazine (and odd black aluminum color) but, no sling? I've got plenty but, kind of odd to not include that.  

Overall it is a good rifle, works for her in what I was hoping for, fairly representative of base service rifle.

If it was for me as a pure retro-fan boy and If I didn't already have the Colt? I'd have to say no, probably a better route for PSA and the H&R.

Frankly if they were side by side in the LGS and if I didn't have to "order and ship" from PSA, I would have taken an H&R even with a couple hundred higher variance as it having the hard black anodized will live in my head rent-free.

I'm OK with the black anodizing. What I didn't care for was the faint pink tone of some of Brownell's gray anodized Retro guns. Bit I guess it fit in with the whole 1960's/70's vibe

I went to Marine Corps boot camp in 1992.  We had Colt M16s.

In my mind. the Colt M16 is black.

All of the M16s I handled in 12 years of service were mostly black.  They looked like they started off life black, and they had the shit scrubbed out of them until they were a mixture of bare metal and black.

Perhaps earlier models were gray.  But based on my experience, I would never say that a replica or re-issue of an M16 wasn't correct because it wasn't a variation of gray.

When I go to a gun shop and see these SA replicas, I see a brand new version of what I used when I was in the Marine Corps.  The only difference being, what I was normally issued was all worn to hell.

Yes, the SA emblem on the bolt throws it off a little, as does "knowing" it has M4 feed ramps.  Otherwise, it simply replicates an M16A2.

Im use to black as well.  I remember well getting a ANAD rebuilt M16A1 in 1984 and taking it out of the dry VCI package it was in.  Jet black fresh anodizing.  Handled hundreds of “16 series” rifles over the years and to me the various colors just run together…..black, gray, purple, bare metal…what ever.  
My only gig for the SA I saw strangely is the two screws on the butt plate…they use hex head screws….slot head is the only screw head I have ever seen and why they went with hex is perplexing….there must be thousands of original stock and sling swivel screws surplus to use. Petty?? Most likely…

I recently purchased an A1 style stock made by CMMG.  It also has Allen screws instead of slotted.

I recall the M-16A2 when it came out seemed to be a good many incremental changes to the A1. In '65 we had the M-16, and when I went back to RVN '66-'67 we still had the M-16.  We started turning them in for modification as I was ETS ing,

I don't have an AR with a carry handle, A2 stock, or 20" barrel.  The SA-16A2 looks good for my military memories.