What are the current going prices for the IC Limited Editions?
I bought one as an investment piece but seemed to have missed the window to make a great profit. Have people just passed these by because they now have the same rifle as a production gun?
I was getting used to the idea of just keeping the gun, taking it out of the package and enjoying it but a friend brought up a possible trade. The IC LE for an 11.5" KAC SBR. I do not have an AR SBR yet and have a huge fondness for Knight’s Armament. Both rifles offer something that I don’t have to shoot. The LWRC has the piston and smooth side, add-on rails. The KAC is an SBR. Both would fill a niche but I don’t have money for both. Both are NIB.
I have an sbr and recently got a IC Enhanced and both rifles fill a different role for me. you will need to decide what roll you want your rifles to fill before you make the trade. An sbr is neat to have but the drawback for me is that taking it out of state is a pain in the butt cause of the atf forms that you have to get approved. I know that my IC shoots VERY nice and is a better choice for an all around rifle compared to the Noveske sbr I have. I know there are a lot of haters on here reference lwrc and I get that but the only drawback to them is the weight as they are very nice accurate rifles. Just depends on what role you will primarily use your rifle for. They are tools and tools serve different purposes and guns are no different unless you have money to collect and keep them brand new, which I don’t. Good luck in your decision…
Back in 2013, I bought the first black M6IC sold to the public. My rifle and several others were piggybacked onto a law enforcement order sent to Modern Outfitters. The IC is very accurate and mine has run flawlessly. I have modded it extensively and it wears an Aimpoint T1 in an H&K LaRue mount. I’ve also added the LWRCI UCIW stock for a more compact package. The rifle is now around 29" just a few inches longer than my Tavor. No SBR required.
Many do not like the piston rifles. I get that but it’s a personal choice. I like mine and it runs great. There are downsides to every weapon system and all of them are a compromise at best.
Eagle1* and SamM, thanks for the replies but the decision hasn’t gotten any easier.
On the one hand the Knight’s SBR would fill/take over a much needed role of HD and fit nice with the other KACs. On the other hand I was lucky (right place, right time) to get the Limited LWRC which is a great rifle. Also I do like having/shooting less common items, especially since I can’t afford “rare” ones.
If the LWRC were already a SBR then I wouldn’t have much of an issue passing up the Knight’s, although saying/typing that does sound counter-intuitive.
Personally, I’d dump the IC to a collector who just wants to keep it for whatever historical value it might have in the future. LWRCI changes their specs a little too often to really have a steady supply of spare parts if you want it as a shooter. Don’t get me wrong, they have some excellent ideas. But it just depends on what utility the gun will have for you. I’m not sure the IC will be looked back upon as some sort of revolutionary design that’s worthy of some grossly elevated resale value. My guess is that it’ll just be seen as yet another boutique AR that you can’t get parts for. Hope it works out for you.
Peshawar, not a bad way to look at it. The Knight’s keeps winning on the praticality side and would be used quite a bit as it could work really well suppressed inside the home and anything to the end of the road. I had hoped to do just what you said but by the time I had taken possesion of the rifle, production models were being sold. Just missed the window.
My point was that with the 14.7" IC barrel and the smaller UCIW stock, my UCIW M6IC is a tiny 29". Almost as small as the Tavor. I guess I just don’t see the point of the SBR. The 3.2" of barrel length and the added complications of the NFA, wouldn’t be worth the hassle to me. You just can’t do anything with that weapon. Are you really going to use an NFA weapon for home defense? Sounds like you have a plan and your mind is made up. Go for it!
When did the piston parts become unavailable for the IC? Glad, I bought extras when I got my rifle. Too funny!
Sam, LWRC is not looked upon as the perfect rifle from some guys on here and I get that. I like mine a lot so to the OP, go with what you like the best. I also ask like Sam did, are you going to use the SBR as a HD weapon?
