Estimated studying time: 10 minutes
I’m usually torn on bullpup rifles. A part of me sees the attraction, particularly for one thing like dwelling protection. It’s quick, well-balanced, and simple to make use of with one hand. In navy arms, they appear well-suited for mechanized infantry, however they’ve many downsides. Most bullpup rifles are usually costly, powerful to seek out, and have their challenges. What a few conversion package to rework a rifle that already exists right into a bullpup? The Triad Modular Bullpup Chassis guarantees to just do that.
It’s a quasi-AR design. It makes use of an AR decrease receiver, particularly a typical MIL-SPEC decrease with a detachable set off guard. Because of the receiver extension and buffer design, you may’t use your typical AR higher. The Triad package works with so-called ‘bufferless’ uppers or uppers with alternate buffer designs. It really works with the BRN 180, the PSA JAKL, the Matador Arms uppers, and the Foxtrot Mike FM-15 uppers.
The Triad package is available in pistol and rifle designs. The pistol variants are basically arm pistols, like these pioneered by Bushmaster so a few years in the past. The rifles are, effectively, rifles with correct shares. A3 Tactical despatched me the BRN-180 package, and whereas every is essentially the identical, there are some small {hardware} variations between the higher designs.
Putting in the Triad Chassis
The Triad Chassis is surprisingly straightforward to put in. You’ll want to put in a stripped decrease and a bolt catch. Aside from that, the package comes with all the mandatory goodies, together with a proprietary journal launch and an AT3 set off. It took me about an hour to get all the things put in appropriately. I admittedly took my time and ensured I adopted the instructions to a T.
All you want is a sequence of Allen keys. There may be nothing troublesome, and the directions are straightforward to observe. It comes with all the things you must arrange the system apart from a bolt lock and decrease receiver.
I ran right into a snag with the BRN-180 higher. It turned out I had a uncommon early mannequin with a small tab on the handguard. This prevented the higher from sitting appropriately on the decrease. I needed to reduce away a portion of the linkage cowl, however that wasn’t troublesome. My higher is the correct rifle variant with the 18.5-inch barrel, in order you’d think about, the size of the gun modified mightily by turning the gun right into a bullpup.
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Snapping In
Because of the radically completely different design, your face now rests on the optics rail, or not less than most of it. The package comes with a rubberized pad that means that you can relaxation your face on the higher with out getting raked. A3 tactical included a modular carry deal with/optics rail. The modular half means that you can select the peak. I went with the low mount since I deliberate to make use of AR peak optics anyway.
This creates a less-than-optimum design the place the carry deal with is bridged to the handguard. With my setup, the carry deal with sits half on the optics rail and half on the handguard. This creates a less-than-optimum bridged optic setup.
This isn’t an issue for programs just like the PSA JAKL and FM-15, which have a monolithic higher receiver. On the BRN 180, the higher isn’t monolithic, so the handguard strikes when fired, even when it’s not noticeable. The chassis package connects to the handguard at a devoted level, so maybe that helps restrict and stop motion. Not like a typical handguard, it’s not on the market within the wind however supported by the chassis.
Nonetheless, I used to be curious to see if the bridged optic would have an effect on accuracy on the vary. I outfitted my BRN 180-infused Triad with a Holosun 510C optic and a SIG Juliet3 micro magnifier.
Ergonomics of the Triad
The JAKL and FM-15 package would additionally seemingly have higher ergonomics than the Triad. One of many issues with the BRN-180 is the dog-leg charging deal with on the precise facet. As a rifle, it’s superb, however in a bullpup package, the charging deal with is hard to succeed in for a right-handed shooter. The JAKL and FM-15 function charging handles above the barrel and are reversible.
The proprietary journal launch creates an ambidextrous design. We’ve a typical journal launch and an extra button that’s very well-placed and simple to activate. On the left facet, this large button means that you can seize the journal and hit it on the similar time. Reloads are surprisingly quick for a bullpup, and muscle reminiscence was consuming its creatine on the vary as a result of I figured it out in a short time.
