AR Sponsor
Posted: 8/9/2013 9:35:35 AM EDT
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This is an introduction and also a sort of an inquiry. My wife and I recently joined the AR-15 group with the purchase of a Windham MPC. It wasn't expensive as these things go. I found it at our local shop that I've known for 20+ years. So it came home with us. She has not tried it out yet, though we've given it the pre-range cleaning that Windham recommends. My wife's DR-200 had just gotten too heavy for her, so we were looking for something lighter. I had a few brands in mind when we started looking. Windham was one of them, in part due to the way the current owner rehired the former Bushmaster employees and uses U.S. parts.
So I'm curious about the general opinions on my choice of the Windham. And now that I see how the ARs are constructed, I suspect that I'll be assembling one of my own out of selected parts. So I may become a (polite) pest over in the build your own section. This isn't my first post. That was, oddly, over in the AK Bulgarian section. Many thanks for putting this Board together. I expect to spend the bucks to become a member pretty soon. 
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It will probably be fine. Shoot a few hundred rounds through it with good ammo and good mags to make sure it does not have any problems. Fire some hot 5.56 ammunition in hot weather (have any of that in Arizona in August? ) and check carefully for pressure signs - especially popped primers.
If it has not already been done, stake your gas key and castle nut. Windham rifles, like every AR, vary from military specificiations. Windhams vary more than some of the "Tier 1" brands like Colt, DD or BCM, but Windhams are not at the bottom either. Some of those military specifications are pretty meaningless, others can be important. For example, your barrel might have trouble stabilizing heavy (75+ grain) bullets because it has 1/9 twist. That might be important, or it might not depending on what rounds you decide to use. Your barrel might also not be parkerized under the front sight, which will drive some people insane but in reality does not make any difference (particularly in Arizona )
Some of my old Windhaw-era Bushmaster carbines have very accurate barrels. |
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In case you have not seen it yet:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_2/489_Windham_Weaponry.html Welcome and pics please! |
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Remember, everyone here has an opinion. Most favor whatever they own and some constantly push the latest must-have gun/barrel/upper/lower/trigger, etc. from whatever manufacturer that they've read about or someone else has posted about., I would recommend shooting yours and making your own decision. I have one Windham MPC barrel, and it shoots fine on an upper and lower that I assembled. I have others from other manufacturers, and they shoot fine, too, but different triggers, barrels, sights, slings, buttstocks, etc., allow me to make adjustments and do things a little differently with each gun out on the range.
Good luck! |
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I'll see about pic posting as soon as I figure that out. I don't have a photo website account yet, but that will be coming. The rifle we bought is bone stock, so the example at the Windham website will be what we have. I've been working with mechanical things for 40+ years, though that's not my occupation. I assemble my own engines for example and I am damn picky about brakes and tires, and I also handload. As for bullet weights, the 1 in 9 twist won't be much of an issue. My wife's DR-200 has a 1 in 12, so we were always limited to 55 grain and lighter. At 1 in 9, maybe we can try out a 62 grain load! I understand about opinions. If something works for me, then it works. But if I'm moving into something new, then I really value opinions. If a large number of people say that some item is bad because a specific aspect is poorly designed, I take notice of that. But if all they have to say is that they don't like it, well, that's another thing altogether. I've browsed the Windham area of AR-15.com. It's pretty interesting and we may take advantage of their services. But if the OEM rifle does what we want, then no worries.
As we were doing the first cleaning, and also looking over the various accessories in the Windham Catalog and in other sources, my wife decided that these are Lego Rifles. That's not a bad thing. |
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I picked up an SRC model a few months ago. I have a lot of firearm experience, but mainly pistol/revolver and bolt action rifle. But earlier this year I picked up an S&W M$P 15-22 for some plinking fun. I liked the Ar format and thus decided to pick up something in 556. I spent 4 to 5 weeks reading forums and visiting gun shops. Luckily I service a few of them in the area so I was working in a few for that month plus extensively. I got to spend a good amount of time looking things over and comparing. What I found is a lot of what you read online may be just snowball effect internet rumor. Some people hear something and then pass it on without any verification to actuality. When looking over what I read to be key features, on different brands. I found a lot of variance to what I have read. Example of brand "x" is supposed to be well regarded and built very well. When looking at fit and finish, how well parts lined up, how tight they felt, how well things were staked, etc. I found a big difference in how many brands were made. I will not list any of them in a bad light. But I will say the Windhams "I" viewed were consistently very well put together. 4150 11595E barrels chrome bore and chamber, m16 bolt carrier profile, c-158 bolts, Cerro forging of the upper and lowers, M4 feedramps, well staked gas keys, taper pinned fsb's (not roll pinned), very tight rattle free fit of the upper to lower but the take down pins come out easy. Just overall good fit and finish. The anodizing (black) finish of the rifles also were as well done as some of the much more expensive rifles. The coating on mine is incredibly tough and has a very nice and even texture to it. Many others I looked at were much rougher and the display rifles seemed to be showing a lot of chipping that the Windhams did not.
Yes there were some brands that were better. but at a significantly greater price. By using my own impressions on what was important to me I went with it rather then a Daniel Defence DDM4 V7. Cost difference was about $500. Now that I have more experience and was doing it again, I would probably gone the DD route. Only because I have added some things that come stock on the V7 and the price difference is much less looking at over all costs with accessories included. But I am still may hundreds lower. That has gone to ammo which I have spent over a grand on in the past two months. Haven't fired it all, but I like to keep 750+ rounds on hand for any firearm i own that is semi auto. The rifle (Windham SRC) has been flawless. But that is not revolutionary. Many even very inexpensive rifles will hold up for a few thousand rounds, some may fail earlier. I am just very pleased with my Windham and have zero regrets. Things I didn't like, I changed. Very few AR's on here stay stock. I changed the receiver extension to a mil spec 7075 version. Added a CTR stock, MI Quadrail, Aimpoint PRO red dot sight, Sampson buis, Surefire light, etc. But all of those things would have to be added to most any rifle as it is what I wanted and how I wanted it set up. I did go through a few stocks on my 15-22 before I came upon the CTR stock which I prefer over many others. You will find you may go through the same thing. Looking at and buying a few things till you get to what you want. Most of my friends are AK guys so they were no help with accessories. But the bottom line is you have a great platform to start from. Windham is gaining a good name. It will just take time due to people mixing up the Bushmaster story and thinking Windham has anything to do with current Bushmaster and linking their products together. Enjoy your rifle, keep an open mind and have some fun! 
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