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In this article we dive into the Palmetto State Armory JAKL to see how it works and what it is as we compare three different models.
USMC Veteran. Concealed Carry & NRA Pistol Instructor. 3-Gun Competitor. Career firearms writer
Palmetto State Armory built its business on producing a wide variety of AR-15s and being a builder's best friend.
The company has since evolved to manufacture other firearm platforms, like the 1911, the AK, the Dagger series, and various PCCs.
For the most part, Palmetto stuck to producing established designs that were simple, affordable, and effective. That is, until the JAKL reared its head.
The JAKL is completely designed, engineered, and produced in-house by PSA. Its success has led PSA to expand the JAKL lineup to include three distinctly different models – the original JAKL-15, the JAKL-10, and the JAKL-9.
I've got all three on hand and have spent a good chunk of time behind each gun. So let's dive in so I can hopefully guide you to the JAKL of your dreams!
| Caliber | Operating System | Barrel Length | Lower Receiver | Muzzle Device | Stock | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAKL-15 | 5.56 NATO, .300 Blackout | Long-stroke piston | 8.5", 10", 13.7", 14.5", 16" | Standard AR-15 lower receiver | A2 flash hider or JMAC Customs GFHCE-28-S-KM | F5 MFG PSA JAKL modular stock or PSA triangle side-folding brace | $999 |
| JAKL-10 | .308 Win | Long-stroke piston | 12.5", 14.5", 16" | PA-10 Gen 3 lower receiver | A2 flash hider or Rearden R2 flash hider |
Its AK roots come in the form of a long-stroke gas piston that sits inside a proprietary upper, placing the JAKL firmly in its own camp.
Long-stroke piston designs reduce some of the snappiness felt with short-recoil guns and provide a smooth recoil impulse. The downside is that you can feel the heavier piston design moving back and forth.
Other benefits of the long-stroke design include being easier to suppress and having less residual gas thrown back in your face when running suppressed. Using a gas piston also allows for cooler and cleaner overall operation.
Both the JAKL-15 and JAKL-10 feature easy-to-adjust gas blocks that allow you to tune the gun to specific suppressors and ammo loads with a quick turn.
The JAKL-9 utilizes a straight blowback design. Straight blowback gives us a simple, reliable system that keeps the price point fairly low. It differs from a standard straight blowback AR-9 system in that it uses a recoil spring integral to the upper receiver.
Straight blowback systems tend to have a bit of extra recoil compared to delayed blowback systems, but the JAKL 9 mitigates it well.
The JAKL-9's system also plays well with suppressors and doesn't throw gas in your face, thanks to the limited gas created by the 9mm cartridge.
The JAKL upper features a monolithic rail system attached directly to the receiver. This forms an incredibly rigid upper receiver group and rail system that provides more optic mounting space and a stronger platform for mounting laser aiming systems.
Unlike the AR-15, the JAKL’s charging handle sits right above the barrel. It's easy to reach, non-reciprocating, and reversible for left-handed shooters.
This charging handle location makes charging the gun, clearing malfunctions, and clearing the gun easy to do without breaking a firing grip.
The JAKL-15 uses a standard AR-15 lower receiver, the JAKL-10 uses a PSA PA-10 lower, and the JAKL-9 uses a PSA AR-V lower.
None of the JAKLs require a standard AR buffer tube to operate. No buffer tube means the JAKL can be fitted with a folding stock and also fire when folded.
While PSA sells complete JAKL lowers, if you choose to use your own lower receiver, you will need to purchase the correct stock conversion kit.
Using AR-based receivers allows you to use AR controls and grips, which have long been favored for their ergonomics, simplicity, and modularity.
Additionally, you can use AR triggers and AR pattern magazines with the JAKL-15 and JAKL-10. The JAKL-9 uses the extremely affordable and common CZ Scorpion-pattern magazines.
Since we covered what these guns tend to have in common, let’s dig into what makes these guns a little different besides the caliber.
Pros
Specs:
The JAKL-15 is an intermediate cartridge rifle that directly competes with guns like the AR-15 and AK.
It comes in either 5.56 NATO or .300 Blackout. Both of these cartridges make good use of the JAKL’s operating system to create a very light-recoiling gun that suppresses easily.
If you had to pick one JAKL for home defense or general purpose use, the JAKL-15 would be it. Both 5.56 and .300 Blackout are extremely effective for home defense, with the 5.56 being a better choice when overpenetration is a concern.
One thing that stands out about the JAKL is the weight of the handguard. It's beefy, folded aluminum. The longer the barrel you opt for, the longer the handguard is, and the more front-heavy the gun will feel. I would consider the 16-inch variant to be noticeably front-heavy.
While the JAKL-15 isn't overly front-heavy to the point of being hard to use, it's heavier than an AR of similar size.
On the flipside, that extra weight up front tends to help reduce muzzle rise. I can shoot a sub-2-second Bill Drill from the low ready with the rounds forming a palm-sized group.
At 100 yards from a bench, I consistently shot groups that hovered around 2 MOA with AAC Sabre 62-grain ammo. Some groups were slightly larger, some slightly smaller. Cheaper, basic 55-grain .223 ammo opened the groups to around 2.5 to 2.7 inches at 100 yards.
I enjoy the ergonomics, especially the charging handle. My only complaint, aside from the front heaviness, is that while the stock feels nice, it also feels a little flimsy.
Overall, the JAKL-15 is a solid rifle that offers something beyond the AR-15 and AR-18 wannabe rifles. It's something new and different, and it's a lot of fun to shoot.
You can check out our full-on review of the pistol version as well as the video below!
What do you think of the JAKL-15? Rate it below!
