There is little doubt that Geissele is a well-known commodity in the gun industry since they’ve been supplying upgrades for nearly 20 years.
Held as a premium brand, entry to the ownership ranks is guarded by a relatively high price tag.
We can agree it’s crucial to make sure you’re getting high quality if you’re paying a premium price, but is the Geissele Super Duty worth it?
We took one out to the range and tested it for ourselves. So stay tuned as we walk through the specs, features, pros/cons, and help you decide…is the Geissele Super Duty worthy of the premium title.
Keep reading!
Table of Contents
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Pros & Cons
Pros
- Premium quality
- Reliable
- Accurate
Cons
- Expensive
- No magazine
The Bottom Line
In a world filled with AR-15s under $1,000, it’s easy to see why some would hesitate to spend double that. The Geissele Super Duty is a premium rifle, though, and based on our experiences, it’s totally worth it.
The reliability, durability, and accuracy are overall influences weighing in on that distinction, but some key features factor in too.
Specs & Features
Specs
- Caliber: 5.56mm
- Capacity: Varies by magazine
- Action: Semi-automatic
- Length: 33.75” – 37” (adjustable buttstock)
- Barrel Length: 16”
- Height: 7”
- Width: 2.5” (buttstock)
- Weight: 6 lbs. 14.5 oz.
Features
- Geissele Nanoweapon coating
- SSA-E X w/Lightning Bow trigger
- Stress proof Bolt
Specification Source: Geissele
Pew Pew Tactical readers use the code “SUPERDUTY” to save $100 off your purchase of a Super Duty at Brownells!
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Background
Bill Geissele started making upgrades for guns when he couldn’t find what he wanted already for sale.
His efforts started small but ultimately grew into a company supplying a lot of SOCOM operators because of the focus on quality.
Breaking the trend of being just an accessory company, in 2019, Geissele announced they were creating their first full rifle.
The Super Duty they released was only sold to law enforcement and designed for patrol use, not SWAT. Not long after, they released a civilian version of the Super Duty.
Who Is It For?
There are a couple of walks of life who will truly appreciate the Super Duty. Because it is expensive, you really have to weigh whether this is the right gun for you.
Most people won’t even shoot average AR-15s enough to push their durability into the championship rounds. The Super Duty is built to keep trucking well beyond that, so heavy users would be well advised to shop Geissele.
Additionally, those who simply want a premium AR-15 and have the cheddar required to make it happen may splurge and treat themselves.
Fit & Feel
The gun feels like a refined member of the AR-15 class. It is solid, with good mating between upper and lower and no flex between the upper and rail.
Despite being robust, it is also light, coming in at 6 pounds 14.5 ounces before optics were added.
The buttstock and grip are two of the biggest factors in terms of ergonomics. Its Enhanced Sopmod from B5 has great shelves for cheek weld and a good pad to grip your shoulder pocket.
The Geissele grip is more angled in the 45-degree fashion, not closer to the 90-degree angles some companies are using. It was comfortable to me and had a good texture.
Its rail is in that Goldilocks size category of not being too big in diameter or too small.
And we can’t forget about its looks. The appearance of the 40mm green is very distinguished, and little touches like the “G” on the bottom of the trigger guard add to the effect.
How Does It Shoot?
The Super Duty looks good and runs extremely well. Trying different drills, I engaged multiple targets at different distances, and the rifle proved fast and accurate.
During testing, we ran 500 rounds of 55-grain FMJ Omusha and another 100 rounds of mixed brands through the Super Duty (and two different magazine brands). It fed, fired, and ejected with 100% reliability.
At no point while running the SSA-E X trigger did I find it wanting. This translated well to speed in particular, as the trigger would probably go even faster than my best efforts — until the gun got so hot my hand needed a break.
During accuracy testing, I was able to pull the trigger back to the wall, settle my scope, and then break the shot. This improved the performance.
The model tested had a 16-inch cold hammer forged, chrome-lined, manganese phosphate coated barrel with a 1-7 twist.
Another noteworthy observation was the soft recoil impulse thanks to the Geissele length gas system (between mid-length and rifle length) and super compact gas block.
Part of this soft and reliable function can also be attributed to Geissele’s Super 42 buffer spring combined with their H2 buffer.
