AXTS AX556 lower

[vecdran]

Had a brief chance to fiddle with a pre-production lower last week, on a precision build. Want!

[Dutchy556]

Duffy - I'll be picking another up through AXTS

[Dutchy556]

I finished up my review of the lower this evening, I figured this would be a good place to post it. Full disclosure: I do not have a professional affiliation with AXTS, they have however sponsored my competition team by supplying us with lowers. I hope this is appropriate for M4C.

Bear with me, its on the long side...


A Review of the AXTS Weapons Systems AX556 Lower
by Pieter van den Berg, Team 144

Team 144 consists of three guys from Oregon with diverse backgrounds in the military, law enforcement and civilian shooting communities ranging from former Army sniper to law enforcement firearms instructor. As professional and recreational users of the AR-15, we are always on the lookout for products that can increase our speed and efficiency with the platform as well as increase the ease of weapons manipulation. A few months back we contacted AXTS in the hopes of getting our hands on their AX556 lowers. Having seen the lowers online, the design seemed to be a promising one – a truly fully ambidextrous lower with the A-DAC feature allowing one to lock the bolt back while depressing the magazine release. Josh Underwood, the owner of AXTS, graciously agreed to hook us up with three of his pre-production lowers on the condition that we run them hard in training and competition and give him our feedback on their performance. Thus far my own experience, and that of the rest of the team, has been nothing but positive. The full-ambi functionality and ability to lock the bolt to the rear without leaving fire-control is pretty much a game changer. This is truly one of those products that make you wonder why no one has come up with it sooner.

Upon receiving the lowers and unboxing them my initial impression was favorable. Aesthetically, the lowers are very pleasing. With their smooth, dark anodizing and lack of any visible machine marks it is clear that a great deal of attention to detail goes in to the crafting of these lowers. The proprietary small parts that allow the ambidextrous functionality of the lower appear to be equally well made. Right down to the engraving and PMAG matching pattern on the mag well, the AX556 is one good looking lower. The “fit-and-finish” crowd will no doubt be pleased. But, I’m not one of those guys. If it doesn’t work as advertised, and reliably, then I’m not interested. So with that in mind I immediately set about assembling the lowers and getting out and hitting the range with them to see how they perform.

I set up my lower with the requisite small parts, a Geissele SSA trigger, Magpul MIAD grip, and Vltor A5 receiver extension with standard 5.3oz buffer and rifle spring and a Magpul CTR stock. Uppers I have been using with the lower include a Noveske barreled 16” “Recce” built by myself on a Daniel Defense M4 receiver, a BCM BFH 16” lightweight midlength and a S&W 5.45x39 upper I use for high volume training. All of them fit well with little to no wobble between the receivers. To date, between all three uppers I have somewhere around 1500 rounds down range using the AX556 without any hiccups and between the rest of the team we have somewhere between 2500 and 3000 rounds down range without issue.

The magazine well on the AX556 is nicely flared, allowing for quick magazine insertion. All magazines I tried with lower - 20 and 30 round PMAGs (both older and current M revision), Lancers and USGI and 30 round C-products 5.45 – function and dropped free as expected. An integral oversized trigger guard allows for easy access to the trigger while wearing gloves. And the anti-rotation feature of the hammer pin included with the lower prevents it from spinning, which can improve the feel of the trigger pull. The ambidextrous functionality of the lower is exactly that – truly, fully ambidextrous. Unlike other “ambi” lowers I have used you can drop a mag, lock and release the bolt from either side of the lower without ever having to take your hand off of fire control. The controls are laid out similarly on both sides and I have found them to be quite intuitive.

The right side of the lower features a magazine release that, while depressed, also locks the bolt to the rear when you cycle the charging handle with the help of a pin that runs between the magazine release and the bolt catch. This is an excellent feature which aids in the performance of remedial action to clear a malfunction without having to alter your firing grip. It is also downright convenient when it comes time to unload and show clear at the end of a stage in competition. Above the right side magazine release is a large, nicely serrated bolt release which allows a right handed shooter to drop the bolt using the trigger finger if desired, or for a left handed shooter to drop the bolt in a more traditional manner after inserting a fresh magazine. The left side of the weapon is similarly outfitted with a magazine release below a nicely oversized paddle on the bolt catch. I have found that no matter which side I’m shooting from the controls are easy to reach and actuate. The optional BAD-ASS safety selector from Battle Arms Development (available in 90 or 45 degree throw on the production version) rounds out the ambidextrous features of the lower. If you aren’t already familiar with the BAD-ASS, I will say that with its high quality machining and multiple, interchangeable lever options it is, in my opinion, the best ambidextrous safety available on the market.

