Out in the utterly classic town of Cheyenne, Wyoming sits the good folks of Stag Arms. In this beautiful windswept part of Wyoming, Stag has been busy at work since moving here in 2019. Along the way, Stag became famous for pioneering the first left-handed modern sporting rifle. It followed with continued development around different calibers on the AR platform, aimed at providing recreational shooters, LEO, hunters and professional shooters with superior quality and competitively priced rifles. Next up, the Stag Arms SPCTRM rifle series.

Stag Arms SPCTRM Rifles

The Stag Project SPCTRM (Special Tactical Rifle Makeup) rifles are composed of hand-selected components that come together to deliver a cohesive tone that looks and feels badass. These fully upgraded tactical rifles feature B5 furniture, Ballistic Advantage lightweight Hanson profile .223 WYLDE barrel, performance triggers, matching Lancer Mag and Rearden suppressor brake. Stag has also anodized key components of the rifle for a truly unique look. Stag has referred to these guns as the “50 Shades” rifles because they incorporate a variety of color shades on each gun.

The first one up is the FDE model. This gun definitely demonstrates the 50 shades concept with multiple tones of our much-loved FDE color. The Rearden suppressor brake on this gun is a high-gloss burnt bronze and honestly looks cool. All the guns have great triggers on them, and this particular gun has an ATC AR Gold model. This is a great trigger and indicative of the fact that these are all upgraded extensively.  The next gun is “ODG” or OD Green rifle. It is almost identical to the FDE gun, including trigger and brake, but with an obviously different color.

Cool Components; Even Cooler Colors

One of the most interesting things about this rifle is the uber-cool, green, translucent Lancer magazine. It fits the color scheme well, and I am certain people will be asking where they can get them. The last gun in this trifecta of colors is Grey. Like its counterparts, the Grey SPCTRM rifle is a high-quality shooter that looks incredible. There are a couple of differences in this rifle as well though. Trigger-wise, the grey rifle uses the new Rise Armament APT RA-535 trigger, which is exceptional. Stag has gone with a different brake on this rifle as well, using the Rearden DPB. Like the other Rearden devices though, they offer a direct-thread option when mounting a suppressor.

Stag was kind enough to provide me with a sample of each of these rifles, and I was quick to get them on the range. Each of the rifles proved to be exceptional. They were built well and had no slop or twist between the upper and lower receivers. The ODG and FDE guns housed the very nice ATC AR Gold trigger, and they were great. However, the Rise Armament APT RA-535 trigger in the Grey gun was absolutely stellar. Each of these rifles allowed me to stack rounds almost on top of each other using just ball ammunition. Detroit Ammo was kind enough to provide me with some of their 55-grain FMJ, and it ran flawlessly. On that point, the guns all ran without any hiccups or malfunctions during the entire day of shooting.

Running & Gunning the Stag SPCTRM

I found the guns to be fast, and it is important to explain that. This quality is based on the gun being light, first of all. Each of these rifles came in at a breath over six pounds. Second is that they need to be fit and assembled tight to eliminate slop and play. Third is the inclusion of a great trigger that allows me to break my shots and follow up quickly without being in a wrestling match. All the SPCTRM rifles, regardless of color scheme, fit these criteria. These rifles remind me of a really good base gun that has been upgraded at every turn. From the trigger to the ambidextrous safety selector, the gun is a complete tier-one rifle. In short, they were enjoyable to shoot. 

Stag has always been known to build solid rifles. They are seen as saviors to most of the left-hand shooter world, and they simply keep pressing forward. These new additions to their lineup are certain to do well. The SPCTRM rifles have already begun to cause a buzz. Ryan Donahue of Stag Arms tells us that the FDE and ODG are going to be limited-production guns while the GRY rifle will be an online SKU. Regardless of the rifle you choose, I am certain you will be happy with your choice.

Stag SPCTRM Series rifles retail for $1,799. For even more info, visit stagarms.com.

Stag Arms SPCTRM Rifle Specs

For a full report on the Stag Arms SPCTRM Series, along with intel on the new Stag Arms Pursuit rifle, check out the June-July 2023 issue of Ballistic magazine. Get your print or digital copy or subscription at OutdoorGroupStore.com.