Courtesy Joe Grine

 

Del-Ton makes ARs, and this Evolution model is its top of the line. For those of you with truly short attention spans, the USA Today version of this review is that the Del-Ton DTI Evolution is pleasantly accurate, exceptionally comfortable and perfectly reliable. And lightweight, too. Joe and I shot it fairly extensively and we both came away not just satisfied, but really impressed with its mix of ergonomics and performance . . .

 

Courtesy Joe Grine

 

One Small Question

How do you “review” an AR-15? The platform has proven itself and become the most popular single rifle design in America, so what criteria do we choose to judge it by?

It’s kind of silly to wade into the “DI versus Piston” debate unless you’re discussing the added weight and expense of a piston system, which we’re not. And criticizing the AR design because the stock won’t fold is like criticizing a pickup truck for letting your groceries get wet.

At this point, I think it just makes sense to judge an AR against other ARs with similar price points. With that in mind, we’re going to judge Del-Ton’s Evolution AR against other similar ARs — what it gets right, where it’s okay, and where it goes wrong. And here goes…

 

DSC06116 (2)

 

Overview

Del-Ton’s Evolution is an standard forged-aluminum upper and lower receiver AR-15 rifle, but it comes from the factory with a lot of the snazzy components you would otherwise have to shell out a lot of extra Samoleans for. A quick rundown of its features sets it ahead of entry-level ARs: It has a mid-length gas system, a Samson modular free-float rail and iron folding sights, Magpul stock and MOE+ grip, a very nice two-stage trigger, an MPI-inspected bolt and a thin profile, chrome-lined 16-inch lightweight barrel with a low-profile gas block. 

 

Image: Joe Grine for TTAG

 

The Evolution isn’t the cheapest AR on the Interwebz, but the $1300 MSRP includes a lot of upgrades from a bottom-shelf Shotgun News-brand AR.

If you hypothetically started with a $800 optics-ready M4 clone, the Samson Evolution-series rail alone would set you back $200 as an upgrade. Now you’ve spent $1000.

 

Courtesy Joe Grine

Courtesy Joe Grine

 

The Samson irons (shown above) would ding you another $200, and then you’d need to throw in another C-note for the Magpul furniture and possibly another $50 if you wanted a two-stage trigger.

You’re already at $1350 now, but you still haven’t paid for the thin-profile barrel that keeps the Evolution’s overall weight down to 6.8 pounds. All in all, the Evolution’s mid-range price tag isn’t a bad value for the upgrades that it includes.

Accuracy

 

Image: Joe Grine for TTAG

 

Joe Grine helped me out and did the accuracy testing on the Del-Ton. He reports as follows:

I tested the accuracy of the Del-Ton on two separate range trips, using a Leopold LPS 3.5-10 x 42 scope benched at 100 yards. Range conditions varied, with temperatures hovering in the 50s with variable winds from 5 to 15 mph. I shot more than 30 three-shot groups using various brands of match ammo (Federal, Hornady, Nosler, Black Hills, and Fiocchi) from 55 grains up to 75 grains.

Groups tended to cluster from between .77″ and 1.14″ using match ammo, and I seemed to get these types of results with a wide variety of bullet weights and types. Approximately half of these groups were sub-MOA. The 1:9″ twist rate is likely the reason behind the rifle’s ability to shoot a wide range of loads accurately, as it represents very middle-of-the-road approach to the issue. Although the Del-Ton did not seem to show a strong preference for any one type of ammo, the best group was a three-shot .61 inch group achieved using Hornady 55-Grain V-Max Match. 

Image: Joe Grine for TTAG

When I switched to more available and affordable 55-grain ammo (i.e. XM-193, etc) made by Federal, Remington, PMC, and Remington UMC, groups tended to open up a bit. I shot 20 three-shot groups, and the group size consistently ranged from 1.47″ to 1.94″.  The majority of these groups hovered right at 1.5″ and the larger groups probably were my fault to some degree or perhaps caused by wind gusts. As a general rule, I noticed that groups tended to open up a bit once the barrel got hot, but nothing out of the ordinary.

I feel pretty comfortable with the results, since I was able to shoot consistent sub-MOA to sub ½-MOA with my HK SL8-6 and my Steyr SSG-69 on the same day. I would periodically bring these guns to the line to shoot a string or two while I let the barrel of the Del-Ton cool. I like to use this technique as a check on myself to verify that I am not just having a bad accuracy day, or drank too much coffee, etc.    

As far as I can tell, the accuracy of the Del-Ton represents fairly typical accuracy for ARs in this price range.  

