WTF: Magpul products sold at Fleet Farm? oh & Huldra Arms :]

[Dave-HuldraArms]

Hi Guys,

Can't really comment on the handgun ammo policy but I can tell you it is true we are entering the modern sporting arms arena, selling handguns and our new line of Huldra Mark IV carbines made for us by Adams Arms, as well as related accesories. A little bit of disclosure about me, I am not a Mills Fleet Farm employee as in I don't get a pay check from them. I am on the Huldra Arms shooting team and help out with testing and training, our team does some competitions around the state and country to promote the line and answer any questions as well as test products.

The powers behind the Huldra Arms products really did their homework and came out with a very impressive rifle line and what accesories to stock as well. As some of you noted we are carrying Eotechs, Magpul stuff and several others trying to offer products at various price points. They are continuing to add products as the area grows. We just launched a website, facebook page, and youtube channel with information about the rifles. I will try to be around and help out on the forums to answer any questions that may come up. Also I am in the Brainerd area if anyone is around we can try to arrange some range time too, we like to get the rifles in peoples hands. If you guys check out the website, I am the husky fella in the videos, to put a face to the username. I teach several classes in the area on basic and advanced firearms also if anyone is interested, I have partnered with a business that teaches permit to carry with AACFI.

Thanks for the interest, we really do appreciate it and your business. Also if there are products, brands, etc, that you guys would really like to see the stores carry let me know and I can pass it along to the powers that be.

Thanks
Dave

[Norsesmithy]

Will Fleet farm be selling direct impingment rifles too? or is that not your department?

[Dave-HuldraArms]

We looked at carrying brand X, Y, or Z like many stores do but we wanted to provide quality rifles at various price points. We decided that rather then carry the other brands, establish partnerships with some of the best in the business and offer a rifle built to our specs that exceeded the competition, thus Huldra Arms. We believe in our rifles and the Adams Arms piston system that is the heart of the rifle. I know that the DI v piston debate will go on for a long long time but when we started getting into the planning and specs we found slot of advantages to the piston systems, specifically Adams Arms, and believe me several were looked at, shot, and evaluated.

I hear a few common "cons" to the piston systems, and I own several DI ARs so I was a hard sell, heavier, recoil more, less accurate, and hard to find parts. I don't find the weight to be that different or unbalanced by having a gas piston block. One of my projects is going to be to do some part weighing to get actual numbers. I've been called husky before but the recoil of any AR, gas or piston, really doesn't move me much so to me (my opinion) the recoil is a null one, others may feel different and I get that. I have been very pleased with the accuracy of all of our rifles. All of our rifles have either a melonited barrel or a stainless barrel and have been very accurate. As far as parts go, Adams Arms is a great partner and parts will be available either from them or Fleet Farm's network. I know piston ARs still get dirty but I still can not believe how clean the chamber, bolt and bolt carrier are. The piston gas block is a breeze to clean compared to cleaning a DI gun, I have one rifle with over 1000 rounds and it is as clean as a DI gun would be at 100. They really made me a believer.

Sorry for the long post, just trying to get info out there. Short answer, No on the DI guns. At least at this time, I am not by any means the final word and I haven't gotten my future predicting machine perfected just yet.

My offer still stands, if anyone wants to meet up I would love to put a Huldra in your hands for some range time. I am up in Brainerd but do make it around the state a bit.

Thanks
Dave

[Holland&Holland]

Welcome Dave and glad to see the line expanded at Fleet Farm. Tell them to keep up the good work as they tend to be very competitive on ammo prices. Would be nice to see them expand their ammo selection a bit especially in the handgun area.

[Dave-HuldraArms]

Thanks, I know they try their best to be competitive, their 223 practice ammo is about as cheap as I can find it retail. If there is anything particular you're looking to see send me a message. I can pass it on to the higher ups. I also believe they will be coming on here soon too.

Thanks again,
Dave

[Pezhead]

Welcome.

[autobahn]

Awesome. Any "introductory deals"?

[Dave-HuldraArms]

Right now the prices we feel are very competitive. If you take our Tac Elite model for say, where else can you find a rifle with the Adams System (pinned and specific upper - no bushing), a melonited barrel, free float tac rail (Samson), JP trigger, and Vltor stock for $1500.00? Also our base 5.56 carbine at $1000.00 is a great value when you compare it to other base carbines from our competitors. It also has a melonite barrel and the Adams Arms native system. If you were to buy a base 5.56 carbine from another manufacturer, which some are selling for around $800 for decent ones, I know there are cheaper but you do get what you pay for, I think the melonited barrel and the upgraded piston system are well worth the extra $200. We didn't get into this to make the cheapest available rifle or entry level rifles, we got into this to make quality rifles, we want our customers to be proud to own them, and at a great value for what you get. I still don't know how they make much money off of the Tac Elite when you add all of the components up. That upper alone from Adams Arms is $1200.00.

