LWRC IC-Di In-Depth Review

[Dean C.]

LWRC IC-Di Review​

So I have always wanted a “top shelf” AR since I was 16 years old looking at the gun shop walls. The LWRC rifles always caught my eye but with a $3,000 price tag for their piston driven guns they were always way out of my price range for an AR pattern rifle. In 2015 LWRC released their first direct impingement rifle the IC-Di with an MSRP of $1,600, they can now be found online for $1,200 or so making this a very affordable option for people in the AR market.

The Di has LWRC’s Individual Carbine totally ambidextrous lower receiver that was originally designed to fulfill an Army Solicitation Contract to improve and replace the aging M-4.

The Di features a spiral fluted cold hammer forged 16.1 inch, 1:7 twist chambered in 5.56. The barrel is also made using [FONT=&amp]41V45 steel that is the same stuff used in M240 machine guns in the military due to its toughness, it also has a A2 style flash hider. [/FONT]The handguard is free floated and proprietary to LWRC so it cannot be switched out to other brands of hand guards. The version I own uses LWRC’s own mounting system using a series of pre-tapped holes to mount rail sections (or LWRC’s own polymer angled foregrip and rail covers). Personally I think the reason the Di’s are currently so cheap is LWRC just released a new version featuring an MLOK capable rail.

Another interesting feature the Di has is a one-piece bolt carrier group so the gas key staking becomes a non-issue. The entirety of the BCG is Nickle Boron coated which is very very similar to Robar’s NP3 coating. This silver coating leaves the BCG very slick feeling even when totally dry and makes cleaning a breeze. The only real downside to the finish is it comes very shiny like a new nickel but as you shoot it the BCG begins to slowly darken losing its luster but still retaining its natural lubricity. A small detail I really liked about the BCG is that the retaining pin is kind of nestled making this easily lost part easy to keep track of and protected better than a standard BCG. The actual bolt itself is standard “mil-spec” and is nothing special, I am considering adding a bolt that has the Nickle Boron coating so the entire thing matches however.

(Showing the LWRC BCG compared to a Daniel Defense “Mil-Spec” BCG)
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[Dean C.]

The rifle comes stock with a “Mil-Spec+” trigger that is basically a “mil-spec” trigger with an Nickle Boron coating on it making is slightly better than a standard “mil-spec” trigger. This trigger is basically the same concept as the ALG ACT trigger that is currently very popular. Now I am a big believer of the fact that life is too short to shoot ****ty triggers so the first thing I did upon receiving the rifle was to drop in an Elftman Tactical ELF trigger unit. This is a drop in rig that uses full quarter inch hammer and disconnector made out of hardened and melonite coated A2 tool steel. This trigger really is as close to a 1911 trigger as you can get in an AR and I highly recommend it, they can be had for $260~ but this is not a review of the trigger so I will leave it brief.

(The ELF trigger also runs on bearings helping add to the smoothness of the unit. Since everything on the unit is wire EDM cut the trigger shoe and hammer can also be changed to a 3-gun skeletonized hammer or a solid match trigger and a straight or curved trigger shoe)
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The only thing the rifle really lacks out of the box is a pair of iron sights, that is not a big deal to myself as I just add an optic right out of the gate anyway. I chose to mount a Trijicon Accupower 1-8 as I wanted this to be my “general purpose” rifle good for just about anything I could ever want to do with it. The Trijicon is resting in a Vortex branded Seekins Precision MXM mount, this combination worked phenomenally well and once the optic was mounted it was almost
dead on without any adjustment at all!

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(Views through the Trijicon Scope on 1x and 8x note the First Focal Plane reticle)
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[Dean C.]

Accuracy testing was done at a private range from 100 yards (lasered) shooting from a supported prone positon. A ransom type rest was not used but the groups obtained were enough to make me very happy. I was very surprised that the rifle liked the 62gr Fiocci more than the IMI MK262 Mod 1 ammunition that
SOCOM seems to like so much.


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(By far the worst group Wolf Gold .223 measuring in at around 2.5 MOA)

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(IMI 77gr 5.56 loaded with Sierra Match King’s about a 1.5 MOA group)

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(62gr Fiocci .223 was the best of the day at about .75 MOA )

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I have about 750 rounds or so through the rifle consisting primarily of the three loads shown above with some Wolf steel cased ammunition thrown in to ensure the rifle could reliably feed that junk ammo. I only experienced one malfunction and that was with the 62gr Fiocci, the primer was most definitely hit but the round failed to ignite. Upon chambering the round again it fired the second strike feeding the next round in the magazine flawlessly. I am going to call that issue ammunition related.

