Palmetto State Armory has just lately launched the Guardsman collection of AR-15 rifles. The Guardsman collection goals to occupy the slot between a fundamental PSA AR and the Sabre collection. It’s a worth proposition to acquire an inexpensive platform with a excessive diploma of brilliance within the fundamentals. These radically new AR-15s are a brand new style for PSA to eek their approach into the world of inexpensive, defense-grade firearms.
I bought hands-on with the Guardsman AR pistol with the basic 10.3-inch barrel. This micro-sized AR pistol is simply concerning the excellent dimension for residence protection use, and is the right size to pair with a suppressor for when issues go bump within the night time. I’ve hooked up a Holosun optic and a Streamlight gentle to create a reasonably fundamental, however competent residence protection firearm.
The Guardsman Sequence
What makes a Guardsman collection AR-15? These AR-15s characteristic a chrome-lined 4150 metal barrel with a phosphate end. The barrel is topped with a easy flash suppressor we’ve seen on AR-15s for many years. The barrel is surrounded by PSA’s new Guardsman Hex M-LOK free float rail. The rail gives you an extra M-LOK slot on the higher fringe of the M-LOK rail. On this pistol, it’s a 9-inch rail.
The rail options anti-rotation tabs. The rifle variants characteristic Magpul furnishings, and the pistol collection comes with a HAR-15 brace. The set off guard and pistol grip are Magpul choices. PSA put in an ambidextrous security selector, however that ends any new ambidextrous controls.
Reside Stock Value Checker
The BCG is PSA’s new Enhanced BVG with SpringCo gasoline rings. They’re high-pressure examined and magnetic particle inspected. PSA put in a brand new Guardsman flat bow single-stage set off to high issues off. This rifle makes use of a carbine-length gasoline system with a pinned low-profile gasoline block.
It’s not a radical departure from the usual AR lineup, just a few chosen adjustments to enhance the rifle’s total perform. There additionally isn’t an enormous change within the value level, with this pistol variant retailing for lower than 600 {dollars}.
The Guardsman collection offers you an incredible base platform to improve as you see match, with a lot of the extra frequent upgrades already in place.
On the Vary
The Guardsman AR pistol is provided with a easy 2 MOA purple dot, which appears acceptable for the sort of AR-15 pistol. I used M855 at 100 yards with the gun rested in a Zeiss tripod. After a 50/200-yard zero, I went to 100 yards and tried to see what sort of accuracy I may get out of this fun-sized AR.
With M855, I used to be in a position to create 4.5-inch teams at my greatest. That’s pretty commonplace for M855, and for me, that’s completely superb on the sub-600 greenback value level. I didn’t have something near match grade to check accuracy, however for funds shooters, the M855 is probably going going to be their go-to follow spherical.
The flat-faced set off is sort of good. It’s gentle and quick, and I’m a fan of flat-faced triggers. The gun lets you shoot shortly and precisely throughout the 10.3’s specialty zone, which tends to be close-range firepower.
With a magnified optic, higher ammo, and most significantly, a greater shooter, these teams would shrink significantly.
A Little Sooner
At 50 yards, I did some fast ready-up drills at 50 yards. From this vary, I may put a single spherical in an 8-inch circle in 1.5 seconds. It took just a few warmups to attain this, and I used to be wishing my dot was slightly larger, however it’s completely achievable.
I additionally did slightly offhand sluggish fireplace into the identical ten-inch goal, 5 rounds at a time, aiming for lower than one second per spherical after the primary spherical was fired. I had no issues hitting the goal with each shot fired. It wasn’t a braggable group and was roughly the scale of my hand.
Double-tapping into the identical 8-inch circle targets at 25 yards was a blast and many simple. It’s very satisfying to see these rounds hit proper subsequent to one another and a blast to get it underneath a second.
Going Quick With the Guardsman
I’m not uber aware of tremendous quick AR-15s and anticipated this gun to be slightly extra gasy. All of my taking pictures was outdoor, and I didn’t detect any gasoline to the face to make my eyes water. A suppressor would possibly change that, however with no can, it was superb.
At shut vary, I shot a Invoice Drill, which is six rounds at seven yards into an IPSC A-Zone. My first run was 1.85 seconds from the low prepared and continued to shrink. Recoil was controllable with out a lot muzzle rise to talk of. The impulse was clean and pleasing.
Must you misuse the brace, you’ll discover out why it’s referred to as a balde. Even with the sunshine recoil of a 5.56 cartridge, the brace will get irritating about 30 rounds in.
I shot quite a few drills from quite a few ranges. I did slightly shoot-and-move, used cowl, and shot from kneeling and low-kneeling positions. The Guardsman, with its 10.3-inch barrel, is straightforward to maneuver and quick and candy. Capturing issues just like the VTAC 1-5 drill feels clean and pure.
When reloading, the light-weight, quick nature of the rifle makes it tremendous simple to carry up in all types of positions. Standing is at all times simple, however behind cowl and in several positions is usually a little difficult with bigger rifles. That’s not the case right here.
The handguard stays surprisingly cool, even throughout lengthy strings of fireplace and lengthy days on the vary. I by no means desired a glove, even after dumping a Magpul D-60 in varied close-range, rapid-fire drills.
Ammo and Reliability
I used the included P-MAG, in addition to some low cost ETS magazines, a Daniel Protection DD32, an older ETS journal, and eventually a D-60 drum. I had just a few malfunctions with one of many low cost ETS magazines; it could fail to load the primary spherical when absolutely loaded, however I assume that’s what a six-dollar journal will get you. It grew to become my reload drill journal.
I shot principally M855, and 90 rounds of some previous Tula I dug up. I had no ammo malfunctions, however I forgot how soiled Tula ammo will be.
The Little Fella
The little Guardsman is a superb SBR candidate and well-suited for indoor self-defense. It’s sufficiently small to be maneuverable and even simple sufficient to wield with a single hand. The Guardsman collection seems to be an incredible starter rifle at an incredible value level. It doesn’t want a lot to be operable, and a lightweight and optic high to it off fairly properly.
What do you consider the Guardsman? Or of tremendous quick AR-type pistols and rifles? I’m getting an increasing number of acquainted with ultra-small ARs and coming to see the sunshine. (My coronary heart nonetheless resides with the basic 20-inch barrel.)
About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms fanatic, and now an everyday man who likes to shoot, write, and discover methods to mix the 2. He holds an NRA certification as a Fundamental Pistol Teacher and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s teacher.
