When you’re something like me, you may agree that the early GWOT period had a timeless and distinctive aesthetic aptitude that rivals every other interval in our army’s historical past.
Removed from being pores and skin deep, the weapons of the period matched old-school machining with quickly progressing know-how to supply weapons and equipment which can be merely iconic. One has to look no additional than the burgeoning cloner group, slavishly attentive to each element, and prepared to pay astronomical costs for components. $2,000 for a KAC URXii? Yep.. all day.
So, when Palmetto State Armory launched its Sabre line of firearms, the Sabre-10 being at present’s topic, many budget-oriented collectors had been thrilled on the “impressed by” lineup. Word: PSA does now have these, and others, listed beneath a “clone” heading on their website.
At present we’re wanting on the Sabre-10, a near-clone of the enduring M110 rifle. Whereas approximating the design of KAC’s wunderbeast, the Sabre-10 lacks a pair key parts. Let’s cowl what the Sabre-10 does carry to the desk, earlier than contrasting it to the m110, and eventually attending to hands-on taking pictures.
Sabre-10 Tech Specs:
Barrel Size: 20″ Fluted
Gasoline System: Rifle-Size
Barrel Metal: 4150 CRMOV
Barrel End: Nitride
Muzzle Thread: 5/8×24
Chamber: .308
Twist Fee: 1:10
Diameter at Gasoline Block: .750
Gasoline Block Kind: Picatinny Adjustable Gasoline Block – Pinned
Muzzle Gadget: Sabre Compensator
Receiver Materials: Billet 7075
Receiver Kind: T-Marked
Hand Guard Kind: 12.5″ Quad
Bolt Service Group: Sabre AR-10 BCG with Sprinco Gasoline Rings, Sprinco Ejector Spring, Sprinco Extractor Spring, and OCK’s Gasoline Key Fasteners
Bolt Metal: 9310
BCG End: Onerous Chrome End
Charging Deal with: Radian Raptor LT
Decrease Materials: 7075 with In-built Ambi-Bolt Launch
Takedown/Pivot Pin: Battle Arms Growth AR-10
Set off: Sabre Two-Stage Black DLC Coated
Buffer:Rifle Size AR-10
Buffer Spring: AR-10 Rifle Size Spring
Security: Radian Talon 45/90 Security
Pistol Grip: Sabre Grip
Inventory: A1 Inventory
End: Black
Furnishings Coloration: Black
The place To Purchase
So, a pair factors of observe. The Sabre-10 is obtainable in FDE and black, .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor, and in billet and solid varieties. The billet (my model) has an SR-25 type receiver rear minimize, whereas the cast has a extra typical rounded rear minimize. The Sabre-10 makes use of a proprietary peak rail, differing from the DPMS low, DPMS excessive/SR25, and the Armalite AR-10 peak rails. The Sabre-10 does use a DPMS Gen 1/LR-308 commonplace barrel extension.
The fuel block, whereas visually much like the genuine m110 piece, is totally different in two methods. First, PSA’s fuel block is adjustable, having a useful knob to vary the 7 fuel settings. Second, the true m110 fuel block acts as a suppressor mount as effectively, along with the m110 flash hider as a second level of contact. Conversely, the Sabre-10 has a 3 pronged compensator, with every prong a special size to stop the tuning fork impact.
A couple of options value mentioning: The Sabre grip is aggressively textured, and really comfy. The Sabre set off is a two-stage affair, and I prefer it as a lot as any Geissele I’ve owned. The takedown pins are from Battle Arms Growth, and make breaking the receivers aside simpler than ever. The charging deal with is a PSA branded Radian Raptor-LT, a wonderful ambi-lever design.
Whereas missing in full ambi-controls, the Sabre-10 does have an ambi-safety, and bolt launch (however not bolt cease!).
The Sabre-10 is available in at over 10lbs of heft earlier than you’ve added an optic, suppressor, or a full magazine. When you’re anticipating a light-weight gun, regulate expectations.
Backside line, earlier than I hit the vary my impressions had been fairly rattling constructive. Match and end seems to be glorious, from the selection of furnishings and equipment, to the main points just like the OCK’s fasteners securing the fuel key to the bolt provider. I’ve excessive hopes going ahead, however there’s work to be performed earlier than I belief a gun.
