First 100 Rounds With the ZRO Delta Rifle: Too Beautiful to Miss
People hunting for their first or fifth AR-15 have long sought a unique rifle that was both affordable and reliable. The ZRO Delta rifles answered that call and brought some extra grace and beauty to go with it.
Hopefully, you’re here because you liked the photo you saw before you got here. Maybe you were just curious about ZRO Delta rifles in general. It doesn’t really matter. Either way, you’re in the right place.
This will be less of a traditional gun review, though we will cover specs, reliability, and accuracy. No, this is more like a pinup calendar filled with actually useful information about the nice-looking thing in the pictures you’re staring at. Sometimes sleek is just cooler than tactical. But why not have both. And spoiler alert: I did shoot more than 100 rounds through this affordable beauty.
So enough chatter, let’s dig into the ZRO Delta Base Rifle and why she should be on your list of “wants” and “needs.”
Shooting Experience First, Specs Later
As a range gun, home defense rifle, or varmint hunter, I think the ZRO Delta would be a fantastic choice. I’ve had my hands on quite a few ARs over the years, from military M4s and A4s to a host of civilian rifles. But when I picked up the ZRO Delta, my first thought was, “dang that thing is light and balanced.”
Of course, the gun does not boast any special compensator, so my next thought was that it was probably a bit jumpy – to the extent any AR really is. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the rifle balanced nicely shooting from the standing, with minimal fatigue or felt recoil.
The Mission First Tactical Minimalist Stock also made shouldering the rifle easy, and it was surprisingly comfortable for such a slight stock. The six-position stock also provided plenty of adjustability for the length of pull, and the length of my arms are above average. Even while firing hammer pairs or shooting for tighter groups from the standing, I could pull the stock straight back into my shoulder and form a nice triangle.
For being minimalist, the stock offers three features that I loved. First was the added angle. It made rocking the rifle into position easy and seamless. Even with some gear on, I’ve found it works well. The second feature was the added space for cheek weld on the stock. It slopes out gradually at the top and provides plenty of space. Lastly, and this may just be me, but many folding stocks rip my beard hair out when I shoot. Weird, I know, but this one spared me from the unwanted barber.
Accuracy was excellent and easy so far. I zeroed my US Optics TS 1-6x scope after two strings of three shots and a third to confirm. After that, the rifle was easily punching holes on top of holes in the target from a rest at the range. Felt recoil was minimal, and I started to just have fun and walk my shots around the shapes of the target after about 40 rounds.
Even when shooting from the standing, I found it easy to keep the optic steady on target. I also played around with different magnification levels. The lightness of the rifle and the weight of the scope brought the center of balance back behind the magwell. The result was minimal fatigue while shooting.
As far as reliability, I fed the ZRO Delta a mix of various ammo brands I had in my ammo can, everything from Sellier & Bellot and Fiocchi to Federal and Aguila. I had no issues shooting the gun straight out of the box, though it did come exceptionally dry and will get some oil soon. The ZRO Delta Base Rifle is marked with “multi cal” on the rifle, and it did swimmingly well with both 5.56 NATO and .223 REM. I’m now sitting at more like 150 rounds through multiple types of magazines.
Specs and Extra Benefits
The gun boasts an A2-style pistol grip, similar to that on most modern military ARs. It’s one of my all-time favorite grips because you can really lock your hands into place. The trigger guard is also bowed to provide ample space for a gloved hand. As far as coatings go, the ZRO Delta is black hard coat anodized. Overall, the fit and finish were excellent. There are no gaps between the upper and the lower. You can twist and shake all you want without a wobble.
There’s nothing fancy about the tip of the barrel, which wears a basic “birdcage” flash hider. I personally like that style, and it was more than controllable. Beyond that, it was also less obnoxious on the range than many much noisier muzzle brakes that share the love with your fellow shooters.
Slim is the name of the game here, with the rifle measuring only 1.5 inches wide at the handguard. And talk about rail space. The ZRO Delta Base rifle boasts a healthy 15-inch, M-LOK handguard that leaves just over 2 inches of barrel sticking out. That brings me to my only real complaint, which is the use of M-LOK because I prefer Picatiny. Then again, it keeps the sleek lines and smooth feel.
The handguard will get a bit warm with no real shielding, but it was not a big issue with normal use and can be mitigated with gloves or a grip. ZRO Delta did make the smart decision to add 4 inches of Picatinny rail at the top for a front sight or light.
I’ve dropped some additional specs below:
Weight: 6.5 pounds unloaded and without an optic
Barrel Length: 16 inches
Caliber: 5.56 NATO / .223 REM
Length Options: 32.75 to 36 Inches
Trigger Pull: 5.6 pound average
As far as weight goes, the ZRO Delta comes in at just 7.8 pounds with the U.S. Optics TS 1-6x and Leupold scope mount. Compare that to the much more expensive Noveske with a red dot and small light at just a hair below 8 pounds at more than twice the cost.
Parting Thoughts
We’ve still got some more testing ahead of us for the ZRO Delta Rifle, so stay tuned. But from all initial impressions, it is a great gun at the price point if you want function and form. I’d highly recommend checking them out. You can keep it simple, like the one we have here, or add just about as many accessories as you want.