(Article originally published on Tactical Life)
It has been my pleasure to test a few DRD Tactical rifles over the past few years. It’s a great company to work with, as the owner, Skip Patel, prides himself on timely delivery of proven products, not just promises. Even during the last AR shortage, he was able to get one to me a DRD rifle in a few days.
Of course, building everything in-house makes that a lot easier, and DRD Tactical makes most of its own rifle components. The receivers and handguards are created on the company’s state-of-the-art CNC machines. Outsourced parts are stocked in large enough numbers to satisfy demand. Made one at a time to the buyer’s specifications, each DRD Tactical rifle uses the company’s proprietary quick-change barrel system, which allows the weapon to quickly break down and fit into a small hard case or pack. Even the Kivaari in .338 Lapua Magnum is a takedown design. Despite that, every DRD Tactical rifle runs via the simple direct-impingement system. I’ve tested most of the company’s rifles, and they’ve always been a pleasure to shoot. But I wanted to try something a little different.
Since retiring as a police marksman, I’ve slowly replaced most of the .308/7.62mm rifles in my inventory with 6.5mms, either in 6.5 Creedmoor or .260 Rem. Losing the ball and chain of department policy has allowed me to move forward, and years of testing has showed me that the 6.5 Creedmoor can do everything a .308 can do but with less recoil and smoother operation in an AR. Even with barrels as short as 18 inches, the 6.5 Creedmoor holds its own at typical engagement distances and reaches out farther. It’s an excellent option for competition, hunting or virtually anything requiring pinpoint accuracy. You can get factory-loaded match ammunition for about the same price as .308 ammunition, too. When Skip told me he had started using 6.5 Creedmoor barrels in the DRD Tactical M762, I couldn’t help but ask to give one a try.
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