Ridgeline LPR vs Seekins SP223

[zekers7]

I’ve been waiting patiently for a Ridgeline LPR, but they’re taking forever to drop. Ideally, I’d pick up a receiver set, but those are just as hard to find. That got me looking around at alternatives, and I noticed the Seekins SP223 (DMR) can be picked up for around $1,400 — closer to $1,500 with the Arca rail — which seems like a great setup. The SP10s are well-proven, and their barrel interface does a great job minimizing flex for what it’s built to do.

Is there any real reason to hold out and spend the extra $1,200 on the LPR? There doesn’t seem to be much data on the SP223 — am I missing something?

 

[db2000]

Yeah, you’re missing all the data that’s out there. There’s a shit ton of it. I have no direct experience with Ridgeline but their reputation precedes them. You’re not gonna miss anything with Seekins, that’s their fault anyway. That’s a fact.

 

[db2000]

I’d buy this unless you’re dead set on 223.

Firearms - GAP-15 6 ARC

This thing is a beauty. I’ve never shot an AR this accurate. I don’t know what fairy dust GAP puts on this, but it works. I’ve only shot factory Hornady 108s out of this and it shoots sub 0.5 MOA (close to 1/3 MOA) all day long. I’ve attached a group to show that. This will come with 3 Duramags...

www.snipershide.com

 

[DOB161]

I would go with the Seekins. It’s available now, their customer service is known to be top tier and it seems most who have the 223 are happy with its accuracy.

If you go LPR, I would recommend waiting to see if they release the stripped upper/handguard by itself. That’s where the value is. Otherwise, my experience steers me away from them, especially for $1200 than a Seekins.

 

[ethanjaldridge]

I would go with the Seekins. It’s available now, their customer service is known to be top tier and it seems most who have the 223 are happy with its accuracy.

If you go LPR, I would recommend waiting to see if they release the stripped upper/handguard by itself. That’s where the value is. Otherwise, my experience steers me away from them, especially for $1200 than a Seekins.

Could you elaborate on your experience with the Ridgeline?

 

[DOB161]

Could you elaborate on your experience with the Ridgeline?

The rifle:
- Purchased off the initial batch/waitlist
- They had to do some markings to the lower after coating and they made the business decision to just put alumablack over it rather than doing it right and recoating (unacceptable business decision on a $3400 rifle), the rifle came with damage to the handguard from the bipod they used for test fire. (I spoke with Devon about this when I got it and he was great to deal with)
- the rifle was .8xx on test target, it was generally a 1 MOA gun. The constant IG marketing of .4-.6 consistently was just that, marketing.
- The gas block setup did show little to no signs of leakage which was nice.
- BCG gas key was very leaky at the base in addition to their known gas ring issue.
- The brass deflector is useless in the original iteration. The brass goes right over it and bounces off the forward assist. They made an inline change which they kept quiet it seems. No offer to those who purchased the original design to upgrade due to their design flaw.

Blem upper:
- Purchased last Black Friday timeframe.
- Arrived with excessive fouling in the chamber and muzzle area. I reached out and they confirmed they don’t test fire the uppers. When I pressed the issue I was told my upper was pulled from a full rifle. Essentially sold a used upper as a “Blem”.
- Gas block was considerably canted with the gas tube roll pin not driven in all the way. The pin had gouged the inside of the receiver and was evident it was hitting the inside of the rail when they were firing it.

I haven’t appreciated their business practices such as the boasting about an elite “owners club” which appears to be non existent. The dropping of the price considerably after people bought high at the waitlist price was lame.

All in all I think the upper/handguard combo is great but as a package the value isn’t there for me. I’ve since sold off the rifle and traded away the upper.

 

[ethanjaldridge]

The rifle:
- Purchased off the initial batch/waitlist
- They had to do some markings to the lower after coating and they made the business decision to just put alumablack over it rather than doing it right and recoating (unacceptable business decision on a $3400 rifle), the rifle came with damage to the handguard from the bipod they used for test fire. (I spoke with Devon about this when I got it and he was great to deal with)
- the rifle was .8xx on test target, it was generally a 1 MOA gun. The constant IG marketing of .4-.6 consistently was just that, marketing.
- The gas block setup did show little to no signs of leakage which was nice.
- BCG gas key was very leaky at the base in addition to their known gas ring issue.
- The brass deflector is useless in the original iteration. The brass goes right over it and bounces off the forward assist. They made an inline change which they kept quiet it seems. No offer to those who purchased the original design to upgrade due to their design flaw.

Blem upper:
- Purchased last Black Friday timeframe.
- Arrived with excessive fouling in the chamber and muzzle area. I reached out and they confirmed they don’t test fire the uppers. When I pressed the issue I was told my upper was pulled from a full rifle. Essentially sold a used upper as a “Blem”.
- Gas block was considerably canted with the gas tube roll pin not driven in all the way. The pin had gouged the inside of the receiver and was evident it was hitting the inside of the rail when they were firing it.

I haven’t appreciated their business practices such as the boasting about an elite “owners club” which appears to be non existent. The dropping of the price considerably after people bought high at the waitlist price was lame.

All in all I think the upper/handguard combo is great but as a package the value isn’t there for me. I’ve since sold off the rifle and traded away the upper.

Thank you for sharing. This is obviously different from what most are saying, but an n of 1 is still 1.

 

[DOB161]

Thank you for sharing. This is obviously different from what most are saying, but an n of 1 is still 1.

Yep, take it for what it’s worth. I’ve chatted with a couple other guys who’ve RMA’d uppers due to overly canted gas blocks as well.

I’d like to think they’ve remedied the issues and I chalk some of my experience up to buying into a training company taking a stab at manufacturing. Similar to how you shouldn’t buy the first model year car.