As a right handed shooter I absolutely love being able to lock the bolt back with my hand still on fire control. As mentioned, this greatly increases the speed and efficiency of performing remedial action. Southpaws will likewise no doubt enjoy the left side magazine release and enlarged paddle on the bolt catch if they’ve trained to release the bolt with their trigger finger. Regardless of being a lefty or a righty, any shooter who trains to shoot on their support/reaction side should like the fact they can manipulate the weapon from either side in a similar and efficient manner without having to leave fire control.

As I write this the production version of the AX556 is nearing availability. This version of the lower incorporates a number of minor ergonomic improvements based on the advice of some well-known industry professionals during the T&E process. These subtle tweaks will take what is an already awesome lower and make it even better. If you are in the market for an ambidextrous lower I can recommend the AX556 without reservation. I truly believe it has the best features of any lower available on the market today.

One final comment, as I’ve been asked by several people what is required to complete an AX556 lower: You will need, in no particular order – a rear takedown pin along with the detents and springs for both the front and rear takedown pins, a buffer retainer and spring, and a safety detent and spring to install with the BAD-ASS safety supplied with the lower (I suppose you could go without the BAD-ASS, in which case you would also need a safety selector – but why on earth would you do that?). You will also need a fire control group (minus the hammer pin), plunger and spring for the bolt catch, grip of your choice and the receiver extension, associated hardware, buffer, action spring and stock of your choice.


Other T&E reviews by Louis Gines and Robb Jensen & Military Morons can be found Here

[Duffy]

Thank you Dutchy for the fine review!

We've been working with Josh at AXTS since before the public release of our selectors, the AX series and F series product is largely a reflection of Josh and AXTS: perfectionist, attention to detail in every aspect. Josh is willing to listen and grateful for input and criticism. In this, we find much kindred spirit with him.

Being a small company, though we're all shooters ourselves, it'd be foolish to ignore the experience and expertise of our fellow shooters and enthusiasts, the collective wisdom and know-how dwarfs our in-house talent.

AXTS is very much like us in this regard.

We only supply a single component on AXTS receivers, yet Josh and we had spent countless hours on the phone and email working out the tiniest details. I can assure you that similar attention to detail has been applied to every aspect of the receiver, the end result is a product one can hardly find fault with, it's a well executed and engineered piece

[Dutchy556]

Thanks Duffy!

Yeah I've definitely been impressed by Josh's attention to detail and the degree to which he has sought out input from various members of the shooting community. The fine results of this approach to making a product are very evident when you get one of the lowers in your hands. And, I would say the same is true of the BAD-ASS, so kindred spirits indeed!

[Skyfire1201]

Was out playing with a pre production AX556 and a couple of different uppers today...



I should have a review of the AX556 done soon...

Dutch, which hand stop is on that DD MFR? How does it attach to the rail?

[Dutchy556]

Its IWC's - here

Mounts directly to the rail by means of small backing plate that goes inside the tube. The light mount is IWC as well, mounts the same way. Great company, great products.

[KRAZYKIDDJOE]

I have one quick questions for duffy or AXTS, I purchased the lower and the bad-ass 45 degree selector... Which levers are supplied with the bad-ass thru axts...?

I assume that there will be two short levers, thought I would ask to be certain.

Thanks
KKJ

[Duffy]

Krazy, the short throw selectors we supply AXTS have a standard lever and a short lever, as it is the "safe" configuration (short levers require more effort to rotate, so a standard lever on the thumb side is a safe bet for most users).

I'm not sure AXTS allows customization on the levers, but if AXTS supplies only the fixed configuration (standard and short), we will exchange any lever you want under the free lever exchange program

[FMJ556]

Anyone get their production lowers yet ? Supposed to be shipping this week.