I have to admit the Rock River Arms LAR-40 pistol is a head-scratcher for me. This is one of those guns that I just don’t get. Let me explain…
The RRA LAR-40 is a AR-15 style firearm chambered in the .40 S&W pistol round and configured as a pistol. You can get them with a seven inch or 10.5 inch barrel with an A2 or A4 upper. Overall length on the seven inch model is 23 inches with an unloaded weight of 4.8 pounds. The 10.5 incher weighs 5.2 pounds in the A2 configuration and measures 26.5 inches overall.
The pistols use an UZI-style stick magazine (only one is included). Retail prices run from $1120 to $1180 depending on configuration.
But…what’s the point?
These guns are chambered in .40 S&W, which is a common pistol cartridge, and popular for law enforcement and self defense. But this pistol isn’t really easy to carry around. At about five pounds and two feet long, it isn’t concealable, nor is it well suited for open carry.
While adequate for self defense, the .40 is underpowered for most hunting. A longer barrel probably isn’t going to add enough velocity to make it great for hunting.
Am I missing something?
I imagine someone would like one of these to add to their collection, and you certainly don’t have to justify any “need” to me. You want one, go get one. RAA builds good guns. But, I just can’t figure out what anyone would do with one of these.
Can someone set me straight on this one?
Other articles that will amaze you:
- Rock River Arms LAR-15 Elite Comp: A Top Notch AR-15 Variant With Some Great Features Out Of The Box
- Ruger LCP Pistol in .380 ACP: The “Lightweight Compact Pistol” for Concealed Carry from Sturm Ruger & Co.
- Kahr P380 Pistol: Kahr’s New .380 ACP Pistol
- Ruger SR9 Pistol: The Slim Striker Fired 9mm Pistol from Ruger Now Available with OD Green Frame
- Ruger Mark III Hunter .22 LR Pistol
It is so people can buy this, get the tax stamp, then affix the butt stock and have an SBR.
That just seems like a round-about way to get there. Why not just sell/buy a SBR version? Is it easier to get a stamp from ATF for modifying something you already have versus buying something configured as an SBR from the factory?
You cannot put a stock on a pistol. Once a pistol is a pistol it can only become an AOW (all other weapon.)
You CAN get a rifle, and pay the tax stamp to SBR it.
You were right at the start. RRA makes it because people will buy it. People will buy it as something ‘fun’ or ‘different.’ I expect them on used market, hardly fired, fairly soon.
From a design standpoint it uses mostly standard parts in an established configuration, so they didn’t need to invest a lot in to it. I wonder if RRA is working on a select-fire version?
I saw some where that the F.B.I. purchased some of them.
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2010/02/07/fbi-purchasing-40-sw-ar-15-carbines/
Is it a way of selling the FBI upper without a tax stamp?
The FBI purchased some LAR-40 rifles as reported over at the Firearm Blog (see Tbyrd67′s link above…) These are pistols. I don’t think it is a way of just getting uppers into the market, either. RRA lists 7″ and 10.5″ .40 uppers as a purchase item in their catalog separate from the pistols.
…because, and this also goes for the full-size carbine version, pistol-caliber AR carbines are fun to shoot, perhaps?
Well, you don’t have to justify getting or shooting one. You like them, knock yourself out. I guess I just don’t see the business case that makes this work. Will RRA sell enough to make the builds worthwhile?
I am LEO and I purchased the pistol. I then SBR’d it. I bought the weapon do to the reason that it is cheaper then an MP5 40 and it is a weapon system that everyone in my department to my wife are familiar with. 40 S&W is a great cartridge for cqb and since that is what calibre I use in my service weapon it made sense to go that calibre. My wife likes the weapon do to no recoil and I placed a eotech and silencer on it. It makes for a great home defense gun. Just my two cents any way.