The AR market is flooded with virtually every configuration and option imaginable. From cheap to high-end, there’s something for everyone. Unfortunately, many AR companies focus on appearance over function. While in jest, some ARs are like gas station knives — looks and flashiness over functional practicality. However, Flat River Arms is an up-and-coming manufacturer focused on producing affordable, yet durable and reliable, AR-15s. Recently, a coworker introduced me to the fine folks at Flat River Arms. After some chatting with representatives and a bit of T&E time on the range with one of their rifles, the company has definitely gained my respect and attention.
Flat River Arms
Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Flat River Arms has a strong law enforcement background. The owner and brains behind Flat River Arms, James Turner, has leveraged his 20+ years of law enforcement expertise and perspective to develop industry-leading products. I think one of Flat River Arms’ biggest selling points is they’ll proudly tell you where they source their parts. Dave Gatlin, Flat River’s Law Enforcement Sales Manager, sent me their spec sheet; frankly, the transparency was refreshing.
Normally, companies rave about their “product”, giving the illusion they manufacture each part. Well, the truth is that most AR-15 manufacturers source their parts from a few reputable — and some not-so-reputable — manufacturers. All Flat River Arms’ components are sourced from respected and quality suppliers. From Toolcraft MPI-inspected bolt carriers to Sub-MOA guaranteed Ballistic Advantage barrels, they source quality components for a reliable, durable, and affordable AR-15.
The Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle
The Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle originated with law enforcement needs — and budgets — in mind. I’ve worked in law enforcement for nearly a decade, the majority of which I’ve spent on patrol. Law enforcement’s need for patrol rifles is greater than ever. Active killer incidents, body armor, barricades, and hostage situations are among the few immediately recognizable situations necessitating patrol rifle deployment. As such, agencies are motivated to outfit their people with the equipment necessary to complete their mission safely and effectively. Gatlin was clear when I spoke with him about this need — agencies need reliable and durable rifles because, when needed, they must work.
There’s a unique form of abuse that law enforcement rifles undergo daily. While round counts aren’t always high, the daily abuse is the biggest concern. Most patrol rifles are stored in vehicles driven for 10 hours or more at a time in less-than-ideal conditions. Fluctuating temperatures, rough roads (or going off-road), Pursuits, and emergency response, coupled with deployments on K-9 tracks, building searches, and perimeters take a toll on equipment — especially patrol rifles. In my experience, the average off-the-shelf AR doesn’t respond well, much less perform, when subjected to these conditions daily.
As if the daily abuse isn’t enough, most law enforcement agencies don’t have unlimited budgets. They must carefully decide between reliability, functionality, and cost when purchasing a patrol rifle. With their knowledge and experience, Flat River Arms recognized this issue and developed a rifle that met and exceeded those requirements while staying within most budgets. Of course, the begging question stands, what makes their rifles different from so many other manufacturers? Let’s delve into the details.
Durability
Durability is a somewhat subjective judgment. What environments can the rifle perform in? What abuse can the rifle take? The answers are critical to determining a firearm’s limits. While I’d to “burn down” a rifle with 5,000 rounds or so, that’s somewhat unrealistic for most folks in and out of uniform. Nonetheless, we ran around 400-500 rounds through the Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle and it ate every single one without hesitation. Furthermore, we later discovered the rifle was already 1,000 rounds deep since its last cleaning. That’s a grimy rifle. After several hundred rounds on semi-auto, we ran the rifle through sustained full auto for several magazines. The rifle was filthy but ran without a hiccup.
While many AR-15s appear the same, they’re not. The parts quality and assembly of an AR-15 are extremely important. Cheap components invariably fail at the most inopportune times. Flat River Arms carefully selected the components in their rifles and ensured their assembly and fitment met or exceeded industry norms.
As simple and small as it may seem, the Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle’s castle nut is a great example of their attention to detail. Rather than a traditional staked castle nut (which can work loose), they opted for a ratcheting castle nut. This design ensures vibration — whether from recoil or riding in a car — doesn’t produce flying springs, a loose stock, or a seized bolt. Furthermore, the gas block is drilled and pinned for added durability. On more than one occasion I’ve witnessed a gas block slide forward or work loose during a range session. That won’t be an issue with a Flat River Rifle. Outside of general maintenance, the only component requiring occasional inspection is the handguard screws.
