ARAK-21 Range Report

[torque_and_recoil]

As promised, here are some of my initial thoughts and results. Your mileage may vary, but this is the sort of post that I looked for (and was unable to find) while I was researching the ARAK-21 -- someone who owns and has shot the upper and is in no way affiliated with Faxon Firearms. (This post will also move me closer to the magic number of 50 posts that will allow me to once again read the classified listings!)

After some (mis)adventures with FedEx and a 3-hour round trip drive to the regional distribution center, I finally gained possession of my ARAK-21 upper with a 16" heavy 5.56 barrel.


The Lower

I built the rifle on a new Seekins billet lower. (My build ended up looking like many of the ARAK-21 rifles seen in promotional photos.) You can't use unmodified Gen3 PMAGs with the Seekins non-milspec lower, but it does look awfully cool. In this case, I did sacrifice some utility for aesthetics.

This was my first experience with a Seekins billet lower. It was just different enough from milspec to cause some frustration during assembly. The upper/lower tension screw (to replace the function of an accu-wedge) didn't seem to do its job. Also, one of the internal set screws interfered with trigger operation, and it took me way too long to figure out how to install the rear take-down pin detent. All of those features were under the grip, so I found myself having to remove and re-install the grip multiple times. Live and learn.

I thought the ambidextrous bolt release would be handy with the side-charging handle, but now I'm not convinced of its value. The off-side lever will release the bolt, but you can't use it to lock the bolt back. (More on that later.)

All in all, I'm happy with the Seekins lower, now that it's all put together. The fit and finish of the upper and lower both look great.

The Trigger

I used a Geissele SSA two-stage trigger. I also have the less expensive G2S two-stage trigger, but I found that my G2S has much more creep in the second stage than the SSA. I'm not sure why that is, because they're supposed to be "identical operation and feel" except for the spring retention method. But I can definitely tell the difference between my two samples. However, both trigger groups are still miles better than the stock USGI triggers.


Balance

Since I don't really use forward rails, I went ahead and removed them. I will be looking for some way to better insulate my hand from the hot aluminum. (I'm already investigating using strips of Micarta or G10. Kydex softens too much under the heat.)

Even though the front handguard looks and feels slim without the rails, the upper is very solidly built. It feels a little front heavy, especially with the heavy barrel and no buffer in the stock. Removing the front rails and adding a scope helped with balance a little, offsetting the weight out front.

With the ARAK-21 system, it's easier to have a folding stock. I tried an inexpensive folding adapter, but I decided not to use it. Right now, I can't think of a use for a side-folder other than storing the rifle in smaller spaces, and the adapter I have adds some bulk and rattle to an otherwise sleek and simple Mapul CTR stock.


The Gas System

As the YouTube videos show, the bolt carrier looks a lot like an AK. The bolt itself looks similar to an AR. Field stripping is very easy and requires no special tools.

The bolt/receiver area runs very clean and very cool. The only carbon residue I observed was right around the tip of the piston and the gas regulator. That's as expected.

With all the loads I tried, I had to run with maximum gas to get reliable functioning. 55gr commercial loads (Winchester White Box and PMC Bronze), 55gr reloads (24.8gr H335), and 75gr Black Hills Match (red box).

Rounds were ejected slightly forward, between 1 and 2 o'clock, and not very far (2 to 3 feet). Nice neat little piles of brass. It's my hope that with some more break-in time and better lubrication, I can back it off to medium gas setting for normal operation. (I like to have margin to adjust up or down.)

Side Charging Handle

The charging handle came installed on the left side. I couldn't figure out an easy way to lock the bolt back with this arrangement. Pulling back the charging handle with my left hand, my right hand couldn't comfortably reach the bolt release on the left side of the receiver. And the ambi-bolt stop lever on the right side can only release the bolt (not lock it back).

I found this to be very inconvenient, so I ended up swapping the charging handle to the right side. Now it works like an M1 Garand, M14, Mini-14, etc. It also means I can clear malfunctions, work the bolt, etc. even when my left hand is tied up in a sling-supported position.

Optics

I omitted back-up sights for weight, and the money saved was applied to getting a higher quality scope. I already had a set of 30mm rings, so I went with a 2.5-10x Vortex Viper HS scope from AA Optics. Alan was extremely helpful, as usual.

From what I've been able to research, typical AR rings put the center of a scope about 1.5" above the flat top base. I used Leupold 30mm "High" rings, which put the center axis of the scope about 1" above the base. However, the flat top on the ARAK-21 is about 0.5" higher than a standard flat top to accommodate the gas system.

So it turns out that the cheek weld is perfect, with no risers required on the Magpul CTR stock. (And you can't tell from the picture above, but there is plenty of clearance between the rail and the scope.)

If I had gone with back-up sights, I probably would have gotten the Troy Micro sights. They're a little shorter than standard and I probably could have kept a good cheek weld while using them.


How did it shoot?

