Lead Star Arms Rifles

Tucked away in a corner of Summerville is an amazing place.  An American flag hangs from the ceiling, the sounds of CNC machines fill the air, stacks of aluminum billets sit on pallets, and a three-man team is constantly in motion producing the most precise AR platform rifles in the world.  Welcome to Lead Star Arms. 

The brainchild of Derek Hicks, a US Navy Veteran, he is the nerve center of this enterprise. He is the CEO, CFO, designer of the parts, the IT expert, logistics wizard, janitor and all around HMFIC.  With his right-hand men, Tres and Eric, this team produces the finest and most precise AR Platform rifles I have ever fired. 

“Precision Matters” is the motto of Lead Star Arms and they mean it.  Some companies will have blemish sales but you won’t find that at Lead Star.   Derek will not let anything out of the shop that is not 100% perfect.  These rifles are machined with such tight tolerances, the parts all fit perfectly, the actions are smooth as silk and they just keep running.  They are a thing of beauty to look at and a dream to fire.

As far as complete full size rifles Lead Star Arms offers four different models, the Grunt™, and Grunt™ Enhanced, can be chambered in 2.23/5.56, 7.62x39, .300 Blackout and .458 SOCOM.  The Barrage™ is available in 2.23/5.56, 7.62x39, and .300 Blackout.  

The Barrage

The Grunt Enhanced

The Grunt

The AR Pistol offerings are the Grunt™ Enhanced Pistol and the Havoc™ both are only available in 5.56 and .300 Blackout.  Even though they are pistols that not only look sexy but fire and handle as well as the full-sized rifles.

The Havoc

The Grunt Pistol

I don’t know if they will offer other calibers in the future but Derek is always on the cutting 
 edge and you never know.  They even offer a skeletonized version of them that are designed for 3-Gun competition.  Speaking of which, Lead Star Arms sponsors one of the best 3-Gun shooters in the country, Matt Martini and his Lead Star Arms rifle is one of the most accurate, and beautiful rifles I have ever seen.  I could only wish to fire it one day.  There are other nationally ranked shooters that all have sexy rifles from Lead Star Arms as well.

Truthfully, there are so many options to explore at Lead Star Arms as far as complete rifles, uppers, lowers, builder kits, complete uppers, free float hand guards, charging handles, muzzle breaks, gas blocks, and magazine release buttons, I am going to stick to one for now. Keep checking back for other reviews of their rifles, parts and events.

I knew I was going to own one so Derek and I discussed the different calibers, colors, and I eventually settled on the 7.62x39 Barrage to be my rifle. I have carried, slept with, lived with, and fired a LOT of AR platform rifles in my career.  I started carrying an old M-16A1, yep the old school triangle grips and everything, moved to an A2, Carried a GAU-5 in Iraq and finished up my career toting an M-4 around.   In between firing my issued rifles, I had friends that owned other AR Platforms that I got to fire.  Working with different US Military units, both conventional and non-conventional I have seen and fired just about every mod of an AR out there.  Some were better than others, some were worn out paper weights that should have been de-miled and put in a museum or melted down.  Some were so tricked out with every bell and whistle and were nail drivers.  Lead Star Arms rifles are head and shoulders above all of them in my book.

The first time I saw a Lead Star Arms Rifle I was immediately taken with the pure lines and sexiness of the rifle.  The high quality, precision milling stands out.  It is clean and each line is perfectly placed for fit, function or just to make it look awesome.  From the scalloped forms of the upper and lower receiver to the small details and name of the company milled into the rifle with the same precision.  These are not a typical AR platform.  Inherently lighter than your typical AR, they range from about 6 to 6.7 pounds.  The skeletonized versions are on the lower end of the scale. 

Lead Star Arms rifles take down the same as any other AR, the upper and lower function the same way as a typical AR.  Once you pick one up the precision stands out.  Nothing rattled, everything was in such tight tolerance they just worked flawlessly. 

This rifle shoots as good as it looks.  The recoil is less than I expected and every round fed and fired like clockwork.  I have put about 600 rounds through her and not one stoppage.  The feel of this rifle is like it was made for my hands.  Comfortable to hold, easy to find the cheek weld, and getting a consistent sight picture is a dream.  The trigger has almost no creep and is crisp.  Releasing the mag is smooth and the magazine, even the crappy pro-mag I have, releases smoothly yet is held securely in place when seated.  The bolt slides forward to battery as if it too was specifically made for this rifle.  Nothing on this rifle is out of place, or sticks.  It runs and runs and runs.  You keep feeding her, she keeps spitting out rounds. 
 

For anyone looking for a high end, precision AR platform I urge you to check out Lead Star Arms.   You will not be disappointed with them.  Their website is LEAD STAR ARMS and you can view on up close and personally at Palmetto State Armory in Summerville, if they have on one the shelf, they tend to not stay on display long.    If you hit up the Lead Star Arms website there is a contact us where you can get into touch with Derek himself and he is always ready to discuss his rifles and answer your questions.