It seems that over the past 50-plus years, the AR continues to evolve and adapt. While it remains the same at heart, the modern AR rifle of today, used by target shooters, plinkers, hunters and police officers, bears only a passing resemblance to the original rifle. What has made this rifle so successful and so versatile is in no small part the result of multiple manufacturers always seeking to improve the functionality of the design. The new Del-Ton Evolution rifle has combined the best there is into one high-quality package that can truly be said to represent a civilized and evolved AR. The rifle’s name actually refers to the use of Samson Manufacturing’s excellent free-floating handguard and folding backup sights.
Highly Evolved
This semi-auto, direct-gas-impingement-system carbine is chambered in 5.56mm NATO and loaded with many mil-spec features. The 16-inch, chrome-moly-vanadium barrel features a lightweight contour that helps to keep the weight at a minimum and is sure to be appreciated by anyone who has to carry this rifle hunting for an extended period of time. The barrel also has a 1-in-9-inch twist rate and a black, manganese-phosphate finish. Chrome-moly-vanadium steel increases the carbon content and strength of the steel used in the barrel and meets mil-spec standards for durability. The 1-in-9-inch twist rate allows the barrel to stabilize a wider range of bullet weights, including very low-weight projectiles suitable for varmint hunters. The bore of the barrel and its chamber are also chrome-lined to provide corrosion resistance and increase barrel life and reliability.
The rifle also features a Samson low-profile gas block and mid-length gas system, which is 2 inches longer than that found on a carbine and provides less dwell time, or the amount of time the bullet spends in the barrel after it passes the gas tube and before it exits the barrel. This shorter dwell time reduces the amount of gas and fouling that goes back into the chamber to operate the bolt, helping to reduce wear and tear on internal parts as well as perceived recoil.