Readers’ Ratings
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Pros
Specs:
You don't realize how expensive .308 Winchester has become until you start shooting a semi-auto rifle platform. It gets pricey quickly, especially with the JAKL-10.
This big battle rifle is no slouch and will deliver that full-powered fun you're dreaming about.
The JAKL-10 is the middle child, and, oddly enough, much like me, it is also the biggest child.
It's currently only chambered in .308, although I wouldn't be surprised to see a 6.5 Creedmoor version sooner than later.
The .308 round is well-suited for hunting purposes or those who want to reach out to longer distances with relative ease.
The JAKL-10 series is where that long, rigid, monolithic optics rail becomes extremely handy. It's much easier to mount larger, higher-powered optics in a way that makes them most usable for you.
It is easy to get the perfect combination of a proper length of pull with correct eye relief for your optic, giving plenty of room for those larger optics.
But the rail is also where the front-heavy design becomes a bigger problem. This thing is extremely front-heavy. But when using a bipod, table, or tripod, the weight doesn't matter all that much.
The heavy handguard and smooth piston operation help keep the barrel from jumping when firing those hefty, high-powered .308 rounds. Recoil isn't pain-inducing or shoulder-bruising; it's rather nice and light.
The JAKL-10 uses a modified PA-10 3rd Gen lower receiver, so it's not compatible with all the various AR-10 lower receivers on the market. But we still get AR-10/SR-25 magazine compatibility. And thanks to Magpul, those are affordable and widely available.
With a Maven 4-20x optic and a Zeiss tripod, I was producing groups a little over 2.25 inches at 100 yards with 150-grain Remington ammo.
In the .308 tactical rifle world, your options remain limited. But the JAKL-10 offers something beyond your bog-standard AR platform. Although the JAKL-10 costs more than some AR-10s, it is a good bit cheaper than many non-AR semi-auto tactical .308 rifles.
Pros
Specs:
I might be a bit biased, but I had so much fun with the JAKL-9. I have a real affinity for pistol caliber carbines and subguns. What can I say? I'm a big man who likes small guns.
Being a direct blowback platform means it isn’t much of a JAKL on the inside, but externally, it's mostly JAKL.
The JAKL-9 doesn't have the same violent recoil that one might expect from a blowback gun. They seemed to have tuned the recoil spring to make it fairly soft-shooting — softer than other PSA AR-9s and guns like the CZ Scorpion.
Ergonomics are spot on and blend perfectly with its much bigger brothers. The JAKL-9 is chambered in 9mm and uses the common and reliable CZ Scorpion magazines.
I love the CZ mags, from their stylish curve to their double-stack, double-feed design. Plus, they're cheap.
The JAKL-9 utilizes a modified AR-V receiver, which offers an excellent blend of AR controls with a completely ambidextrous paddle magazine release.
It ditches the long-stroke gas piston system but keeps the hefty handguard. Because the barrel and handguard are short, it doesn't feel all that front-heavy.
I do wish PSA would ditch the A2 flash hider. That would save me from having to remove it to suppress the gun.
Speaking of suppressors, the simple, direct-blowback nature makes this gun very easy and pleasant to run suppressed. It's a blast to shoot, and 9mm doesn't drain the wallet.
This thing is designed for close-range use. I conquered a Bill Drill in 1.6 seconds and scored 1.25 seconds on my failure-to-stop drills. The small size makes it easy to maneuver and shoot, allowing me to complete ready-up drills in under a second.
While I didn't shoot for groups, I did take it out to 100 yards and hit a Sage Dynamics Thoracic target the size of a piece of printer paper with six out of seven rounds. That's accurate enough for me.
The JAKL-9 is a fairly unique PCC platform that stands out from the competition, yet it's still well-made and easy to shoot.
All three of the JAKLs used in this article are from my personal collection and have had quite a few rounds put through them.
The JAKL-15 was accuracy tested from a bench at 100 yards using a red dot and magnifier combo. AAC Sabre 62-grain ammo and bulk 55-grain .223 ammo were used for this testing. Speed testing was done using the standard Bill Drill procedure.
Accuracy testing on the JAKL-10 was conducted from a bench at 100 yards with a Maven 4-20x optic and a Zeiss tripod, using 150-grain Remington ammo.
Practical accuracy testing was conducted on the JAKL-9 at 100 yards using an 8.5x11" Sage Dynamics Thoracic target. Speed testing was done using the standard Bill Drill procedure.
This article was written by Pew Pew Tactical author Travis Pike. Travis spent a lifetime shooting as a kid and later joined the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman.
His experience as a machine gunner, recreational and competitive shooter, hunter, and concealed carry instructor has given him unique insight into various weapon platforms. Travis has countless articles to his name with a variety of publications. Between his personal collection and time spent shooting the JAKL at media events, Travis has extensive experience with the JAKL platform.
I like things that are outside the norm, and I'm super bored with the AR platform as a whole. The JAKL series gives us something that looks, feels, and handles differently than anything else on the market.
If you want a true blend of AR and AK, the JAKL delivers that experience in multiple calibers and configurations.
PSA remains committed to expanding its JAKL line of guns. They have recently released a bullup version called the Olcan, and are slated to release a 2.0 version of the JAKL as well.
What do you think of the JAKL? Are there any variants or versions you would like to see next? Sound off in the comments below! Interested in other PSA products? Check out our article where we review 15 different PSA products!
We review products independently. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission to help support our testing. Learn more.
| F5 MFG PSA JAKL modular stock or brace, B&T MBT stock |
| $1,399 |
| JAKL-9 | 9mm Luger | Direct-blowback | 6.5" | PSA AR-V lower | A2 flash hider or extended flash can | F5 MFG PSA JAKL Modular Stock or Brace, PSA triangle side-folding brace, Midwest Industries Brace | $899 |
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