Would a Daniel Defense "Ambush" 5.56 with 18" barrel make

[DefenderU]

https://ambushfirearms.com/shop/rifles/ambush-5-56mm.html

Your opinions are appreciated. Thanks

DETAILS

Other features include the Cold Hammer Forged, 1:7 twist, 18” S2W® Profile barrel and shotgun-inspired hand grip, and is available in Black, Realtree AP™, MOSSY OAK® BREAK UP® INFINITY™, or MOSSY OAK® BLAZE® PINK. The adjustable buttstock allows for a more comfortable fit. To further augment the rifle, we have included modular rail sections and an adjustable indexable foregrip, enhancing your natural shooting position. Outfitted with a Two Stage Geissele Super Semi-Automatic (SSA®) Trigger, rifle movement is decreased allowing for superior accuracy. (Geissele SSA® has a total pull weight of 4.5 lbs, 2.5 lbs on the first stage and 2 lbs on the second stage). The Ambush 5.56 features a monolithic upper rail platform and a 12” modular free-float hand guard, which protects the barrel while giving plenty of real estate for hand placement or accessories.

MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION

• Upper Receiver: Mil-Spec with Indexing Marks and M4 Feed Ramps
• Barrel: Cold Hammer Forged, 1:7 twist, 18” S2W® Profile, Mid-Length Gas System, MP tested, and Salt Bath Nitride Finished.
• Chamber: 5.56mm NATO
• Bolt Carrier Group: Mil-Spec MP Tested, Properly Stakes Gas Key
• Gas Block: Low Profile Gas Block
• Handguard: Free-Floating Modular Rail
• Trigger: Two Stage Geissele Super Semi-Automatic (SSA®) Trigger
• Grip: Shotgun Inspired Hand Grip
• Rail: 3 Picatinny Rail Sections
• Made in the USA

Edited December 28, 2013 by DefenderU

[APL-G35]

It looks okay but is the barrel threaded? If so you still need a comp and that's a lot of coin for not a lot of gun. I would look at a stag, Samson, or dpms rifle first. They have specific 3 gun models and run about 500$ cheaper.

[Supermoto]

Daniel Defense makes a fantastic rifle. I have a 14.5 lightweight, midlength gas system that is very light, very accurate and 100% reliable. I would confirm with them, but I believe the barrel is threaded

Edited December 28, 2013 by Supermoto

[DefenderU]

I am grateful for the suggestions. What I would like is a JP with left handed charging handle. I have 2k to spend without optics. I'm one of those guys that will regret a purchase if I go with a starter version. Some on this forum said "buy once cry once". That kind of sums it up.

Does jp give any deals to people on this forum or are there places to buy his rifles cheaper than the direct site?

[sarge863]

JP has a send in your lower program. Its what I did. It saved me some money and minus the lower, everything is JP and I couldn't be happier.

[APL-G35]

If you're new to 3 gun I would buy a cheaper makers rifle an optic and a pile of ammo. You will learn more of what you really want in a rifle by doing this as well. A JP is great no doubt but a stag or dpms 3g1 won't hold you back. Now if I could just learn to take my own advice.

[blairmckenzie1]

JP doesn't give much of a price break, but if you have 2k before optics and you like JP just order one of their complete upper and slap it on a lower that you build. The JP-15 complete uppers would make for a really nice gun for about $1300.

That being said. JP is really nice if you can afford it, but you can be competitive without spending that much.

[1911 S.I.S.sy]

Look into a Stag, colt competition. Or get a Seekins 3Gun upper and build a lower the way you want.

[DefenderU]

I see that 18 inch rifles are pretty popular. Most manufacturers laden to be making more 16". Will I see a lot of improvement with an 18" barrel over a 16? Thanks

[DefenderU]

If you're new to 3 gun I would buy a cheaper makers rifle an optic and a pile of ammo. You will learn more of what you really want in a rifle by doing this as well. A JP is great no doubt but a stag or dpms 3g1 won't hold you back. Now if I could just learn to take my own advice.

I appreciate you naming the guys to check out. I'll be up all night...

[APL-G35]

I've been there. I started with a dpms 3g1 and have been modding it as I've "seen necessary". I wish I would've spent the money on all the parts on ammo instead. I really like the end result but I would have been better served by ammo and practice . The gun ran great before the mods and would have served me a long time before I really needed anything.

