Anderson AM-15: Value-Priced, Not Cheap

My experience with Anderson Manufacturing has been good, but limited to building my own rifles from Anderson parts. Recently, I obtained an Anderson AM-15 rifle and gave it a good workout. I felt that I needed another AR-15 for general use as a truck gun and pest popper. There was a budget, however.

There are always shortages, sometimes due to real situations and more often panic driven. I thought it wise to add another AR-15 to my modest battery. The upper and lower receivers from Anderson have been well suited to economy builds. I looked at what it had to offer in a complete rifle.

As is often the case with aftermarket parts and builds, I sometimes had difficulty meshing parts together but nothing on the order of building a 1911 handgun. The Anderson parts simply worked well, and I ended up with a good rifle. Accuracy often depended on the barrel and trigger I used, more so than the receivers.

Anderson has introduced several desirable rifles and carbines in the past few years, including some in .308, a Precision rifle, and 9mm carbine. They are interesting and affordable. The market for AR-15 rifles is huge and a rifle with good features and an attractive price point will prosper.

The rifle must be useful, however, not simply cheap. The rifle illustrated sells for less than $700 but features an M-Lok forend, a nice addition. I added the Magpul stock based on prior preference and the fact that I had an extra on hand. I also added a Black Rain Ordnance bolt carrier.

I like the fit and finish. For a ‘keeper’ rifle, it was a good choice. Yes, the Anderson ended up fitting the bill nicely. Magazines used during the test and evaluation were Magpul. These are the premier AR-15 magazines available, and they are affordable as well. So, I have a good stock of these.

Anderson AM-15 Specifications and Features

• Operating system: Direct gas impingement semi-auto rifle
• Caliber: .223 Wylde (accepts 5.56 NATO and .223 Remington)
• Barrel length: 16 inches
• Twist rate: 1:8 inches
• Overall weight: 7 pounds
• Overall length: 32.5 inches (collapsed) and 36.125 inches (extended)
• Finish: Matte black
• A2 flash hider
• Forged 7075-T6 aluminum upper/lower receivers
• Flat-top, optics-ready
• Low-profile gas block
• M-Lok free-float, aluminum handguard
• A2 pistol grip
• 6-position M4 collapsible carbine stock

The trigger of an AR-15 rifle is very important. In a rifle for home and area defense not so much. In a precision rifle, the trigger is very important. I would never add an aftermarket trigger to a rifle I have not thoroughly tested. The trigger just may be fine as issued. Then again, it may not.

The trigger action in the Anderson is a stainless-steel trigger that seems well made and durable. Trigger compression was 7.1 pounds. That isn’t a light trigger, but it breaks clean and is controllable in rapid fire. Reset is good.

I did not expect great accuracy from a 16-inch barrel carbine with a seven pound trigger. Just the same, accuracy was decent to good. Fit and finish are good, and the internal parts seem to mesh well.

I looked in the ammunition larder, near the .223/5.56mm stockpile, and looked over several red dot sights. Some are inexpensive, some pricey. A good buy, and the only RDS I own two of, is the SIG Romeo5. This sight isn’t expensive.

SIG ROMEO5 Specifications

• Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Battery life: 40,000 Hours (4.5 Years)
• Illumination settings: 8 daytime & 2 night vision
• Dot size: 2 MOA
• Objective lens: 20mm
• Waterproof: IPX 7
• Footprint: Aimpoint T2
• Battery: CR2032
• Price: $120

If you wish to deploy it on a quick on and off mount or more advanced adjustments this won’t do. However, for most shooting, most of the time, the SIG works out well. I purchased the first one about four years ago. It has ridden on several rifles. I like the easy on and off setting, outstanding battery life, and the very visible adjustable red dot. It wasn’t any trouble to sight the Romeo5 in with a minimum of ammunition expended.

Range Testing

After lubricating the bolt carrier, I loaded the magazines with affordable Federal American Eagle FMJ ammunition. I used 55-grain loads during the initial evaluation. The rifle is fast in handling. I appreciate the M-Lok forend, as the 15-inch aluminum handguard allows good leverage and fast handling.

The rifle turned in good results (as expected) in fast-paced defense drills. I fired at 25 and 50 yards. The rifle exhibited excellent combat accuracy. I fired a solid 80 rounds, two 30-round and one 20-round magazine, with good results. A few of these cartridges were expended in firing at debris on the 100-yard berm.

Firing for accuracy is essential. In this case, the rifle was fitted with a decent quality — but not highly developed — red dot sight, without a rifle scope, so 100-yard testing was a stretch. I set the red dot the smallest dot. It took a few rounds to establish hold under.

My 25-yard combat/home defense zero had the rifle firing about six inches high at 100 yards. I will establish a ‘compromise’ zero later. I took my time and controlled the trigger off the bench. A heavy trigger is more noticeable in benchrest fire, but it didn’t have any grit in the trigger action that I could detect. I fired five loads for accuracy at 100 yards, firing three-shot groups, and these were the results.

That is a narrow spread in accuracy and probably a reflection more on the trigger and optics than the rifle. The Anderson AM-15 is reliable and performs well for its modest price. Like all AR-15 rifles it is easily upgraded. The stock, handguard, and internals are fine. The AM-15 is a step above most rifles in the price range.

Postscript

I liked the rifle more on the second outing. With the red dot already zeroed, I did not cram so much into a single range session. The rifle is pure AR with rapid magazine changes and easy hits. I realized, considering the optics fitted, the 100-yard results obtained earlier were actually very good. This is a keeper rifle for me.

What features would you look for in a mid-level AR-15? How do you rate SIG’s Romeo5? Share your answers in the Comment section.