Introduction

Ladies and gentlemen of the GOAT GANG, last week we gave you the Minuteman build, and this week we've got a high tier build fresh out of our brand ambassador's safe. There's a reason why we went with that title—Howe's cooked up an absolute workhorse on a 10.5" platform. He tells us in his words what he's rocking and why, and you can expect a link set just like last week. 

 

Howe's LWRC IC-DI 5.56 10.5" Build

This is my go-to rifle setup: a 10.5" LWRC Upper Assembly paired with a Sons of Liberty Gun Works lower, along with all the components that make it tick. I'll break it down section by section, highlighting why each part works for me.  

Upper Assembly: LWRC IC-DI 5.56 10.5"

This is the heart of the build—the LWRC IC-DI in 5.56 with a 10.5" barrel. It's compact, reliable, and perfect for my needs. You can check it out here.

Lower Receiver: SOLGW X LRF Collab Lower

The lower is a Sons of Liberty Gun Works collaboration with Forward Controls Design (LRF) Check it out here. It's solid and pairs seamlessly with the LWRC upper. 

Trigger: SOLGW Trigger Kit

For $170 this trigger is amazing, and I'll buy three of these before I buy another G-money two-stage. The L2S has a hybrid straight/curved trigger shoe, with softly rounded edges on the trigger shoe, full power springs, and a clean crisp break (SOLGW, 2025). You can check it out here. 

Safety Selector: 45-Degree Ambi Safety

Running this is personal preference. I feel like ambis can cause bad habits for people just getting into firearms or even create new ones for those who've been training with carbines. 

Sling: Edgar Sherman Sling with Magnetic Stow

I'm rocking the Edgar Sherman Sling, with the magnetic Stow. If you're using your rifle in and out of vehicles, stowing your sling is very important. 

You don't want that thing getting caught on anything when trying to bail out—never mind if, for some god-awful reason, it gets caught on something and engages your trigger. 

Regardless, there's a ton of good info out there on the importance of stowing your sling. Peruse them here, they're still not as great as our Gizmo Glider, though. 

Laser/Illuminator: Holosun IRIS 3

Moving from front to back, I have the Holosun IRIS 3, coming in at $799. This thing is a VCSEL powerhouse of a unit. It's smaller than the NGAL, it's rugged as fuck, and it's so dummy-proof (link). 

The slider for the illuminator is such a phenomenal idea and holy shit does it work. This thing is right on the brink of full power. You know how UHP is just too much sometimes, flooding out your ability to PID targets under nods? This unit truly is worth every penny. If you want pictures of the IRIS 3, hit me up on IG: @95Howe. 

Weapon Light: Holosun RAID

Next to it, we've got the Holosun RAID weapon light (here). This thing is also coming in at $179, and it's been put through the wringer. 

It's momentary on, with a double tap to change from bright setting to low setting and reverse, obviously. For someone who trains under NODS, the RAID has a "four-click constant off" feature for no negligent white light when running goon shit with the boys.

Nothing will activate the white light until you do the four clicks, and it flashes. I'm not saying it's better than a SureFire, but I'm saying that for $179, SureFire is no longer my first choice. I don't care what people have to say—this thing's brighter and has more features. 

Optic: SIG 4XT Pro

The optic is a SIG 4XT Pro with NV mode capability. The EOTechs are phenomenal—no one's denying that. But the reticle is a lot when passive aiming. The 4XT-PRO being a single dot is just so clean and easy to passive aim, especially with the Scalarworks mount.

Magnifier and Mount: Unity Mount with EOTech Magnifier

Which brings me to what's behind it and why you're asking "WTF." Well, I didn't want to run a flip-to-center, so the Unity mount (UNITY Tactical) brings the EOTech magnifier (here) to the perfect height. I'm not always running the magnifier, but it's always on me in case I want to quick-attach. 

Suppressor: SureFire RC2

The SureFire RC2 because... well, it's a damn workhorse (here). 

Why I Run Short Barrels

I live in a densely wooded area of NH, at the base of the most climbed mountain in the world: Mount Monadnock. Even on private and public ranges, it's hard—impossible even—to find a spot to get out past 300 yards unless you own 100 acres. But even then, my thought process is: if something happens and I'm engaging threats to and past 300 yards in NH, something seriously fucking wrong has happened, and I've put myself and/or my teammates in a seriously wrong position. I run a 10.5", 10.3", 13.7", and 14.5" as the longest. The 10.5" is my go-to. It's small, it's light, I can walk miles with it. I can drive the rifle easily, I know its capabilities, and I know if SHTF, I'm not putting myself in 300-yard engagements. (That's not to say someone won't put me in them.) That's why I have a RECCE rifle, and I'll drop that build and go over why it's set up the way it is when I get my new Vakarian.

Conclusion

If SHTF right now, I'd grab my LWRC. Travis Haley has a great video on "Tell Me About Your Rifle"—I implore you to watch it. If I went down and my friend or teammate had to pick up my rifle, I could tell you the zero distance, the holds at distance, the ins and outs. Not just "it's an LWRC 10.5 running Winchester 55-grain" lol. I'd be able to tell you its purpose, its pros, and its cons (not many).