Of course, we have to talk about accuracy. I zeroed at 50 yards with the intention of pushing out to 100 for MOA. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get to that distance, but at 50 yards, the Super Duty delivered 1-inch groups.
This was accomplished using the Primary Arms SLx 1-10 and placing the rifle in a CTK Precision gun rest. The ammo used was 55-grain FMJ by Omusha.
Notably, a previous Super Duty I had tested shot an average .85-inch groups proned out on asphalt, balanced only on the magazine.
What Sets It Apart?
There are a number of things that make the Super Duty stand out. One is Geissele Nanoweapon, a durable solid lubricant that has some fascinating properties.
This stuff protects the underlying metal while having a hardness of its own that is similar to synthetic diamonds. Imagine the Terminator T-1000.
Another key point about the Super Duty is the individual parts are a who’s who of AR-15 upgrades. Many people have installed these in their own guns over the years, but in the Super Duty, they come standard.
By The Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
It did well in our testing with no hiccups. I have run in the neighborhood of 10,000 rounds through an original Super Duty and have had no issues. It’s that good.
Ergonomics: 5/5
Everything about this gun is ergonomically on point. It feels great while shouldering.
Accuracy: 5/5
Worth noting that we were only able to test at 50 yards at our range, but it performed well.
Customization: 5/5
This is an upper-tier AR-15 and, as such, is one of the most customizable guns on the planet. Between the Picatinny rail and MLOK on the fore-end, you can mount accessories to your heart’s desire.
Value: 4/5
There are a lot of options for AR-15s on the market, but the Super Duty falls into the upper echelon because of its accuracy, durability, and reliability. Still, it costs around $2,000, depending on color and model.
Overall: 5/5
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Upgrades for Geissele Super Duty
In this case, we mounted a Primary Arms SLx 1-10 LPVO. This unit provided excellent service and allowed us to handle up close targets, but also really reach out to greater distances.
Although we only tested to 50 yards, we were so zoomed in that we could easily see our hits on target. With this setup, we added a Holosun on an Arisaka Defense 45-degree offset mount.
This allowed me to leave the LPVO dialed out to distance and quickly engage closer targets without dialing magnification.
By simply canting to the side, I picked up that enormous 32 MOA ring and delivered medicine to all deserving targets.
Final Verdict
The Geissele Super Duty is a premium rifle that will provide years of accurate service and do so reliably. Keep it relatively clean, and it may shock you with what it is capable of enduring.
I’ve had the distinct pleasure of testing three different models over the last four years, and they have all been stellar.
Many people won’t understand why you might pay this much for an AR-15, but if you’ve ever gotten into a really nice car — like a Cadillac or Mercedes — it doesn’t take too long to see the value of premium materials and performance.
Granted, there are Honda Accords everywhere that provide reliable service…but they don’t look, perform, or feel the same.
This rifle is worth saving your pennies for.
Would you spend extra for a Geissele Super Duty? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide: 11 Best AR-15s, a complete guide to different categories!
22 Leave a Reply
Is that a misprint? One inch groups at 50 yards from a high end scoped AR on a rest is terrible. I'm sure it's the crap ammo they used. Seems pretty unprofessional to write an article about a high end gun and then only use cheap ammo and shoot at 50 yards. If you don't have access to match grade ammo and a 100 yd range you should probably hold off on doing the article until you do.
Not only would I but I DID - - - Best trigger I have ever used but what you expect "IT IS A GEISSELE!!"
Thanks for the review. I'm new to P.P.T. and I love the site. My question: Are the lowers multi-caliber ? Brownells sells the lower only and I wonder if they can be used for a .308 build. Thanks.
Its a very nice rifle, no doubt about that. But the price of $1975.00 is a little too steep for me in the aspect that I've built and have equal quality and comparable reliable tack drivers for 30% - 40% less with careful shopping. However, I do like it.
If you keep your eyes open during sale periods, you can pick these up for 30% less. Over labor day The Luna black 14.5 inch superduty was available for $1500
First off, nice article. Secondly, just wow. Why is there so much hate from the peanut gallery. The article was very clear in that this weapon is "not for everybody" and that most will never push hard enough to see durability benefits. To me, the greatest benefit to living in this country is "each to their own". Like down here in South Florida and the guys driving hugely lifted F250's with almost slick/no sidewall tires on massive anodized red wheels that have never seen a trailer or a dirt road. Silly to me but not to the owner, it is what he likes and wants to spend his money on. Why in the world does everyone have to be so opinionated and convinced that their perspective is the only correct perspective. Anyway, nice article and if I had the extra pennies, I would probably buy one of the lovely rifles myself.