 

[mattman215]

I have a Seekins 223 dmr and I am very pleased with it. It shoots incredible.

 

[flogxal]

I'd bet these glitches with Ridgeline, where they happen, are due to the numbers of rifles ordered, compared to Ridgeline's probably conservative estimation. I think they were a bit overwhelmed. From my experience at their Scoped Carbine course -- they are serious about what they do, not half-assed in any way.

 

[JR1200W3]

I didn't have any issues with a canted gas block with my LPR, but I did suspect it to impact the inside of the handguard. I ended up pulling my barrel out and replacing it with a conventional barrel and gas block. I actually went through three gas blocks until I found one slim enough to not hit the rail. The first two I tried showed obvious fliers when I shot groups.

This is the factory gas block after I pulled the barrel. Looks like it was hitting the inside of the handguard.

This is the inside of the rail. All you can really make out is gas leakage.

When I pulled handgua I found this bur. I'm the upper receiver there's a ridge or alignment mark to mate with the groove inside the handguard but it looks like whoever assembled the upper caught the alignment ridge on the edge of the handguard and created the bur you see no sanded it down and didn't have any other issues.

I think the Proof barrel they use is kind of a dog. My gun came with a .8'something group but it was the biggest .8 group I ever saw. I think it said something like .824 but when I measured it I couldn't make it smaller than .880. but whatever, right? It was pretty inconsistent and that's why I pulled the barrel. With a new barrel, it's the best shooting AR I have.

Despite all this, I truly think they make the best upper receiver and handguard mating system made. At this point it's kind of an anomaly. If you got a rifle or upper, you got probably the best system out there. If LMT would make a 15" or 17" rail it would dethrone the LPR but if you want the best precision AR-15 upper/ receiver, this is it. It's definitely overpriced if you plan on stripping the parts out of it like I did, but I don't know where you could get a better builders kit. Money aside. They announced they were going to make a universal handguard..I think they're making new products and that's why you can't buy LPRs or builders kits anymore. I remain skeptical about a traditional handguard. It's a shame. It seems like they could've sold builders kits until the cows came home.

 

[Rob01]

Get the Seekins. I have had my Seekins SP3G for about 12 years and it’s accurate and it runs. Used it in 3 gun matches for a few years also. Nothing bad to say about Seekins at all.

 

[ethanjaldridge]

Get the Seekins. I have had my Seekins SP3G for about 12 years and it’s accurate and it runs. Used it in 3 gun matches for a few years also. Nothing bad to say about Seekins at all.

View attachment 8790086

Got one otw

 

[putput30]

I didn't have any issues with a canted gas block with my LPR, but I did suspect it to impact the inside of the handguard. I ended up pulling my barrel out and replacing it with a conventional barrel and gas block. I actually went through three gas blocks until I found one slim enough to not hit the rail. The first two I tried showed obvious fliers when I shot groups.

This is the factory gas block after I pulled the barrel. Looks like it was hitting the inside of the handguard.

View attachment 8789997View attachment 8790001

This is the inside of the rail. All you can really make out is gas leakage.

View attachment 8790002View attachment 8790003
When I pulled handgua I found this bur. I'm the upper receiver there's a ridge or alignment mark to mate with the groove inside the handguard but it looks like whoever assembled the upper caught the alignment ridge on the edge of the handguard and created the bur you see no sanded it down and didn't have any other issues.
View attachment 8790004

View attachment 8790005


I think the Proof barrel they use is kind of a dog. My gun came with a .8'something group but it was the biggest .8 group I ever saw. I think it said something like .824 but when I measured it I couldn't make it smaller than .880. but whatever, right? It was pretty inconsistent and that's why I pulled the barrel. With a new barrel, it's the best shooting AR I have.

Despite all this, I truly think they make the best upper receiver and handguard mating system made. At this point it's kind of an anomaly. If you got a rifle or upper, you got probably the best system out there. If LMT would make a 15" or 17" rail it would dethrone the LPR but if you want the best precision AR-15 upper/ receiver, this is it. It's definitely overpriced if you plan on stripping the parts out of it like I did, but I don't know where you could get a better builders kit. Money aside. They announced they were going to make a universal handguard..I think they're making new products and that's why you can't buy LPRs or builders kits anymore. I remain skeptical about a traditional handguard. It's a shame. It seems like they could've sold builders kits until the cows came home.

When you say universal handguard do you just mean standard barrel nut and mil spec uppers? Wonder if they'll make an sr25 variant for large frames if that's true.

 

[JR1200W3]

When you say universal handguard do you just mean standard barrel nut and mil spec uppers? Wonder if they'll make an sr25 variant for large frames if that's true.

All I know is what I read on the LPR thread. If i recall correctly which I probably don't. It is some sort of more mil-spec or universal type of handguard

 

[flogxal]

When you say universal handguard do you just mean standard barrel nut and mil spec uppers? Wonder if they'll make an sr25 variant for large frames if that's true.

Based on their responses in the LPR thread, it seems they are hit hard just by the .223 version even if they are thinking about a 6 ARC version also in small frame. I would bet large frame is a ways off if it is even on the map.

 

[JR1200W3]

I think my top 4 builders kits or parts I would build off of right now would be a Seekins, the Ridgeline, the JP CTR-23 chassis, and an LMT MRPL. I haven't messed with the JP yet but that is the next builders kit that I'm going to buy. I haven't built off a seekins small frame yet either, but if it is like the sp10, I think it's a decent option, but the LPR handguard is way more rigid. The LMT would obviously be super rigid but the proprietary extension conversions add cost and worse, gunsmith conversion lag time. Their other problem is the short forends.