Vary Days With The Sabre-10:
I figured a becoming optic for the Sabre-10 can be the 5-25x FFP (discontinued) PSA scope. With quite a lot of ammo and mags from three totally different producers, I hit the vary. I grabbed a fast zero at 25 yards, earlier than getting some 5-round teams at 50 yards and 100 yards to see how the gun appreciated totally different manufacturers of ammo.
Teams ranged from ~.6 MOA (Winchester 168gr Match) to 1.8 MOA. The larger teams positively occurred after I began selecting up the tempo, however the gun hovered round 1 MOA all day lengthy after I wasn’t dashing issues. That is fairly corresponding to my Remington 700 AAC-SD (Timney match set off). The Sabre-10 completely cherished the Winchester Match 168gr, much less so the Norma 168gr SMK.
The set off is unquestionably spectacular. This needs to be bought as a standalone choice.
I actually just like the fuel block’s adjustment. Once I pulled the muzzle system off and swapped in an AAC 51-tooth mount for my 762sdn-6 suppressor, it got here in useful. I guessed at a further 2 clicks of fuel discount, and the bolt saved biking nice, and I wasn’t gassed out.
Recoil may be very gentle, owing partially to the numerous weight of the gun, and likewise to the adjustable fuel block for conserving bolt provider velocity in examine
Feels like every part went nice, however not fairly. I had some failure-to-feed points, however the spherical truly did feed. The extractor wasn’t grabbing the lip of the case, requiring me to slam the bolt residence just a few occasions earlier than it did so. After firing, the extractor wasn’t doing its job effectively both, leaving brass within the chamber and inflicting a double feed.
I took the bolt aside for inspection. Whereas every element seemed correct and was assembled appropriately, there was a brutal quantity of pressure on the extractor when in comparison with the 2 different LR308 bolts I had useful. I swapped in a Younger Nationwide Match chrome plated bolt, and the gun ran flawlessly. I’ll be returning the bolt to PSA to be fastened/changed.
Since then, I’ve had the gun out just a few extra occasions. I’ve burned via a pair hundred extra rounds of match ammo, and a few of my surplus M80 ball ammo. The gun does every part I would like it to (with the brand new bolt). If I miss, that’s my miss and I can’t blame the gun. It’s loads simpler to coach and to enhance while you’ve eliminated the variables from ammo, optic, and gun as a lot as doable.
Epilogue:
However the place do I’m going from right here? Effectively, I purchased this rifle with the intent of proving that an m110 semi-clone could be become an m110 mostly-clone. I’ve an m110 barrel from Rainier Arms on the best way, with an HTX Ideas m110 fuel block, in addition to a Griffin Armament MGL-110 (m110 suitable) suppressor via the Griffin Armament/Capitol Armory “Silencers To Your Door” program. Together with including an A2 grip, KAC panels, and a pair different particulars, this may carry the Sabre-10 to a fair nearer diploma of authenticity. I actually have a slew of optics inbound, trying to replicate the Leupold Mark 4 scope at a decreased value. Keep tuned to see the way it shoots…
The Finish, So Far…
The venerable .308 Winchester has been round for a very long time, and is a identified amount. The PSA Sabre-10 is a comparatively newer rifle, solely a pair years previous at this level. I just like the rifle loads, the difficulty with the extractor lip the lone blot on the Sabre-10’s document. If I didn’t have a spare useful, I’d in all probability be much more bothered by the wait to have it fastened. Palmetto State Armory is understood for having teething pains after a brand new gun is launched, and it seems to be like my years of dodging the few QC points that pop up is over.
What I’ve proper now although, is an efficient .308 giant body rifle, able to delivering stable accuracy out to distances I can seldom even see right here within the mountains of NW Oregon. The reliability situation has been snuffed out and I’m proud of what’s left. The PSA Sabre-10 as pictured runs $1,249.99, and comes with one magazine. I’m completely happy the place it’s at, however I nonetheless have massive plans for the rifle’s future modifications.
–Jens “Rex Nanorum” Hammer
@Rexnanorum
