Preacherman
Member
Well, I picked up my SU-16 last week. I got a good deal: a customer bought one from a gunshop I frequent, and after a week, decided he didn't like it, and traded it in on an AR-15. I got it at a good price, virtually brand-new! 
Firstly, let me say that I expected this rifle to be a bit flimsy: but I've been pleasantly surprised. It's light, certainly, but not flimsy. All the parts fit together well, and there's no "shake, rattle and roll" to worry about. With a hinged stock and a fore-end that folds out into a bipod, I'd been worried about this, but so far nothing to complain about.
The sights are not great, but OK, and plenty adequate for minute-of-mugger out to 100 yards or so. I understand that a company will soon be producing a replacement front sight machined out of aluminum, which will take M-16/AR-15 front sight posts, and I'll definitely look into that if it can take an XS Sights Tritium front post. I think this would be an improvement. The rear sight is a normal type of ghost-ring: it's mounted on the Weaver/Picatinny-style rail, and can be removed if a scope or red-dot sight is mounted.
To test it, I used Federal military-style ball ammo, 55gr. At 100 yards, with open sights, I found I could hold 3" to 4" groups all day, shooting from a bench with a sandbag rest. I then mounted a cheap BSA red dot sight, and this shrank the groups to 2" to 3". Finally, I put on a 4x scope, and after zeroing, all groups stayed sub-2". I'm very impressed by such accuracy in what is, after all, a fairly low-cost, lightweight rifle. It's certainly better accuracy than my Mini-14, which struggles to maintain 3" groups with a scope.
Shooting from field positions, the gun was light and handy to mount, and easy to manoever. I think it's actually better than an AR-15 in my hands. I didn't have any problem with the absence of a pistol grip. Recoil was negligible, and I don't think anyone would have a problem with it. LOP was a bit long for me, but then I prefer shorter LOP on my long guns anyway - it might be just fine for others.
As for the folding bipod, I haven't used this yet. I'm going to break the gun in some more, then try it from prone to see how well it works.
The folding stock is secured by a single pin. This worries me, as such a pin can be easily lost. I noticed on another site that another owner has replaced the pin with a cotter-pin bought at a hardware store, to which he's attached what looks like a 1" split ring. I like this idea, as it makes the pin easier to insert or extract, and also bigger, so that it's less likely to be overlooked. I guess one could clip it to a key-holder on one's belt, or put it in a pocket, or even clip a light stick to it in the gun case, so that it would be much more noticeable.
Suffice it to say that even though I don't like the .223/5.56mm. as a defensive cartridge, this rifle makes good use of it. I'll probably standardize on the Hornady TAP 55gr. round. and find a good red dot sight for it. Should make a very effective HD/truck gun, particularly with the ability to fold up into a smaller package. I'd certainly recommend this over any AR-15 for such uses - but then I don't like the AR-15, or any gun that deposits its exhaust gases into its action. Too dirty for my tastes!
Firstly, let me say that I expected this rifle to be a bit flimsy: but I've been pleasantly surprised. It's light, certainly, but not flimsy. All the parts fit together well, and there's no "shake, rattle and roll" to worry about. With a hinged stock and a fore-end that folds out into a bipod, I'd been worried about this, but so far nothing to complain about.
The sights are not great, but OK, and plenty adequate for minute-of-mugger out to 100 yards or so. I understand that a company will soon be producing a replacement front sight machined out of aluminum, which will take M-16/AR-15 front sight posts, and I'll definitely look into that if it can take an XS Sights Tritium front post. I think this would be an improvement. The rear sight is a normal type of ghost-ring: it's mounted on the Weaver/Picatinny-style rail, and can be removed if a scope or red-dot sight is mounted.
To test it, I used Federal military-style ball ammo, 55gr. At 100 yards, with open sights, I found I could hold 3" to 4" groups all day, shooting from a bench with a sandbag rest. I then mounted a cheap BSA red dot sight, and this shrank the groups to 2" to 3". Finally, I put on a 4x scope, and after zeroing, all groups stayed sub-2". I'm very impressed by such accuracy in what is, after all, a fairly low-cost, lightweight rifle. It's certainly better accuracy than my Mini-14, which struggles to maintain 3" groups with a scope.
Shooting from field positions, the gun was light and handy to mount, and easy to manoever. I think it's actually better than an AR-15 in my hands. I didn't have any problem with the absence of a pistol grip. Recoil was negligible, and I don't think anyone would have a problem with it. LOP was a bit long for me, but then I prefer shorter LOP on my long guns anyway - it might be just fine for others.
As for the folding bipod, I haven't used this yet. I'm going to break the gun in some more, then try it from prone to see how well it works.
The folding stock is secured by a single pin. This worries me, as such a pin can be easily lost. I noticed on another site that another owner has replaced the pin with a cotter-pin bought at a hardware store, to which he's attached what looks like a 1" split ring. I like this idea, as it makes the pin easier to insert or extract, and also bigger, so that it's less likely to be overlooked. I guess one could clip it to a key-holder on one's belt, or put it in a pocket, or even clip a light stick to it in the gun case, so that it would be much more noticeable.
Suffice it to say that even though I don't like the .223/5.56mm. as a defensive cartridge, this rifle makes good use of it. I'll probably standardize on the Hornady TAP 55gr. round. and find a good red dot sight for it. Should make a very effective HD/truck gun, particularly with the ability to fold up into a smaller package. I'd certainly recommend this over any AR-15 for such uses - but then I don't like the AR-15, or any gun that deposits its exhaust gases into its action. Too dirty for my tastes!