You possibly can select to depart the AR-style security put in, however it’s not obligatory. You possibly can have two security gadgets in the event you select, however the Triad supplies one. The Triad package has an ambidextrous security system above its set off on the chassis. The package additionally comes with a brief and lengthy inventory portion to assist you to regulate the LOP as you see match. I went with the lengthy inventory.
Triad To The Vary
I loaded up the BRN 180 and Triad combo and hit the vary. The rifle feels fairly snug and shoulders properly. The mushy rubber cheek relaxation is kind of cozy and permits for an important sight image with the optics on the carry deal with. My first pictures concerned zeroing the optics, which didn’t take a lot effort.
I did study fairly rapidly that I needed to watch my grip. My hand naturally fell the place the fuel system met the piston. Each shot resulted in a little bit of fuel hitting my hand. It wasn’t painful, however you are feeling it, and it’s a little bit of a shock. The repair was straightforward, so I moved my hand a bit of additional ahead, and wa-la, the issue disappeared.
Zeroing was not a problem, and I fired three affirmation teams to see if the bridged optics rail was an issue. It didn’t appear to be. My zero was finished at 50 yards, and I stepped again to 200 yards to substantiate. I loved hitting a 10-inch gong at 200 yards from a very good kneeling place. Possibly with a precision magnified optic and a small goal, I’d see some accuracy points with the bridged optic, however with a pink dot and magnifier, it really works simply superb.
Going Quick
The Triad package has an attention-grabbing recoil impulse. You’re feeling extra of the ‘kick’ portion of recoil. In a 5.56, it doesn’t matter. The recoil is insignificant, however it’s greater than the everyday 5.56 rifle, if that is sensible. The muzzle rise portion of the recoil disappears with the novel rebalancing of the rifle.
It handles like a freaking laser beam. A Invoice Drill is very easy to shoot with this setup. The dearth of muzzle rise makes the gun beautifully straightforward to manage. Simply pull it tight into your shoulder and pull the set off as quick as you need, and the gun barely strikes.
Reloads with a bullpup will all the time be a bit trickier and slower than the reloads from a typical rifle. Nonetheless, I used to be impressed by how fast and simple the reload was to study. It’s straightforward to get the gun operating, however you’ll want to make use of the bolt launch to conduct a reload. To succeed in the charging deal with, you need to use your taking pictures hand.
The Triad package and the BRN 180 performed effectively collectively. I had no reliability issues, and the gun chewed by means of Lancer, KCI, and Magpul magazines. The BRN 180 has already confirmed to be dependable, so I’m not stunned.
READ MORE HERE: The World’s First Bullpup Pistol-to-Rifle Package: Meta Tactical’s APEX-Sequence
Going Bullpup
Going bullpup isn’t for everybody. Bullpup rifles are difficult, and I perceive why people don’t look after bullpups. The Triad package does eat up a whole lot of your rail house, and even with the longer BRN 180 handguard, there isn’t a ton of room for equipment. My Cloud Defensive OWL takes up a lot of the house on the handguard for equipment. Night time imaginative and prescient guys might be aghast!
Nevertheless, I’m stunned by how effectively the BRN 180 and Triad package work. It shrinks the rifle into a really succesful defensive weapon. Whereas it might need its downsides as a bullpup, the setup will work for dwelling protection with none actual points. Should you’re within the Triad, test it out right here.
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Travis Pike is a devoted firearms author, a Second Modification Advocate, and a topic fanatic for all issues firearms. He’s an beginner competitor with desires of sooner or later not coming in 4th place at an area defensive match. If he’s not placing textual content to phrase processor, he’s seemingly spending time with household, having fun with Florida’s Nature Coast, or consuming hipster beer. Because the resident Florida man he has a choice for obscure weapons and calibers.
Expertise
Hunter – Very long time deer and hog hunter within the swamps of Florida Teacher – Volunteers to show primary firearm security courses to youngsters, adults, and cats Wannabe Competitor – Has lately dipped his toes into aggressive taking pictures and has fortunately found an costly passion. Marine – Served 5 years with the infantry earlier than transferring to the First Civ Div.
