NEW AR15: Springfield Armory SAINT with Free Floating Hand Guard

By Grant Timberlake, owner of G&R Tactical

Springfield Armory® sent us a new variation of their SAINT™ AR15. For those that read our original article on the SAINT, you will remember that it had the BCM KeyMod, non-free floating hand guard. This new version features a 12.5” free floating M-LOK compatible rail system. The rail also has an anti-rotation feature and weighs in at 12.2 oz. It comes with a pinned low profile gas block and an adjustable low profile flip up front sight.

Springfield Armory Saint and Hornady Ammo

Putting the Springfield Armory SAINT 5.56 to the test:

Like the original SAINT™ we shot in Vegas, this one was just as reliable in our testing. Not a single malfunction was encountered. At the unveiling party of the Saint™ last October, we were able to shoot it out well past 600m. My particular rifle was very accurate and would easily hit targets out to 800m if I did my part. One of the things we were not able to do at the debut was shoot the rifles on paper at 100 yds to verify group size. So one of my goals with this new variation was to get some groups down. For optics, I used a Vortex HD 1-6 Razor in a Bobro mount. I have logged a lot of training hours with this particular Vortex optic and is one of my favorites.

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AMMO:

For ammo, the good folks at Hornady sent us some 75gr Match. We have often used this ammo to validate the accuracy potential of an AR15. As usual, it did not let us down. Group sizes were impressive. One of the things I like about the Springfield Armory Saint™ is that it uses a 1/8 twist barrel. This allows the most flexibility in bullet weights. For distance shooting, a heavier grain bullet is going to fight the wind better. The 75gr was up to the challenge on the windy range day we tested this new Saint™.

Accuracy of the SAINT:

Once we had the scope zeroed, we began to push the rifle to the limits of its accuracy potential. With many AR15 reviews, accuracy is rarely tested and, if it is, the gun is shot at close range. For our test, we shot the Saint™ at 100 yds with multiple 5rd groups. Our best group measured in at 3/4 inch and our worst group covered just under one inch. With that group size, the Saint™ would fill a lot of different roles. Varmint hunters will surely love the twist rate and the accuracy capabilities of this rifle!

For the Saint™ fans out there, this new model gives them M-LOK compatibility and even better accuracy. With an MSRP of $1049, this AR delivers a good value to the consumer.