The Keefe Report: Next Saint Marches In

by
posted on June 16, 2017

When the Springfield Saint carbine was released last year, we thought enough of it to give it our 2017 Golden Bullseye Award for Tactical Gun of the Year. Though thoroughly modern in manufacture—and innovative with its Accu-Tite system taking the slop out between the upper and lower receiversthe original Saint has a good mix of upgraded components that make it a solid value. But when it made its debut, it had one “old-school” featurean A2-style front sight and gas block. While all the furniture is from Bravo Company, sleek, modern and with KeyMod attachment points, there was hubbub about why there was an A2 assembly on the front of the carbine.

Springfield has positioned the Saint as a defensive carbine, and I would argue that the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, folks that have some experience with military version of the platform, still mostly issue M16s and M4s with a fixed front sight assembly. There’s something reassuring in knowing your front sight is unlikely to fall off if you forgot to tighten a screw. Simply put, some folks prefer a fixed front sight. 

As a guy who’s first AR had a fixed carry handle and triangular handguards, reminiscent of “Apocalypse Now” re-runs on late-night cable, the evolution in the ergonomics of the AR has been quite a journey.





From the early pencil-barrel SP1, through the beefy barrel, Glacier Guard A2, then to the Rail Interface System (RIS)—for adding useful widgets to the fore-end—to the modern svelte AR of today, the gun started out light and handy, got husky and heavy with quad rails and accessories, and now is somewhere in between. No longer as light as an SP1 from more than a half-century ago, they are handier thanks to thinner, more ergonomic fore-ends and the use of an optic as the primary sight. In short, guns with full length rails on the top unspoiled by an A2 front sight that you can still hang things on are the way things have been headed for a while, especially in rifles used in practical competition. Springfield is responding to the trend.


Springfield Saint with Free-Float Handguard

We knew the Saint at launch was to be just the first of what would develop into a full lineand that line has expanded to include the Saint with Free Float Handguard—an aluminum one with M-Lok attachment points. The gun has a Bravo Company stock and pistol grip, but it has a proprietary fore-end retained by two Torx screws on each side. The low-profile gas block is pinned, and the gas system itself is mid length.

The price of the Saint with Free Float Handguard is competitive for its features at an MSRP of $1,049, while the original Saint has a sticker of $899. In today’s competitive AR market, $150 makes a lot of difference. And if you didn’t buy a Saint because it used KeyMod instead of M-Lok, well, not that’s not a problem anymore.

While a full review of the newest Saint is in the works, offhand groups were tight in drills and for the camera, and the handling of the latest Springfield carbine excellent.

For more information, visit Springfield-Armory.com.

Latest

John Parker flowing piece flintlock muzzleloader right-side view on white background
John Parker flowing piece flintlock muzzleloader right-side view on white background

Captain John Parker's Fowler: Witness To History

While thousands of firearms were used in and around the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, few survive today. One survivor is the flintlock fowler used by Capt. John Parker of the Lexington militia.

New For 2025: Mossberg 590M Standoff & 500 Slugster Pump Shotguns

The Mossberg 500 is one of the most popular pump-action shotguns ever made. That doesn’t keep the company from making updates and improvements, as evidenced in the new-for-2025 590M Standoff and 500 Slugster series.

Preview: Warthog Sharpeners V-Sharp Elite A4

Warthog USA’s V-Sharp Elite A4 pairs the company’s most feature-packed portable blade-sharpening unit with a detachable wooden base for added stability.

The Men & Guns Of Lexington Green

On April 19, 1775, 250 years ago, approximately 80 armed militiamen from Lexington gathered on their village green to confront several hundred British infantrymen. The events of that morning began a conflict that would ultimately establish the United States of America.

"Battle Road" & The British Retreat To Boston: 250 Years Later

After the fights at Lexington and Concord's North Bridge, the British column had to return to Boston. On its way, the regulars were set upon by hundreds, then thousands, of armed militiamen hell bent on revenge.

Preview: Hawke Airmax 2-7X 32 mm AO

Shooters looking to add optics to their air rifles should choose airgun-specific scopes such as those in Hawke’s Airmax line—which offers four models.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.