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Overall I am extremely pleased with the rifle and for the prices they can be currently had for it is IMHO one of the best values on the high end AR market today even beating BCM prices. With the minor upgrade to the trigger unit the gun as lest 100% stock for the entire review process. The only upgrades I have planned is to replace the stock with something Magpul as the LWRC stock is just a little bit too “rattly” for my tastes, and I would like to replace the A2 flash hider with a comp to help keep the rifle flat as I would like to use it for three gun.​

Street Price (stock) : $1200
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Street Price as Featured: $3040​

Dean Crail – 6-1-2017​

https://www.lwrci.com/p-839-lwrci-di.aspx
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ELF AR-15 Match Drop-In Trigger | Modular High Performance Trigger for AR-15 Rifles​

MXM Scope Mount - Scope Rings & Mounts​

https://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products/product3.php?pid=RS27-C-1900026
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[223 Gunner]

Nice Review, well written and informative. I really like the optic, looks nice sitting on top of a top tier rifle.

 

[venenoindy]

I just purchased one myself, I compare this rifle to my Knights armament SR15 mod 1 and I will be honest I don't see much of a different in quality. The big difference is the LWRC cost half what the KAC cost, I also change a couple of things. Geissele SD3G, PA AFAB, LWRC BUIS, Trijicon MRO, Magpul K2 grip. I'm extremely happy with my purchase and just needs a lot of ammo and some training .

 

[nrgrams]

They definitely are an exceptional rifle for the price. A TRUE, FULLY AMBI-LOWER is hard to find, as most ambi-lowers do not have a bolt catch, only release. Literally just looked online prior to reading your review and saw online prices at $1050-1500. LWRC has always been one of my favorites, just wish they offered the DI in OD Green lol. Highly anticipating their 10.5" offerings in DI.

 

[Heavy]

Great write up! I really like the LWRC DI rifle. It was narrowed down to this, a DDm4 V7, or a ADM UIC mod 2 when I was looking for my first AR. Cue the outrage I know...

I get both sides of that argument. To each their own. I'm not knocking that view point even though the route I took is always disputed. Again, I get it.

The ADM won out for me and I'm very happy with it, but I always pick up one of those LWRC's when I can and think some day... but then again, I've always felt the DD V7 was made for my hands.... ugghhh.

 

[Steel and wood]

Great review wow that is a good looking rifle. Have been thinking about getting another AR with the price falling. So you have but the bug in me know

 

[sgreen3]

Great review, that rifle looks sweet! Like you said the price on that one defiantly brings that brand of rifle into the realm of many more shooters...

 

[Dean C.]

Great review, that rifle looks sweet! Like you said the price on that one defiantly brings that brand of rifle into the realm of many more shooters...

Now these prices night not last very long, my theory is LWRC is blowing out the rifles with the "old style" hand-guards to make way for the new MLOK equipped hand-guards as that is the current hottness. Personally I like the LWRC handguard as really the only rail mounted thing I added was a surefire scout light.

 

[Expat]

Bought one.

 

[nrgrams]

Hoping they come out with one in 14.5!

 

[Steel and wood]

Great review Dean. So I shot 2 gun and kinda lookin for a new AR I don't know if this lwrc would work? Any thoughts from you. Thanks

 

[Dean C.]

Great review Dean. So I shot 2 gun and kinda lookin for a new AR I don't know if this lwrc would work? Any thoughts from you. Thanks

I think it would especially at the ~$1000 price point, the only real suggestions I have is comp the gun and drop in a new trigger then your optic of choice and you are set.

 

[Steel and wood]

Thank you Dean the price point was good looked at the colt crz 16 gen 2. But I really like the lwrc. Your review was really good. Thank you

 

[JRR85]

Thanks for the review. I am serious considering this one right now. All my other ARs are pretty much budget rifles that I assembled. If you search hard enough you can find one of these rifles for around $1100.

 

[Steel and wood]

Well Dean I just bought one today. I hold you responsible for my actions this is on you. Thanks again for your review it was very well written. Can't wait to pick it up. Now to scope it and have some fun.

 

[Dean C.]

Well Dean I just bought one today. I hold you responsible for my actions this is on you. Thanks again for your review it was very well written. Can't wait to pick it up. Now to scope it and have some fun.

Enjoy the rifle!! Report back when you have shot the snot out of it and noticed anything I did not.

 

[LWRC GUY]

I chose to mount a Trijicon Accupower 1-8 as I wanted this to be my “general purpose” rifle good for just about anything I could ever want to do with it. The Trijicon is resting in a Vortex branded Seekins Precision MXM mount, this combination worked phenomenally well and once the optic was mounted it was almost dead on without any adjustment at all!
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Hey Dean! First off all, I want to say nice setup on your AR! You spared no expense with high quality parts. I purchased an LWRC IC DI as well and was in the market for a scope and a seeking precision MXM mount. Since you have trijicon 1-8x28 scope, is it the MIL segemented or the MOA segemented? On your mxm mount, I'm assuming you got the 34 mm 20 MOA since the trijicon 1-8x28 scope only comes in 34 mm.

The only upgrade I did so far since I got mine as get the LWRC skirmish sights and Geissele SSA-E trigger.

 

[cmamath13]

Do you still feel the same way about replacing the trigger?

Also, would you consider LaRue MBT for this rifle?