I immediately liked when Carl mocked the fact every group test on youtube is ludicrous.

Reviews and historical content are the reasons why I enjoy this channel. The fact that you aren't sponsored makes you guys have the best reviews.

You need to be careful when discussing the glass content of those polymer stocks, Russel. The intellectual property of your brain actually belongs to GWACS.

Thank you guys for doing the work, showing pros and cons of a firearm without sugar coating it. This is why I'm a patron. This should be an example to other guntubers how to review a firearm, show it's issues and not trash the company. If companies only support positive reviews beware of their products.

This was a really great review; no fluff, no brand disparity nor bias, no cherry picked tests... Perfect. Please do more.

hopefully PSA sees this and improves the shit outta it

Carl sounds like he is auditioning to be the next gun expert in an assault weapon case. "Side folders up lethality by at least 400%"

A 30 minute IRTV video with, match footage, mud test, various testing, and final thoughts. Love it.

High glass content in glass-embedded nylon causes the mold injection dies to wear out faster and the mold is one of the biggest costs to polymer parts. That stock looks like it's made of several large complicated pieces so the machining for the mold is probably a lot costlier than other parts and there's too much relying on the polymer-polymer fit to make it mechanically stable. The engineering guys probably got carried away, so the injection department had to order really pricey machining work, and the financial department told them to cut corners. The engineers were probably relying on the rigidity of the high glass content parts to make it feel solid and cost-cutting undermined that.

The minor flexing is not a major issue outside of battlefield or kicking down doors. An arm brace flexes a lot more than F5 stock and I don't hear anyone crying about. The JAKL has many other stock options, find the one suits your preference. For the price point its a solid platform that should improve over time in option. No, I am not a PSA fanboy, just someone in the industry. Nice video review.

Man youre very thorough with your review haha excellent work I dont forsee myself getting a Jakl with the availability of the AR, especially at the price point but its still fun to watch

They produce ARs and AKs in house, which is likely why they went with a hybrid of the two. 9Hole Reviews stated that the recoil impulse feels softer and longer than comparable short stroke guns so theres some possible advantage.

I'd like to hear your opinion on this vs the BRN-180.

This is a much better way of delivering the negatives than another reviewer recently did. The other guy seemed genuinely angry and made me think he had a vendetta against PSA, which negatively affects my view of his review. Thank you for being honest and fair, as always.

I was seriously considering this rifle, now I am not. I already have an ACR and a CZ Bren 2 MS. Thought this would be a nice addition, but not anymore. However, like what Russel said, this could change. PSA is going to keep working on this rifle and improving it. So I will keep an eye on it in a few years.

With form 1 approval times way down, it sounds like buying a Bren 805 pistol and turning it into an SBR might be a much better option if you really want the "SCAR-L at home." You can buy the pistol for $1600, the tax stamp for $200, and the stock for just under $200.

Have one and I love it. That recoil impulse is weird but I have enjoyed it. Completely agree with the stock comment. It could be more rigid.

This is one of the best all around reviews I have watched in a long time, do more gun reviews like this from different manufacturers this was awsome!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

I appreciate the transparency regarding prices you paid for both the upper and the other parts👍

I think the Jakal makes sense, as the ONLY drawback to the AR15 platform is the buffer tube/ lack of ability to fold the stock without some goofy adapter and this is their solution to solve that problem/ offer customers something that does that. i just wish they got the execution alittle better before release. the stock and pic rail are easy fixes.

Great commentary about alloys and blends. Material science is important.

Now this is a proper review,thanks russell.

Love every magpul stock I've had. Hugh quality polymer and rock solid. I recently saw a video of a KP-15 that cracked by the rear takedown pin but I've had zero issues with mine. I love the KP-15 lower and the lightweight rifle I put together on it. Great video

The out of spec rail appears to be an issue with the longer rail model. The pistols and mid length rail appear ro be in spec. (Mesured 2 of each from different owners)

I like this type of review . No hyperbole just information about the rifle’s performance within the criteria used in the test . Cheers guys 👍🏼

This is the inrange I come back for.

You guys are way off. Youre supposed to compare this to $2500-4000 duty guns, DI guns especialy. Thats what every other guntuber is doing, lol.

Thank you for doing this. PSA will (hopefully) see and listen to critiques.

It's been my impression that this was "We have SCAR at home." And glad to see Phagan back me up. I have several PSA products of my own. Never had any problems.

The in depth multi video reviews are the best. Honest no bs opinions that are up front and forthright with any biases.

