LWRC International builds ARs with a short-stroke piston system, and the IC A5 is the company's modern rifle. It fires 5.56 NATO from a 30-round magazine and carries a 16.1 inch fluted barrel in a flat dark earth finish.

The piston system keeps hot gas out of the receiver, so the action stays cleaner than in a direct-impingement rifle. Owners value that on long range days, and in dusty or muddy hunting conditions. A fluted barrel reduces weight and adds surface area for cooling. The FDE finish makes the rifle stand out among typical black guns. Spend an afternoon at the range before the season so you know exactly where it shoots.

For hog and coyote hunting around North Carolina, a quality AR is a useful tool. It is quick to handle, accurate with good ammunition and easy to mount optics on. The cost is high compared with budget ARs, but the build quality and the piston design are why people buy LWRC.

Keep it clean, use good magazines and check your sights. It ships to a North Carolina FFL dealer, where the background check is completed.