The makers of the new Australian-made Eureka Stockade lever-release rifle are introducing weight reduction measures after being told by SHOT Expo attendees that the 4.3kg mass was too much.
Eureka Guns had a number of pre-production Stockades at SHOT Expo and handed them to hundreds of potential customers for feedback, and they quickly realised the weight was an issue they needed to address.
As a result, they intend to offer lighter profiles for the barrels.
Altering profiles means 400 grams can be removed from the weight of both the 51cm (20”) and 41cm (16”) barrels, taking the former from 1.3kg to 0.9kg and the latter from 1.2kg to 0.8kg.
In addition, a shorter alloy fore-end will cut another 100g.
This will reduce the rifle’s base weight to 3.8kg.
However, the lighter barrels will come at an extra cost, which is yet to be announced, because of the extra work involved in re-profiling them.
The lighter fore-end is already in production for the 9mm version of the Stockade and will be a no-cost option for the .223 and .300 Blackout.
Eureka also received a sharp reaction to decision to use only the 1911-style magazine and has now announced it will instead provide options that will allow the carbine to be used with 1911 magazine, Glock magazines or CZ magazines.
Other feedback has led to reconsider able the length of the re-set lever and even whether the rifle could run a lever on both sides at the same time.
Head of distributor Australian Sporting Agencies, Bastian Green, said they were aware that the launch of the Stockade in .223 was already running about 19 months behind schedule and that it was important not to create more delays as they made more changes.
“Our focus is on getting those guns out,” he said. “We don’t want to delay any more, so we are releasing now.”
Further developments would be offered as options afterwards, with the ability to retrofit them, he said.
The rifle will be put through its torture testing next week.
Orders are being taken via the Eureka Guns website.
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