I completed the initial assembly at dusk and was able to test fire before the sun set completely. The muzzle flash from the brake is something to behold. The flames shot out about 1.5 feet on each side, and about 1 foot up. The flash was very visible through the scope. The next day, I didn't notice the flash at all (in overcast daylight).

When standing to the side of the rifle, the concussion is certainly worse than an A2 or Smith Vortex flash hider on a 16" barrel. However, the ARAK-21's concussion is downright gentle compared to a JP Enterprises brake.

The recoil is non-existent, even for a .223, which has relatively little recoil anyway. I think this is due to the brake and front-heavy nature of the rifle rather than something inherent to the piston gas system. Recoil feels a lot like the JP Enterprises rifle mentioned above, which has a DI gas system. That is, it feels like shooting a 10/22. With good ears on, it's hard to tell if the rifle actually fired or not. The rifle simply doesn't move (both from the bench and off-hand), and there's no screen door sound coming from the buffer tube.

I did my testing at 25 and 100 yards from a bench. I did not have much luck shooting 55gr bullets. The 1:7 twist barrel seemed to like the 75gr Black Hills much better. At 25 yards, all of the shots were in one hole, but that's not really anything remarkable for an AR platform.

At 100 yards, I was getting consistent 5-shot groups at 1.5" center-to-center with the Black Hills. However, the day was overcast and the temperature never exceeded 25 degrees F. So I will fully admit that I wasn't at my best for accurate shooting. I'm disappointed that I couldn't get below 1.5 MOA, but I am optimistic that the rifle will do better once I'm not bundled up like the kid from A Christmas Story and my hands aren't frozen to the mag well. Continuing to try for better groups under those conditions seemed like a waste of good ammo. I'll attempt again another time.

Plans for the Future

Rig up some low-profile heat shields for the front handguard. I really like the slim profile, and I don't want to ruin it with a bunch of rails that I won't need/use.

Figure out a way to attach a QD sling swivel to the front handguard. I will probably go with a Magpul RSA.

Test for accuracy again once the weather warms up.

Run some more rounds through it to see if a "break in" will allow me to back off the gas regulator setting.

 

[John Galt]

Why did you go with the heavy barrel? Just wondering ….

Edited for rudeness, I forgot to thank you for the great, in-depth report - thank you!

 

[mikefraz]

Thanks for the mini review! Very helpful.

 

[torque_and_recoil]

Why did you go with the heavy barrel? Just wondering ….

Edited for rudeness, I forgot to thank you for the great, in-depth report - thank you!

According to Faxon, the difference between a heavy profile 16" 5.56 and a medium profile 16" 5.56 is 3 ounces. I'm not sure how much I believe that now, but since nobody else posted about theirs, I had to trust the information I had available.

To me, the taper of the medium profile barrel up to the relatively large muzzle device didn't look as attractive as with the heavy profile barrel. For three ounces of difference, I went with the more attractive (to me) (and perhaps more accurate during high volume of fire) option. The three handguard rails that I removed total 5 ounces.

I mostly shoot Garands and M14s, so I wasn't too concerned about the weight. The final weight (unloaded) of my ARAK is 9 lbs, 2 oz, which is still lighter than my "light" Garand.

You could probably shave another pound off the weight by using a forged lower and a different optic.

 

[Dirtball]

Planning on picking up one of these uppers with the 300 black barrel in the new year. I was looking for a good first hand review of these, nice work. An update after 1,000 rds or so would be much appreciated as well.

 

[Dirtball]

Having never heard of Faxon before 2 months ago made me not want to throw $1,500 on the table. I believe they make their own barrels as well.

 

[torque_and_recoil]

Having never heard of Faxon before 2 months ago made me not want to throw $1,500 on the table. I believe they make their own barrels as well.

Faxon seemed to address just about everything I didn't like about the AR platform, so I was willing to take the risk. I'll just have to make sure that I order the critical spare parts sooner rather than later... just in case.

I will definitely be putting more rounds through it once the weather warms up a bit. This post was more of a "so far, so good" kind of review.

 

[mikefraz]

I'd really like to hear your updates as the round count grows. Things like accuracy, reliability, and how the fit and finish hold up would be great.

 

[mikefraz]

Any new opinions or observations?

 

[torque_and_recoil]

Any new opinions or observations?

After some more internet research, it appears that my upper (around S/N 600) has all of the most recent updates.

1) The recoil spring guide is solid (no hole).
2) The firing pin retaining lever has two springs (rather than one).

One of the major complaints about the ARAK-21 documented in this post by an early adopter is that his firing pin fell out of the bolt carrier during heavy use.

My upper has the "fix" for that problem, but I'll be keeping a close eye on it during future testing. I'd love to do a high round count torture test, but I don't have any .223 to burn up. (I do my best to only shoot quality ammo, and I'm not willing to blast through hundreds of rounds of Black Hills 75gr Match ammo for the sole purpose of seeing if the firing pin shakes loose.) I'll just have to wait and see if it happens naturally during the course of normal range sessions.