Mow, lets see about pics of this LWRC, I do want to see a picture of your rifle with the UCIW stock kit on it as you have peeked my interest… PICS Please…
I understand that some don’t like the LWRCI and I get that too. My intent isn’t to convince anyone to chose any particular rifle over another. I remember the original Leitner-Wise rifles. My IC actually uses some of the new Leitner-Wise parts. For me, my concern would be how limited my use of an SBR would be.
Today, I’m in Pittsbugh to visit a friend in the hospital. I’ll try to post a picture later today!
Guys thanks for the perspectives. These are the types of things I was hoping to bring up so that I could hash it out. Makes me take a step back and make sure that my mind is open.
SamM, Eagle1*, Help me understand your concerns for the SBR as a HD weapon. Is it the lessened leathality, increased muzzle flash, or simply the fact that it was a pain in the ass to obtain and the idea of handing it over to LEOs if involved in a shooting?
To me I look at using the SBR for HD similiar to assaulting a building but in reverse. Again similar not the same. The SBR would give you maneuverability around walls and obstacles and maintain the familiarity of AR/M4 controls. I currently use supressors on my HD weapons to lessen any negative effects (flash/sound) on me. I bought them more as purpose driven tools rather than just enjoyable items to shoot once in awhile. If the handing over of NFA items to LE is the concern, then I have already accepted that I would prefer that to handing over my life. It’s just the way I think.
BTW, SamM hope your friend is doing good as can be for being in the hospital. Got a friend in one one too and all I can say is, hospitals are never good.
Not SamM or Eagle1, but I think that in a HD situation where you actually had to use the gun resulting in having to hand it over to LEO - it would be the least of your concerns, considering yours or your family members’ lives was in danger.
It’s not like the SBR is unregistered or illegal in any other way, so a justified shooting is a justified shooting.
And LEO is not going to just take the gun for any reason; I’d assume there would have to be a fatality or someone with gunshot wounds as a result of the incident for them to take your gun.
So many guys I work with ask me why I carry an HK on duty. They say if I ever get in an OIS, do I really want to lose an expensive gun? Why not just carry the MP9 that the agency offers?
If I get into a situation where my life depends on my tool, should I really care about how much it costs me to survive? No. If I lose my HK to an OIS, or you lose an SBR to an investigation, the cost was well worth it, because you survived and won!
Yep, completely how I feel was just trying to speculate as to the concerns for using an SBR, whether they were physical, logistical, or legal. I always like to hear others’ reasoning process just in case there is something I am missing.
My actual answer to your original question would be to go with the KAC. Especially with your current stable of KAC sticks. Both are proprietary platforms, but I cant imagine a scenario where I would personally take an LWRC product over KAC. I dont have imperical data for you, just my opinion.
I’m not an SBR guy, at least not yet. My 14.5" Ar15’s have been pretty good at GP duties.
Ya I bought the SR15 and it became my GP, catch all weapon so I threw most of my money at it first (dual optics, suppressor, light, etc.). It’s the one that stands-by ready to grab. The IC would be a similar purpose weapon and I wish I could afford both because truthfully I will regret not having the KAC SBR or the IC. I just don’t have enough money right now which is why I’m contemplating the trade. I keep going back to the KAC and am pissed with myself because had I already bought a KAC SBR back when I could afford more I wouldn’t have to worry about losing the LWRC. BUT that’s not the path I took. I have a feeling that when I get back to having more money on hand I will be looking for the same IC to add to the collection. Stupid is as Stupid does.
Bad News:
Well I found out that the KAC SBR wasn’t the ambi lower I was looking for. I got so fixated on asking him about the specs of the upper and just assumed it was all a new E3 type. So I didn’t do the trade.
Good News:
I still have a kick-ass IC. Might be time to go shoot this thing.
Also:
I will start saving for when I do find a KAC SBR or they start making them again.
If the sbr was my ONLY long gun I had and needed it for the defense of my loved ones, then yes I would use it. But most shooters have other long guns and I would opt for those first over the sbr. WHY, well first is the noise of the sbr, second is the extra cost and headache of obtaining the gun. And if you say then put on a suppressor, then now you have added more nfa stuff and extra cost into the mix. Just my 0.02 cents fellow as I have other options to use than my sbr.