Comfort
This rifle is outfitted with a Black Rain Ordnance forend. Upon first glance, the forend’s diameter seemed a little big for my taste. However, it handled wonderfully on the range and those in attendance agreed it was quite comfortable. Furthermore, it provided ample room for heat dissipation between the barrel and handguard. If the larger diameter isn’t your flavor, Flat River Arms offers smaller diameter configurations on request.
The rifle is outfitted with multiple QD sling swivel points. The handguard, endplate, and stock all feature QD points tailored to the end user’s preference. The rifle is outfitted with a BCM Mod 0 stock, an exceptionally comfortable, proven, and user-friendly adjustable stock option. The rear pistol grip is also from BCM with their Mod 3 adorning the lower. These features produced an exceptionally comfortable rifle to run.
Operation
Ergonomics are important with weapons systems. While the AR-15 platform has remained mostly consistent for the last half century, many of its controls require some upgrading. For example, I hate the standard design charging handles as a lefty. While pricey, I’ve raved about the Radian Raptor’s reliability on many patrol rifle deployments and training sessions. The ambidextrous design is just bulletproof.
The Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle features a proprietary BREACH charging handle. This ambidextrous charging handle is lightweight, cost-effective, and durable. While my first experience with the BREACH, it ran on par with my beloved Radian Raptor.
The rifle includes a Boron-coated single-stage trigger breaking around six pounds. The trigger is nothing fancy, but it’s a simple, proven, and reliable trigger that doesn’t require complex maintenance, installation, or adjustment. Independent anti-walk pins hold the trigger securely in place. Independent pins allow the hammer to rotate freely, which reduces hammer drag and trigger group wear.
The ambidextrous safety selector worked as expected. While I don’t run an ambi safety as a lefty, it was convenient. The rifle is also equipped with Strike polymer backup sights and a Strike Venom flash hider. The sights and flash hider were visually attractive and practical for duty use.
Overall Impression of the Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle
While I’ve touched on some of the impressive characteristics and the performance of the Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle, I should discuss its overall performance. Simply, it exceeded my expectations given the rifle’s price point.
An AR-15’s ejection pattern is a great indicator of build quality and gas system operation. Overgassed or undergassed rifles have ejection patterns too far forward or backward. Erratic ejection patterns indicate further issues with the rifle or ammunition. The Flat River Patrol Rifle maintained a beautifully consistent ejection pattern around 4 o’clock. While initially sighting in an EOTech we threw on the rifle, the small brass piles immediately garnered our attention. Even with sustained full auto fire, the rifle’s ejection pattern remained consistent. Beyond showing how well-built it was, it made range cleanup even easier.
The Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle was an absolute joy to shoot. While we didn’t have the distance available to group the rifle, the Ballistic Advantage 16-inch 1:7 twist barrel is definitely more than capable of producing sub-MOA groups with the right ammunition. Even under sustained full auto bursts, the muzzle rise was exceptionally controllable. With a lot of time on select-fire and semi-auto AR platforms, this rifle is tuned correctly. It’s simply a joy to shoot.
Add Flat Creek Arms To Your List
Throughout this review, I’ve emphasized how Flat River Arms builds its rifles with budget friendliness in mind while maintaining extreme quality, durability, and reliability. This rifle has everything I could ask for in a patrol rifle. If I were issued one tomorrow, I wouldn’t balk at running it on the road. While built for functionality, the rifle also has visual appeal.
The rifle’s price makes it that much more attractive. Flat River Arms offers their Patrol Rifle starting at $915. If you want to get some friends together, they offer law enforcement groups discounts for two to three rifles that bring the price down to $895. If you’re an agency or group looking to outfit your department, four or more rifles bring it down to $875 per rifle. That’s a great price for what the rifle delivers to the end user. The Flat River Arms Patrol Rifle, along with many other configurations, are currently available on their website at www.flatriverarms.com. I plan to add one to my collection soon and strongly urge you to look into doing the same.
