I can see it working for someone with a disability, but thats way too much monies. $200 just to remove the stress from the roll pin? I could buy 10 GI CH’s for that dough! (my opinion)
Agreed… at $100 it would catch my interest… but not $200. Also interesting that they state it’s ambidextrous (unless I misunderstood), but I don’t see how it would clear the shell deflector.
That is a very cool idea. Pricey, but very cool. The downside are, the front mount interferes with mounting a scope and it should have a folding charging handle. For $200, they should be offering an upper with this side charger design integrated into it. But I’ll say it again- very cool.
Oh, the design is ambidextrous. When using the rifle left handed, pull on the tab in the back in the conventional manner. That means a lefty will see no advantage to this gizmo
For me this negates the the entire reason I would run a side charger, maintaining a cheek weld on a precision rig for manipulations. Pretty neat if you just prefer a side charger for other reasons though.
I could see the Brits that run ARs as straight pulls mounting it on the right side and interfacing with the modded bolt. Would take a bit of work, but could be interesting.
I always like innovation and I’ll try not to be too critical. But… the BCM and Raptor and other newer charging handles allow easy one hand charging, so this only moves that hand forward about 6", it doesn’t provide a change in option beyond that. If I were to run a side charger it would either be (1) so far forward that I could use the left hand without moving it far from its normal grip - the ARAK upper allows this, as do a handful of others; or (2) entirely internal to the receiver, so I could charge without moving my cheek, as someone else already mentioned. This setup doesn’t provide either of those benefits. Also, at $220 you are close to or possibly even at the price level for a side charging upper receiver + carrier.
I guess I could see this as being useful for someone shooting in positions where having the handle 6" farther forward would be really useful, but who can’t buy a complete solution with that (like the ARAK) or build a dedicated side charging upper.
No we have come up with a better side charging solution then this ! UK spec ar-15’s has a side charger on the right side directy into the bolt carrier. Then there is an extension is fitted so the cocking handle is just above the trigger, so you don’t have take your whole hand off the grip to cycle it .
We can archive a rate of fire one shot a second without breaking sight picture
My thoughts exactly. This one’s not for me, but I think it’s important for people to constantly be looking for ways to challenge conventional thought and improve design.
Interesting, other than the price and bulky handle. As a SCAR owner I could see something like this being a benifit to make operating controls similar. Also a smaller angled charging handle such as a GG&G or Tango Down made for the SCAR.
Super clever, big tip of the hat to these guys. Not something every one needs but just the fact that it’s bolt-on-and-remove, no changes to the carbine is, I think, quite a feat.