Palmetto State Armory took the Netflix approach to gun manufacturing. They started by producing and selling someone else’s design, the AR-15 and various AR build kits. Over time, they evolved to produce 1911 clones, AKs, and even Glock clones. Netflix now produces its own original content, and PSA produces a library of its own designs. The rifle design leading their origin design charge is the JAKL.
The JAKL started as a super short .300 Blackout design that has morphed into a 5.56 rifle, and PSA recently teased a .308 variant. I followed the design at a distance and had a chance to meet the designer and discuss the rifle with him over the years. I believe the first time the public got to fire the JAKL was at a PSA Gathering event I attended.
The JAKL runs wild across the gun industry, and PSA loaned us one of the latest models for testing and review.
PSA JAKL 14.5″ SUREFIRE WARCOMP MUZZLE DEVICE
Live Inventory Price Checker
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PSA JAKL 14.5" Rifle Length 5.56 1:7 Nitride Surefire WarComp Muzzle Device MOE SL EPT F5 Stock Rifle, FDE | Palmetto State Armory | $ 1299.99 |
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PSA JAKL Knurled Charging Handle - ODG | Palmetto State Armory | $ 34.99 |
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PSA JAKL Knurled Charging Handle - ODG | Palmetto State Armory | $ 34.99 |
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PSA Upper JAKL, 10.5" 5.56 NATO 1:7 Nitride, With BCG and Lower Build Kit, JAKL Smoke MOE EPT w/ Brace, Black | Palmetto State Armory | $ 899.99 |
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The JAKL Inside and Out
The first JAKL rifles were large format pistols, often wearing braces. Our model is all rifle. It’s a 14.5-inch barrel that PSA pinned and welded a Surefire WARCOMP that brings it to 16 inches. As a proper 5.56 rifle, it wears a stock and not a brace.
PSA crossed an AR-15 with an AK to make the JAKL. That might be a little bit of an oversimplification. The JAKL uses a long-stroke gas piston system just like the AK. Unlike the AK, it doesn’t follow the design philosophy of a post-WW2 Soviet submachine gun. The layout is modern and takes major cues from the AR-15, namely the lower.
The JAKL uppers can use standard AR-15 MILSPEC lowers with two slight changes. The stock adapter presents an obvious difference, but we must also use a proprietary bolt catch when mounting the JAKL upper to an AR lower. PSA sells the bolt catch, so it’s not a big deal if you already have a lower you’d like to use.
We get an adjustable gas system along with the long-stroke gas piston system. You can tune the gas system between different settings to accommodate suppressors, a filthy dirty weapon, or maybe even your ammo selection. If you use steel-cased .223, you might want to tune it to a more open setting to ensure reliability. Steelcase .223 tends to be lower powered, and the steel case doesn’t expand to create a good gas seal.
Running suppressors make sense, and the pinned and welded Surefire WARCOMP can utilize the Surefire SOCOM suppressors. You’re limited to that suppressor due to the semi-permanent nature of the muzzle device, so plan accordingly.
Throwing the JAKL Up
The JAKL’s lower ergonomics match those of an AR. The AR’s dominance of the market makes it easy to customize the controls with ambi safeties, larger magazine releases, and whatever trigger you want. AR ergonomics provides an intuitive system of controls most of us are used to.
The upper swaps things up. It’s a monolithic design, and monolithic is always the superior option for rails. Monolithic uppers provide the longest optics rail possible, allowing for superior optics placement and laser use by eliminating rotational and bend issues when firing. This rail is thick and feels strong and durable.
The JAKL does away with the AR-type charging handle for a side charging design. The charging handle can be swapped from the left to the right side. It’s positioned right above the barrel for easy and quick reach. Thankfully, the design does not reciprocate, but on the flip side can’t be used as a forward assist.
PSA didn’t hold back with the stock. It’s very reminiscent of an ACR/SCAR stock, and I love it. Not only does the stock offer you a collapsing and foldable design, but the cheek rest can be risen and locked into place. It plays very well with optics.