Gotta say I really appreciate the in range crew for doing reviews like this one.

100% agree with y'all's opinion, I own a 13.7" pin/welded Jakl. Most $500-$1000 ar15s are more accurate, less recoil and and lighter. The only things better with this are less cleaning and better for dialing in different ammo when running a silencer. I mostly got this for a little different look and as a range toy

I think that you guys have proved conclusively that AR pattern rifles are the most reliable and accurate.

Loving the quality and detail of the videos, especially this one on a popular new platform/upper configuration, however I think my biggest impression was how much I like Karl's hat! 😂

You guys are so great together! Very informative with actual technical specs 😮. Subbed to both. Oh yeah I'm not a bot! Wow! Haha

Appreciate the honest review guys. Keep up the great work!

I commend PSA for trying to develop new stuff. that said, execution counts. i like the concept here, and look forward to a gen2.

16:37 I used to have an airsoft ACR. The stock didn't flex at all, certainly not as much as this one from PSA.

Thanks for the thorough breakdown, I always am interested in new designs, and for just liking what you like. I have a Tavor SAR, I recognize it shortcomings, but I just love it, love my AR too and shoot well with both.

I love my 14.5" JAKL, it was my first ever 556 gun and my only 556 gun still. That F5 stock was a huge reason as to why I bought the thing and once I had the gun in my hands I could not get that POS replaced fast enough. I replaced mine with a B&T stock. I think you guys' assessment of the JAKL being a fun toy for people with expendable income is actually quite fair. It's too damn heavy to be a combat weapon but I still have a good time with it plinking steel in my backyard at 25, 50 and 100 yards. Been considering a 300blk 8.5" upper and a suppressor.

I have the Zhukov stock on my CZ Scorpion and the only reason I haven't put one on my AK is that they don't make the Zhukov in the color I want anymore. It's an amazing stock.

What I heard, "Stop selling this cheap pos stock and just use the Zhukov". Got it. I've been using a Zhukov on an Ak74 for years with no issues. Good to know they have adapters for folder Ar platforms.

Excellent video! Love this content.

I like that you brought in one of the Patrons to help with the assessment.

Interesting gun, and an excellent review.

I think the reason they went with a long stroke piston is ease of design. It is easier to make/design a one piece piston than to make a multi piece piston setup. Also the metallurgy requirements are easier as well. With a short stroke piston, you need to ensure the metal is well suited for strength and toughness. So it will not deform in use, and also not crack. I find the rifle interesting, but I think it needs a gen 2 version. Before I would buy one. I have a few "not ARs" already, so my interest in this rifle is less than it was when PSA first started talking about it a few years ago. But all of my "not ARs" are bullpups, so "SCAR at home" may have a place... But I think the newest version of the CZ Bren is more likely. I still need to build an A2 clone first, before I get to thinking about that. I got plenty of 16on ARs, time to go with one like I was issued when I was active duty.

Great review. The reason why I have not yet bought a Jakl is exactly what they described in the video. I don't have the disposable income right now to buy something the same but different, and I don't see it doing anything that my ar can't besides being able to shoot with a folded stock.

Good stuff, Russell!

Another great review! Now I wonder how the PSA Jakl compares to the PSAK GF (PSA AK-47). InRange review 🙏🙏 I'm one of the guys with too many ARs looking for something different that can shoot just as well as one. There's lots of other semi-autos but they kinda suck relative to ARs, especially when shooting past 200 yards.

My deity, I adore thy content.

Thank you for the very thorough review gents!

Just a guess on the long stroke choice on the gas system is to have the lengthened and or softened perceived recoil or impulse as opposed to the short stroke piston punchy quick recoil but honestly have no idea

I'm loving the influx of Jakl videos.

From what I understand is that the higher glass content is harder on the machinery. The abrasivenes means the molds don't last as long. Being that a cost was cut, it would be hard for me to spend the premium.

Great video! The first time I saw that F5 stock, I wanted it so bad. Very disappointing to see the truth about it. But the great thing about the Pic rail attachment is there are a dozen other stocks you can use. The reason to want a piston gun over a DI one is easy tuning on the fly for suppressor use. The .300 Blackout version of this gun is supposedly a marvel because of the tuneability.

Stock twist was wild, as someone who the JAKL is aimed at (old ACR fanboy) was an instant 'no thank you'. Thanks for the honest review of it, looking forward to seeing what the other views are. Bren 2 is looking better for a novel piston AR-like device.

