Tokarev Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I sent my STG-556 back to MSAR for conversion to an E4. I love it. It's a great handling rifle. I've shot it in a couple club-level matches and won with it. It's great for shooting on the move. The only draw back is the trigger. A little clunky, doesn't translate in to good double taps. What all's involved with conversion to the M16 model? I thought it was just a matter of swapping out the stock. Is that not the case? Regarding the trigger, I've only shot a Class III AUG and I guess double taps isn't a concern with that rifle. Just pull the trigger farther back if you need to shoot somebody a couple times. Is there nothing that can be done with the semi-auto triggers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdpaz Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Regarding the trigger, I've only shot a Class III AUG and I guess double taps isn't a concern with that rifle. Just pull the trigger farther back if you need to shoot somebody a couple times. Is there nothing that can be done with the semi-auto triggers? I don't know if it works in the MSAR but a Trigger Tamer (http://www.triggertamer.com/) drops into the semi-auto Steyr and helps quite a bit. It also makes it real easy to bump fire a second shot from the bench if you are too gentle on the trigger . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Trigger Tamer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STInky Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I sent my STG-556 back to MSAR for conversion to an E4. I love it. It's a great handling rifle. I've shot it in a couple club-level matches and won with it. It's great for shooting on the move. The only draw back is the trigger. A little clunky, doesn't translate in to good double taps. What all's involved with conversion to the M16 model? I thought it was just a matter of swapping out the stock. Is that not the case? That's pretty much it....they have to mill the cross-pin that locks the receiver in the stock, but I think that is the only mod. The new stock with the rails and the texturing looks cool too !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Please post some pictures and etc. when you get the gun back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 These are starting to ship now. Does anyone have any first hand experience with them? Any comments?I work for one of the distributors who is carrying this rifle and I'm looking for feedback. We should be getting our first ones in today or tomorrow. I've heard they look great, but I'm more concerned about reliability and accuracy. www.msarinc.com for those who want to check them out. My roomate has one and loves it. He has a Elcan Spectar Dr optic on top of it. I have shot it and it shoots reasonably well. Its not as accurate as an AR but it averages approximtely 1.4 inches at 100 yards with the match loads I loaded up for him. On the standard mag model the mags don't drop free and need to be stripped. The trigger is heavy but that can be fixed with various after market parts. Althought it will never be as good as a good AR trigger. Its also proven to be a reliable firearm so far. You can get 10, 20, 30 and 42 round magazines for it. There is also a new model out called the E4 which takes AR mags. Here are some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Pics from the optic on 1x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronswin Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I've got an early Microtech STG-556 and it's well balanced and fairly accurate with a 1-4x scope and 20 inch barrel using Prvi Partizan or even Wolf. The triggers are not bad once you get used to them and their reported to be much better in the E4 models (made to take M-16 magazines). Microtech will convert older models using AUG magazines to the new model and is supposed to be producing 5.45x39 and 7.62x39 caliber rifles plus conversion kits in the not to distant future. A friend just bought one from CDNN for $999 and can't wait to try his out on the range. I've also had very good experience with Microtech's customer service people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STInky Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Please post some pictures and etc. when you get the gun back. Here is a pic I took right after I got it back, with the Aimpoint M4 in a LaRue mount. The Aimpoint has since gone to my M&P15 VTAC, so the MSAR now has a black c-more railway. Very low profile and slick looking. I'd love to have an aluminum body c-more to go on it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 How do you like the feel of the new stock? I'm not a big fan of the A2 grip on the M16 and think I could do without it on the MSAR. Does the new stock allow M16 mags to drop freely? I've found a couple places selling the AUG-style rifles for under a Grand. The best price I've found on the E4 model is about $1350 without optic. Is there almost $400 worth of difference between the two? If I may be so bold; how much did it cost to have the stock changed? Thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STInky Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 How do you like the feel of the new stock? I'm not a big fan of the A2 grip on the M16 and think I could do without it on the MSAR. Does the new stock allow M16 mags to drop freely? I've found a couple places selling the AUG-style rifles for under a Grand. The best price I've found on the E4 model is about $1350 without optic. Is there almost $400 worth of difference between the two? If I may be so bold; how much did it cost to have the stock changed? Thanks for the help! * The new stock it great. I like the surface texture...makes it more resistant to scratches. * The mags do not drop free, one of my only complaints. * Like you said, you can get the regular STG-556 now for around $1k. If the use of AR mags is not a big deal to you, go for it. The MSAR AUG-style mags work and run very good. Plus you can get them in 20, 30 and 42 rounders !!!! With the $$$ difference in the STG-556 and the E4, you could buy lots of thier mags. * As far as the conversion cost, it runs around $400 if I recall correctly......but thats not what I paid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 This all sounds very good and I am going to start hunting for a good deal on an E4 model. With regard to the magazines, did the old AUG magazines drop free? I guess that's not a deal killer so it doesn't matter one way or the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STInky Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 Here is a new VIDEO from Steyr that shows the AUG in action and a couple different ways to reload.....but to answer your question, even the original mags do not fall free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 That's a fun little video. I wonder how many takes it took before they got those good smooth reloads? Looks like the best way to reload comes in about halfway through the video where the officer runs dry. He then pulls the old mag out with his support hand as he's moving for a fresh mag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DyNo! Posted November 30, 2009 Share Posted November 30, 2009 That's a fun little video. I wonder how many takes it took before they got those good smooth reloads?Looks like the best way to reload comes in about halfway through the video where the officer runs dry. He then pulls the old mag out with his support hand as he's moving for a fresh mag. I don't have any trouble loading my bullpup despite it not having drop free magazines: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 I've got an MSAR XM17-E4 on the way from this guy on Gunbroker. He seems to have some pretty smoking prices on these! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 It has arrived and makes a nice companion to my pre-ban A1. I've only got ninety rounds fired but will work on changing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 I made it to 1,000 rounds with no mechanical issues but have sent the rifle in for exchange. I'm going to "downgrade" to one of the STG556 models that uses the original AUG-type magazines. I'm doing this because the E4 variant has three issues; design flaws if you will. Problem #1 is the size and location of the bolt release lever. The E4's bolt release is much larger and much higher than the release used on previous models and I found it very easy to get my face against the lever. This interfered with operation and caused the rifle to close on an empty chamber most of the time. This issue was only made worse by the height and eye relief on the factory 1.5x optic. This brings up a separate issue. I never could get the rifle sighted in with the 1.5x scope mounted and I found out later that something inside the scope had broken loose. Problem #2 was the stock's magazine well. The only M16 magazines that will fit and latch into the rifle are MSAR, Magpul and GI-type metal mags. I was running the gun with USGI aluminum. These latched in fine but would not drop free. The drop free issue is a poor design and MSAR needs to re-design the mag well so that more mags will fit and drop out. Problem #3 relates primarily to my usage of the GI mags but might eventually happen with plastic mags, as well. I found that the magazine latch is plastic and my aluminum mags had shaved off the bottom portion of the catch. This resulted in an over insertion issue that jammed the rifle if mags were inserted a little too aggressively. Here's a photo of the mag latch after just two weeks of use. How is this part going to look in a year? I also have to question the rail points that are on the new E4 stock. The mounting points are heli-coils installed directly into the plastic of the stock with no internal reinforcement of any kind. I didn't mount anything to the rail(s) while I had the gun but I seriously doubt that the mounting holes will hold up under any sort of hard use. Don't get me wrong. I commend Microtech for bringing something to market that's not somehow another take on the M16 and I wish them well in their future endeavors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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