So there you have it. Without giving you The Full Foghorn and setting up a spreadsheet with arithmetic means and standard deviations, it’s fair to say that the Evolution does really well for an AR with a pencil-thin barrel. It delivered about 1-MOA accuracy with match ammo, and about 1.5-MOA accuracy with the cheaper stuff.

Reliability

 

Image: Joe Grine for TTAG

 

Times being what they are, we don’t really have the funds to put a thousand rounds through every MSR we test these days. Joe and I came as close as we could, though: I fed it 200 to 250 rounds of steel-cased Tulammo while blasting cans at the shooting quarry, and then Joe ran about 500 rounds of mixed brass-cased ammo through the Evolution for his accuracy testing. Joe cleaned the rifle after my day at the quarry, but his 500 rounds were fired without cleaning.

The Evolution’s functioning was about as exciting as the live C-SPAN coverage of a House rules committee meeting. It digested 700 to 750 rounds of mixed brass and steel ammo with monotonous perfection, so there’s really not much to report.

Ergonomics

 

Image: Joe Grine for TTAG

 

When a rifle is accurate and 100% reliable, it leaves you a lot of time to pay attention to how it handles. Joe and I compared notes on the Evolution’s handling, and we independently noticed the same (good) characteristics.

  • Two-stage triggers aren’t every shooter’s cup of tea, but the Evolution’s happy switch is an exceptionally nice one. It has basically zero creep, a clean break and almost no overtravel, and it contributed to the Evolution’s solid accuracy at the bench. We apologize for misplacing the trigger gauge, but we both agreed that the trigger is just slightly heavier than a true ‘target’ trigger should be.
  • Some railed forends are like cheese graters, but the Evolution’s Samson modular forend will leave your support hand pleasantly undamaged. It’s solid and comfortable, and it lets you attach just as much rail as you need. It’s a huge ergonomic improvement over stock AR handguards, since you can put your support hand anywhere you want. You cannot burn your hands unless you’ve got gorilla arms and try to grip the rifle by its naked barrel.
  • The Evolution’s H-buffer really softens the rifle’s recoil impulse. My personal AR is a mid-length just like the Evolution but it jumps noticeably more, and I’m seriously considering putting the same H-buffer in it.

And what about the negative things we noticed? Well, basically, there weren’t any. It’s not necessarily an ergonomic issue, but we were both worried about the heat stability of the pencil-thin barrel. Despite our worries, firing quick strings had only a modest effect on accuracy.

Is it the perfect-handling AR? Not quite. There are some competition-ready components that Del-Ton could have thrown in at this price point, but didn’t. Ambidextrous operating controls would have been a nice touch, but the Evolution is optimized for right-handers.

 

Image: Joe Grine for TTAG

 

The finish is fairly pedestrian — just the standard anodized aluminum and parkerized steel you see on a typical AR. The finish work on the Mil-Spec buffer tube was a little rough, and it looked like this after only 700 to 750 rounds. This isn’t a major beef, and certainly shouldn’t be a deal killer for anyone who’s considering this rifle, but it’s not quite up to the fit and finish of the rest of the gun. Which was first rate, in case you can’t tell from all Joe’s fabulous pictures.

 

Image: Joe Grine for TTAG

 

The gas-key bolts were very nicely staked, which is something I check for ever since we had a gas key come loose on us a few years ago.

We were a bit surprised to see an A2 flash hider on this competition-ready rifle. The Evolution was very soft-shooting for an AR, but it did produce more recoil and muzzle climb than a tricked-out race gun. Anyone using it in 3-Gun will likely swap the flash hider out for a muzzle brake or compensator, competition rules permitting.

Summary

 

Image: Joe Grine for TTAG

 

There are a zillion different ARs out there, and they’re all basically the same rifle. The difference and the devil is hidden in the details: the trigger, the recoil, the reliability and accuracy.

Del-Ton has done very well with these details, and the result is a well-balanced and comfortable rifle. It functioned flawlessly and accurately with a wide variety of common 5.56x45mm ammunition.

As a bonus, the Evolution is also a tiny bit lighter than a bone-stock M4gery with A2 sights, and that’s something of an accomplishment for a mid-length AR with a foot of free-float rail hanging out there.

If the Evolution’s OEM accessories are the goodies you’re looking for on your AR, this rifle could be a good choice at a fair price. If you want a more traditional AR, or something space-age with carbon fiber, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere.

 

DSC06103

 

Update (October 2014):

Joe Grine here. Since this review was published, I ended up purchasing the Del-Ton T&E sample featured in this review.  Accordingly, I have had the opportunity to run another couple thousand rounds through this rifle.  I would like to report that the Del-Ton has continued to meet my expectations for a rifle at this price point.  I have experienced no malfunctions of any kind, and accuracy continues to be consistent with my earlier findings.  Although I had no first-hand experience with Del-Ton prior to this review, I can say — based on my time spent with this rifle — that Del-Ton is definitely a company that I would add to my list of recommended manufacturers of quality ARs at a reasonable price.