[DefenderU]

I have been competing in iDPA and skeet so black guns are fairly new to me. I have a 300 blk from Daniel that I have been shooting for a year but just for light recreation and some hunting. I even thought about selling it and dumping that money into training and ammo. I only have about 300 rounds through the rifle. I have a couple thousand rounds of ammo for it that I would have to sell.

[mngunguy]

I am grateful for the suggestions. What I would like is a JP with left handed charging handle. I have 2k to spend without optics. I'm one of those guys that will regret a purchase if I go with a starter version. Some on this forum said "buy once cry once". That kind of sums it up.

Does jp give any deals to people on this forum or are there places to buy his rifles cheaper than the direct site?

They don't run sales that I've seen. You'll save on federal excise tax if you order the upper and lower at separate times. That's about as good as you'll get. They know they have a good thing.

At around 2K you have lots of good options. Take the time to read this subforum for a while. That should give you good insight on what people are spending money on.

JP has a send in your lower program. Its what I did. It saved me some money and minus the lower, everything is JP and I couldn't be happier.

The difference between building on a lower you send in and building using their lower is only 100. Figure it costs about 15.00 to ship and if your lower cost more than 85.00 you are in the red. I used their send in your lower program myself but that was because I wanted a lower with a bigger magwell.

[openclassterror]

+1 on the big magwell. I stepped up from a forged Milspec lower with the mag opening machined out to the very limit to a Noveske Gen 2 ( also forged, but a HUUUGE funnel). Man, you could throw the magazine from 3 feet away and it would go in! Only drawback is that it won't run the surefire 60rd mags I've heard. Never tried it myself, I use PMAGs with the +18 extension if I can't get it done with a 30. I think the Seekins has a big funnel, and I am sure there are others. Sending a flared quality lower to JP would be my choice if I didn't build my own toys.

Tom

[DefenderU]

any opinions on 16" vs 18" barrel?

[twowheels]

I'm a leftie and wanted to try a rifle with a left handed charging handle. I found a guy selling a NIB PSC 11 on a JP 15 lower equipped how I wanted for a few hundred less than msrp. I couldn't be happier and can't imagine that a better AR 15 exists. The rifle is absolutely fantastic.

[APL-G35]

An 18" will recoil smoother and a little softer because of the rifle length gas system. Most guys run 18 but nothing wrong with 16" either.

[MetropolisLake]

I have had an 18" JP. I have also had a Daniel defense, and a 16" mid length bcm. The JP is obviously the nicest but it is rather heavy and the hand guard is larger than it looks. The DD is nice, worst part is that many come with a mil spec trigger which sucks more than usual. This one looks like it comes with an SSA which is what I run and it is fine. Personally I like stainless barrels though and 16" is a good compromise in terms of size, plus it is the shortest legal length without having to pin your compensator so I like them. On the Ambush, keep in mind that it has a 1:7 twist which may not work the best with lighter bullets. Those are for stabilizing heavier ones, 69-77 grains.

[wgj3]

You also get a little more velocity out of the longer barrels in addition to the longer gas system.

[DefenderU]

Do you like to run a 1/8 twist so it will shoot anything from cheap to premium and light to heavier rounds?

[APL-G35]

I have a 1/8 barrel. I haven't shot any heavy loads out of it yet but it has shot 55gr and 62gr at about 1moa.

[DefenderU]

1moa at 100yrds means the gun shoots better than I do when standing and trying to hit a target.

[APL-G35]

It does most everyone. I'd say as long as the gun can shoot 1.25 Moa at 100yds off a bench you are good to go. With a gun this accurate I've made 1st round hits out to 500yds and trust me I am no great rifle shot. The main this is get something reliable, accurate and a decent scope. Know your drops when shooting distance. I couldn't believe how many guys were missing 3 and 400yd targets because they didn't know their holdovers.

[HRider]

As others have said, an 18" rifle gas barreled gun is generally smoother feeling than a 16" mid length gas gun. As far as barrel twist rate, I have shot 55gr bullets out of 1/7 barrels without problems. Personally, I like 20" govt profile barrels, but I like shooting iron sights.

The most important thing about the rifle portion of three gun is to have a reliable rifle capable of acceptable accuracy (1-1.5 moa is fine), with a good, known zero. Then, know your holds for different ranges from point blank out to 500. That will get you through most three gun stages.

Hurley

[polymerfeelsweirdman]

I would try to find it for cheaper

I've seen this model at below $1300 on budsgunshop; for that price it is an ok deal but you can do better building your own

for msrp I think you can easily do better