I gave into the jakl hype. Even spr’d a 10.5 5.56. Wish there was more reviews like yours.

Thank you for the review . I own two Jakls and using XTac 62 gr I consistently get two inch groups even after mag dumps. As far as the stock goes I have yet to have a flexing issue and I am wondering if the plastic used has changed ? You may want to contact PSA about the flex issue

Awesome work Russell! Wondering how it compares to the Sig Spear LT

one thing about the bolt catch / release i think they should change; add back the removed metal to the outside of the paddle. basically just shift the postiion of the padldle outward to clear the upper as needed

I have one. I was putting together a suppressed SBR in 300. If I was going to pay for the tax stamp I wanted something small. It was a buffer less upper that I could put a folding stock on. The heavier bcg mass works ok with the suppressor. For a short range subsonic gun it shoots ok ish.

21:13 XCR did that. It's weird you said that long stroke gas piston adds mass to moving parts, because you must know that it's all about reliability. You can make moving parts of any gun lighter, but reliability will get worse. So any gun's moving parts must have minimal mass to be reliable and in guns with long stroke piston part of the mass is just concentrated in that piston.

I'm so excited to try it out at High Desert Brutality! I really like shooting AR derivatives... even if this one seems like it may not be the best one out there at least I'll look cool lol!

I have a PWS with a long stroke piston and it's my favorite rifle when shooting suppressed. Most of the gas is vented out just a bit further out and it makes it tolerable shooting indoors. Outdoors you hardly get any gas in your face at all. I think they have their place in modern fire arms for sure.

I agree that the F5 stock is flexible when fully extended but as a shooter that doesn’t fully extend my F5 stock it really isn’t overly flexy when out 1 click. I wouldn’t pay the asking price for the bare stock from F5 but it’s a good deal when it comes on the Jakl.

Thanks for the unvarnished opinions guys!

Great review, thorough and informative. I wonder how this thing compares with the Foxtrot bufferless uppers. Also, y'all absolutely missed an opportunity to say, "Short stroke pistons are so hot right now" :P I will say Karl's comment about the community liking aesthetics over function struck home. I've seen that attitude a lot recently, people setting things up to 'look serious' rather than training until it's smooth and making small ergonomic tweaks where needed.

I think your conclusion is perfect for this. This gun kind of reminds me of an FNC in that: It works and is reliable, but is more expensive, heavier, and a little worse than an AR. So really it’s a fun gun.

Nice review! When Gunbunny takes it out for a Brutality, can you send her out with a better stock, like the Zhukov, or Midwest Industries Alpha AK stock, to see how much of an issue the F5 atock is? Thanks!

My controversial take: The stock is ugly as hell. I know thats not important at all, but I never liked the scar style, ACR style, or variants that have a top and bottom that slide. Yes who cares if it works, but it doesn't, so I can happily bash it now. Robinson XCR classic stock or old Galil style would look sick. Some of the pistol variants of this seem cool.

Why am I seeing issues with the “ kit” Jakls and not with the pre built rifles ? I have two Jakls both sent to me in full rifle form. I haven’t had an issue yet with flex on any of the two weapons stocks. Now, a few days later a friend received a PSA Jakl upper.. no issues , he then orders the lower with the standard Jakl stock. Right off the bat the comparison is night and day. The butt pad on the “ lower kit” is 1/2 inch thinner than the PSA pre built rifle from the factory . The receiver kit stock was able to be flexed and squeezed almost like a cheaper polymer where the rifle direct from PSA was fine. It was a completely different polymer, different butt stock rubber and more. If this is the case is PSA unaware of these lowers with the sub par stocks? And did they get a massive batch of them for the lower build kits ? I will be ordering my third Jakl in OD green and will see if that stock again differs from the kit build currently on my bench .

I think you're spot on for the practicality of particularly competition shooters. If you're just thinking about how fast you can poke any size holes in paper, a DI 5.56 gun is definitely the answer. Funny enough the only time that didn't bear true is far steel targets that needed momentum transfer. Similar reasoning for the military moving to the new 6.5 fury round (but for armor). I still think (short-stroke) piston guns are cool, but doesn't seem like they have any advantage for civilian users over DI

Very interesting, thanks.

Showing receipts = like + subscribe. Nice integrity

I still really like my ARAK. I imagine it’s similar shot feel. Both more like a Stoner 63 than anything else right? Long stroke AR bolt head, square bolt carrier, etc..