 

Courtesy Joe Grine

 

Specifications:

Caliber: 5.56 x 45mm NATO

Barrel: CMV chrome lined, lightweight profile, M4 feed ramps, 16 inches, 1×9 twist, mid-length gas system, manganese phosphated, phosphated under Samson low-profile gas block, threaded muzzle with A2 flash hider

Sights: Samson folding front sight, Samson dual-aperture rear sight

Weight: 6.8 pounds

Capacity: Ships with 1×30 round magazine

Upper Receiver: Forged 7075 T6 aluminum, flat top with M4 feed ramps, hard coat anodized, bore’s surface is coated with dry film lube, over the anodized surface, Mil-Spec, ejection port cover and round forward assist, right-hand ejection

Lower Receiver: Forged 7075 T6 aluminum, hard coat anodized, Mil-Spec, aluminum trigger guard and mag catch button, two-stage trigger, semi-automatic, Magpul MOE+ grip

Bolt & Carrier: Phosphated 8620 steel carrier assembly, Carpenter 158 Bolt HPT/MPI tested, heat-treated and plated, Mil-Spec, chrome-lined bolt carrier interior, carrier key (chrome-lined, attached with Grade 8 Screws), properly staked and sealed gas key

Buttstock: Magpul CTR stock, Mil-Spec buffer tube, H-Buffer

Handguards: Samson Evolution 12.37″ free-float rail, 2 x 2″ rails mounted at 3, 9 o’clock and 1 x 4″ rail mounted at 6 o’clock

Color: Available in Black or Dark Earth

Accessories: Gun lock, chamber flag

MSRP: $1,299

 

Ratings (Out of Five Stars):

All ratings are relative compared to the other weapons in the gun’s category. Overall rating is not mathematically derived from the previous component ratings and encompasses all aspects of the firearm including those not discussed.

Accuracy: * * * *
MOA or better accuracy with match ammo, and 1.5 MOA with the cheaper stuff. Pretty good from a pencil barrel, huh? We’re not supposed to give half-stars any more, but this is really 4.5-star accuracy.

Ergonomics: * * * *

Solid, smooth controls on a gentle-shooting rifle with a fantastic free-float rail.

Customization: * * * 

It’s an AR so you can change anything you want. YMMV, but I would only want to add a muzzle brake and an ambidextrous selector switch. The only reason it only gets three stars for customization is that it’s already pretty well customized.

Overall Rating: * * * *

The Del-Ton Evolution is a solid performer that’s worthy of its mid-range price tag.

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46 COMMENTS

  1. When I owned AR’s before I moved onto other platforms, I had a Del-Ton Dissipator that was awesome. Solid and reliable and it was relatively easy on the wallet too. I’d probably get another if I had the desire, really.

  2. Is the bolt carrier of the M-16 profile or one of the lighter commercial variants? I couldn’t tell for sure from the top-view photo posted.

    Regarding the buffer choice, I like Spike’s T2 buffer which is 4 oz (about midway between H and H2 buffers) with my mid-length gas AR.

    Keeping brain bleach handy in case anyone does give us the “Full Foghorn”.

  3. The AR on a pebble rock beach, the AR under a shimmering waterfall, and the AR glistening with water droplets all over it…

    Is this a gun review or Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition photo shoot?

  4. You won’t be taken seriously if you post 3-shot groups on snipershide, and the case should be the same here.

    Nothing to see here.

    • You won’t see many pencil-barrel ARs on Snipers Hide, either. You have a point that five-shot groups are more statistically rigorous than three-shot groups, but the differences start to zero out when you shoot as many of them as Joe did.

      • That was quite a respectable accuracy test. Those were quite a few groups shot, and with multiple ammo types. The issue comes with a single good or bad 3-shot group, and a subsequent “determination”‘of accuracy. If a gun shoots 30 three-shot groups at X MOA then you’ve made a reliable and repeatable representation of the accuracy of the platform.

        I like 5 round groups better, but this is also a pencil barrel. This is a much better overall a character test than most TTAG gun reviews.

      • Agree that if “approximately an MOA gun” isn’t enough, the person should be looking for tests of an AR with a heavy fluted stainless target barrel, which bumps the cost. I shoot an AR with a heavy target barrel, a rifle-length gas system, evolution fore-end system and a lighter Geissele SD3G triggrer. It is much easier to shoot precisely but is, of course, heavier. It also sold for what the Del Ton lists.

        And I liked the photos.

