PSA JAKL AR/AK Pistol Review: Ultimate Truck Gun?

PSA JAKL Specs & Features

Specs

• Caliber: 5.56mm
• Capacity: 30+1
• Action: Semi-automatic, long-stroke gas piston
• Length: 29.5" (21" folded)
• Barrel Length: 10.5"
• Height: 7.5"
• Width: 1.75"
• Weight: 6.6 lbs

Features

• Monolithic upper
• Adjustable gas system
• Long Stroke Gas Piston Operating System
• Folding brace

The Palmetto State Armory JAKL holds great potential, but can it serve the role of your ultimate go-to defender?

PSA has released several exciting firearms lately, and the JAKL is arguably one of the best. This firearm has the outward appearance of an AR-15 pistol but also contains elements of the AK-47.

Judging from the features, it seems PSA intended the JAKL as a somewhat stowable firepower upgrade or truck gun. This concept is in comparison to your standard concealed carry firearm.

We can agree that having greater armament at your fingertips when the need arises is a good thing indeed. But does the JAKL get the job done?

When we began testing, we weren’t sure, but the JAKL definitively answered that question. We’re going to share the results with you below.

Palmetto State Armory JAKL

$1099

at Palmetto State Armory

Prices accurate at time of writing

$1099 at Palmetto State Armory

How We Tested the PSA JAKL

For this review, we tested the PSA JAKL with a Primary Arms GLx 4-16x50, shooting 3-round groups at 100 yards. We went through 500 rounds of ammunition, using both practice ammo in the form of AAC 55gr FMJ, as well as 69-grain Remington Match.

At the helm was Sean Curtis, who has been shooting since childhood but really began to delve into guns more during his law enforcement career of over two decades. He received continued training for his roles in SWAT and was a POST-certified handgun instructor.

Background

The JAKL was revealed by PSA during SHOT Show 2020 as a 7.5-inch barreled, .300 BLK AR pistol with a suggestion that other models would follow.

Two years later, the gun was released with a 10.5-inch barrel in 5.56mm.

It’s a safe bet that if sales of the JAKL perform well, we’ll at least see the .300 BLK and potentially other models later on.

Who Is It For?

Anyone wanting to tuck away some extra firepower will definitely appreciate the JAKL. With the 10.5-inch barrel and folding stock, you still get a 5.56mm gun that can feed on 30-round (or bigger) magazines.

In certain configurations, it could run as a bag gun, but most practically, it would serve well as a truck gun.

Ergonomics: Fit & Feel

The JAKL has all the feel of an AR-15 pistol though the abbreviated receiver and folding brace give you a clue as to the piston inside. The grip is an A2 style, and some people are okay with this, but it’s one of the first things I tend to replace.

The folding brace from SB Tactical works well, but as a brace only. Shouldering this item with any vigor strong enough to control recoil causes it to bend.

Again, this was not its intended purpose. The brace, lacking in any weight or substance, also causes the JAKL to feel a bit front-heavy in the hand.

Otherwise, the fit and finish are fine, of the black anodized standard common to the AR-15 platform. Additionally, the rail is a good size and features Picatinny rail on the top.

There are QD wells on the sides near the lower, and in the rear of the receiver. MLOK slots adorn 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. No sights were included with the JAKL.

Controls

The trigger, a mil-spec feeling single-stage, broke at 4.5 pounds on a Lyman Digital gauge with an almost immediate reset. Otherwise, fire control, magazine release, and bolt catch/release, are standard and located where you'd expect in non-ambi configuration.

The non-reciprocating charging handle is mounted on the side of the handguard and unlike an AK-47, it can actually lock back to the rear. In fact, you can do this operation one-handed while holding the firearm by the grip.

How Does The PSA JAKL Shoot?

The JAKL is fun to shoot, and I saw where with a couple of upgrades, its performance could really shine. Initially, I thought it was going to have reliability issues.

When establishing zero, I laid out prone at 25 yards and experienced a failure to feed after every shot. I wondered if the old “shooting from the magazine” problem was coming into play but later realized the gas system had been adjusted before we started shooting.

Once I dialed this backdown, I had zero problems over the course of the entire test, a little over 500 rounds. The JAKL fed, fired, and ejected remarkably well.

To test MOA, I set up a Benchmaster Shooting Table and Caldwell Lead Sled. For glass, I mounted a Primary Arms GLx 4-16x50.

It seemed like the 55-grain AAC grouped tighter more consistently as compared to the heavier Remington match. I would have guessed the opposite, considering the 10.5-inch barrel’s 1-in-7-twist.

Shooting suppressed is a dream with the JAKL because of the adjustable gas system! I added a Banish 30 suppressor (1/2x28 thread pitch), and once I had the right setting, the weapon cycled the rounds reliably.

I found the knob for adjusting the gas system was easy to reach, just barely peeking out from under the front of the handguard, near the muzzle. I was able to turn it through all four positions without the use of tools.

We used three different Magpul magazines and a KCI during testing. All fed reliably and dropped freely when released.

Why Is The PSA JAKL UNIQUE?

The JAKL is so different because it has an outer appearance of an AR-15 but uses a long-stroke gas piston in its operating system.

This makes it somewhat of a hybrid with the AK-47 but also the AR-18 when you look at the bolt.

The charging handle comes standard mounted on the left though can be switched to the right for shooter preference. Plus, the charging handle locks to the rear.

This creates an interesting manual of arms that is also a blending of the AR-15 and AK-47.

*As of July 2024 we tested an FDE version of the JAKL that has a 14.5" barrel and full folding stock. The experience was similar--the firearm is a bit heavy, but seems durable.

The fully adjustable folding stock makes recoil a lot easier to manage since you can stuff it into your shoulder and really clamp on without the bend of the folding brace. This is the best of both worlds because when folded, it's still compact enough to tuck away.

Palmetto State Armory JAKL

$1099

at Palmetto State Armory

Prices accurate at time of writing

$1099 at Palmetto State Armory

Upgrades for PSA JAKL

Primary Arms GLx 4-16×50 FFP, ACSS-HUD-DMR

• ✓GLx series has lots of reticle options
• ✓Good glass quality
• ✓Good bang for the buck

$749 at Primary Arms

Silencer Central Banish 30

$999 at Silencer Central

AAC 5.56 NATO 55gr

$10 at Palmetto State Armory

ShellShock Ultimate Eyes & Ears Combo (Bluetooth)

$169 at ShellShock Protection

Final Verdict

The JAKL is a cool firearm that has a lot of features you’d want in a truck gun or home defender.

It’s small enough to run suppressed without adding too much overall length and eats up gas with its adjustable system.

That size also allows you to tuck away a significant increase in firepower in comparison to a standard pistol.

It’s reliable and provides decent accuracy for short to medium distances.  

Will you be picking up a JAKL for your vehicle? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to head over to our 5 Best Folding Truck Guns to outfit your El Camino!