I hit the range to test out one of Luth-AR’s new 20-inch retro upper receivers.
Since the days of the first AR-15 carbines during the Vietnam War, it seems that shorter has always been cooler. It’s easy to see why—they’re light, they’re nimble and they’re what you see all the green-faced operators carrying in photos.
That’s all well and good, but know what short AR-15s don’t have? Good ballistic performance or range.
There’s a reason why the original AR-15 models all had 20-inch barrels, and it’s because that’s what .223 Rem. performs the best out of. More than that, they’re super smooth shooters. If you’ve only ever shot 16-inch or shorter ARs with carbine-length gas systems, you’re missing out, as rifle-length ARs are very soft on the shoulder. For those lacking a 20-incher in their arsenal, Luth-AR’s new retro upper options are well worth taking a look at.
Luth-AR A1 C7 Retro Complete Upper Specs
Chambering: 5.56 NATO
Barrel: Chrome-lined, pencil-profile
Barrel Length: 20 Inches
Barrel Twist: 1:7
Exterior Finish: Manganese phosphate
Front Sight Base: .625″ Non-F marked
Upper Pattern: C7 (A1 rear sight, brass deflector, forward assist)
Bolt Carrier Group Finish: Manganese phosphate
Charging Handle: A2
Flash Hider: A2
Handguards: A2
MSRP: $580
Pros
- Excellent ballistics
- Reliable
- Lightweight
- Classic looks
Cons
- Not ideal for building clone rifles
What You Get
Some retro AR uppers are designed to be as clone-correct as possible, meaning that they’re intended to be near-perfect replicas of their real military-issue counterparts. Luth-AR retro uppers are not that, and I like it that way.
First, I should mention that Luth-AR offers two variants of its retro upper, each available with either black or green furniture. One is called the A1 Slick-Side, and the other is called the A1 C7. I opted for the latter, but both feature a carry handle with an A1-style rear sight.
The A1 Slick-Side model is a pretty close copy of the very earliest AR-15/M16 rifles. It has no brass deflector or forward assist and features a triangular handguard, a triangular A1 charging handle and a duckbill flash hider. Only some smaller details, like the barrel twist rate and finish, keep it from being truly clone-correct.
The A1 C7 variant I requested features a C7-style upper (forward assist and brass deflector), round M16A2-style handguards, an A2 charging handle and an A2 flash hider.
Details common between the two models include .625-inch non-F marked front sight bases, a manganese phosphate exterior finish and chrome-lined 20-inch pencil-profile barrels with a 1:7 twist. They both also ship with a complete BCG, but the A1 Slick-Side appropriately comes with a full chrome BCG while the A1 C7’s has a manganese phosphate finish.
A Good Mix
I mentioned earlier that I appreciated how Luth-AR’s retro uppers weren’t perfectly clone-correct, but why? Two reasons: practicality and Hollywood.
As for practicality, if the A1 Slick-Side model were a perfect clone of the early Colt models it’s intended to represent, it would have a 1:12 twist barrel. That’s great for 55-grain ammo, but what if you want to shoot something heavier? I think that the 1:7 twist barrel that Luth-AR used for its retro uppers is a much better choice for modern shooters.
As for Hollywood, it’s just an aesthetic appreciation born from the classic action movies of the '80s and '90s I grew up watching. Many of them often featured very similar setups to what Luth-AR offers with its A1 C7 upper.
Seriously, next time you’re watching a classic action flick that’s trying to portray an era-appropriate M16A2, take a closer look. There’s a good chance it will have a pencil barrel under the A2 handguard and a simple A1-style rear sight. Because they were built on the M16A1s the armorers had available at the time, they won’t have brass deflectors like Luth-AR’s C7 version, but it’s close enough for me to call it a Hollywood faux M16A2.
Besides, the A1’s pencil barrel is better than the A2 barrel profile that’s thick on the wrong end, and the simple rear iron of the A1 is better than the A2’s overly adjustable monstrosity. The A2 handguards are definitely an improvement over the A1, though, so Luth-AR’s C7 is basically the best of both worlds.
On The Range
I intend to build a dedicated fixed-stock lower to go with the retro Luth-AR upper, but in the meantime, I tested it out using the lower from my H&R XM177E2. And yes, the carbine-weight buffer ran the rifle-length upper just fine.
On that note, in about 500 rounds of testing I didn’t experience any malfunctions. It ran just as you’d expect an AR to run, with one exception.
Like I said previously, rifle-length ARs are very fun, smooth, soft-recoiling shooters, and a lot of modern AR guys have never had the pleasure of trying one themselves. If that’s you and you’re looking to expand your AR collection, I suggest considering a 20-inch of any variety, but especially a retro-styled one with a carry handle so you can experience something close to what Eugene Stoner originally conceived. Luth-AR’s retro offerings are well made and have the right stuff in the right places—20-inch barrels, rifle-length gas systems and carry handle uppers.
If you’re setting out to build an exact clone of something, a Luth-AR retro upper probably isn’t for you, but these are perfect for range shooters who just want the classic look with practical features like a 1:7 twist. A lot of 20-inch retro uppers also have heavy barrels, but the pencil barrel on Luth-AR’s helps keep the weight low and the rifle well balanced.
For accuracy testing, I only used it to ring a quarter-size silhouette at 100 yards, but that’s plenty accurate in my book. The Chinese knockoff Colt 3X scope I mounted helped with that, too.
Parting Shot
Even amid the current retro AR craze we’re living through, they remain relatively niche and only a handful of companies have carry handle uppers in their catalog. Some of those don’t offer them as complete uppers either.
Luth-AR’s retro upper receivers aren’t perfectly clone-correct, but they are one of the most affordable offerings on the market. More than that, they provide a stylish, practical, plug-and-play option for shooters looking to build a 20-inch retro AR.
More On Retro ARs:
- Bushmaster XM15A2 Review: Born Again Hard
- AR Essentials: Vintage & Retro ARs
- Retro AR-15: The Old Rifles That Inspired The New Ones
- Budget Retro AR Build: Riton X1 Tactix RRD Red Dot Review
- Colt M16A1 Reissue
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