      • MAN I CAN’T BELIEVE THESE GUYS….DUMM YOU SAID FROM THE GET GO…THIS IS A MIDRANGE$$$ FUN GUN…NOT…A ….KILL THE ONE THAT NEEDS KILLIN FROM 2000 METERS GUN…..MAAAAAANNNN…..

  5. I used a DTI kit to build on a stripped lower about 4 years ago. I am not sure how many rounds I have put in it over that time, probably in the ballpark of 2000 with most of it being steel cased, but it has never malfunctioned on me. Accuracy is about on par with what you experienced. About 1 MOA with good ammo , 1.5 with cheaper brass stuff like M193, and 2-2.5 with steel cased.

    • competition-ready components that Del-Ton could have thrown in at this price point

      Like any other AR.

      Ambidextrous operating controls

      Like any other AR.

      The finish is fairly pedestrian.

      Like every other AR.

      The Evolution’s H-buffer really softens the rifle’s recoil

      Like every AR with an H Buffer in it.

      Two-stage triggers.

      You can put one in your AR today.

      the Evolution’s Samson modular fore-end

      See above. Today.

  8. You say you want an Evolution
    Well you know
    It’s not gonna change the world
    But when you talk about twelve ninety-nine
    Don’t you know you can count me out

      • The only Russkie rifles that I’m a fan of went out of style when Lennon was in knickers.

        FYI, Mr. Dumm, the author if the article, is also a famous fan of old timey Russkie rifles.

    • ….sometimes Lennon was just a gas bag

      Nothing to kill or die for
      And no religion too
      Imagine all the people
      Living life in peace…

      Oh yes…all those peaceful non-religious entities like Stalin/USSR , Mao/China, and Pol-Pot

      Imagine no possessions
      I wonder if you can
      No need for greed…

      Oh yeah…just try to freely distribute some of his music (possessions) and see what happens

  9. Oh, look, another AR15.

    Seriously…how is possible for there to be SO many people in the AR15 field. How can they possibly all sustain a revenue stream in such a crowded market?

    • A lot of businesses just make backwards looking decisions. Im betting most of the new stuff (so to speak) hitting now was R/D money assigned during the high priced heyday a couple years ago.

      Now black rifles are cheap again and production is way up. Good time to be buying. I expect production will contract again in the near future.

    • For some the finished rifles/carbines are a sideline. CMT, for example manufactured lowers for Noveske and Colt for years, but also produces two grades of lower and Stag firearms. Others have essentially no machinery investment because their guns are entirely compositions of other producers’ parts, so capital risks and operating costs are low. There’s something for everybody in the AR market.

      Alternate answer: Have you ever wondered how fifty different people can be profitably selling fruit in the Tangier food market?

    • Well, the man could really sing. I’ve heard it said that a little recreational drug use goes a long way towards “getting” the lyrics.

  12. Why cant some company just make an AR for the everyman??
    Id like one. I have no need for one.
    BUT.
    I would spend 5 or $600 for a bare bones useable gun.
    ARs should be like cars.
    There isn’t a bare bones no options, it would seem for someone like myself.
    Im not spending $1600 let alone over $2K for a gun to play with.

  16. Del ton is a very good product for the money. Would highly recommend. Lennon on the other had did too many drugs to see the reality of the world. So easy to say peace,peace,peace while the evil populates.

  17. Jeepers H Crackers. With a scoped AR, such as this one and the Leopold scope you used, you should be able to shoot dime sized groups at 100 yards with any surplus ammunition. Unless, of course, these were all fired in a standing (offhand) position. I can still shoot groups (bench rest, which is my range tool box) better than this with my 8mm Mauser, iron sights. Purchased for $145 fifteen years ago. Don’t blame the rifle.

  18. Great review

    I bought a DelTon flat top w/fwd assist, as a “spare AR” about a year ago. Lightweight, great feel. Came with one GI style mag, I believe it said bushmaster on it. I’m thinking a MAKO MWG magwell grip, and optics of some sort. Keep it light and CQB ready. If anyone like myself (casual shooter, “prepper”) complains about weight, they just need to build some muscle. Not talking about the true operator, as they need to watch ounces everywhere, to reduce their overall carry weight. These folks will carry more in one loadout than most will carry in a week!

  19. WELL….I BOUGHT A BETTER 1-8 BARREL 20 INCH…200$ DUEL SELECT…TRIGGER GROUP….IF U USE GOOD AMMO AND CAN SHOOT…..YOU HAVE A NICE SURPRIZE AND SO DO THOSE GUYZ GUNNIN WITH PIECES COSTING 2X AS MUCH…THEY WERE WEEEEPING …WEEEEPING I SAY. CAPT PHILLY

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