First off I am no editor or writer of any sort. These are my personal opinions and thought's
Took the new Olympic Arms UMAR 22-250 (#88 off the production line) out Friday and Saturday and got a couple dogs with it. It has been fired about 30-40 rounds and I really think it is a keeper.
First off here are the spec's. from Olympic Arms web site
MSRP: $1428.70
Receiver Material- 7075 T6 Aluminum Forged Receivers Machined By Olympic Arms
Receiver- Finish Black Matte Anodized Receivers, Parkerized Steel Parts
Action- Gas Operated Semi-automatic Action
Upper Type-Gas block w/ picatinny rails
Handguard-Predator FIRSH
Barrel- 24� Heavy match grade bull barrel, 416 stainless steel
Chambering .22-250 REM;.223 WSSM, .243 WSSM, .25 WSSM, .300 OSSM
Bore Long-life non-chromed bore
Twist Rate-.22-250 REM (1x14) .223 WSSM (1x14) .243 WSSM (1x10) .25 WSSM (1x10) .300 OSSM (1x12)
Muzzle- Crown
Stanard Features include:
24" SS Bull Barrel*
Fluting available for additional cost(This will shave off about 1 1/2 lbs off total weight of
Picatinny flat-top upper
Olympic Arms Predator Style handguard
A2 buttstock
Optional ACE skeleton stock
Your choice of side-sling mount or bi-pod mount
5 round billet aluminum magazine
*Bull barrel standard on the UMAR for the WSSM & OSSM cartridges are 416 SS precision broach-cut barrels. All .22-250 caliber UMAR rifles use 416 SS button rifled barrels.
Trigger- Standard trigger is around 4-7 lbs however there are a few options for the trigger. You can go with a lighter 2 stage or a full custom from CMMG I believe as an option.
Now my thought's
Goods-
Accuracy- Very accurate I am shooting under 1/2" group at 200yds (now these were reloads I have not fired any factory loads yet).
Comfort- This gun is well balanced,comfortable.
As far as Col in the mag well, The 22-250 UMAR magazine is able to seat out to 2.42" which is plenty for the 64gr Berger I plan on trying out.
You can put any mill-Spec upper on this lower however you will have to change the bolt release out with a regular mil-spec release off of a mill spec AR-15 to be able to use regular AR-15 magazine's. This is very easy though.
Barrel- Fluting available for additional cost about $90(This will shave off about 1 1/2 lbs off total weight of
Not so good-
Barrel twist rate - 1-14 ROT was hoping for a faster twist so to utilize the opened up mag well.
Weight- It is a little heavy @ 9.4lbs but well balanced though. But easy to carry and shoot off stick's or by-pod.
As far as ready to go out hunting weight it is probably @ 11 lbs I am using a Leupold Mark 4 6.5-20X50mm LR/T and it weighs in at 22oz so this would be under 10 lbs total, I have the fluted barrel,which is not bad.
It come's with only (1)5rnd mag. The magazine is a proprietary magazine meaning it will only work in the Olympic Arms AMAR lower and at $100.00 per mag that is a little steep.
Now with the Feeding issue, It does great the only issue I had was when loading the clip, when I got to the 5th round it was VERY tight it almost felt like it did not belong or there were 5 rounds in it already. Then when loading one in the chamber with a full magazine the bolt did not want to close all the way due to such a tight round in the clip.
Remedy- I filed the clip on the top back side there are 2 edges that seem to be hanging up the round and were causing it to feel real tight and did not want to chamber. I filed them down very faintly and it cured that problem the rounds are still real tight in the magazine but they feed just fine now.
I did go to the range today to put a new Burris PEPR mount on and site her in again with some 55gr Noslers BT But this time I sighted it in at 100yds. instead of 200yds like before. Well it shot pretty good I was able to shoot a .245"group of 3 and called it good. While I was out there I went ahead and tried out the 64gr Bergers loads I worked up.
They will shoot but the best group I got was just a hair over 1" at 100yds using 36gr of Hodgdon CFR223 and CCI2 primer. I started at 35.5gr and loaded up to 37.3gr but stopped at 36.5gr. I will try the 37gr and depending on if there is any pressure. I will try the 37.3gr but we will have to see. I will add more info as I learn it.
With that said I really like the gun and I highly doubt you guy's will see mine in the classified's any time soon.
I am sure I am forgetting a lot of stuff. If your think of anything let me know. This is the first time I have ever done a gun review hope you all like it. Right now turnaround is 60-90 days as of 5 min ago I just called them to get some of this info verified for sure.