Love Russell critiquing the polymer. Wish the stock was ridgid as an ACR stock

i would like to say that the amount of glass fiber or nylon in the stock is for 3 reasons: first reason is that yes adding glass fiber (ie 30%) is more expensive as you said. The second reason why manufacture dont add that amount of fiber glass is because it wears the dies of the plastic molding much much quicker. Changing and making a die is more expensive as someone would think as it usualy involve a realignement, test and miss mold every change you made. Maybe a small mistake on your part but adding glass fiber is technically more brittle in reality it does not affect it to a degree it make it fragile, a good example is lets say the plastic mold of a drill or any good quality tool is made to that amount of glass fiber in the plastic also to my knowledge they make handle of wrecking hammer with 30 gf and those are made to resist impact. Thank you for the video !!

It's great to see a gun channel which is not just about trying to promote consoom product

Watching Valgear content he compared DD ar-15s to Scar L, Bren 2 and ak74. Mud tests are one thing, repeated continued exposure to sand/mud and no proper cleaning for days at a time with mud drying off between use in trench fighting conditions are another. He preferred to shoot quality ar-15s over anything else but valued Scar-ls and ak74s in a higher tier of reliability compared to quality ar-15s and Bren 2s in harsh constant field use. He said that ar-15s may be superior in most applications but not in something like Bahmut conditions. For civilian use ar-15s are a no brainer and bring enough benefit for general military use outside of very specific battlefield conditions (if you have the money to buy quality and to cycle your inventory, something like an archaic long stroke piston system might have a longer service life maybe?). Here in Europe every military rifle adoption has to be considered in the next 50 years of service life, we don’t have the budgets for regular parts replacement

Great review. And I agree with that analysis. There is a reason the AR pattern has dominated the market.

At a guess, I’d say that stock is affecting the accuracy… How about restock and shoot groups again…?

Clearly their stock needs more refinement in terms of material, and possibly design... I saw on another video the actual ACRs stock is quite rigid.

I would guess the long stroke choice is because PSA already makes AKs

Nice PSA rifle. Happy USA Day

7:50 Those Desert Tan scissors rock. 8:13 What paint did you use for witness marking, or what paint would one generally use?

Gotta say I fundamentally agree. Until something major comes along that basically requires new technology outside of what we would classify as a "firearm" the AR15 solves every problem that other guns claim to solve. Just get a friggin AR15. For the price of this you could get the meta setup for newbies--Aero lower+BCM upper. In every way that setup is going to be better and better to shoot.

I am a happy PSA customer. I do think the rifle is cool! But I really don't need another tacticool rifle. Honesty, I'm burned out on them. I've gone back to sporting clays and I'm enjoying the hell out of "old man" guns with wood and haven't touched an AR in months. Mainly because they're all kinda the same. I still love PSA and what they've achieved. But I would have expected more for a mechanically disadvantaged product.

This gun has a lot of potential. All they have to do is work out the kinks and get their manufacturing process down.

Does anybody know if you can just put it on an AR lower that has the standard buffer amd stock?

Yeah, "It's different." Is exactly right, AR15 styles rifles are like Glocks, they work, they're safe, they're boring. That's it.

I would have liked to see heavier ammo put through the rifle as well, like 69gr or heavier, to better compare it to the "1 MOA" standards that higher end DI guns can supposedly shoot. Most important addition (in my opinion) to the whole "modern 5.56 rifle with side folding stock" might be the CMMG Dissent, as it retains the DI system instead of a piston. It may be the best of both worlds, or it may be the worst of both, but I have seen not much testing.

I'd like to see these same tests on the 300BLK version.

I'd be willing to bet the pic rail slots being too narrow, probably has something to do with their tooling wearing down and not being replaced often enough. So lots of people will probably get in-spec ones from when the machining bits are fresh, and then later ones on the same run will have progressively worse tooling. EDIT: Should have finished watching lol, they mentioned this.

Who makes the adapter you all used for the Magpul stock?

Karls contempt for aesthetics over functionality is palpable.

My thought with a JAKL upper or a Brownells BRN-180, is to use it in a bullpup chassis. But yes, more as a toy and less as a practical piece.

Have seen a few other reviews that also point out the flimsy flexible F5 stock and outta spec rail. Maybe PSA working to resolve these shortcomings.

I'd like to see a comparison of this jakl against the Robinson XCR-L. I remember Karl had an xcr-m?

So, this or a Colt, FN, SOLGW, or BCM for the same price? I'm super torn, guys.

I figure PSA’s thought on long stroke was that they’re doing so much with AKs now. I wonder if they’re using AK pistons.