Thanks again guys, go to a store and check them out, I think you'll be impressed.
Dave

[yuppiejr]

Hi Dave, thanks for taking the time to join up and post on the new rifles at Fleet farm!

I was surprised based on the "low price/high value" focus of the other firearms in the Fleet Farm catalog that they picked Huldra/Adams as their first shot at selling AR's. Not only is the basic piston style action a large departure for most AR shooters comfort zone it's certainly a leap away from Fleet Farm's usual base model Marlin, Remington and Century "Milsurp" rifle and shotgun offerings. That's not to say taking a risk and trying something different is bad, it's just a surprising move given the relatively unknown manufacturer selling a fairly high end product in a "value oriented" type of retail outlet. It's sort of like finding a $500 Aimpoint optic at Wal-Mart on the same shelf as their value priced Tasco/BSA/Bushnell optics.

I'm curious about this melonite barrel treatment, if I'm not mistaken this is basically a "nitride" bath finish that adds wear resistance and lubricity along the lines of a chrome line finish without the negatives associated with "over-boring" a barrel/chamber and then applying hard chrome (not to mention less expensive and more consistent). Is this a correct assumption or is there something more to the melonite treatment Huldra is applying to these rifles in lieu of hard chrome (particularly the barrel/chamber) that is ?

Can you provide links to any substantial reviews of the Huldra rifles? While I've done some searching and found a few hits for the Adams gas system at the usual AR sites there was little or nothing of real 'weight" in the way of a review/comparison of the Huldra Arms AR's vs the usual suspects and I'd love to learn more about them. If there is't much out there perhaps a few of us who also own AR's could get together with you at a local range and put together an objective comparison and bake-off comparison with rifles we own? I'd be glad to photograph/document the day's activities and put together a formal review write-up (subject to peer review and edits from more senior forum members) in addition to bringing my own rifle(s) to participate? Assuming things go well it could be both a positive for the rifles, Fleet Farm and this site (more traffic!). Thanks -- J

[yuppiejr]

On the topic of cool new stuff at Fleet Farm... I noticed (in Blaine) they also had the "Vortex Sparc" red-dot optic at the same price as AIM and other internet retailers ($200). Good option for someone who doesn't want to drop $400+ on an EOTech, AimPoint, etc...

I was really impressed with the wall of new goodies when I took the trip last night, someone obviously familiar with the AR shooting community did a good job selecting components at different price points that should actually sell. They might do a better job organizing the planogram / shelf layout by item type and maybe move some more ammunition over that way (and expanding the assortment as someone else pointed out) - some 500 round cases of the Federal XM193 or PMC XTac in the $150 range would certainly be a big mover to go with their new assortment.... I love what I saw though and dropped some money in a new BCM charging handle and some Magpul followers while I was in the neigborhood.

[Dave-HuldraArms]

Thanks for the comments. Yup you pretty much have it right with the melonite. We have also found in addition to wear, we are getting better accuracy as there is no deformities that can occur with chrome, as well as higher velocities. Adams has SBR barrels that are getting 2700 fps out of 11.5" barrels, it is pretty amazing. As far as testing goes we are trying to keep adding things to site such as videos reviews, etc. We have a torture test coming up that I think you will like, that will be video taped and put on the site too. There have been a few reviews of AA kits I know in SWAT magazine and a few others.

I would love to meet up with some shooters from here and do some range time. Feel free to shoot me an email or a pm and let's see if we can figure something out.
Thanks!
Dave

[old guy]

I was at the Blaine store today, checked both entrences no signs, the lady at the gun counter said nope we ain't posted. I busted a guy in a t shirt, printing!

John

[mnmike59]

These Rifles are something I'm anxious to see!

[Dave-HuldraArms]

We hope you like them. If you have any questions that the staff can't answer please let me know or give me a shout. Also I checked with corporate and there should not be any signs at any store, they are pro carry.

Just to give you guys a heads up as a few have PMd me about ammo, they have 223 on sale for $29.99 100 pack of American eagle.

Thanks. Dave

[Gustavs01]

Stopped today at the Owatonna FF, and was I very happy to of had an older gal as my sales rep she was very knowledgeable abiut the Huldra Arms new rifles AND the assorted Magpul products they now stocked! I was like a young kid in a candy/toy store and after $200 spent, I almost wished they had stayed open longer for me to ponder the next purchase! I can't wait to see my AR with all its new Magpul beauty products and how well it will shoot at the Outbreak Omega next Saturday!!!!