WardenWolf
member
At $500, the Radical Firearms FGS-12 is quite a bargain. A full-length flat-top AR with a fully M-LOK compatible forearm seems almost too good to be true at that price, but so far it seems to be quite a steal.
Out of the box, it runs, with no hiccups. Fit and finish are good, and the ergonomics with that round forearm are great. It comes with the basic features you'd expect from a stock AR, such as a standard A2 birdcage flash hider and CAR stock, but also comes with a nice ErgoGrip pistol grip.
This is my first AR15, and I'm building this on a budget. I'm carefully choosing the best-value accessories without significantly compromising on performance.
Here is the rifle as she came to me (cat not included):
Very basic, with clean lines. Very reminiscent of some of the Stag rifles.
Here are the accessories I've added since (bipod not included because I've had it for years):
Left-handed safety selector (I'm a lefty) from Stag Arms: $15
Ultimate Arms Gear flip-up iron sights: $40 for the set
Miculek compensator: $40
PK-06 1 MOA red dot sight: $200 from Kalinka Optics
UTG lever-lock riser: $11:
The iron sights do their jobs well. They stay up and work fine, proving you don't need to spend a ton of money to get good irons on an AR. I carefully researched different compensators and checked independent tests. The Miculek comp scored 3rd among around 30 different compensators for recoil reduction, and only cost $40 compared to $80+ for competing products.
The PK-06 dot is a very handy little optic. It provides a sharp 1 MOA dot and two other precision reticles at a great price. It's very fast to acquire a target on the 3rd reticle setting, yet provides a level of precision not normally available at even twice the price. It's brightness sensing and, in my limited tests, does a very good job at adjusting to brightness. In a pinch, all it takes is a press of the power button to override it to full brightness. The optic itself is also nearly indestructible; it's been tested to be able to survive 50-foot falls onto rocks and still hold zero, and is waterproof. Weight is only .2 pounds, so you can't even feel it on the rifle.
All in all, I think I've got a very nice rifle for the money. I saved money on accessories but didn't really compromise. Everything does its job.
Out of the box, it runs, with no hiccups. Fit and finish are good, and the ergonomics with that round forearm are great. It comes with the basic features you'd expect from a stock AR, such as a standard A2 birdcage flash hider and CAR stock, but also comes with a nice ErgoGrip pistol grip.
This is my first AR15, and I'm building this on a budget. I'm carefully choosing the best-value accessories without significantly compromising on performance.
Here is the rifle as she came to me (cat not included):
Very basic, with clean lines. Very reminiscent of some of the Stag rifles.
Here are the accessories I've added since (bipod not included because I've had it for years):
Left-handed safety selector (I'm a lefty) from Stag Arms: $15
Ultimate Arms Gear flip-up iron sights: $40 for the set
Miculek compensator: $40
PK-06 1 MOA red dot sight: $200 from Kalinka Optics
UTG lever-lock riser: $11:
The iron sights do their jobs well. They stay up and work fine, proving you don't need to spend a ton of money to get good irons on an AR. I carefully researched different compensators and checked independent tests. The Miculek comp scored 3rd among around 30 different compensators for recoil reduction, and only cost $40 compared to $80+ for competing products.
The PK-06 dot is a very handy little optic. It provides a sharp 1 MOA dot and two other precision reticles at a great price. It's very fast to acquire a target on the 3rd reticle setting, yet provides a level of precision not normally available at even twice the price. It's brightness sensing and, in my limited tests, does a very good job at adjusting to brightness. In a pinch, all it takes is a press of the power button to override it to full brightness. The optic itself is also nearly indestructible; it's been tested to be able to survive 50-foot falls onto rocks and still hold zero, and is waterproof. Weight is only .2 pounds, so you can't even feel it on the rifle.
All in all, I think I've got a very nice rifle for the money. I saved money on accessories but didn't really compromise. Everything does its job.