Since the weather has been lousy, I've been working on the handguards a bit more. I want something that will protect my hand from the heat, but won't add as much bulk as rails. I can mold Kydex, but I'm not sure how well it will hold up. It might droop and warp with use. I think I've settled on using black Micarta or G10 slabs attached to the screw holes for the rails. Unfortunately, my woodworking tools are inadequate for working with those composites. After some mediocre attempts, I'm now looking for a knife maker who would be willing to help me out. That stuff it hard to drill accurately without a press, and tough to shape consistently without a belt sander or grinding wheel.

 

[Psode27]

That thing looks like it turned out great! Nice write up!

 

[mikefraz]

Sorry to bother you again, but its been awhile longer. How's the upper holding up? Thoughts?

 

[torque_and_recoil]

Sorry to bother you again, but its been awhile longer. How's the upper holding up? Thoughts?

I'm surprised that anyone remembered this thread.

After a series of unfortunate events, I no longer own the ARAK-21 upper.

I think that the Faxon team has made something really unique in the ARAK-21 design. The gas system, the charging handle, the ease of field stripping, the ability to use a folding stock, etc. are all aspects that I really like. I even went so far as to make up some custom G10 slabs to replace the front rail sections.

However, as an early adopter, my ARAK seems to have suffered from some manufacturing issues. The Faxon team was good to work with and tried to make it right, but eventually I ended up returning the upper. I've received e-mails since then from Faxon showing improvements in the new builds, but I'm still in a "wait and see" mode. I do know that they're actively working to make things better, and I wish them the best of luck.

I still have a complete lower with a Giessele trigger in it waiting for an upper, but I think that's going to have to wait a while longer.

If you'd like more details, just PM me. (I tried sending you a PM first, but I don't have enough posts yet.)

 

[torque_and_recoil]

mikefraz,

I received your PM, but it looks like I can't send a PM (even in reply) until I hit the 50 post mark.

Here is a little more detail on my experience:


I struggled to get any reasonable accuracy out of my ARAK. With the original heavy barrel, I would get about 1.5", 5-shot groups at 100 yards. After the first time removing the barrel, I couldn't get better than consistent 3.5", 5-shot groups at 100 yards. 10-shot groups would open up to 5" or greater.

I tried about ten different brands and various bullet weights. These were all high-quality commercial loads (Black Hills, Hornady, Lapua, Winchester, Federal, etc.), not cheap military surplus or steel cased.

I tried three different high-quality scopes. Two Leupolds and a Vortex. Shooting was done from a solid bench with sand bags.

Working with Faxon, I returned the upper several times. I can't remember exactly off the top of my head, but I think we tried at least 5 different barrels. (Both 1:7 barrels and 1:8 barrels. All 16".)

3-shot groups from a cold bore wouldn't do too bad. But it seems that as the barrel would heat up, the shots would start to show two distinct clusters. Shots would fall into one of the two clusters randomly. (You might call it a "wandering zero".)

This is one example of what I experienced:



This experience started in January and ran all the way through the end of May. At that point, I requested and received the refund. Throughout the process, Bob was sympathetic and genuinely wanted to help. He even helped refund a portion of my ammo expense. They are a stand-up company.

They continued to work on the barrel issue, and Bob sent me a picture of a 3-shot, 1" group at 50 yards with a newer barrel. I think they're actively working on the issue, but that photo didn't convince me that the issue was completely solved at the time. That was May 31, so things may have improved more since then.

I haven't checked recently, but at one time the Faxon website said that their uppers would shoot 1 MOA. I would have been happy with 2 MOA, 5-shot groups at 100 yards and a consistent zero as the barrel warmed up. I never could get that.

I have no hard feelings toward Faxon. Barrels are difficult to make right, and I think they were still learning at the time.

I would have no reservations buying an ARAK-21 upper from them again, if they could show me a test target for my upper of a 10-shot group at 100 yards and tell me the brand/load of ammunition they used. (10 shots to make sure they capture the impact of barrel warm-up.)

The first thing I would do when the upper arrived would be to verify that the it performs the same for me as it did for them.


If you do decide to buy one, and you'd like to replace the front rails with something "slicker", just let me know. I have some thin G10/Micarta pieces that I had machined in a couple different textures to replace the "cheese graters". I don't recommend running the rifle with the front bare, since the aluminum can get pretty hot.

If you've got any other questions, just let me know.

 

[mikefraz]

Thank you for posting that. Though that's not exactly confidence inspiring, I like that they at least have awesome customer service. Would wearing mechanix type gloves be good enough to handle the hot handguard?

 

[torque_and_recoil]

Would wearing mechanix type gloves be good enough to handle the hot handguard?

Mechanix gloves would work fine. I just tried to protect for the case where I might not be wearing gloves.