Project Appleseed

At least, lasers by semi-auto standards.  This is no walther or bleiker.

First ten shots out of a 22lr upper, off of a bag, with a 4.5x scope: https://imgur.com/a/8rZbaUf.

One fouling shot (yes, I should have cleaned the rifle), four shot group getting used to the scope, and then an adjustment followed by a five shot group with almost only vertical dispersion.  Which, in my opinion, has more to do with the fact that I was shooting cheap $0.05/rd ammo.

The downside is that it's taking them ~3 months to build out an upper, presumably because of backlog.

I was planning on only using this for off hand practice, but now I may consider bringing it to a second Appleseed in lieu of my bolt action sporter.

Anyways, Frank White at Compass Lake builds very good uppers.

Hi Moy,

I have two CLE rifles, one set up with open sights for Service Rifle and one of their Varmint models, both in .223.

The Service rifle will hold two inch groups from prone at 100 yards. It has a real affinity for Hornady's 75 gr BTHP bullets and Varget for propellant.  The Varmint model I had built last April and have only had it out to the range twice. It technically isn't quite broken in (still going through CLE's recommended break in process). Initial results are EXTREMELY encouraging. Hornady's 68 and 75 grain bullets make very small groups at 100 yards.

The Service Rifle balances very well, as one would expect, and keeping all the shots on an 8 inch gong at 100 yards, standing, is kind of easy.  I have a fun little load for it featuring 55 grain FMJs and a starting load of Varget.  Velocity is about 2650 fps. They cycle the action and the barrel runs cooler longer.  No need for 3000+ fps for banging away on the gong or killing paper out to 200 yards.

I only had to wait about 3 weeks for my Varmint model.  Over the summer and fall they must've been hammered with orders to create the 3 month wait.

But, they are worth the wait.  Compass Lake Engineering customer service was top notch and they have ARs figured out.

Gus