Affordable, flat shooting, and filled with extra features, I struggle to understand why more people don’t snag a police trade-in firearm like the Rock River Arms LAR-15 that I added to my personal safe. She’s no beauty queen at this point, but this gun was built to fight and runs like a tank. As a used police trade-in gun, it does both of those things at an affordable price point.
After putting more than 1,000 rounds through it, this LEO veteran has become my favorite AR-15 in a sea of other options. Without finding a magical wand to dip into surplus military ARs, which are all but impossible for civilians to get their hands on, this gun runs and feels like a solid service rifle that’s a flatter-shooting platform at a fraction of the price.
If you are looking for something that is untouched and pristine, stop reading now. These guns are in good shape, and they have plenty of fight left in them. But they were never designed to be – and I would almost hate to see them become – safe queens or decorative pieces. They beg to be shot. Here’s why.
Range Time
I’m generally a fan of the good ol’ A2 "birdcage" flash hide. It’s not much of a compensator, but it gets the job done and keeps you from kicking up debris while shooting in the prone. So, I don’t go out of my way to add aftermarket compensators to my ARs, but I have to admit that I like the one on this LAR-15.
The gun is relatively heavy, at around 7.5 pounds naked, but it also shoots very flat and comfortably. If ammo was free, I would spend way more time just riding 30- and 40-round mags through the gun. The muzzle brake helps with that, as does the weight, but the gun’s internals are also very smooth, and they have a buttery-slick action.
The stock is your basic M4-style six-position stock, and it does a fine job of being minimalist with enough space for a decent cheek weld. The checkering on the butt is also positive, and it is gear friendly if you find yourself needing to shoot with more than your T-shirt on. The rubberized grip is also comfortable and positive regardless of having sweat, rain, or – for me – beard oil on the hands. It also has storage space for extra batteries, which is nice to see and has paid off over time for range visits when the red-dot optic battery finally dies.
Equally important, the trigger is crisp and predictable with a 4.6-pound pull. The reset is short and positive, and the take-up is light. This is not your standard mil-spec trigger, and there is no shift in the pull like you’ll find on military select-fire ARs.
I’ve been running iron sights and a co-witnessed Vortex Strikefire red dot, but I honestly stick to the irons mostly when shooting for pure enjoyment. Smacking the heart out of a steel silhouette target is hardly difficult, though the gun will make a full magazine vanish quite quickly.
Quick Spec Check
I like used guns, but it’s not just because I can normally get them cheaper than brand-new firearms. I like them because they have history and often offer some sweet bonuses because they are used. That said, few used guns offer the kind of history, price, and value that I can find in a police trade-in firearm.
This one is heavy at 7.5 pounds without any extras added to it. A lot of that weight comes from the generous amount of Picatinny rail that comes with the Daniel Defense handguard that would cost you several bills in and of itself. Below are some additional specs that compare the LAR-15 to a more standard mil-spec Del-Ton rifle.
The trigger guard also hosts a generous hump if you are running the gun with gloves, and the safety lever is raised. There’s also a one-point sling mount that was attached at the front of the buffer tube. It’s honestly my only complaint about the gun. Sure, there are some wear marks that show the gun was carried during its law enforcement life. The sling mount even reveals that it was carried by a right-handed shooter. I just find that one-point mount to be slightly obtrusive.
History and Function
Rock River Arms has provided rifles like this to the DEA, FBI, and private military organizations over the years. This one does have the tell-tale signs of having had a “rack” number taped to it above the magazine well. But that’s hardly the only thing that gives it away as a duty gun that actually saw service.
There is some marring along the left side of the buffer tube, which matches the general wear on the one-point sling mount. None of the markings are anything more than cosmetic, and I personally like the character that they add to the rifle. The compensator also hosts some raised friction points at the front of the barrel, and these would lend themselves to giving the rifle some extra purchase if it was being leaned against a wall or a hard floor.
The only stone I can throw at the gun, and it’s not true of all of the LEO trade-in LAR-15s I’ve seen, is the one-point sling mount. I generally run a two-point sling, and I find that the one-point mount is abrasive to my hand. My solution is to simply wrap it with some wax sinew, and that actually makes it a handy leverage point for manipulating the firearm.
My Choice
I got into collecting firearms because of the history and mechanical genius that went into making them. I still enjoy adding an old firearm to my collection from time to time. But there are guns you collect, and then there are guns that you shoot…often. I have wiggled my way between those two options for most of my collecting career.
That being said, I got honestly excited about this LEO LAR-15 when it came in as part of a stack of several police trade-in guns. You can feel a gun that was built for a purpose, and this rifle has that feeling. Better yet, it has a history of being carried and all the features that tattle on it as a duty gun. It might not be for everybody, but I consider this kind of rifle to be one of the unicorns for collectors looking for practical shooting guns at a good price.
