Del-Ton 5.56 Excellence

he new Del-Ton Evolution rifle comes loaded with must-have upgrades for an outstanding, reliable and accurate tactical edge. It is just the latest in a comprehensive line of AR offerings from this well-established family-owned company.

When I receive an AR for testing and evaluation, I normally start thinking about all the upgrades I would like to make in terms of the stock, the grip or (most often) the trigger. But in the case of the new Evolution, it seems that Del-Ton has already read my mind. With the exception of possibly adding a single point sling attachment at the rear of the receiver, there was not a single upgrade or improvement I could think of.

Evolution Up-Close
The DTI Evolution is just the latest offering from a comprehensive lineup of outstanding, high-quality rifles delivered at extremely competitive prices by this family-owned business in Elizabethtown, North Carolina.

The DTI Evolution is a semi-auto, direct gas impingement carbine that is chambered in 5.56mm NATO. The 16-inch, chrome-moly-vanadium barrel features a lightweight contour, which helps keep weight to a minimum, 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 allows the barrel to stabilize a wider range of bullet weights. The barrel’s bore and chamber also are chrome-lined to provide corrosion resistance and increase barrel life and reliability.

The upper and lower receivers include all of the standard controls such as a right-side-mounted forward assist, a shell deflector, a steel dustcover and an aluminum magazine release. On the left side, in the familiar places, are the safety selector and bolt release, with no ambidextrous controls. The safety selector does feature a distinctive V-shaped cutout on the right side so the user can visually check the status of the rifle. The aluminum triggerguard is also a nice upgrade over the far cheaper (and more common) plastic guards.

The rifle features also a mid-length gas system and low-profile Samson gas block. At the back of the barrel extension Del-Ton has added mil-spec M4 feed ramps, which are cut wider and lower than those of standard AR rifles and help ensure more reliable feeding from the magazine under harsh conditions. The barrel is topped with a standard threaded muzzle with a removable A2 flash suppressor, and the rifle comes with an A3 flattop with indexing marks to allow the user to more easily return a removed optic to the same place and maintain zero.