As some of you have seen in the videos posted and will see in a few upcoming reviews we still have the ZA-15 from American Weapon Systems.
I wanted to post an updated review about the rifle. If you haven’t read the original review you should check them out first here:
Part 1
Part 2
After a year of shooting with it and working on reviews with it I would like to share my findings.
SPECS:
American Weapon Systems Forged Zombie Annihilator® Lower and Upper, Machined from Forged 7075-T6 Aluminum
AWS 16″ Mid-Length LW-50 Stainless Steel Barrel 1:8 Twist Polygonal Rifling, With .223 Wylde Chamber.
AWS Nickel Boron Coated M16 Bolt Carrier
Two Stage Trigger: Geissele
Magpul UBR (utility / battle rifle)
Magpul MIAD (Mission Adaptable) Grip
Magpul MOE Trigger Guard
Surefire 60 round high Cap Mag
Forward Grip: TROY Industries, Modular Combat Grip
Samson Low Profile Gas Block
MechArmor TacOps-1 Charging Handle
A2 Flash Suppressor
Samson FFS & FRS Quick Flip Sights
Trigger:
Typically now when I am out at the range and I meet other shooters the first comment they make about the rifle is the trigger.
Most of the comments are along the lines of “I love that trigger!” or “ WOW! That trigger break is crisp.”
AWS’s choosing the Geissele trigger as the stock trigger just makes the rifle feel top of the line.
AWS Nickel Boron Coated M16 Bolt Carrier:
As is said in the first part of the review I like the fact that it is a full auto bolt because I have never once had a malfunction with this rifle.
After a year of shooting the bolt has darken in color.
After shooting, while I am cleaning, I use a gun cleaner that doesn’t have oil in it (CLP). When I strip the bolt down and clean it, I always notice that after I get all the oil and grime off the bolt it is still slick as if it has oil on it. Of course before I reassemble the rifle I spray it down with oil. It is just nice to know that the Nickel Boron coating keeps that bolt slick.
Forward Grip: TROY Industries, Modular Combat Grip:
In the original review I hadn’t spent a lot of time playing with the fore grip but after finishing the review, I had taken the bottom two modular pieces off to store in my safe and forgot to put them back on when we hit the range next. I loved it with only the short nub. It keeps my hands from sliding when using the thumb over bore grip.
As different shooters have different shooting preferences the one I have heard a few times is that people don’t like that foregrip. When it is on a lead sled or vise, the grip gets in the way but for my shooting I like the nub.
Surefire 60 round magazine:
The 60 round magazine hasn’t had much use since the review finished. The reason is I shoot mostly steel cased ammo and I have found I get metal on metal fiction that seizes the magazine and causes it to stop working. If I have brass ammo the magazine works just fine for me.
Overall final thoughts:
I still love this rifle. The quality parts that AWS puts into making the rifle shows that they aren’t just slapping rifles out the door and that they want to make you the best gun for your money.