The Springfield Armory SAINT Revealed
Rob Reed 10.31.16
Springfield Armory has released the details of their new SAINT product line featured in the company’s “Defend Your Legacy” marketing campaign.
The SAINT is a 5.56 AR carbine designed as Springfield Armory’s entry in the sub-$1,000 AR market.
With a MSRP of $899, the SAINT is positioned to be a value leader in this segment. This info from the official Springfield Armory SAINT spec sheet runs down the details:
The SAINT weighs 6 pounds, 11 ounces empty, is 35.5″ long fully extended, and is 32.25″ collapsed.
The upper and lower receivers are Type III hard anodized 7075 T6 aluminum. The upper receiver BCG bore and extension tube bore are coated with dry film lubricant, and the upper includes M4 feed ramps and an “Accu-Tite Tension System” utilizes a nylon tipped tension screw between the upper and lower receivers to eliminate play and improve accuracy.
The 16″ barrel is made of Chrome Moly Vanadium with a 5.56 NATO chamber and a 1:8 RH twist. The chamber, bore, and external surfaces are coated with a Melonite finish, including under the front sight base.
The rifle uses a mid-length gas system with an “H” heavy tungsten buffer. This combination is engineered to improve function, reduce wear on internal parts, and reduce felt recoil.
The furniture is provided by Bravo Company and includes their six-position butt stock, exclusive PKMR handguard with KeyMod attachment points, Mod 3 pistol grip, and Bravo Company oversize trigger-guard.
Although optic-ready, the SAINT is ready to go out of the box with a “F” height front sight with 2 MOA adjustment and a Springfield Armory low profile, flip-up, dual aperture rear sight with 1/2 MOA windage adjustment.
The carbine uses a M16 bolt carrier group that has been shot peened and magnetic particle inspected to met mil-spec requirements. The gas key is hardened and staked, and the extractor spring is installed with a o-ring for consistent extraction. The trigger is an enhanced single-stage GI type with a nickel boron coating.
The SAINT ships with a 30 round Magpul PMAG Gen M3.
Check back soon for a hands-on report on the SAINT from the recent Springfield Armory media event in Las Vegas.