Spittin’ Lead
I topped the JAKL with a Monstrum LPVO that I’m also testing. My first shots were zeroing that optic, which served as a great measure of the rifle’s accuracy. At 100 yards, I was able to produce 1.75 to 2-inch groups with PSA’s own AAC Sabre 62-grain ammo. That’s not terrible. With cheaper ammo types, namely Tula 55 grain steel cased crap, the group opened up to about 2.5 to 2.7-inches. If you got some premium grade 5.56, I’m betting you could tighten those groups up.
The JAKL isn’t a 1 MOA gun, but it exceeds a rack-grade AR-15. The trigger is a better-than-MILSPEC design. It’s smooth and feels nice, but it wouldn’t be mistaken for a custom drop-in trigger design. The stock and cheek weld provides a nice view through the scope, and it’s super comfy.
Driving back to 200 yards, which is as far as I can go, I was ringing a steel IPSC target with boring consistency. I got out of the prone and worked the traditional rifleman positions. The heavy front end helps with stabilization and locks the gun into your hands. Hitting a target at 200 yards in the prone is fun, but doing the same thing in the standing is satisfying.
Going Fast
Up close, I dialed the optic back to 1X and ran a series of modified Bill Drills, close-range transition drills, and failure-to-stop drills. The recoil impulse comes out to be light and easily controllable. The adjustable gas system and long-stroke gas piston better deliver a light recoil impulse.
The WARCOMP does a good job of reducing muzzle rise, and the gun remains flat with minimal reticle movement between shots. I imagine the front-heavy design also contributes to the gun’s distinct lack of noticeable muzzle rise.
I could feel the piston movement in some rested positions, but it’s not a problem when you start shooting offhand and use proper recoil mitigation techniques. When you get up close, you can go fast, and make the most of that front weight. It’s a weapon that’s easy to use to score some impressive times. I shot a sub-two-second Bill Drill from the low ready and walked away grinning.
Anything with a long-stroke gas piston tends to get hot around the piston, which tends to heat up the handguard. Shoot a mag through an AK quickly, and you’ll know what I mean. That isn’t a problem here. That hefty handguard eats heat. The gun was still plenty comfy to pick up and carry.
The Howl of the JAKL
The JAKL had no problems cycling through several hundred rounds of Tula steel and plenty of PSA’s own Sabre ammo. We reached a little over five hundred rounds without a malfunction. I adjusted the gas between the two loads or mostly changed the gas system. Swapping from a mag of steel to a mag of Sabre ammo without paying attention led to that over-gassed feeling, but it was still shootable, just a little gassy.
At 1,300 dollars, the JAKL doesn’t fall into the budget category but is still one of the cheaper AR alternatives. Guns like the SCAR are two to three times as expensive. Fairly priced seems to be the right way to describe it. PSA’s JAKL offers an alternative to those bored with AR-15s. The JAKL offers a superior suppressed platform. The JAKL encapsulates the best parts of the AR with some innovative alternative features. Sometimes ARs get boring, and if you want something a little different the JAKL has you covered.
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s instructor.
I wonder if they’d offer an 18 or 20 inch barreled upper as a future option?
No shortage of ” shortys”,sbr candidates and braced pistol options, and I do like them..but I also appreciate the 5.56 in the longer barrel options to stretch its legs and velocity
In reference to the 2nd pic from behind the blue barrel, you need to learn to shoot left handed, too much body is in the open.
PSA is becoming The Arsenal Of The Republic.
Love what they do- you cant buy a PSA Product from Smith and Wesson but you can buy a Smith and Wesson from PSA.
America!
Wish they would do a cz-75 clone or offer aftermarket parts, cz parts are scarce!
I wonder what kind of barrel it has. Is it one of the FN cold hammer forged chrome lined ones PSA always talks about using? Or some generic nitride finished barrel?
And Garand Thumb’s just creepy. If you know you know, and if you don’t… Well, maybe you’d better not look up his scandal… It’s gross.
“but on the flip side can’t be used as a forward assist.”
This is not a negative. Forward assist should go the way of the dodo bird. If you need to hammer a round into the chamber, something is wrong. Stop, fix the issue.