Is the H & K SL8-1 an AR-15? Anyone w/ experience recommend?

Q

quiet guy

New member
Three questions:1) is the H & K SL8-1 an AR 15? It looks like one to me (great picture & info at http://www.hecklerkoch-usa.com), but I'm brand new to rifles, let alone AR-15's.

2) Would anyone recommend it rather than comparable AR-15's made by Bushmaster, Armalite, etc.?

3) Are people buying them? I have yet to see them anywhere. Not in gunshops, gunshows or at the range.
 
HK SL8-1: Obscene price, 10 round magazines, no standard capacity magazines, only Slick Willy magazines will fit in the magazine well, hard to get parts. Only good side is the name. No evil features what so ever. No full auto parts have ever existed for it.

Ar15: Cheaper than the HK (~$800), 30 round magazines for $15, Slick Willy mags available, but who would buy them? Standardized weapon, parts are easy to get. Full auto parts available for a pretty penny. Prebans avaliable for about the same price as the HK, which legally lets you put the "evil features" on the gun, like a collapsing stock, or bayonet lug.

Save yourself a whole lot of cash: buy a postban Ar15 and spend the difference on ammo and magazines.

Kharn
 
And is it just me or is that gun hideous? What
with the rail on top and that pitiful light-grey
plastic color. I know function is more important
than aesthetics, but jeez I'd be embarrased to
own that thing. It just so happens that most
of the dominant of guns of this century have some
aesthetic appeal: garand, 1911, ak47, m16, m14,
beretta, sig, glock (most of them are ok to me anyway)...

I just don't see the point of the new sl8-1...

I think their new .45 semi-auto would be interesting,
but for the magazine problem mentioned already.

Howard
 
The AR-15 is more modular - for lack of a better word - in it's construction and much easier to be built in a manner that would be suitable to your needs.
 
the gas system used in the HK is a different design concept than the AR 15

It is a completely different gun
They have similar functions but use different methods to acomplish the task

What would be slick would be a replacement mag well for the HK that would accept AR magazines
 
What disgusts me is that the SL8 is marketed as a sister of the G36 when the two actually have very little in common.

The G36 is an excellent and beautiful weapon and the SL8 is an overpriced toy.
 
To directly answer your question, no it isn't an AR15, nor is it even remotely related to one. I don't have an SL-8, nor would I recommend one. The only magazines it can use are 10 round mags. Why get that when you can get an AR15 and have lots of cheap 20 and 30 mags? With the AR15, you can get different uppers if you desire. Lots of great triggers available for the AR15, and lots of other doodads. Parts for the AR15 are available all over the place, if you ever need them.

Personally I prefer my Armalites over my Colt. But Bushmaster seems to have a good reputation as well. Olympic Arms reputation seems to be a bit more checkered, but I have no direct experience with either Bushmaster or Olympic, so YMMV.

M1911
 
Uhhh Mikul...

The SL-8 IS the sister of the G36. They have the same barrel, same gas system, same trigger mechanism...etc. The only difference is the stock style (which inlcudes forcing it to use 10rd mags) and the color. You can thank the ATF for both of those.
 
The SL8-1 will out shoot an AR-15 all day long, then take half the time to clean.

As far as price is concerned, an "accurized" AR-15 will set you back 1200 to 2000$ depending on the parts chosen. An 800$ rifle plus a 500$ bull barreled, free floated handguard upper plus a 125$ trigger job doesn't strike me as being a much better deal.

The magazine issue is stupid, no one is complaining about Barrett .50 BMG rifles only having five or ten round magazines. So you can only get ten round magazines, so what? If the first ten rounds don't get the job done, reload! (Although, 50$ for additional magazines is ridiculous.)
 
My understanding is that much of the G36 rifle design comes from the Armalite 18. Supposedly it borrows heavily from this rifle as far as functionality and operation.
 
SL8-1 is no AR15

quiet guy,

The SL8-1 is DEFINATELY not an AR15. The gas system is based around the AR18/180 (one of the two). Also, the two look completely different (in my opinion). The SL8-1's frame is plastic with steel reinforced rails on which the bolt carrier rides upon. Also, believe it or not, the trigger group is plastic with the exception of the pins that hold the assembly together and a steel insert in the plastic hammer. Many have complained about the thumbhole being undersized, although ugly, I have never encountered any problems.

Sometimes I wonder if all the bashing of the SL8-1 is done by people who have never even tried out the rifle. I agree with blades97. The magazine issue is moot. The SL8-1 has been absolutely flawless in operation, and accurate to boot. In all fairness, my AR15s can keep up with the SL8-1. Shoot a thousand rounds and disassemble this rifle. You'll find that you have wasted your time. The only maintenance I perform on this rifle is a good barrel/chamber cleaning. As of yet, I have never encountered a problem with this rifle. The same can also be said about my AR15s. The lack of "evil features" has never bothered me. I own a kosher mini14 and enjoy that rifle every bit as much as I do the AR15.

Some people might ask "why get an SL8-1 instead of an AR15?" My answer to this is, "because I can." Actually, make that "could've" becuase I live in California. In other words, whatever floats your boat. If you don't like it, don't buy it. If you like it, buy it.

Would I recommend an SL8-1 over an AR15? No. My only complaint is the lack of replacement components. There are two problems when purchasing HK products. 1) all HK products are expensive. 2) when you buy HK, practically all accessories/replacement parts HAVE to be HK.

If you already have an AR15(s), then try out the SL8-1. If you like it, then buy one. There can never be too many rifles in your stable.

To each his/her own.

Jim
 
blades67,
Do you have any Idea what it would be like to be running around with a bunch of fully loaded 30 round mags for a Barret .50? Your analogy makes no sense. You also are saying exactly what proponents of the hi-cap ban want to hear.
 
I keep hearing the gas systems of the SL8-1 and AR-15's are different, can anyone explain the difference in layman terms? Or point out websites that do.

Thanks for all the incoming info.
 
The AR-15 uses a direct gas impingement system that taps expanding gases as the bullet is traveling down the barrel and diverts it as the force of pressure to move the bolt and cycle the action by itself. The AR18 is closer to the AK design in its function (from my limited understanding) in that the diverted gases exert force on a piston that is attached to the bolt to cycle the action.
 
inGobwetrust,

That was not my point. Let me put it this way for you. The law limiting magazines to no more than ten rounds is in effect. At this time there is nothing that can be done about that. The only way HK was allowed to import the SL8-1 was to modify the receiver so that preban magazines could not be used. Other than combat, or shear laziness, 30 round magazines are only a convenience. Most people think they need them because we have been told we can't have them. Unless you are planning an armed assualt the ten round magazines will do just fine for you. It would be nice to be able to have 30 round magazines for the SL8-1, but the rifle is no less capable with only a ten round magazine. Whining won't change anything, voting will.
 
Specific comment on SL8 ergonomics

I have had the opportunity to play around with an SL8 a bit, and my biggest complaint is that the controls are difficult to reach with my size hand (average, not big, not small). I believe that there is too much thickness in the web of the hand area for many shooters.
 
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