Thanks Mark! Some brands prove more divisive than others and that's okay. This is an introductory look at the Super Duty and was by no means an exhaustive test. Even so, people are going to weigh in on something that expensive. Sometimes it's tribalism or brand loyalty, other times it's a simple equation of function versus cost. I don't look at it as hate, but a healthy discussion. And you're right, we are lucky to have the choice to buy or not, and flame certain products, or not!
For your accuracy test, why didn't you fire some heavier rounds through the 1/7 twist barrel?
Also, both Daniel Defense and Palmetto State Armory both put their rifles through some "through hell" tests and both came out the other side still able to lay down lead. Both cost less than that Geissle, PSA ALOT less, what differences and how much of a difference is the Geissle showing that the other two did not? As you said, most folks are not going to come close to putting a low end to average rifle to it's threshold.
Fair point Christian, all I had for this test was a couple different brands of 55 grain. I typically like to establish zero and shoot a full 100 yards for MOA with a wider variety of ammo but it wasn't in the cards. The 1/7 twist does lend itself to a heavier round to be certain.
I'm also leaning partially on my testing and ownership of a Super Duty I've had for a few years. As indicated, I was able to achieve .85 MOA and have several thousand rounds through it but this particular review was by no means an endurance test.
Hell no. It's nice that it's reliable, but so are a bunch of others that cost a third of the price or even less. A nice trigger, but you can buy great triggers, single stage and two stage for $100-$200. My Colt will shoot 1 MOA or less at 100-120 yards and it was a third of the price. And it came with a magazine. My trigger is a two stage three pound from LaRue, $100. Scope is a Vortex. Using the same target in the article, I shot (5) 3-shot groups at 120 yards, 3 of which are 1 MOA, and 1 that is .5 MOA. The fifth is a 2 MOA vertical string. Just what is it you are getting for all that extra cash except the Geissele name? I have a Radical brand AR15 that you can get 4-5 of for the price of a single Geissele, and it also came with B5 furniture, 1-7 twist, full auto BCG, and M-Loc full float hand guard. Oh, it also came with a magazine.
The only Colts I’ve seen in the price range you suggested was their Expanse rifles, which appear to be pretty basic, and dropping in a nice trigger puts you at closer to half than a “third.” Most full Colt rifles are over $1000, with some approaching the price of the Super Duty.
I get it Bill. I made clear most people don't shoot enough to really justify a purchase like this. I'm a fan of Radical too, might make for an interesting comparison...
For the price, why not just buy the Sig MCX Virtus Patrol rifle?
It's proven, has a foldable stock, uses the much cleaner piston vs. direct impingement design, etc.
Hey Jim, that's not a bad idea. We are fortunate to have so many options.
What sets it apart is LUBRICANT? WTF? What actual design or material differences are there from something half or one quarter the price?
Reliability and longevity, just for starters. You aren’t getting a duty-grade rifle for $500. Geissele is expensive, but there are others that are even more so (LMT, KAC), and they are still in high demand. If you really want to know why, do the research.
This article justifies nothing. "Reliability" and "longevity" are just abstract WORDS. What specific design difference, what specific steel or reinforcement, what particular tolerances, etc. does it offer for the price? No meaningful information is given. So, why read the article at all? I can "do the research" without having wasted my time here.
OK, so your critique is with the article. Fair point; your comment just sounded like someone who thought his BCA or PSA was just as good as a DD, Geissele, or LMT.
If you ever have the chance to run their enhanced bcg (350ish) you'll understand very quickly why it's well worth it.
Best and easiest to clean bcg I've ever used.
I love my super duty. (I swapped a normal ssa-e for the factory installed lightning bow version. ) and installed a bcm comp/flash hider and couldn't be happier.
I love my 14.5 inch 40 mm green superduty. Going to buy a superduty for my son. I’m really glad PPT did this review. It’s been a long time coming.
Thanks Cal.
I do agree that we need a follow on article with more data (longer range accuracy, heavier ammo, specs).